County councils are pushing for an evidenced-based approach to local government restructuring following controversy surrounding plans by district councils, Transport Network understands.
The County Councils Network (CCN) has raised a raft of financial, democratic and governance concerns over districts deciding to join a combined authority outside of their county.
The organisation has suggested there is no clear mechanism for how services and funding might be split between the county council and combined authority, given the Revenue Support Grant is not ringfenced by service area.
Cllr Anne Western, CCN's economic growth spokesman
If government agreed to such plans it would raise issues over the fragmentation of services and a potential democratic deficit, as any funds going to a combined authority would not necessarily be spent in the county they came from, CCN has suggested.
It was also suggested that the system could be wide open to judicial reviews, such was the complexity of the situation.
As a result of these issues, CCN has called for a transparent and evidence-based approach to appraising different options and ensuring the statutory tests are met.
Under the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act, such re-organisations must be approved by the communities secretary after applying a number of statutory tests, including considering the economic and transport implications and the likely effect on neighbouring areas.
However, CCN warned there is no clear metric to base such decisions on. Transport Network has approached the Department for Communities and Local Government for clarification and is awaiting a response.
The news comes after Chesterfield Borough Council voted last week to seek to join the Sheffield City Region Combined Authority (SCR CA), despite not having a border with the city region, a move made possible by the Section 12 amendment to the Cities and Local Government Devolution Act 2016.
If the plans are approved by communities secretary, Greg Clark, they would see transport powers relating to the borough passed from its home county of Derbyshire, to the elected mayor for the Sheffield City Region.
Derbyshire County Council leader Cllr Anne Western, who is also the County Councils Network’s economic growth spokesman, said: ‘By any objective measure, the plans won’t pass the statutory tests, transport or otherwise.’
Meanwhile Craven DC and Harrogate BC have also called for transport powers to be taken away from North Yorkshire CC if they become full members of the Leeds city region.
The councils have written to the Government asking for ‘clear support’ for the Leeds combined authority and mayor taking responsibility for transport across the whole region.
‘In our view, this provides the best opportunity to improve the economic outcomes for our respective communities,’ the councils' letter says.
A deal between the Treasury and the Leeds city region is expected by the time of this month’s Budget.
