About Local Government Review (LGR)

Different parts of the country have different types of local government. Some areas, have a 'unitary' structure, in which most of the council services people receive are provided by one unitary, or 'all-purpose' council. Other areas have a 'two-tier' structure, in which most of the council services are provided by a county council working alongside a number of district councils.

Some areas also have smaller town and parish councils as a more local tier of local government.

According to the Government, local government in two-tier areas faces additional challenges that can make it harder to achieve that strong leadership and clear accountability which communities need. There are risks of confusion, duplication and inefficiency between tiers, and particular challenges of capacity for small districts.

The Government therefore invited local authorities to come forward with proposals for how local government could be improved in two-tier areas, either by moving to a unitary system or developing new and innovative models of two-tier working.

In developing proposals, councils were asked to demonstrate how their proposal met the following criteria of:

• Being affordable, self-financing and giving value for money.
• Being supported by a wide range of partners and stakeholders.
• Providing strong, effective and accountable strategic leadership.
• Offering neighbourhood flexibility and empowerment.
• Delivering value for money and equity on public services.

From across the country, the Government received 26 unitary proposals and five new two-tier working proposals. Two proposals were submitted from local authorities in County Durham:

• A unitary proposal from Durham County Council to create one new unitary council for County Durham.

• A unitary proposal from six of the seven district councils in the County (Chester-le-Street, Derwentside, Easington, Sedgefield, Teesdale and Wear Valley) to reorganise council services within the existing two-tier structure before moving to a unitary structure of one, two or three unitary councils at a later date.

City of Durham Council wrote to the Government to say that it did not support unitary reorganisation.

Having assessed all of the submissions it received, the Government short-listed County Durham as one of the areas where it was interested in introducing unitary local government on the basis of the single unitary council proposal submitted by the County Council.

The Government ran a consultation upon the proposal between 27 March and 22 June 2007 and on 25 July 2007 announced that it was minded to proceed and implement the proposal.

On 5 December 2007, the Government confirmed its decision to proceed with the single unitary council proposal for the County and Parliament approved the necessary Structural Change Order in February 2008.

For further information on how local government in the County is being reorganised, please visit www.durham.gov.uk/newera.