Local Government Reorganisation (Northumberland)

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:38 pm on 10 May 2007.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Alan Beith Alan Beith Chair, Constitutional Affairs Committee 3:38, 10 May 2007

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point. He knows the area well, particularly the strains and stresses in the urban area around Blyth Valley. It gives me no pleasure to say that the county is letting us down on a number of key services. There are some difficulties that have made that the case. However, people should take certain things into account before they assume that because we have a county council it could be the basis for a unitary authority and that everything will work well, including all the services now run by the district councils, including housing. Recently, there was a sharp increase in charges for home help and community care. That really hits vulnerable people in the area. I hope that the Government can help the county council to do better in various ways, but the examples that I have given do not represent evidence that running a single authority on the basis of the present county would be a good idea.