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Post by Pete Whitehead on Oct 9, 2015 9:06:12 GMT
Hertsmere has always been a fairly illogical creation. It was 'district 10' of the 10 districts proposed in Hertfordshire back in the early 70s which indicates that it was basically the bits left over once all the other settlements in the area had been put into more or less logical units. The main transport links (M1, A1, A5 and various rail lines) all run north to south whereas none of the main settlements in the borough are connected to one another by these links as they are arranged on an East-West axis. The main cause of the problem was the messing about with the county boundary that removed Barnet and brought in Potters Bar. The pre-74 constituency boundaries illustrate where the three main towns of the borough are best linked with. Bushey formed part of SW Hertfordshire with what was to become Three Rivers district - a 'doughnut' seat comprising a chain of suburban communities surrounding and well connected to Watford. Elstree/Borehamwood was part of Barnet and remains more closely linked to that town than to anywhere in Hertsmere while Potters Bar was part of Enfield West and likewise retains strong links with Enfield (within the currently configured Hertfordshire it is most closely connected to Hatfield). Additionally Radlett is more closely linked to St Albans than anywhere else.
This could be addressed by moving over to unitary authorities in Hertfordshire in which for example an enlarged Watford would take in all the surrounding areas (ie Three Rivers plus Bushey, maybe Radlett) with the remaining areas going into some kind of Central Herts with St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield. The trouble is the last time this was addressed 20 years ago there was an absolute insistance on treating the existing boroughs as cohesive units and therefore not to look at where it made sense for Bushey to go or for Potters Bar to go but where 'Hertsmere' should go. The most logical place for much of Hertsmere was St Albans and/or Welwyn Hatfield but that made no sense for Bushey at all and would have made the situation even worse. This is why ultimately no progress was made on moving to unitary councils in Hertfordshire. Any future attempt is going to have to completely tear up the existing map and start again from the basics
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Post by Devil Wincarnate on Oct 9, 2015 9:31:10 GMT
You could easily split it between Bolton, Manchester and probably Trafford "Easily"?! There's no easy about it. Salford is Salford is Salford. They ain't Manchester. They are when it suits them...
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The Bishop
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Post by The Bishop on Oct 9, 2015 10:18:39 GMT
I would still count Tranmere Rovers, as with that other Merseyside team Stockport County, despite both being temporarily outside the Football League. Stockport's tenure outside the league is a little more than temporary unfortunately... So I'd abolish Knowsley (all into Liverpool apart from Whiston which would go into Sint 'elens) and Sefton (Bootle and Maghull/Aintree into Liverpool, the rest into a new unitary with West Lancs). As mentioned above the two Cheshire unitaries need to go, splitting into probably three or a smaller two with outer areas joining existing mets/unitaries. In all circumstances Wirral should expand to include Ellesmere Port and Neston. All the 'all county' unitaries need to be split up (apart from Rutland obviously), the real problem one is Shropshire due to the low population but the relatively high population in the centre of the county (obviously Telford and Wrekin would have to be involved in any solution there). I would unitaryise the rest of England too. I would put more of Knowsley in St Helens than that - surely Prescot at least also goes in there? St Helens is of course itself rather small for a Met as things stand, after all.
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Khunanup
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Post by Khunanup on Oct 9, 2015 11:23:43 GMT
Stockport's tenure outside the league is a little more than temporary unfortunately... So I'd abolish Knowsley (all into Liverpool apart from Whiston which would go into Sint 'elens) and Sefton (Bootle and Maghull/Aintree into Liverpool, the rest into a new unitary with West Lancs). As mentioned above the two Cheshire unitaries need to go, splitting into probably three or a smaller two with outer areas joining existing mets/unitaries. In all circumstances Wirral should expand to include Ellesmere Port and Neston. All the 'all county' unitaries need to be split up (apart from Rutland obviously), the real problem one is Shropshire due to the low population but the relatively high population in the centre of the county (obviously Telford and Wrekin would have to be involved in any solution there). I would unitaryise the rest of England too. I would put more of Knowsley in St Helens than that - surely Prescot at least also goes in there? St Helens is of course itself rather small for a Met as things stand, after all. Good point, bung Prescot in there too plus perhaps a bit of Wigan Borough (the Saints/Pie Eater supporting divide doesn't neatly follow the borough boundaries...).
