On 28th November, proposals for local government reorganisation were submitted for central government consideration. The plan I support advocates the creation of two unitary councils: one for Greater Gloucester, encompassing the current city council and surrounding parishes, and another covering the rest of the county, including Cheltenham, the Cotswolds, the Forest of Dean and Stroud.

Key reasons for Greater Gloucester proposal:
• Preservation of historic structures: The only proposal retaining principal local government for both the historic city of Gloucester and the county of Gloucestershire.

• Addressing under-bounding: Tackles the historic under-bounding of Gloucester’s geography from the outset, avoiding the need for a complex review after restructuring.

• Focused governance: Two unitary councils can each concentrate on the distinct needs of their demographic populations, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

• Economic growth hubs: Each council will have a major town or city at its centre, fostering dual economic hubs for the county.

• Enhanced democratic representation: Residents benefit from fairer representation, especially if joining the West of England Combined Authority, ensuring Gloucester has influence in wider regional decisions.

• Stronger parish voice: Neighbouring parishes and parish councils will have a greater say in Gloucester’s development compared to other alternatives.

• Improved councillor ratios: Higher Councillor to Elector ratios ensure stronger democratic representation and accountability.

• Avoiding future parishing: Not expected to result in future parishing of Gloucester, mitigating the risk of increased precepts.

• Lower transition costs: Fewer redundancies and reduced job losses compared to a single unitary authority, helping retain technical expertise and avoid unnecessary expenditure.

• Efficient transformation: Structured around two ‘continuing’ authorities, reducing transformation costs and enabling better use of existing IT infrastructure.