Progress is being made towards new government structure in Cambridgeshire

Progress is being made towards organising the future of local government in Cambridgeshire.

Cambs Unitaries, a non-partisan organisation advocating for more accountable and effective local government structures, has today published a new framework of principles for reorganising councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Following the government’s proposal published last year for local government reform, Cambs Unitaries is continuing to argue for a bold reimagining of the current system. One that replaces the complex, overlapping layers of councils with at least two new unitary authorities.

“The current arrangements for local government are absurdly confusing and ineffective”, said organisation chair Ralph Ecclestone.

“This is a unique opportunity for people to replace them with a system that is simpler and that makes local councillors truly accountable to voters”.

The organisation’s framework provides a roadmap for how those unitary authorities could be shaped to better reflect the region’s diverse communities, economic patterns, and infrastructure needs. The size and boundaries of new unitary areas should reflect cohesive economic and cultural areas.

They need to be aligned to represent the natural housing, travel, and employment patterns, thus enabling effective planning and transport services.

The framework also calls on the central government to provide more clarity on how new unitary authorities will interact with combined authority mayors, and to more clearly delineate which functions will fall to unitary authorities and which to mayors.

We call on all council leaders, councillors, and residents to engage with the framework and to enter reorganisation discussions with openness and a focus on long-term public benefit.

Mr Ecclestone added: “Before moving towards a specific map, we’re offering principles that can guide sensible, community-focused reform. It’s time to reshape our councils to form a local government that is able to deliver for local needs and that restores the bonds of democratic accountability between the people and their local authorities. Please let us have your thoughts on these principles.”