By Carmelo Garcia – Local Democracy Reporter
Labour MPs and civic chiefs are disappointed Gloucestershire is not in the first tranche of areas to “benefit” from devolution and accuse Conservative chiefs at Shire Hall of “burying their heads in the sand for years”.
But Gloucestershire County Council’s Tory leader Stephen Davies (Hardwicke and Severn) has hit back saying Labour’s strategy is “muddled” and their “incoherent” plan to split the county in two would be “wasteful of taxpayers money”.
Gloucester MP Alex McIntyre, Forest of Dean MP Matt Bishop, Stroud MP Simon Opher along with Labour group leader at Shire Hall John Bloxsom (Rodborough) criticised the Conservative leadership in a joint statement last week.
They said devolution has the power to unlock our county’s potential and would mean power and funding is given to local people and those who they believe can make the best decisions to deliver better public services.
“We are naturally disappointed not to be in the first tranche of local areas to benefit from these additional powers and funding,” they said.
“However, the Government was clear from the outset that it would focus its resources on areas where councils had made significant progress on local government reorganisation and devolution.
“While we recognise the current leader of Gloucestershire County Council’s enthusiasm for devolution, the reality is that the council buried its head in the sand on devolution for years under previous Conservative leaders.
“We are determined that residents in Gloucestershire should not miss out on the power and funding that devolution will bring to our area.
“We will therefore take time to consider the Government’s criteria for local government re-organisation and work with residents, local council leaders and MPs from all parties to develop the best proposals for our constituents.
“What is clear, however, is that the status quo cannot continue. The current local government structures have led to a situation where public services do not work for people in Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean.
“Just last week, the Care Quality Commission confirmed that adult social care ‘requires improvement’, our fire service is in special measures, our special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is broken, and the county’s roads are in a dire state of repair.
“This is not to fault the hard work of our frontline public sector workers. They are being let down by a system that is not fit for purpose.
“Our local elections will now take place in May this year, despite the Conservative’s request for them to be cancelled. We welcome the opportunity for change in our county.
“If you are struggling to get care for your relatives, if your children are stuck on a waiting list for SEND provision, if you’re fed up with seeing potholes on your street, join us this May and vote for change in Gloucestershire. Gloucestershire County Labour Party.”
Cllr Davies said the County Council is solvent thanks to the Conservatives’ track record over recent years at Shire Hall.
He said Labour’s alternative to their devolution proposal for one unitary council for Gloucestershire is to split the county in two and spend more money on politicians and managers rather than services.
“This is a very strange statement at one point stating they wanted to be in the first tranche, which would have involved delaying the elections and then criticising us for asking to delay the elections,” he said.
“Gloucestershire County Council is solvent and investing in exactly the areas they identify in this week’s budget, Roads, SEND and Adult Social Care. The Labour alternative is to split the County in two and spend money on more Politicians and more Managers rather than services.
“The Labour strategy is muddled, incoherent and wasteful of tax payers money.