There could be trouble ahead as councils continue 'super city' talks

FALL-OUT PREDICTED OVER BOUNDARY SHAKE-UP

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE leaders are predicted to “really start falling out” as negotiations over a huge shake-up of boundaries in the county enter a critical phase.

A firm deadline means there are now just months until plans will need finalising for a reorganisation that could see a “super city” being created in Nottingham.

The leaders of all Nottingham-shire’s nine councils, which includes the city and county councils as well as seven lower-tier district and borough authorities, submitted an interim plan to the Government on Friday. It marks the first official step in a process which marks the biggest shake-up of local government for 50 years.

The Government wants to abolish the current two-tier system of local government. The current system means that, in Nottinghamshire, Nottingham City Council manages all services in its area and local government in the county is split into two.

The county council manages major services like social care and schools, while seven smaller councils like Gedling and Rushcliffe manage services like bin collections. The Government wants all councils to be unitary authorities like Nottingham City Council and talks over how this should happen have already been fraught.