Northampton Labour councillors call for halt of unitary process and more regular reviews of coronavirus emergency powers

The councillors have also called for regular reviews of emergency powers that have been handed to council chief executives to make decisions during the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to usual council meetings being postponed.

Labour leader Councillor Danielle Stone wrote to Northampton’s two Conservative MPs Andrew Lewer and Michael Ellis, as well as the Conservative leaders of Northamptonshire County Council, Northampton Borough Council, Daventry District Council and South Northamptonshire Council.

It comes after it was revealed that the government, instead of local councillors, would be selecting the leader for the new West Northamptonshire Council unitary authority that will replace the existing councils next year. The move has been slammed as ‘undemocratic’ by opposition councillors.

The letter states: “We have several concerns prompted by the current crisis. One is the proposal regarding the local government reorganisation and the imposition by the Government of a shadow executive and shadow leaders. It is regrettable, while understandable, that local elections have been cancelled. But democracy is important. It is important that the people choose their councillors and that councillors choose their leaders.”

She also raised concerns about the length of time it might take to review emergency powers that have been granted to chief executives to make decisions during the current pandemic.

Usual council meetings have been postponed for much of the last month due to social distancing guidelines, but councils have now been given power to hold ‘virtual’ meetings on a temporary basis.

But Councillor Stone has urged the MPs to press the government so that there are three monthly reviews of these emergency powers.

She writes: “It is understandable that Government, both national and local, has been given emergency powers. Our understanding is that the legislation enables those powers for two years with six monthly reviews. It is our fervent hope that the crisis will be over long before the two years. It is our opinion that three monthly reviews, nationally and locally, would act as a better safeguard to ensure democracy and appropriate actions are being taken.

“We also believe that three monthly reviews are likely to lead to more proportionate responses to the lock-in, and to the use of emergency powers.”