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Local Government Minister John Healey today (10 June) challenged the leaders of nine new unitary authorities to seize the once in a generation opportunity to shape the future of their areas, improving local governance and the quality of life for their 3.2 million residents.
By April 2009 the leaders of these new unitary authorities are charged with setting up flagship unitary authorities that could make annual savings of over £100m every year - savings that can be transferred to improve front line services or used to keep council tax bills down.
At the meeting in London, the Minister offered the Government's support in the transition process. He also said to the leaders that their local communities will expect success from the outset, and that they will ultimately be accountable for the success of their new councils by the ballot box.
Local governance in Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire will be transformed next year, with a total of 44 councils in these areas being reduced to nine new unitary councils.
The move is set to benefit local people by streamlining and improving the delivery of local services, cutting red tape and creating a single local point of reference for the services they receive, as well as making efficiency savings that can be redirected to reduce council tax or fund local improvements.
The new unitaries, proposed by the local councils themselves, and now approved by Parliament, will have combined budgets of £2.4bn and are expected to be in place from 1 April 2009, with fully operational local services, a balanced budget, and affordable council tax.
This will be a tough task, and today Mr Healey met the leaders of the new councils to hear first-hand about the progress that they are making, and the challenges that they face as they bring the councils into being.
He assured them of the government's continued support, providing the legislative framework necessary to make the changes possible, including regulations on ceremonial matters ensuring that the character and traditions of areas are not lost.
Mr Healey said:
"Local communities rightly expect nothing less than the best possible governance for their area. In each of these areas there is an ambitious vision to achieve success - economically, socially, environmentally and culturally.
"This is not just a simple process of transition, but one of transformation, a change which the local councils themselves have proposed and planned, which Government has now backed. The benefits will be widespread, including savings of over £100m every year which could be redirected to improve services or reduce council tax.
"I recognise it will be tough, and my responsibility is to ensure that Government provides whatever support we can.
"The task of the local leaders is to deliver the vision they've set for their area, empowering citizens, promoting prosperity, and modernising local service delivery. Ultimately they will be held accountable for the success of this change through the ballot box.
"The leaders of these nine new councils have a once in a generation chance to shape the future of their communities for years to come - it is a challenge to which I know they are completely committed." | 
