It is known that many people in Stamford are unhappy that the built-up area of Stamford already crosses the border into Rutland, and there are many people in the Rutland villages around Stamford who would prefer to be in the same council area as Stamford after local government reorganisation has taken place.  The proposals submitted by SKDC and Rutland if unchanged, would not bring this about, and it is not being included as part of the current government public consultation.

 We believe that the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government should initiate a boundary commission review of the Lincolnshire / Rutland boundary with a view to moving the A1 and the area of Rutland to the east of it into the same new unitary authority as Stamford, along with any parishes which border the A1 to the west which express a desire to be included in the review.  Any boundary change should be without prejudice to any current part of Rutland remaining in the ceremonial county of Rutland for the purposes of the Lord-Lieutenancy.  As this boundary change would be relatively modest in scope, there should be no problem with simultaneously moving the Police, Fire, and NHS area boundaries at the same time, which would undoubtedly result in efficiency gains for those services.

This proposition seems an obvious one. 

• Those who live near Stamford should have a stake in the future funding and management of the public services they use there such as Arts Centres, Citizen's Advice, Leisure Centres, Car Parks, Markets, and Libraries.
• Stamford should not extend into a neighbouring council area and be subject to further future extensions over which it would have no say.
• The A1's development, maintenance, and policing would better managed as a strategic route if it comes under the same Lincolnshire Mayoralty all the way from the A43 junction south of Stamford to the outskirts of Newark where it enters Nottinghamshire. A new Leicestershire Mayoral authority would not prioritise just 10 miles of road running just inside its eastern boundary which does not serve any of its towns.
• There would be no great administrative burden involved in asset transfers - no police or fire stations, no hospitals, waste depots, highways depots, nor civic buildings would need to be transferred from one authority to another - just a small number of schools and libraries.
• In terms of NHS provision, Essendine currently has no NHS Leicestershire & Rutland commissioned GP service. Bringing the surrounding villages into NHS Lincolnshire should strengthen the case for it to commission more services at Stamford Hospital including possibly an Urgent Treatment Centre. GP commissioning could also be improved.
• Whilst the administration of school admissions should not be impacted either way, planning for additional places and capital spending on expansion would be more appropriately managed.The planning and funding of bus services should become easier and more logical.
• The inclusion of the villages in with Stamford strengthens the case for a new Household Waste Recycling Centre nearby which would be more conveniently located for both Stamford and the surrounding villages. 

Background

Local councils were asked to submit plans to central government for reorganisation into large unitary councils following the planned abolition of England's remaining district, county, and smaller unitary councils.

These plans were submitted late last year, and were based around strict criteria set out by government. These criteria made it difficult for plans to be put together which would involve grouping councils or parts of councils together which currently sit either side of an existing county boundary.

South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) debated this issue back in March and voted to prepare a proposal for the new unitary council to be formed from SKDC, North Kesteven District Council, South Holland District Council, and Rutland County Council.  Following advice from Whitehall and a lack of clear support from Rutland Council, SKDC and NKDC submitted a joint proposal for a new council consisting of just themselves and South Holland. SKDC's proposal does however include a statement that "North Kesteven and South Kesteven District Councils remain willing to include
Rutland in a unitary council should Rutland County Council and the government agree that it is the optimal solution and should be taken forward".

Rutland County Council supported the development of a joint proposal by Leicestershire's district councils, under which it would become part of a larger unitary council with Melton Borough, Charnwood (Syston, Mountsorrel, Loughborough) and Northwest Leicestershire (Ashby de-la Zouch, Coalville, Ibstock, & E Mids Airport).  Rutland's leadership then agreed to submit this as their proposal.