Tories at each others' throats over Unitary Councils

11.12.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 18th Oct 2007

An ugly feud has broken out between leading Tories in Bedfordshire over unitary councils

Open warfare has broken out between leading Conservatives over the government's decision to set up a new Unitary Council covering the Mid and South Bedfordshire District Council areas (as well as one for Bedford Borough).

In a recent response to the government's consultation, the Liberal Democrat Leader on the County Council, Cllr Peter Blaine, had warned: "co-operation between the County and the two Districts during the transition process may be unsatisfactory…...especially if the County Council is seen as the dominant partner on any Joint Committee set up under the transitional arrangements…..no partner should be seen to be dominant".

The Tory County Council have ignored this advice in their submission to government and, right on cue, the Tory Leader of South Beds Council has publicly hit back: "Not only do they appear hell-bent on pursuing a legal long shot [Judicial Review] with taxpayers' money, they are now at the same time asking Government to give them control of the proposed Central Bedfordshire unitary when their case fails…. I would call upon the County Council to…withdraw their application to dominate the new unitary".

Peter Blaine commented: "You might expect me to be delighted at seeing two lots of senior Tories going at one another, but this is totally against the interests of good future local government in Bedfordshire. They need to stop the squabbling and start real co-operation with immediate effect".