Council plan sparks fury

7:10am Tuesday 13th May 2008

Comments (7)   Have your say »

OPPOSITION councillors have reacted with fury after plans to merge Worcester City and Malvern Hills district councils were revealed in your Worcester News.

We reported yesterday that a confidential Guildhall document details proposals to merge the two sets of staff into a "single workforce" under a "single unified management structure".

The leaked document stresses the two councils would remain as separate political bodies, each keeping its own name and individual identity.

But hundreds of non-political public service staff would be merged into a single workforce, sparking fears of mass redundancies.

Opposition councillors from both councils were outraged to discover the plans when they read your Worcester News.

They are shocked they have been kept in the dark, and angry they are not being given access to the reports.

Labour councillor Marc Bayliss from the city council, has been refused access to the report and has sought legal advice on whether the chief executive of the city council David Wareing is acting within the law.

He will then consider appropriate actions, including referring it to the standards committee which investigates complaints against elected members.

"I have a right to see any report other than private papers for the cabinet," he said.

"As this has been shared with cabinet members in Malvern I believe I have a right, but I have been refused access."

Both councils have stressed that the proposals would cut costs, in light of pressure from the Government to save money and say redundancies could be kept to a minimum if the move is well planned.

They have pointed out that Worcester's revenues and benefits service has already been merged with those of Malvern and Wychavon.

An email sent to all city council staff and councillors by Mr Wareing yesterday said members of both councils would attend a seminar on Monday, June 9, to explain and discuss the options being explored - one of which is to merge the two authorities.

Labour Coun Bayliss said waiting until this date was against natural justice and he would not be in a position to adequately inform inquiring members of the public.

Councillor Tom Wells - a Liberal Democrat member of Malvern Hills council - believes the proposed merger is an issue for public referendum.

"Given the significance of the merger I think specifically the people would be very keen to express their views," he said, He also voiced concerns about a "one size fits all" local service provision.

"I know the people of Malvern would not welcome the introduction of Worcester city wheelie bins or planning applications decided by a Worcester city planner who knows nothing about rural issues," he said.

"These proposals should be put on hold pending a full debate."

Mike Foster, MP for Worcester, called for all councils in Worcestershire to be abolished and replaced with a unitary authority.

"I fear the city council are once again proposing mediocrity rather than looking for radical long term change," he said.

"I have long argued for a unitary authority to cover the whole of Worcestershire to mix economies of scale to bring down costs, bring down council tax and improve public services."

Sir Michael Spicer, MP for west Worcestershire, was unavailable to comment.