Question
The Government are very good at imposing on people things that they do not want. In Staffordshire Moorlands, the Government want to impose the end of Staffordshire Moorlands district and the end of Staffordshire police—reorganisations that will have different timeframes and will lead to great confusion. Will the Minister consider my proposal for local government reorganisation—this has been my proposal all along—which is to leave our councils and local authorities in the state they are in? The Government can give us a mayor, if that is what they want, but we really do not need any more distractions for our local government officials, who need to get on and deliver services.
Answer
I just do not agree with the analysis that we can stay as we are. I do not think we can stay as we are from a public service delivery perspective, a devolution perspective, or a financial sustainability perspective. The world has changed, and the demands for people-led services—in adults’ and children’s social care and in temporary accommodation—are overwhelming councils. We have to make sure that we free up the money from the system that is currently used for executive pay and back-office support and direct it straight to neighbourhoods and people-led services. That is not at all to decry the good work that district councils do. I respect those councils, but we have to take this in the context of the 50-year period of reorganisation.
Verdict: GREEN (88/100)
The question asked whether the proposal to keep the current structure would be considered. The Minister clearly rejected it and gave concrete reasons: public service delivery, devolution, financial sustainability, rising social care and temporary accommodation demand, and expected savings from executive pay and back-office costs. The reply answers the question directly, and the only question part in this exchange was fully covered.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister consider the Member's proposal that Staffordshire Moorlands' councils and local authorities be left in their current structure, rather than undergoing local government reorganisation. | Addressed | Direct | The Minister clearly rejects the proposal to keep the current structure and gives concrete reasons: public service delivery, devolution and financial sustainability, plus rising social care and temporary accommodation demand and savings from executive pay and back-office costs. This is a direct, reasoned answer to whether the proposal will be considered. |