The Poolie Bunker

The ‘government’ are now putting the wheels in motion with the suspension of elections and are saying local authorities should have a population of 500,000, to make them more efficient ….so it looks like our local governance will be swept away as we end up being run from the Boro as our ‘local’ Council…just a outpost of a larger authority with little influence, a dormitory town.
The club’s new landlords won’t be round the corner but over the river.

Which none of us want. Do you have evidence? I note most of the reorganisation is taking place in Southern councils?

This was begun by the useless Tory’s…in fact they gave us Cleveland back in 1974, but this government has carried it on .
But Lancashire, were I happened to be during the election result had already started the process in January 2024 so it’s been an ongoing process…but the Labour Government are quoted as favouring 500,000 as the acceptable population to create a more effective and economically viable form of local government.
Fingers crossed they don’t. Local government should be ’ local’.

Same happened up here, Tynedale Council , formed in 1974, swallowed into Northumberland County Council in 2009.
Much better when it was managed locally.

Just think how much to respray the vans, change letter headings, logos, PPE, name plates on office doors etc, btw I am not joking either.
Over the years successive governments have reduced the money paid to councils putting the onus on the councils to balance the books.

Jamie, they don’t give a monkey’s toss, bigger the authority the bigger the ego and anyway it’s not their money.
Further away you are from the centre of power the less you get from the deal, it was the same with Cleveland….we’d just be a a minority vote.
We got well shafted last time, oddly enough the Boro did really well…it ain’t rocket science, it’s inevitable.

It already happened in 2016 with the Tees Valley Combined Authority, which of course is based in the Boro: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tees_Vall ... _Authority

Last year the rest of the North-East was brought in line with the creation of the North-East Combined Authority. Berwick-on-Tweed to Barnard Castle, all overseen from Newcastle.

I don’t think Tees Valley was involved , which sounds unbelievable to be not classed as being in the North East, but classed as a separate region….but that’s how it goes.
As for Tees Valley, that’s more strategic in nature, they don’t empty the bins etc like a council..they’re just another version of the TDC

think everywhere was. all that was ever needed was national government and one local authority for local people. back then councillors were just that and not another arm of westminster that slowly they have become. your rates did go up but funny these old councils never seemed in the financial mess they became after the years of spend spend spend with little to show for it.

We won’t need the Civic Centre as everything will be transferred to the Boro, it is according to the Council in need of refurbishment, the Court is closed so bull doze it and turn it into car park.

Aye, back to being the Bull Field..a park would be nice…something appropriate to the War Memorial….mind you that probably means planning permission will appear for a Care Home…or a drive in Nail & Barber Emporium.

if only as they,ll find some council use for it like everywhere else in the country will do. as i have said there will be still a local council on top of all the rest but with limited powers we still have to pay for.