Fears that council shake-up plans are being rushed through

FORMER LEADER SAYS TIMESCALE IS 'VERY TIGHT'

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

A FORMER Nottinghamshire County Council leader says getting the authority abolished within three years will be "very tight" as plans move closer.

Both the county council and Nottingham City Council could end up being abolished in their current form by 2028 under the biggest changes to boundaries for 50 years.

"I'll probably end up being the last Labour leader of Nottinghamshire County Council", says Alan Rhodes, who led the authority from 2013 until 2017. Councillor Rhodes, who remains a Labour member of Bassetlaw District Council, says he is "disappointed" with the way in which his party is going about local government reorganisation (LGR).

He says there is a danger the changes are being rushed through too quickly, a sentiment also expressed recently by Gedling Borough Council leader John Clarke.

Councillor Rhodes said: "There was no discussion before it was announced by the government.