More legal challenges in fight over backing for unitaries

09 August 2007

Bedfordshire County Council is the latest authority to mount a legal challenge to the Government’s decision to back a unitary council for the Borough of Bedford.

In the latest row on unitaries, Bedfordshire said the Government’s decision would leave local people worse off. The county council had bid for a single, county-wide authority, which the Government ‘should have supported’ under its own rules.

Chief executive, Andrea Hill, said: ‘In the decision letter to us, the Government made it clear we had passed its test in terms of important questions such as affordability, leadership and a broad cross-section of support. ‘Yet the minister chose instead to give qualified backing to the Bedford borough plan. This is a plan that she says herself is financially risky.’

Meanwhile, City of Durham Council has received feedback from legal chambers that the council has a strong case to challenge the Government on its decision to back Durham County Council’s unitary case.

The city council claims the consultation process was ‘one-sided and unfair, making no reference whatsoever to opposition to the proposals’. Cheshire County Council will also ‘fight’ the Government after Chester City Council got the unitary green light.

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More legal challenges in fight over backing for unitaries

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