A former leader of Fenland District Council says he hopes Cambridgeshire is included in Labour’s proposed shake up of local government.
Alan Melton, who also served on Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Rationalisation would save money and give better value for council taxpayers.
“Although not a Labour supporter, I applaud the Government’s decision to reorganise local government and hope they include Cambridgeshire.”
Mr Melton fed his comments into the BBC Politics East programme on Sunday
He offered a reminder of the “several levels of local government” that serve Cambridgeshire:
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority.
- Cambridgeshire County Council
- Four district councils
- Two city councils.
- Numerous parish/town councils.
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner.
- Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Fire and Rescue Authority.
“All of these charge Council Tax, employ numerous officers including 10 chief executives,” said Mr Milton.
“Not only is this is expensive, but it is also unsustainable and does not give good value for money.”
The Government has pledged to simplify local government “with efficient savings from council reorganisation”.
Cllr Lorna Dupre, Liberal Democrat/Independent alliance leader on East Cambridgeshire District Council and a county councillor, told the BBC that the current system had “grown incrementally in all sorts of strange ways”.
She said: “Some people have five tiers of local government, which is just ridiculous.”
