HC Deb 18 November 1998 vol 319 cc658-63W
Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the total cost of local government reorganisation in each of the last five years(a) in each county area and (b) to his Department. [58741]

Ms Armstrong

Resources in the form of Supplementary Credit Approvals (SCAs) are made available to reorganising authorities under the local government reorganisation costs scheme. The SCAs issued to each authority under the schemes for 1994–95, 1995–96, 1996–97 and the maximum amounts issued under the 1998–99 scheme are set out in the table.

The basis of the schemes for SCAs, which commenced in 1994–95 and will continue to 2000–2001, is that they are intended to assist authorities in the short term with the funding of their set up costs, until savings and receipts are realised. The borrowing covered by these approvals must be repaid over a period of ten years, under the terms of the scheme. Therefore, a true assessment of the cost, if any, of local government reorganisation will not be possible for a number of years. The Government's expectation was that, in the longer term, the benefits would offset the costs, although it is acknowledged that much depends on the approach of the individual authority for which they are accountable to their electorate.

We believe that SCAs will have covered the vast bulk of initial costs identified by authorities, under the bidding terms of the scheme, as unavoidable and arising directly from reorganisation.

Local Government reorganisation costs schemes
£000
1994–95 outturn 1995–96 outturn 1996–97 outturn
Local authority Bid Allocation Bid Allocation Bid Allocation
North Yorkshire County Council 2,055 1,400 402 402
Ryedale District Council 0 0 2 0
Selby District Council 685 685 69 69
York City Council1 3,912 3,548 3,145 3,145
Total for North Yorkshire Authorities 6,652 5,831 3,616 3,616
Total for 1995–96 Authorities 3,514 3,514 60,914 51,231 51,361 47,854
Bedfordshire County Council 86 0 2,157 1,900
Luton Borough Council 128 0 5,014 3,680
Total for Bedfordshire Authorities 214 0 7,171 5,580
Buckinghamshire County Council 0 2 0
Milton Keynes Borough Council 451 0 2,932 2,932
Total for Buckinghamshire Authorities 451 0 2,932 2,932
Derbyshire County Council 0 1,909 1,900
Derby City Council 117 0 3,651 2,850
Total for Derbyshire Authorities 117 0 5,560 4,750
Dorset County Council 0 2 0
Bournemouth Borough Council 0 3,005 3,005
Poole Borough Council 411 0 3,582 3,250
Total for Dorset Authorities 411 0 6,587 6,255
Durham County Council 0 2 0
Darlington Borough Council 237 0 4,430 4,430
Total for Durham Authorities 237 0 4,430 4,430
East Sussex County Council 0 2,531 1,850
Brighton & Hove Council1 158 0 9,172 4,800
Total for East Sussex Authorities 158 0 11,703 6,650
Hampshire County Council 0 3,056 2,200
Portsmouth City Council 126 0 3,502 2,950
Southampton City Council 516 0 3,982 3,050
Total for Hampshire Authorities 642 0 10,540 8,200
Leicestershire County Council 0 1,562 1,562
Leicester City Council 75 0 3,875 3,200
Rutland Council 0 998 998
Total for Leicestershire Authorities 75 0 6,435 5,760
Staffordshire County Council 0 5,238 2,000
Stoke on Trent City Council 147 0 4,109 2,950
Total for Staffordshire Authorities 147 0 9,347 4,950
Wiltshire County Council 28 0 1,620 1,350
Swindon Borough Council 362 0 6,323 3,000
Total for Wiltshire Authorities 390 0 7,943 4,350
Total for 1997 Authorities 2,842 0 72,684 53,857
Berkshire County Council 486 0
Bracknell Forest Borough Council 226 0
West Berkshire District Council 201 0
Reading Borough Council 150 0
Slough Borough Council 911 0
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead 349 0
Wokingham District Council 2 0
Total for Berkshire Authorities 2,323 0
Hereford & Worcester County Council 2 0
Hereford City Council 2 0
Leominster District Council 2 0
Malvern Hills District Council 2 0
South Herefordshire District Council 2 0
County of Herefordshire District Council(s) 0
Worcestershire County Council(s) 0
Malvern Hills District Council(s) 0
Total for Hereford & Worcester Authorities 0 0
Devon County Council 2 0
Plymouth City Council 175 0
Torbay Borough Council 2 0
Total for Devon Authorities 175 0
Essex County Council 2 0
Southend on Sea Borough Council 2 0
Thurrock Borough Council 423 0
Total for Essex Authorities 423 0
Nottinghamshire County Council 2 0
Nottingham City Council 468 0
Total for Nottinghamshire Authorities 468 0
Cheshire County Council 2 0

