People and Places
Two Flagship Unitary Councils to proceed in Cheshire
From the 1st April 2009 Cheshire will have 2 new unitary councils
Cheshire East
Cheshire West & Chester
Below you can access the key documents
People & Places Proposal
- Download full proposal in colour (PDF)
- Download full proposal in black and white (PDF)
- Access separate parts of the proposal
People & Places Business Case
Download complete Business Case in Colour (PDF)
Download People & Places Business Case by section
- Introduction and Strong, effective and accountable leadership (PDF)
- Neighbourhood flexibility and Empowerment (PDF)
- Service Efficiency and improvement (PDF)
- Financial Case and value for money (PDF)
- Transition and next steps (PDF)
- Risk assessment (PDF)
- Impact assessment (PDF)
- Annexes (PDF)
Service Block Assessments
A People
B Places
C Performance and Capacity
D Sensitivity Analysis
Serving people & Shaping Places in West & East Cheshire
People & Places replaces the existing seven local authorities with two unitary councils, one for East Cheshire and one for West Cheshire. It takes a fresh approach to how two councils will be organised, work with partners, and provide accountable leadership and high quality, value for money services.
We are delighted that the Minister for Local Government, Phil Woolas MP has endorsed this proposal as one of two for Cheshire for consultation with stakeholders.
The Government is satisfied that two unitary authorities for Cheshire will meet its rigorous criteria. While consulting with stakeholders, the Government will also work with us to develop the proposal further to ensure it delivers what has been promised, including savings and a smooth transition.
- The proposal is affordable – it will cost £14.1 million to implement. From 2013 it will save at least £16.1 million every year.
- Both councils will provide strong, effective and accountable strategic leadership – establishing two individual and distinct areas which will serve their own communities better. They will also be strong and influential in the region and the city regions of Liverpool and Manchester.
- The proposal will deliver two local authorities organised around neighbourhoods, delivering services in the way that people want, relevant and responsive to the way they live in their communities.
- The proposal will deliver strong and effective partnerships to develop a public service to benefit residents and those who work to provide services here in Cheshire.
- The proposal will also give value for money and ensure everyone receives top quality services.
The Government wants to hear your views. A broad “cross section” of support for our proposal is important and will influence which option the Government will choose. We ask you to look carefully at our case and compare it with the alternative option – a single unitary council for the whole of Cheshire with the existing county council as a continuing authority.
We hope you see the merits of unitary local government and will join us in supporting the case for an East and West Cheshire, bringing us the benefits enjoyed by most communities in the United Kingdom.
Your views are important – please contact the Government via email to: structures@communities.gsi.gov.uk
The closing date for responses is 22nd June 2007.
For further information please contact:
People and Places
c/o Chester City Council
The Forum
Chester
CH1 2HS
Telephone: 0800 0778164
email peopleandplaces@chester.gov.uk