A fourth alternative option has been proposed for a major shake-up of local Government in Nottinghamshire.
In December 2024, the Labour Government announced it plans to slim down the local council system to create “strategic authorities” and new combined councils.
On Wednesday (March 5) all nine leaders from Nottinghamshire’s councils were shown three possible options for reorganisation.
Option one would see Nottingham, Broxtowe and Gedling being combined as one unitary authority, with the remaining districts and boroughs forming the second unitary authority.
Option two sees Nottingham, Broxtowe and Rushcliffe combine, with the remaining districts and boroughs forming the second unitary authority.
Option three sees Nottingham remaining as its own unitary authority, with the rest of the Nottinghamshire boroughs and districts forming the second unitary authority- this has been locally termed the ‘county-only’ option.
Councillor Neil Clarke, Conservative Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, refers to the third option as “the doughnut” option and says this is his preferred choice, saying any combining with Nottingham city as “unacceptable”.
He has said there was a need for a fourth “alternative” option for the reorganisation of Nottinghamshire councils.
This would see Nottingham City Council remaining within its existing boundaries, with the remainder of the county being split into two unitaries.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Service, Cllr Clarke said the county-only option is Rushcliffe’s “fall back”.
He said: “The residents and the high-quality services they receive come first, that’s our priority, with the possibility of the reorganisation expanding into the city that would mean a reduction in services.
“We have five thriving leisure centres, they’d be under threat straight away, libraries under threat.”
Splitting the county into two unitaries would be based on keeping “local identity”.
Cllr Clarke added: “It’s about local identify and being able to share with other neighbouring authorities, similar services.
“And still retaining the localised part of it, local knowledge and understanding. The danger when you are delivering all the services is that maybe because it would be widespread around the county, would that localised knowledge still exist?”
Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, Sam Smith (Con) says it is expected the authority will support the county-only option.
He said in a statement: “It is clear that a ‘County Only’ model is the only way to ensure that all current county residents continue to receive high-quality services while keeping council tax low.
“The alternative proposals at this stage, in their current form, are not acceptable to this Conservative administration and would require significant boundary changes to make them feasible.
“Unlike many adjoining areas facing significant financial cutbacks, this Conservative-run Nottinghamshire County Council is keeping libraries open, spending over £70m on repairing our roads and pavements, and continuing to support essential bus routes to ensure our communities remain well-connected.”
The options will be discussed in extraordinary council meetings by both authorities on March 20.
Councils have a deadline for interim plans to be sent to the government by March 21, with full plans due by November 28.
Reorganisation plans mean existing two-tier structures, like here in Nottinghamshire, which see services split between lower and upper-tier councils, would be replaced.
Nottingham City Council is a unitary authority, meaning it has sole responsibility for all the services in its area such as social care, waste collection and disposal and parks.
However, in the county, the ‘upper-tier’ county council is responsible for services such as social care, education and waste disposal.
In districts and boroughs, the seven, smaller lower-tier councils have responsibility for services like housing, planning, bin collections and parks.
Any reorganisation will see implementation by 2027 or 2028.
