An engagement survey giving residents of South Kesteven the opportunity to have their say on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is now live online.
LGR will see larger authorities replace the current system of county, city, district and borough councils in Lincolnshire.
Greater Lincolnshire currently has six district councils, plus Lincoln City Council, Lincolnshire County Council and two unitary authorities the North and North-East of the county.
South Kesteven District Council’s preferred outcome is to form a unitary authority with its neighbouring districts of North Kesteven, South Holland and Rutland: www.southkesteven.gov.uk/LGR
Leader of SKDC, Cllr Ashley Baxter, said: “Greater Lincolnshire is a huge area geographically with over a million residents.
“When boundaries are redrawn, the new councils need to be large enough to be financially viable but small enough to retain a meaningful connection to the communities they serve.
“Our proposed area would unite traditional market towns including Sleaford, Oakham, Grantham and Holbeach as well as hundreds of beautiful villages and rural countryside in South Lincolnshire and Rutland.
“The Government believes the reorganised councils will be more efficient and economical. I am sceptical about this but I agree that a single council delivering all services should be easier to understand.”
Alongside the South Lincolnshire and Rutland proposal, alternative options for reorganisation include:
- One mega-council for the 800,000 people living in the existing county council catchment area.
- An expansion of Lincoln City into the surrounding countryside
- A roughly diagonal split of the county which would leave Stamford and Bourne in the same administrative area as Mablethorpe
Responses to the engagement survey will remain anonymous and will be available at www.givemyview.com/lincolnshirelgr
The survey will be open to responses for four weeks.
Paper copies will be available from SKDC’s Customer Service Centre at St Catherine’s Way, Grantham, Guildhall Arts Centre, Grantham, Stamford Arts Centre, Bourne Corn Exchange and Deepings Community Centre.
“We really need to hear the views of people living and working in the area,” said Cllr Baxter
“We’re asking what residents value most about their area, how important it is that a council is ‘local’ to an area, the most important aspects of council functions, and what should be the priorities of future councils. “
Responses will help to inform SKDC’s proposals to the Government that must be submitted by 28th November.
The final decision will be taken next year by the Secretary of State. It will be based on geography and capacity to deliver services including housing, planning, leisure and culture, benefits, health, adult social care and children's services.
For more information go to www.southkesteven.gov.uk/LGR