Local Government reorganisation costs schemes
£000
1994–95 outturn 1995–96 outturn 1996–97 outturn
Local authority Bid Allocation Bid Allocation Bid Allocation
Halton Borough Council 2 0
Warrington Borough Council 2 0
Total for Cheshire Authorities 0 0
Shropshire County Council 2 0
Telford & Wrekin Council 2 0
Total for Shropshire Authorities 0 0
Kent County Council 2 0
Gillingham Borough Council 2 0
Rochester City Council 2 0
Medway Council(s) 0
Total for Kent Authorities 0 0
Cambridgeshire County Council 2 0
Peterborough City Council 2 0
Total for Cambridgeshire Authorities 0 0
Lancashire County Council 2 0
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 348 0
Blackpool Borough Council 2 0
Total for Lancashire Authorities 348 0
Total for 1998 Authorities 3,737 0
Grand Total 3,514 3,514 63,756 51,231 127,746 101,711

Local Government reorganisation costs schemes
£000
1997–98 outturn 1998–99 mid year review Totals to date
Local authority Bid Allocation Bid Allocation Bid Allocation
Isle of Wight Council 2 0 3,723 3,723
Total 0 0 0 0 3,723 3,723
Cleveland County Council 5,726 3,169
Hartlepool Borough Council 1,462 1,400 1,178 720 9,445 8,218
Redcar & Cleveland Council 1,141 1,141 1,660 1,000 9,646 8,524
Middlesbrough Borough Council 1,968 1,800 2,286 2,284 11,289 9,388
Stockton on Tees Borough Council 2,135 1,800 1,796 1,646 11,327 10,341
Total for Cleveland Authorities 6,607 6,141 6,920 5,650 47,433 39,640
Avon County Council 3,098 2,910
Bristol City Council 1,095 1,095 1,268 1,268 9,860 8,682
North Somerset Council 1,188 1,030 652 652 8,156 7,979
Bath & North East Somerset Council1 1,674 1,674 1,490 1,280 9,351 9,141
South Gloucestershire Council1 1,194 1,194 830 830 8,234 8,234
Total for Avon Authorities 5,151 4,993 4,240 4,030 38,699 36,946
Humberside County Council 4,592 2,900
Kingston upon Hull Council 4,505 2,300 2,335 1,823 14,330 10,653
East Riding of Yorkshire Council1 1,989 1,989 4,259 4,259 19,297 17,702
North Lincolnshire Council1 2,086 1,800 3,288 3,288 11,499 10,999
North East Lincolnshire Council1 2,198 1,900 2,246 1,853 11,871 10,815
Total for Humberside Authorities 10,778 7,989 12,128 11,223 61,589 53,069
North Yorkshire County Council 2,457 1,802
Ryedale District Council 0 0
Selby District Council 754 754
York City Council1 2 0 2 0 7,057 6,691
Total for North Yorkshire Authorities 0 0 0 0 10,268 9,247
Total for 1995–96 Authorities 22,635 19,123 23,288 20,903 161,712 142,625
Bedfordshire County Council 971 971 3,214 2,871
Luton Borough Council 3,667 3,575 1,973 1,973 10,782 9,228
Total for Bedfordshire Authorities 4,638 4,546 1,973 1,973 13,996 12,099
Buckinghamshire County Council 2 0 0 0
Milton Keynes Borough Council 3,000 3,000 2,918 2,250 9,301 8,182
Total for Buckinghamshire Authorities 3,000 3,000 2,918 2,250 9,301 8,182
Derbyshire County Council 575 575 2,484 2,475
Derby City Council 2,950 2,950 1,835 1,602 8,553 7,402
Total for Derbyshire Authorities 3,525 3,525 1,835 1,602 11,037 9,877
Dorset County Council 2 0 0 0
Bournemouth Borough Council 2,900 2,900 828 650 6,733 6,555
Poole Borough Council 2,665 2,665 1,100 1,100 7,758 7,015
Total for Dorset Authorities 5,565 5,565 1,928 1,750 14,491 13,570
Durham County Council 2 0 0 0
Darlington Borough Council 2,317 2,317 1,478 1,193 8,462 7,940
Total for Durham Authorities 2,317 2,317 1,478 1,193 8,462 7,940

