Ridgeway Council plans paused
Angela Rayner hits the LGR pause button.
Plans for Ridgeway Council – joining up West Berkshire with bits of Oxfordshire – have been paused by Angela Rayner.
Ridgeway is one of 14 new council structures put forward as part of the government’s local government review.
But Communities Secretary Ms Rayner has today stopped progress, citing a legal hitch.
Proposals to merge smaller councils to form larger authorities in Essex, Hampshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have been withdrawn.
Plans for 14 other areas will also be reviewed and paused.
West Berkshire Council leader Jeff Brooks said he hoped the matter would be resolved ‘soon’ adding he firmly believes Ridgeway is a good solution for the residents of the districts involved.
“Hundreds of officer hours and tens of thousands of pounds have already been spent on this,” he said. “We also have elections for this in May next year so I hope this is all resolved soon otherwise it will be a total mess.”
The government confirmed local elections in May 2027 would go ahead on existing council boundaries.
Ms Rayner will announce the review in Parliament later.
She is expected to tell MPs that “in light of legal advice, I want to satisfy myself firstly that the right process is in place, that it is robust, and of course complies with the law”.
“And secondly, I want to fully test whether our proposals for local government reorganisation meet the priorities of a new administration and a new Prime Minister and any additional considerations,” she will add.
Ridgeway Council was proposed – and adopted by the government earlier this year. It would mean West Berkshire joining forces with South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse.