UNITARY DECISION (Exeter Liberal Democrats)

Exeter Liberal Democrats <info@exeterlibdems.org.uk>

UNITARY DECISION

December 6, 2007 12:00 AM

Exeter's Liberal Democrat PPC Graham Oakes has responded to Government's decision over the Exeter Unitary bid.

"I am pleased that Government has now accepted that dealing with this issue based on outdated boundaries and in isolation makes no sense, however I am disappointed in the continuing blight over council decision making this further delay will cause."

"Reorganisation of local government should achieve fiscal savings whilst maintaining the quality and quantity of services provided; the government finally decided the City Council bid failed to achieve this."

"I have supported the case for a Greater Exeter as I believe it could ensure adequate provision of support for our schools, which the Exeter-only bid failed to do and it improves democracy. It would also have the advantage of being an entirely new body, with fresh ideas rather than an expanded existing empire."

"Whilst a Greater Exeter would almost certainly provide better services and have a slightly lower Council Tax, thus making it better for Exeter residents, the local Labour Party will have to support it as the Government have ruled out the status quo, so it's a unitary Greater Exeter or a Unitary Devon, either option will mean they may never control the new authority."

"If the government had allowed local people this option in the first place I believe we would have been granted unitary status months ago and a lot of public money would have been saved."