Council quizzes government over Lincolnshire's local authority shake-up decision

The council says it has issued a Pre-Action Protocol letter to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, regarding the Government's decision on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Lincolnshire.

In July, the Government announced its preferred model for LGR in Lincolnshire which would see the creation of two new unitary councils, with the existing North and North East Lincolnshire councils remaining as they are. One would be the City of Lincoln Council with expanded boundaries into West Lindsey and North Kesteven, the rest would be Lincolnshire Council.

Now, the county council’s Pre-Action Protocol letter raises a number of questions about the process that led to that decision.

The council is seeking further information and clarification on aspects of the process, including how the different proposals were assessed against the Government’s own criteria, and how consultation responses from the public and other organisations were taken into account.

A Pre-Action Protocol letter is a formal step that allows individuals and organisations to seek explanations and information before deciding whether any legal challenge should be pursued. It does not mean that judicial review proceedings have been started, or that the council has decided it will seek a judicial review.

Coun Sean Matthews, Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, said: "Local Government Reorganisation will shape how council services are delivered across Lincolnshire for decades to come, so it is important that there is complete confidence in the process that led to the Government’s decision.

"While we will continue working with the other councils across Lincolnshire to prepare for reorganisation, we still have a number of legitimate questions about how the proposals were assessed, how the consultation responses were used, and ultimately how the preferred option was chosen.

"We believe those questions deserve clear answers, and this Pre-Action Protocol letter gives the Government an opportunity to provide the clarity we have requested.

"I want to be absolutely clear that this is not a decision to pursue a judicial review. No such decision has been taken. We will carefully consider the Government's response and then decide what, if any, further action we might take.”

Results of the government’s consultation on LGR in Greater Lincolnshire can be found on their website.