Rationale for scoring: 2 unitary authorities
2) To what extent do you agree or disagree that the proposed council will be able to deliver the outcomes they describe in the proposal?
- 1 unitary authority: strongly disagree
- 2 unitary authorities: strongly disagree
- 3 unitary authorities: strongly agree
Scale still undermines local responsiveness
Each proposed council is very large (up to 1,430 square miles and 400k-530k population). This size makes it difficult to deliver the "locally tailored, community-led" services promised. Rural and coastal communities will remain remote from decision-making.
Savings depend on optimistic assumptions, not guaranteed efficiencies
The proposal claims £72m savings in 2028/29 rising to £90m in 2029/30, largely from "service optimisation" and "early intervention." These are reliant on cultural change and demand reduction, which are unlikely to be achieved in such an aggressive timescale.
Demand management savings are high-risk
The largest projected savings come from reducing demand in social care and SEND through prevention strategies. Evidence shows these savings take years to materialize and depend on strong local networks which will be harder to build in councils of larger scale.
Public priorities not fully addressed
Residents want stronger local identity and decision-making. Two large councils still centralize power far from communities, making it unlikely that outcomes around "empowered neighbourhoods" will be achieved.
