Legal & Professional

Northamptonshire unitary authority plans fail to convince

By 2019-05-30T23:00:00

Northamptonshire County Council building

Source: Shutterstock/Gordon Bell

Combination of seven councils into two sparks concerns that constituents’ local influence will be diluted

As of April 2021, Kettering, Corby, East Northamptonshire and Wellingborough will become North Northamptonshire while Daventry, Northampton and South Northamptonshire will become West Northamptonshire.

The decision is the latest in a wave of council mergers aimed at making the process of both local government and local planning simpler, cheaper and more efficient. Dorset, Somerset, Suffolk, Buckinghamshire and Yorkshire are just some of the other areas where councils are mulling the prospect of a merger.

Yet not everyone is convinced that the move to unify Northamptonshire’s eight councils is the best option, especially considering the financial controversy that made it necessary.

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