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J.G.Harston
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Post by J.G.Harston on Oct 9, 2015 11:54:39 GMT
I'd merge Rydale and Scarborough councils to create a Yorkshire Coast and Moors council. More than 50% of Ryedale's population and I think something like 70% of its tax base went over into the enlarged City Of York in the 1990s. Pickering is the "next town down" from Whitby, and Malton/Norton is similar from Scarborough.
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john07
Labour & Co-operative
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Post by john07 on Oct 9, 2015 12:40:30 GMT
How about Solihull. It appears to be a mixture of stuff that hadn't gone into Birmingham or Coventry.
I would be tempted to put Meriden and Berkswell into Coventry. I don't want to add any more territory to Birmingham as it already way oversize for an authority. I haven't got much idea what to do with the rest.
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carlton43
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Post by carlton43 on Oct 9, 2015 12:53:13 GMT
Highland. Too big to justify. Does that thinking also apply to Russia, China, India, USA and Canada? If so explain your reasons. I have no love of Highland Region myself. I just feel your reasoning to be flawed.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2015 14:27:12 GMT
This isn't a thread where an elected member can comment on their local area unless
a) they are happy to trash a whole range of sub regional working relationships. b) there have an absolutely impenetrable pseudonym & invisible posting history.
Shame.
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carlton43
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Post by carlton43 on Oct 9, 2015 15:00:02 GMT
Does that thinking also apply to Russia, China, India, USA and Canada? If so explain your reasons. I have no love of Highland Region myself. I just feel your reasoning to be flawed. * Management of council resources is challenging. * Ineffective proportionate allocation of resources. * The size of the council makes local elections less representative: large sects of the council might vote in a certain particular way whilst the remainder of the council area might vote another way. (Example: Inverness City, Nairn and Strathspey voted SNP in 2012 yet this was phased out by a large Independent vote in the north of the Highlands). By you're own argument Scotland should have an entirely centralised local government system, would this be politically representative for local communities? And the argument that Highland is culturally "different" to the rest of Scotland is utter pish. If so it should probably incorporate Argyll and Moray at a minimum. And as for the "examples" you've mentioned above: all of those states follow some sort of federal structure, so in a sense - yes they are. "By your own arguments Scotland should have an entirely centralized local government system..."!!! I make no such argument and believe no such thing. I said nothing to make you believe it. I made no comment on the Highlands being culturally different. I do agree that Argyll and 'Bute' should be in The Highlands, but can see no reason at all for Moray being so considered, nor for that matter Nairn! As to the specious remarks about different part of the Highlands holding different views on some matters....Well wow! Welcome to politics and to local arguments. Have you not noticed the differences in parts of Birmingham and Sheffield? and you will find that there remain large sectors of independents in any area of low population where we tend to know one another rather better and have less need of of trust for party labels...so far. All I did was to pull you up on strictures as to size in such an authority as Highland Region. It isn't too big and there is an identity of interest and an opportunity for co-operation and community in such matters as snow clearance/road maintenance, health care/ambulance/fire/helicopter and community support that makes good sense.