Local Government reorganisation costs schemes
£000
1997–98 outturn 1998–99 mid year review Totals to date
Local authority Bid Allocation Bid Allocation Bid Allocation
East Sussex County Council 1,575 1,575 4,106 3,425
Brighton & Hove Council1 4,825 4,000 1,775 1,407 15,930 10,207
Total for East Sussex Authorities 6,400 5,575 1,775 1,407 20,036 13,632
Hampshire County Council 2,350 2,350 5,406 4,550
Portsmouth City Council 2,601 2,600 1,603 1,603 7,832 7,153
Southampton City Council 3,049 3,049 3,976 3,185 11,523 9,284
Total for Hampshire Authorities 8,000 7,999 5,579 4,788 24,761 20,987
Leicestershire County Council 1,369 1,145 2,931 2,707
Leicester City Council 3,547 3,100 2 0 7,497 6,300
Rutland Council 1,173 1,170 1,165 1,065 3,336 3,233
Total for Leicestershire Authorities 6,089 5,415 1,165 1,065 13,764 12,240
Staffordshire County Council 654 654 5,892 2,654
Stoke on Trent City Council 3,518 3,378 1,549 1,348 9,323 7,676
Total for Staffordshire Authorities 4,172 4,032 1,549 1,348 15,215 10,330
Wiltshire County Council 400 400 2,048 1,750
Swindon Borough Council 3,339 2,870 742 742 10,708 5,612
Total for Wiltshire Authorities 3,739 3,270 742 742 12,814 8,362
Total for 1997 Authorities 47,648 45,244 20,942 18,118 143,877 117,219
Berkshire County Council 7,093 6,500 7,579 6,500
Bracknell Forest Borough Council 0 0 0 0 226 0
West Berkshire District Council 0 0 0 0 201 0
Reading Borough Council 5,025 4,900 7,461 3,281 12,636 8,181
Slough Borough Council 6,169 5,900 3,380 2,781 10,460 8,681
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead 0 0 0 0 349 0
Wokingham District Council 5,019 4,900 2,300 2,262 7,319 7,162
Total for Berkshire Authorities 23,306 22,200 13,141 8,324 38,770 30,524
Hereford & Worcester County Council 2,300 2,300 2,300 2,300
Hereford City Council 383 383 383 383
Leominster District Council 266 266 266 266
Malvern Hills District Council 0 0 0 0
South Herefordshire District Council 481 481 481 481
County of Herefordshire District Council(s) 2,670 2,670 6,391 5,155 9,061 7,825
Worcestershire County Council(s) 1,948 1,948 2,720 2,250 4,668 4,198
Malvern Hills District Council(s) 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total for Hereford & Worcester Authorities 8,048 8,048 9,111 7,405 17,159 15,453
Devon County Council 1,812 1,812 942 765 2,754 2,577
Plymouth City Council 2,900 2,900 9,450 9,450 12,525 12,350
Torbay Borough Council 3,504 3,500 6,397 6,396 9,901 9,896
Total for Devon Authorities 8,216 8,212 16,789 15,611 25,180 24,823
Essex County Council 2 2,683 2,683 2,683 2,683
Southend on Sea Borough Council 4,496 4,496 3,301 2,690 7,799 7,188
Thurrock Borough Council 2,481 2,481 3,502 3,067 6,406 5,548
Total for Essex Authorities 6,979 6,979 9,486 8,440 16,888 15,419
Nottinghamshire County Council 561 561 5,858 4,534 6,519 5,095
Nottingham City Council 3,710 3,700 4,430 3,920 8,608 7,620
Total for Nottinghamshire Authorities 4,271 4,261 10,388 8,454 15,127 12,715
Cheshire County Council 2,169 2,169 3,099 2,217 5,268 4,386
Halton Borough Council 2,825 2,825 3,004 2,832 5,829 5,857
Warrington Borough Council 3,321 3,320 3,013 2,934 6,334 6,254
Total for Cheshire Authorities 8,315 8,314 9,116 7,983 17,431 16,297
Shropshire County Council 1,625 1,544 1,540 994 3,165 2,538
Telford & Wrekin Council 3,870 3,835 4,788 4,143 8,658 7,978
Total for Shropshire Authorities 5,495 5,379 6,328 5,137 11,823 10,516
Kent County Council 3,200 3,200 884 752 4,084 3,952
Gillingham Borough Council 1,108 1,108 1,108 1,108
Rochester City Council 0 0 0 0
Medway Council(s) 3,262 3,260 6,455 5,674 9,717 8,934
Total for Kent Authorities 7,570 7,568 7,339 6,426 14,909 13,994
Cambridgeshire County Council 1,207 1,207 250 250 1,457 1,457
Peterborough City Council 3,400 3,400 2,061 2,061 5,461 5,461
Total for Cambridgeshire Authorities 4,607 4,607 2,311 2,311 6,918 6,918
Lancashire County Council 2,800 2,800 1,533 1,465 4,333 4,265
Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council 3,597 3,590 3,607 3,349 7,552 6,939
Blackpool Borough Council 5,423 5,200 2,509 3,188 8,932 8,388
Total for Lancashire Authorities 11,820 11,590 8,649 8,002 20,817 19,592
Total for 1998 Authorities 88,627 87,158 92,658 79,093 185,022 166,251
Grand Total 158,707 151,525 136,888 118,114 490,611 426,095
1 Includes allocations to predecessor authorities
2 No bid

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