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Leader’s call for Tyne and Wear county’s return
GRATEFUL ... Coun Iain Malcolm thanked workers who have lost their jobs.
SOUTH Tyneside Council leader Iain Malcolm has called for a new debate on the structure of local government in the North East.
Coun Malcolm claims Tyne and Wear would be better served by a single authority.
He says Margaret Thatcher was wrong to abolish the former Tyne and Wear County Council in the 1980s, and that the region would benefit from one council taking strategic decisions.
Issues such as planning and licensing could, he said, still be decided at local level.
Coun Malcolm said: “I’m a big supporter of a single council.
“There’s going to be greater pressure in terms of the public purse, and as we’re able to create greater efficiencies working together, it would seem to me a natural progression to establish a Tyne and Wear council.
“That’s not to say people can’t still have pride in their own locality.
“You can still have a Lord Mayor of Newcastle, for instance, and you could still have planning issues determined by the councillors for the locality, but then all come together when taking a big strategic decision or dealing with a big-spend department like adult social care.”
His call has been supported by Newcastle City Council leader Coun Nick Forbes, who said it was “crucial” for local authorities to work together.
He believes money can be saved by having one authority responsible for delivering services like benefits processing and library services.
But North Tyneside’s elected Mayor, Linda Arkley, the North East’s most senior Conservative, opposes the idea.
She said she was “really surprised” Coun Malcolm wanted to create another tier of government, claiming it would add another “huge amount” of money to public sector costs.
She added: “We already work together on different things with South Tyneside and Northumberland, and I don’t see an issue with that.
“Seventy-eight per cent of people said ‘no’ to regional government in the referendum in 2004.
“It was rejected overwhelmingly. And Tyne and Wear County Council didn’t work – and that’s why it doesn’t exist any more.”
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Tuesday 22 May 2012
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Comments
There are 29 comments to this article
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wasthatthatguy
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 05:20 PMWell, actually, it's Tyneside Council on Tyneside and Wearside Council, aka Sundeland Council, on Wearside.
tynesider
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 04:25 PMSo it is settled then , Tyne & Wear County Council it is .
wasthatthatguy
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 02:02 PMI think it would be best to have two Councils in Tyne & Wear, one for Tyneside and one for Wearside, ie Sunderland. The Tyneside HQ being in Newcastle. But, it wouldn't be appropriate to "run" Sunderland from Newcastle. So, best if Sunderland remains as it is. Combining the four existing Tyneside Councils would make a new one of about 900,000 population. Making it the second largest in the country, behind Birmingham and ahead of Leeds. Sunderland is about 280,000.
bohemianblogger
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:59 PMCouldn'y agree more, scrapping of all but one town hall, the tyne and wear council. Have one paid councillor per town, South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn etc. Unfortunately that leaves us with David Miliband but hey hum. One town hall management sturcture overseeing all tyne and wear. Stripped down costs, a lot less jobs at the top of the pay scale, all great in theory. Problem is can these incompetents run Tyne and wear, they have enough problems looking after south shields!
wasthatthatguy
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:50 PMIt seems that the favourite idea is a new Tyneside Council, replacing the four existing Councils on Tyneside. With Sunderland Council remaining separate and as it is at present.
East Boldon Lad
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:30 PMI worked for T&W CC, a good idea in theory, but businesslike elected politicians have to keep a tight grip in order to prevent the creation of high salaried management and administrative bureaucracies. Our dept had One Director, 3 Assistant Directors several area managers, where a Chief Officer, a deputy and 2 area managers one for North, the other for South would have sufficed. Golden rule seems to be those who can, do it solo, whilst 3 others administrate, equally applicable to public or private sector.
tynesider
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:54 PMAnd thats just on salaries for the top 15 executives from each council !!!!
tynesider
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 05:53 PMI must agree with Mr Malcolm, Tyne and wear County Council could easily replace ; North Tyneside , South Tyneside ,Gateshead , and Newcastle Local Authorities , after all 1 chief executive is better than 4 , ! This move alone would save around 58 Million Pound per year .
wasthatthatguy
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 12:53 PMMr Malcolm has at least two jobs, ie the Leader of South Tyneside Council and Vice Chairman of Sovereign Strategy. But Mr Miliband probably has more jobs than Mr Malcolm.
gypsey91
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:02 AMthere must be more you can be doing mr malcome then this what about. sick and disabled in your area huge cut backs. and so many job losses. no jobs are safe. or mabe your job is safe. or is it.
East Boldon Lad
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:40 AMAs no doubt have some of the ASDA "gentleman", but a chartered librarian has studied for further qualifications after obtaining a degree. Problem is that young would be librarians, social workers, trading standards officers, highway engineers etc will not be recruited and trained, because of freezes, breezes, cuts and sneezes; meaning that come 2022 local government and public sector who deliver vital services could be in poor shape to say the least.
wasthatthatguy
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 10:04 AMI wouldn't be surprised if some of the check-out ladies at ASDA are just as well qualified these days. Well, got a degree or such like.
East Boldon Lad
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 09:16 AMwttg, interesting concept "library ladies". Do you know anything about the profession of librarianship? Suggest that you check out and read a book about librarianship as a career, rather than make assumptions, or talk to a chartered librarian in your local library...
wasthatthatguy
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 09:59 PMIt should cost less, because after downsizing, whatever remains of South Tyneside Council could move into the Old Town Hall. The New Town Hall having been sold to Wetherspoons.
geordie999
Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 08:59 PMIf its going to cost us more ..dont do it
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