Peterborough council must 'take heart' into local government shake-up plans
Local people have been asked for their views on the reorganisation
The leader of Peterborough City Council has said it's key that people's feelings about a shake-up to local government are being considered.
It comes after a survey that residents in the area could fill out on the issue has now closed.
People living across the county have been asked for their views on the restructure, which would see unitary councils form out of existing ones.
What are the plans?
In December 2024, the government announced plans to move towards a new system of local government.
This would remove the current two-tier structure of district and city councils and county councils. Existing unitary authorities such as Peterborough are also included.
From April 2028, rather than dealing with separate county, city, and district authorities, residents will access all services - from road maintenance and bin collections to education, planning, social housing, social care, and support with benefits - through a unitary council.
'How do people feel about this?'
"I think the major thing is we will still have local services; we will still be Peterborough," Councillor Dennis Jones, leader of Peterborough City Council, said.
"For the people who don't want this to go ahead even though it's only 9%, I'd like to take their views and their reasons into consideration as much as we can.
"It makes sense that we look at the data and analyse the data; that's the head."
"We must also take the heart into consideration; how do people feel about this?"
The restructure
Councils in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough say they have been working together to discuss potential options for a new arrangement of councils.
Three options for reorganisation in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have been shared.
Proposal 1 includes Peterborough City Council forming a unitary authority with Huntingdonshire and Fenland district councils, along with county council functions.
Proposal 2 would see Peterborough City Council with East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and Huntingdonshire district councils, along with county council functions.
Proposal 3 is Peterborough City Council, East Cambridgeshire and Fenland District Councils, along with county council functions.