Southampton councillors frustrated by lack of LGR debate

A request has been made for the issue to be on the agenda at next month’s full council meeting.

Councils across the region are working on proposals in response to the government’s aim to scrap the current two-tier local authority system.

Under the plans, unitary authorities covering larger areas will be created to deliver all council services from 2028.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has set Hampshire and the Solent councils a deadline of September 26 to submit a final response with their preferred restructure model.

While the majority of other local authorities in Hampshire held discussions at full council meetings earlier this year, no such debate was held at Southampton City Council.

Discussions on the joint regional interim response to MHCLG took place at cabinet in March.

The issue was raised by members of the governance committee at a meeting on Monday, June 2.

Labour councillor Mike Denness said he worked within a lot of local authorities in Surrey and Hampshire in his day job and he was “struck” by the level of debate that had taken place.

The committee was told the current timeline for the city council would see LGR discussed at full council on September 24, two days before the government’s deadline and a day after the item would be due to go to cabinet.

“I’m disappointed that for the largest LGR for a generation, which will have far reaching effects for not just this local authority but all of the local authorities in Hampshire, we are discussing it at full council two days before we submit our report to government,” Cllr Denness said.

He added: “All it will be in that meeting in September will be indicative because nothing can change.

“It is disappointing it didn’t happen sooner.

“That is in no way a criticism of you as officers but I am disappointed due to the significance of it, we’ve not had more of an opportunity as councillors to debate it beforehand.”

Labour governance committee chair Cllr Jacqui Rayment said bringing the proposed LGR response to full council on September 24 at such a late stage would be “rubber stamping”.

“There is very little that there will be time to change or appetite to change between the Wednesday and submitting it,” Cllr Rayment said.

“Could there be scope for it to come to July council?”

Councillors were told this could be difficult as all of the detail would not be available at this stage.

Conservative member Cllr Rob Harwood said calling a special council meeting was an option.

He said: “The reason I mentioned an emergency council is that if we can’t make July, the only option we have is an early September emergency council to give us time to look at what’s going on and what’s being proposed.

“I wouldn’t discount that because we have discussed it already within our group particularly.”

Cllr Rayment said there was a cost associated with special council meetings and it would not be the preferred route.

However, she said all options should be on the table because LGR was important for everybody associated with Southampton City Council, as well as its partners.

The committee chair said there was an “information deficit” for members of the council.

“The fact that it’s even become an item for us to try and have overview of when we don’t understand the timelines, the detail and the options at this stage I find quite concerning,” Cllr Rayment said.

“Now it’s fine that cabinet might know and I’m sure the chief executive and leader are all over it, but they are a small part of a big wheel and if the cogs are going to carry on turning, you collectively need to make sure members are engaged.”

Members of the governance committee agreed to recommend that engagement with councillors needed to happen “sooner rather than later” and an indicative debate on LGR at July’s full council meeting would be welcomed.

“Officers have heard the message loud and clear,” cllr Rayment said.

“Hopefully they will come back with something for members collectively.”