East Cambridgeshire District Council

With the Government set to change the way Councils work, deliver services and review their constitutions, East Cambridgeshire District Council has stopped a consultation looking at the best structure for the authority ahead of anticipated new policy announcements.

The consultation had presented options on the best way to make decisions in East Cambridgeshire but the present committee system will now be maintained.           

The feedback from the recent consultation will be made available to all and may be used by the new administration depending on the systems which the Government implements after it revealed its intention to repeal the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007.

Grant Schapps MP, Minister of State for Housing & Local Government, has made it clear that whatever decision Councils make before May 2011, may be changed by the successor Council.

Cllr Fred Brown, Leader at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "Following recent correspondence from the Government, it became obvious that we should stop the consultation on this Council’s constitutional arrangements. We never wanted to put ourselves in the position of imposing change on the next Council but unfortunately this was part of the previous Government’s legislation. Obviously if the policy is to change before the outcome of the consultation is known then it is only proper to stop the process and not waste resources.

It has become clear with the discussion of Big Society and Localism, that the Government is looking to completely change the way Councils work. In East Cambridgeshire, we have introduced local Neighbourhood Panels and taken on many consultations with local communities including our Masterplan process. This approach supports the benefits of the Coalition Government’s localism agenda. This gives us confidence that we are moving forward in the right direction and our innovation in recent years should see us in a strong position to progress in the future.”

ENDS

Notes for editors:

For further information contact Tony Taylorson in the Communications Team on 01223 699285.        

Political contacts: Cllr Fred Brown (Con) 07824 472070, Cllr Ian Allen (Lib Dem) 01353 664993 and Cllr Andy Wright (Ind) 01353 661414.