The way South Holland is governed could change radically in the near future as devolution plays out across the county.
A shift in power sharing between county and district is likely to be coming, and there will be differences in local government whatever the outcome, writes Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Jaines.
For South Holland, East Lindsey and Boston it could even see the partnership take sole responsibility for a huge swathe of the county.
A year ago the three councils joined forces to create the South East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership (SELCP).
Currently the three are working on a sub-regional strategy which could be the first step to merging the three into one authority.
All three councils currently retain overall control of their own districts and there have been no changes from the electorate’s perspective.
But that could change, as plans to see the entire county managed by one tier of council, are discussed.
Those talks have been going on for years, but there will be further consultation in January with the prospect of the first elected mayor for the county in 2025, during the next round of county elections.
The mayor would be a figurehead and the new devolved seat of power is likely to be Lincoln, or even further away.
The ‘combined authority’ would operate over the area currently covered by the county council, North Lincolnshire Council and North East Lincolnshire Council. But the move is far from universally popular.
It is possible for the county to divide into separate unitary authorities, one of which could be the SELCP. It is currently running a survey on the partnership which closes on Octber 31.
South Holland’s leader Nick Worth said that significant funding had been attracted by the current partnership.
“Working together has clearly caught the attention of the higher-ups. This would have been challenging for a single council to achieve,” said Coun Worth, speaking about a total inward investment of £175m in funding.
“On devolution, we’re still in negotiations with the county council and the unitaries, so I think it would be sensible for us not to get too involved in saying where we are at the moment,” he added.
None of the three council leaders have spoken publicly about the potential merger of the partnership in the face of the move to a unitary set-up.
But East Lindsey’s Labour leader Ros Jackson, while acknowledging the successes of the partnership, also cautioned against overlooking downsides include staff disruption and stretched resources.
“The sub-regional strategy is a step towards a potential merger. However, it shouldn’t be rushed into,” she said.
“We should focus on improving what we have and caring for our residents and council workers.”
Boston Borough Council’s Liberal Democrat member Ralph Pryke was critical of the partnership’s performance. He questioned its potential impact.
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The three-way partnership which makes SELCP was set up in 2021.
South Holland joined an existing shared services agreement with Boston Borough and East Lindsey councils.
It initially saw key senior staff shared and mid and lower level staff, including the councils’ communications team.
As the councils move towards a potential unification of strategies, the balance between efficiency and maintaining unique identities remains a pivotal point of discussion.
The leaders of all three are steadfast in believing the partnership is a step in the right direction and the coming months will prove crucial as they work towards finalising a unified strategy for the future.
“I wanted to look at things very closely, and I did,” said Boston Borough Council leader Ann Dorrian.
“It’s not just about saving money or merging for the sake of it. It’s about ensuring that our residents receive the best possible services and, by working together, we can achieve that.”
Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey, said the partnership also provided a safety net for the workeforce’s future.
“By aligning our strategies, we’re not only ensuring that our staff have more opportunities for growth or development, but we’re also making our councils more resilient and adaptable to future changes,” he said.
The partnership is currently consulting on a proposed sub-regional strategy and details of how to take part, see the website www.selcp.co,uk and look for the consultation link.
The closing date is Tuesday, October 31.
