IN a rare display of political unity a council yesterday put its case
for survival under the reform of local government, which is about to go
before Parliament.
The leaders of all party groups on Cunninghame District Council shared
a platform with their two Labour MPs to press for the retention of a
unitary authority based on existing boundaries.
The councillors were also at one in condemning the Government's plans
to create a large authority serving the 263,000 people now living in the
Cunninghame, Kilmarnock and Loudoun, and Cumnock and Doon Valley areas.
A Bill to be discussed by MPs this month recommends 28 single-tier
authorities in Scotland, one of them covering the so-called North
Ayrshire area and another, based on Kyle and Carrick district and
bearing the name South Ayrshire.
Councillor Teresa Beattie, Labour group leader on Cunninghame District
Council, said: ''The time has come for us to make our position clear. It
is not often that you will see all shades of political opinion on this
or any other council coming together with a united messasge.
''That is just what we are seeing today. The idea of having a North
Ayrshire authority covering an area from Skelmorlie to Patna is
ludicrous. It would be too large and not convenient for any of the
people it would be supposed to serve.''
Cunninghame North's Labour MP, Mr Brian Wilson, said: ''Those of us
present here today arrived at the same conclusions from different
directions -- first, that Cunninghame would be viable and, second, that
it would be greatly preferable to what is currently on offer.''
Neither Mr Wilson nor his Cunninghame South colleague, Mr Brian
Donohoe, appeared to have any problem with their apparent split with the
lobby for an all-Ayrshire authority which is being championed by
Carrick, Cumnock, and Doon Valley Labour MP George Foulkes and an
all-parties group.
Mr Donohoe said: ''My position is quite clearly that we should have
the status quo and not enter into a further unnecessary and expensive
reform of local government.
''If, as seems likely, we are forced to have change then I believe my
constituents would be best served by an authority based on the
Cunninghame boundaries.''
SNP group leader Margaret Burgess said: ''My group and my party have
no difficulty in supporting the conclusions of the consultants' report
that we should continue to have an authority based on Cunninghame.
''We deliver the services efficiently and are close to our people.
There is no logical reason to change a winning formula.''
Councillor Edith Clarkson, leader of the six-strong Conservative group
among the 30 current councillors, said: ''One of the most important
aspects of this whole argument is that local government reform will come
at around the same time as the wind-up of Irvine Development
Corporation. There are no people better qualified to oversee that
wind-up and take on much of the good work being done by IDC than the
councillors, officials, and workers at Cunninghame District Council.''
Mr Foulkes said: ''I am disappointed at the stance being taken today
by Cunninghame District Council. The campaign will continue, despite
this, for an all-Ayrshire authority which I understood to be Labour
Party policy in the event of the status quo not being an option.''
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