Carter sets out county devolution plan
Author: Local Government Chronicle |
Paul Carter anticipates savings of 21bn over three to five years through voluntary groupings of councils taking over services performed by quangos and freed from many inspection burdens.
Cllr Carter will submit a report to the shadow cabinet this month proposing that county, district and unitary councils arrange themselves voluntarily into sub-regions.
The plan would divide England into 46 sub-regions, which would broadly mirror traditional shire and metropolitan county boundaries.
He believes the groupings will be large enough to deal directly with Whitehall, enabling councils to be freed from central constraints and to take on powers over health and policing.