The Government seems to be pushing Cumbria toward local authority reorganisation, under the impression we all want it to happen quickly. Nothing could be further from the truth.

While South Lakeland District Council recently unanimously passed a motion to develop a high-level business case for a unitary authority based on the Morecambe Bay area, this was done now in order to be ready should the Government press us to reorganise.

As I have said several times, both publicly and in writing to the Government, this is not the right time to be looking at local government reorganisation. Instead all involved in local government should be concentrating on protecting residents from COVID-19 and in doing all we can to assist local businesses recover from the economic hit caused by COVID-19.

However, we have now received a letter from the Secretary of State asking us to submit a preliminary bid for reorganisation by November 9.

This is an extraordinarily short timeframe. We do not know the details of any deal for devolution of powers to local authorities, nor do we know the Government's plans for the future of adult social care. It would be much more sensible to wait until we have this information, and the current crisis has passed, before we enter into a discussion about local government reorganisation.

However, we will now have to direct resources to preparing the bid.

Cumbria County Council’s cabinet decided recently to submit proposals to replace the existing six district councils and the county council with a single unitary authority. The county council proposes it seeks ‘Continuing Authority status’, in advance of establishment of the new council, to make the transition process smoother.

But if local government reform is to take place in future and unitary authorities are created, I firmly believe a unitary authority based on the Morecambe Bay area would make much more sense than one based on Cumbria.

Morecambe Bay is a functioning economic area. More than 95 per cent of those in South Lakeland live and work in the area. It is our healthcare area. We have to make sure the interests of people in South Lakeland are protected. I will therefore fight hard to allow the residents of South Lakeland to be able to consider an option that is based on the Morecambe Bay footprint of Barrow, South Lakeland and Lancaster.

Carlisle is a remote centre for many people in the south of Cumbria and would not be a good place for a new local authority HQ. Indeed, there is nowhere convenient in the county.

The Morecambe Bay authorities of South Lakeland, Barrow and Lancaster have shared ambitions to grow the economy. We also have an ambition to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss.

We will be seeking views from the public, businesses and the parishes as we put together the business case for a Morecambe Bay unitary authority. So please let us know what you think.

I hope we can continue, in a collaborative manner, to investigate what is best for our residents. I just wish we were not having to do it now, as we have more important tasks in front of us!

Cllr Giles Archibald

Leader of South Lakeland District Council