Lincolnshire County Council split over local government reorganisation plans ahead of March 21 deadline

Councillors were split over how the county could be reorganised under one of the biggest shake-ups in 50 years.

The government has invited councils to submit interim proposals by Friday (March 21) on how to divide Greater Lincolnshire into unitary authorities with populations of at least 500,000 while aiming to minimise disruption to services.

Lincolnshire County Council outlined two main options ahead of an Overview and Scrutiny Management Board meeting on Monday, March 17. One proposal suggests merging North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire councils into a single northern authority, with the rest of the county forming another single council.

The second option would see North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire join West Lindsey and East Lindsey, while Lincoln, North Kesteven, South Kesteven, Boston, and South Holland would be combined into another authority.

Although county council leader Martin Hill (Con) will decide which proposals go to government, a full council meeting is set for Friday to give members a say.

Final proposals are due in November, and he described the council's submission as "merely a suggestion" to government, which will make the ultimate decision.

Councillor Tom Smith (Con) backed option one, arguing: "It makes more sense for the rural county council to stay whole."

He also pointed out that the alternative would cost an estimated £42 million, with a projected 10-year saving of £246 million. Option one, by comparison, would cost £27 million and is expected to save £250 million over the same period.

Councillor Hugo Marfleet (Con) supported option two, though he said a single unitary authority would be preferable. He argued that northern Lincolnshire is "not an alien county, they are Lincolnshire," adding: "If we have to go for it, it should be option two."

Shortly after, opposition leader Councillor Phil Dilks (Ind) proposed a third option, splitting the region into three unitary authorities:

* South Kesteven, North Kesteven, South Holland, and Rutland – population 405,519

* Boston, East Lindsey, West Lindsey, and the City of Lincoln – population 417,932

* North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire – population 328,422

He argued this would create a more manageable population distribution, stating: "I do not believe it will be more costly to set up. All alternatives should be carefully considered."

South Kesteven District Council will discuss the proposals at an extraordinary full council meeting tomorrow (Tuesday).

Ahead of the meeting, SKDC leader Councillor Ashley Baxter (Ind) said: “This will be the most significant overhaul of local government since the 1970s. The government has demanded that we move at pace to a very ambitious timeline.

“Fundamentally, the government's plans will take decision-making further away from local residents. There will be fewer councillors, who will inevitably be less accessible and less accountable to the people they represent.

“We are, however, committed to working with neighbouring councils to achieve the best possible outcome for our residents and businesses.

“Although the government has suggested unitary authorities should have populations of around 500,000, there has been consistent guidance that proposals for smaller populations will be acceptable when supported by a clear rationale.

“It is also evident that proposals which cross existing public service boundaries would be considered, which in our case would include Rutland.

“Our proposal, therefore, strikes the right balance between sufficient scale to ensure financial sustainability and services, and the practical demands of Greater Lincolnshire’s geography.”

During the Lincolnshire County Council meeting, Councillor Hill argued that the proposal does not meet the government's criteria. While acknowledging a "synergy" between Rutland and Stamford, he said Rutland is not interested in joining Lincolnshire and is instead in discussions with districts in Leicestershire. Ultimately, the board chose to put forward both main options to the full council, where a decision will be made.