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cibwr
Plaid Cymru
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Post by cibwr on Oct 10, 2015 8:56:15 GMT
Abolish all the Welsh local councils and replace them with eight counties (oh, wait a moment, that's precisely what Leighton Andrews is doing!) Well I would break up RCT into its constituents, Taff-Ely, Rhondda and Cynon Valley, Llanelli from Carmarthenshire, Montgomery from Powys. Then I'd create 5 regional councils taking in Education, Health, Police, Fire, Social Services, Transport, The ambulance service - most of the rest of the functions would devolve to the now District Councils.... Regions: The North - Gwynedd, Ynys Mon, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham, Montgomeryshire. Deheubarth - Ceredigion, Brecon & Radnor, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire. Swansea Bay - Llanelli, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot East Glamorgan - Bridgend, Rhondda, Cynon Valley, Merthyr Tydfil, The Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff Gwent - Caerphilly, Newport, Torfaen, Blaenau Gwent, Monmouthshire. Bellow those around 300 or so Community Councils looking after the most local facilities.
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Post by Davıd Boothroyd on Oct 10, 2015 8:58:21 GMT
That sounds very like the 1974 reforms, with slightly larger county level authorities.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2015 12:19:41 GMT
The Highland Council. What would replace it depends on what wider reforms were enacted for local government in Scotland, but THC has to go. Splitting up or adding more territory? Splitting it up. If the current structure of local government is being retained elsewhere then I'd like to see it split into two or possibly three councils. However, I'd like to see radical reform right across Scotland and the current Highland Council area replaced with nine councils.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2015 12:22:17 GMT
The Highland Council. What would replace it depends on what wider reforms were enacted for local government in Scotland, but THC has to go. Aren't you a Highland councillor? Apologies if I'm wrong. I am indeed. I've seen from the inside how the Highland Council fails as a unit of local government and am now firmly of the view that it should be abolished and replaced with smaller local authorities.
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neilm
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Post by neilm on Oct 10, 2015 12:24:17 GMT
Aren't you a Highland councillor? Apologies if I'm wrong. I am indeed. I've seen from the inside how the Highland Council fails as a unit of local government and am now firmly of the view that it should be abolished and replaced with smaller local authorities. Smaller unitaries or revert to the region/district model? I don't know much about local government in Scotland but at a glance I'd say that Highland was just too big as an authority.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2015 13:47:06 GMT
Highland. Too big to justify. Replace with three new council areas: - Inverness - Ross - Caithness and Sutherland Can't do that, I think yhey should declare UDI, grab the shetlands and the oil.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2015 13:47:22 GMT
Jedi High Council. smug bastards
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Post by finsobruce on Oct 10, 2015 14:34:58 GMT
Stoneybridge Town Council - a suspicious proliferation of moustaches.
Quick, before Channel 4 blocks access to this clip as it has to all the others!
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cibwr
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Post by cibwr on Oct 10, 2015 15:34:27 GMT
That sounds very like the 1974 reforms, with slightly larger county level authorities. It is but it subsumes most of the nominated bodies and joint boards back into elected control, remember we now have regional education consortia, waste disposal consortia, regional fire joint boards, police and crime advisory boards, health authorities, city region boards and until recently transport consortia - all on different boundaries and all with no real democratic overview of their functions. I want democracy returned to administration and while the 25 or so authorities that I propose can deal with the smaller ticket functions they are too small to take a strategic view on the larger subjects. In Wales two tiers (plus community councils) make sense. That may not be ideal for England.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 10, 2015 16:12:02 GMT
Stoneybridge Town Council - a suspicious proliferation of moustaches. Quick, before Channel 4 blocks access to this clip as it has to all the others! Channel 4 apparently blocked the video Andrew_S posted featuring the famous Paxman-Galloway row during the 2005 general election night. What business Channel 4 had blocking a video featuring a BBC programme I do not know.
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john07
Labour & Co-operative
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Post by john07 on Oct 10, 2015 16:16:00 GMT
To be honest they may as well abolish all the councils in Scotland as they have next to no power. Council Tax freezes seemingly since time began means that all council budgets are effectively determined centrally. The SNP wanted to replace Council Tax with a centrally determined local income tax. That certainly would have made local government into talk shops which would have the task of administering a centrally set budget.
The Polce and Fire services have already been totally centralised with disastrous consequences in some cases.
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