Overview

This bill allows two or more parliamentary constituencies in England, forming a continuous area, to combine and become a new unitary authority, following a local referendum. The bill sets out the process for holding these referendums and for creating the new authorities, subject to parliamentary approval of the regulations.

Description

The bill empowers the Secretary of State to create regulations enabling the creation of new unitary authorities. These regulations will:

• Establish a system for local electors to petition for a referendum on creating a new unitary authority.
• Require a referendum if at least 10% of registered electors in each affected constituency support the petition.
• Detail the process for holding referendums involving all registered local authority electors in the affected areas.
• Outline the procedure for changing local authority boundaries and transferring responsibilities to the new unitary authority.

The Secretary of State must consider existing legislation (Chapter 4 of Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000) when creating these regulations. A new unitary authority will be formed if a majority of valid votes in the referendum are in favor. The Secretary of State and existing local authorities must then take reasonable steps to facilitate its creation. The regulations will require parliamentary approval before they can be enacted.

Government Spending

The bill states that any expenditure incurred under or by virtue of this Act, and any increase in sums payable under any other Act attributable to this Act, will be paid out of money provided by Parliament. No specific figures are provided.

Groups Affected

• Local Government Electors: They will be able to petition for referendums and vote in them, potentially altering their local governance.
• Local Authorities: Existing local authorities may be dissolved or their boundaries changed, impacting their responsibilities and resources.
• Parliament: Parliament will need to approve the regulations before they can come into force.
• Secretary of State: The Secretary of State will be responsible for creating and overseeing the implementation of the regulations.

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