Did Michael Gove hint that he is in favour of a unitary authority in Warwickshire?

When a question was put to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, he appeared to suggest that Warwickshire could become a part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, according to one local MP
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove answering a question by Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western on Monday (January 24).Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove answering a question by Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western on Monday (January 24).
Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove answering a question by Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western on Monday (January 24).

A senior minister seems to have hinted that he favours a unitary authority in Warwickshire, according to a local MP.

Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove was questioned by Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western on Monday (January 24).

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Mr Western enquired whether residents should have the final say when it came to local government restructuring across the UK – a question Mr Gove did not answer.

The Labour MP raised Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) ambitions for a unitary authority in the region and Warwick and Stratford district councils’ proposals to merge services.

He has lodged a petition to Parliament and gained 1,450 signatures calling for a referendum to decide the future of regional government in the county.

In response, Mr Gove appeared to back Conservative WCC leader Izzi Seccombe’s plan while pouring cold water over the district councils’ merging to form a South Warwickshire council.

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Mr Gove also appeared to suggest that Warwickshire could become a part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, Mr Western said.

WCC’s proposals were submitted to Mr Gove’s department in Autumn 2020 but any decision was put on hold by ministers due to the pandemic.

Since, Warwick and Stratford district councils have lodged their own bid to merge after receiving backing from their councillors and staging a public consultation late last year.

In the House of Commons, Mr Gove said: “Well I welcome the moves across Warwickshire to consider how services can be delivered even more efficiently as part of the economic success story that is the greater West Midlands.

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“And can I commend the leader of Warwickshire County Council Izzi Seccombe.

“The fact she and her group continue to be re-elected with ever greater levels of support indicates that she is in a strong position to help bring people together across the constituency (sic).”

Mr Western says Mr Gove’s response was 'eerily in line' with a draft white paper on local government reorganisation which was leaked before Christmas.

It detailed plans that would see England’s 181 district councils and 24 county councils either merged or scrapped – while elected ‘metro mayors’ would eventually oversee larger territories like in the West Midlands and Manchester.

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In accepting Mr Western’s petition, Minister of State for Equalities and Levelling Up Communities, Kemi Badenoch, said the government will not ‘impose any top-down’ solutions and instead support a ‘locally-led approach’ – in which proposals need ‘strong local support.’

Mr Western argues that the district councils’ consultation had not sufficiently proven there was ‘strong support’ for the plans.

“I don’t know about residents, but I’m more confused than ever after hearing Mr Gove’s response to my question this week,” he said.

“He appeared to support Coun Seccombe’s proposals for a unitary authority.

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“Yet Ms Badenoch suggested to me nothing would be imposed without strong support.

“Well, I have now had more petition signatures calling for a referendum than there were respondents from Warwick district in the councils’ consultation.

“And there has also been no consultation at all yet on WCC’s unitary authority proposals.

“A Citizens’ Assembly and a subsequent referendum would fully inform people about the options and allow them to take control of the process.

“At the moment, it’s been left to Conservative councillors, government ministers and expensive consultants – which is hardly reassuring.”