Agenda and minutes

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Pat Antcliff, Neil Baker, Lilian Deighton, Michelle Emmens, Pam Jones, William Jones, Caroline Smith, Christine Smith, Jess Stokes, Kevin Tait, Martin Thacker MBE JP, and Richard Welton.

Members are requested to declare the existence and nature of any disclosable pecuniary interest and/or other interests, not already on their register of interests, in any items on the agenda and withdraw from the meeting at the appropriate time. 

Councillor A Dale stated that he been granted a dispensation by Standards Committee, which enabled him to participate and vote in relation to the local government reorganisation when he would otherwise have a Disclosable Pecuniary Interest because he was a Derbyshire County Councillor.

Councillor S Reed stated that as he was a Councillor and Cabinet Member at Derbyshire County Council he would abstain on the vote.

Councillors M Smith and J Barry both declared a Non-registerable Interest as employees of Derbyshire County Council.

Report of Councillor N Barker, Leader of the Council and Portfolio Holder for Strategic Leadership and Finance

The Managing Director and Head of Paid Service, Director of Finance and Resources (Section 151 Officer), and Director of Growth and Assets delivered a comprehensive presentation regarding the proposed Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) for Derbyshire. The presentation encompassed a review of the preparatory steps leading to the interim submission, an overview of the evaluation criteria set by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), a detailed outline of the proposal itself, the outcomes of the consultation process, the development of the various options considered, the financial rationale underpinning the proposal, and the proposed implementation approach.

Councillor N Morley left the meeting.

Councillors were given the opportunity to ask questions of officers.

Councillor R Shipman asked about the proposed reduction in democratic representation under the proposals.  Using Clay Cross and Tupton as an example, it was noted that the current representation included nine councillors (district and county), which would reduce to two under the new model. Officers responded, acknowledging the reduction and its potential impact. The need for change was emphasized and highlighted the current complexity of managing 447 councillors across 10 authorities in Derbyshire.  The proposal aimed to streamline governance and improve efficiency.

Councillor R Shipman also asked about the financial impact of council tax harmonisation, specifically the increase for North East Derbyshire residents if harmonised to the highest rate. The officer responded that modelling had been completed and could be shared with members. The decision on harmonisation would rest with the new council and would depend on its Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP). Multiple scenarios had been modelled, including highest rate, lowest rate, and weighted average.

Councillor R Shipman asked a further question about the total debt of councils involved in the proposed North Derbyshire unitary authority, particularly under the worst-case scenario. The officer noted that most debt was Housing Revenue Account (HRA) related and tied to properties. It was approximately £560 million and included in the submission documentation.

Councillor R Shipman’s final question was regarding the independent financial assessments conducted on the four models submitted to government. The officer confirmed that financial risk assessments had been completed, including input from all nine Section 151 officers, KPMG (including their QA team), and independent consultants. These assessments were documented in the financial risk register.

Councillor A Dale expressed appreciation to officers for their work on the LGR presentation and their ongoing contributions throughout the process. It was noted that North East Derbyshire had played a significant role and had been highly engaged. He observed that while LGR was being presented as a move toward greater efficiency, it appeared that residents may face increased council tax. It was noted that projected savings may be absorbed by existing budget shortfalls, rather than resulting in reduced costs for residents. He highlighted that North East Derbyshire was currently the second highest in council tax rates in the area, behind Bolsover, suggesting that the impact on local residents may be less severe than in other districts.  Officers confirmed that North East Derbyshire sat in  ...  view the full minutes text for item COU/54/25-26