Region's councils to be scrapped in shake-up

Councillor Trevor Young said the plans would damage local democracy

All local councils in Lincolnshire could be scrapped under plans unveiled by the government.

Instead, the county could have one single authority to deliver services, replacing the eight currently in place.

Local government minister Jim McMahon said the move could "save £2 billion" and would ultimately deliver more power into the hands of local decision-makers.

But one district council leader said some smaller communities would become "the poor neighbour" and miss out to larger areas.

The government published its plans for local government reorganisation to "cut wasteful duplication of bodies, reduce the number of politicians and reduce fragmentation of public services".

Lincolnshire has seven district and city councils that deliver services such as bin collections, council housing and planning decisions.

Lincolnshire County Council, known as the upper-tier authority, operates separately and is responsible for things like social care, education, public health and highways.

All would be merged into a single authority.

County council leader Martin Hill said the current system "makes no sense" and "isn't efficient".

But critics warned one large council would be too remote from communities and local issues could be ignored.

Councillor Trevor Young, leader of West Lindsey District Council, said he feared residents would "be governed by someone 50, 60 or 70 miles away".

"What if you need to contact them about something?" he said. "It's much easier at a local level and people like having a local council."

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner launching the new plans

The government said the change would deliver more power to local decision-makers.

It also announced locally-elected mayors would be given more powers over large planning applications, and police and fire and rescue services, taking over from elected police and crime commissioners.

Lincolnshire voters will choose their first directly-elected mayor in May.

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