Rugby councillors to decide whether to hold review which could see Warwickshire being run by a single council

Councillors in Rugby are to debate a recommendation to invite other councils across Warwickshire to join a review which could see Warwickshire become a unitary authority.

At present, the county operates on the 'two-tier' council system, whereby we have Warwickshire County Council alongside district or borough councils - with county and borough/district councils having different responsibilities.

The decision as to whether to call for a review will be made at Rugby's full council meeting, to be held on July 21.

Rugby council leader says review is a chance to deliver long-term ambitions for the borough more efficiently

Rugby council leader Seb Lowe said: "Residents of Rugby can be assured that our primary focus is on meeting the needs of our communities during the current civil emergency, and on ensuring that our borough recovers from the pandemic as quickly as possible.

“This pandemic has shown that Rugby’s residents appreciate the support we have provided and value having a well-run authority with local decision-making.

“We must though consider whether we can deliver our long-term ambitions for Rugby more quickly and more efficiently with devolved powers and with more decision-making taking place closer to the communities we serve.

“I invite the leaders of all of the authorities in the county to join me and consider what arrangements we can make for the future.

“At the forefront of my considerations, however, must be what is right for Rugby.”

Other councils in Warwickshire are launching reviews ahead of expected government announcement

The move comes in anticipation of a government white paper expected to be published in autumn 2020, which is expected to address devolution of powers, “levelling-up” between wealthier and more deprived communities, and reform.

On June 24 Warwick District Council and Stratford District Council announced they would be launching a review of structures across south Warwickshire.

If approved, the review would involve all of the borough and district councils in Warwickshire, the county council, and town and parish councils.

What are the likely outcomes of the review?

In a report prepared by Rugby council officers, it is explained that there are four likely outcomes of the review.

The first would be no change, the second a single unitary council covering the whole of the county, the third would be two unitary councils to cover the county.

Finally, there is scope for cross-county amalgamations - whereby there would be links with councils outside of Warwickshire.

Criticisms of the two-tier system

The report also explains that some think the two-tier council system is outdated, adding other flaws include: "The continued lack of clarity, transparency and democratic accountability for local community leadership between the tiers of local government to the detriment of local communities; and the barriers between local government and other public agencies that prevent effective cross-organisational action to address important local issues."

The Council meeting will be live-streamed via the council website at www.rugby.gov.uk/CouncilJuly2020, starting from 6pm on July 21.