Tewkesbury Borough Council voted to maintain Gloucestershire as a single unitary authority, opposing plans to split it into two separate councils for East and West.
Last night, almost all councillors voted in favor of this idea. Their leader, Richard Stanley, believes a unified Gloucestershire is best for everyone.
The government recently proposed changes to local government in England. They want to create more unitary councils, merging district councils with county councils.
Currently, Gloucestershire has a two-tier system. Local responsibilities are shared between the County Council and district councils. Some MPs suggest splitting the county into East and West unitary authorities.
West Gloucestershire would include Forest of Dean, Gloucester, and Stroud. East Gloucestershire would cover Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, and the Cotswolds. However, Tewkesbury leaders prefer one unitary council for the entire county.
Richard Stanley started a petition to keep Gloucestershire whole, gathering over 1,100 signatures. He believes a single council will lead to better services and investment.
Councillors from various parties support this view. They argue that splitting the county could confuse residents and complicate services like health and education.
Cllr Mike Stzymiak praised Stanley’s efforts, agreeing that keeping Gloucestershire together is essential. He believes splitting the council would disrupt services.
Some councillors, like Chris Coleman, worry about a power grab if a single unitary council is formed. He thinks two councils could better represent local needs.
Cllr Stanley responded, saying that merging services might happen anyway, even if the county splits. He questioned the rationale behind the MPs’ support for the split.
The government plans to announce decisions on local government changes soon. They aim to implement new unitary councils by 2027 and 2028. Further discussions will follow as more information is released.
