Council shake-up is chance to create Yorkshire-wide regional government: Yorkshire Post Letters

The current situation in North Yorkshire’s devolution debate is causing some concerns as to the requirement to modify the organisation of democracy – and the way in which the councils operate.

I believe that this should be an opportunity to improve the way in which not only North Yorkshire could be governed, but this could be the opportunity for the whole of Yorkshire to become a regional government. It would allow this regional assembly to challenge what is happening in Scotland and the other regional devolutions i.e. London, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Not only would this reduce the massive duplications which currently exist but would allow regional-based NHS provision – and decision – making of medical care, policing, ambulance, fire services and issues like flooding.

There would be costs savings on duplications of the top management of the current system. The democracy at local levels would be achieved by reverting back to the previous city, urban, town and parish councils with part-time councillors working for an elected mayor where the concerns and wishes of local people be catered for in a more democratic manner.

I appreciate that this is a radical proposal but I believe that it has great merit and there is a precedent in Germany where they have 14 regional governments (in which 86 to 90 per cent of councillors are from a commercial/industrial background), and which brings a more professional outlook.

From: Brian Quinn, Knaresborough.

Predictably, the prospect of local government reorganisation has thrown up petty tribal rivalries. Some people in Harrogate complaining that Northallerton is a long way away. A recent correspondent from Knaresborough bemoaning the ‘dead hand’ of Harrogate.

Just like some Northerners saying London doesn’t understand them or Brexiteers complaining about Brussels. If the proposed Harrogate-York-Selby configuration went ahead, how long would it be before York was accused of dominating the arrangement and failing to understand the needs of the other two?

Tribalism is the scourge of the world and the source of all conflicts. High time we just focused on our common humanity. Personally, I’m happy to identify with the beautiful county of North Yorkshire and to share that pleasure with the people of all seven current district council areas.

A unitary authority at county scale makes efficient sense and would employ local people from across that area, not just from Northallerton. Let’s focus on what unites us rather than what divides us.

From: Tim Hunter, Knaresborough.

It seems that the opportunistic Lib Dem bandwagon has now positioned itself against abolition of the Harrogate District Council and the long overdue introduction of a North Yorkshire unitary authority. 

The Lib Dems suggest that a North Yorkshire unitary authority would be too remote and out of touch. Is this the same Lib Dem party who were rabidly in favour of us staying in the EU and being subject to Brussels-based EU legislation? Governance doesn’t come much more remote than that.

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Thank you

James Mitchinson