Government must support local councils, not impose top down reorganisation

Ahead of the Government's motion on the Local Government Boundary Commission, Liberal Democrat Local Government spokesperson Tim Farron said:

"The Chair of the Local Government Boundary Commissions looks like they're going to have a lot on their plate. Just last week the Tories proposed abolishing nearly every council and replacing them with larger, less accountable, 'super-councils.'

"At a time when local authorities and the government are struggling to tackle the pandemic, it is not the time for a reorganisation of deckchairs on the titanic.

"Liberal Democrats believe change should come from the bottom up, not the top down. And frankly, local councils need to be allowed to get on with their jobs at this time of crisis rather than arguing about the name on a letterhead."