Why we should return to two tier counties
It is often argued nowadays that local government must become more efficient and compact. The unitarisation that has followed has broken up or merged councils to create new unitary authorities in the name of this aforementioned “efficiency”. However this policy in itself is flawed in my opinion and is so for three key reasons; representation, collaboration and specialisation. These reasons are why I believe we should bring back Avon and the two tier counties.
In Defence of Representation
We cannot represent smaller communities with monolithic huge councils nor mid size unitaries. This is where small district councils hold their strength and utility. South Gloucestershire for example has to represent the urban communities of the wider Kingswood area, the northern fringe of Bristol and the rural communities around Yate and Thornbury such as Alveston or pucklechurch. This is quite difficult and builds a reliance on the often elderly tory dominated parish councils whose turnout figures would make any true democrat collapse in horror. District councils are small enough to represent communities but big enough to wield some political and financial power. County councils can then take the role of representing the larger communities and do the more strategic running of large-scale services in that wider interest that they can represent. This is representation done right, local people running local services for locals in their local area.
In Defence of Collaboration
Many hands make light work and this is true in the context of local government. District councils could trial out policies on behalf of county councils and county councils can help district councils collaborate. District councils can learn from their fellow district councils. The more councils we have the more the opportunity for innovations in the ways local councils provide services. Districts can consult on county council services while counties can help with procurement for their districts. We have already seen examples of councils in this way. Just look at Devon with the county council acting in a strategic role in tackling climate change, guiding the districts while councils like Mid Devon district council implement change. Bringing back two-tier counties would see more of this ideally . Now yes this is an ideal but shouldn’t we be building the ideal?
In Defence of Specialisation
A jack of all trades is a master of none but still better than a master of one. And the one virtue of unitary councils is their general ability to do anything while specialising in nothing. Two tier councils can develop specialised services for their area, for instance a more unique education provision over a larger area with an upper tier authority or a more personal way of providing welfare or employment support. Specialisation is why the NHS has many different trusts for different functions. One size fits all authorities just aren’t good enough for our health so why should we trust them for our local governance? Specialised services are what we need for local government. The central government with its eye watering bureaucracy can manage the generalised affairs and we can enjoy the fruits of specialised local labour. We can see this ever present in the juggling of BANES (Bath and North East Somerset) council which must provide for the needs of the urban city of Bath while doing the same for the rural north east Somerset area with vastly different needs. A generalist council is a council that can’t specialise for its local community and as a result we all suffer.
In Defence of Avon
Avon itself was a much maligned county. Avon was hated. Avon was the butt of jokes. But Avon was what we needed even if we couldn’t see it. It was a beauty and it is a beauty that we need now more than ever. So let’s bring back that beautiful county with new gorgeous districts, and many more pretty county councils so we may make local government work better. You may disagree, be disgusted by or detest my words but in defence of Avon I stand for what I have said and hopefully many of you will stand with me. Standing in defence of Avon County Council.
This Article was written by Valerian, an irregular contributor to The Next Conversation. If you have been inspired and would like to join us as a regular, or irregular, contributor, please message @aidancccc on twitter, join our discord or email us at thenextconversationuk@gmail.com
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