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Exeter and Norwich received the official go-ahead to become unitary city councils following approval by both Houses of Parliament, after the Government decided unitary status would make Exeter and Norwich stronger regional economic forces than the current two-tier local government.

Economic development is the Government’s highest priority today as the country moves towards recovery. Ministers believe unitary status will ensure that Exeter and Norwich, as centers of regional economic activity in the South West and East, play an essential role in promoting economic growth and creating jobs in the cities and for the surrounding areas.

Ministers were impressed by the strong and united support unitary plans enjoyed from the City Councils, local people and the local business community. Exeter and Norwich will now start putting in place transitional arrangements ready for the new unitaries to deliver all local government services in their cities from 1 April 2011. The Government will continue to work with both city councils and Norfolk and Devon county councils to support them as they implement these decisions.

Rosie Winterton said:

“Local leaders know their area and their people best and it’s right that Exeter and Norwich City Councils should lead the way on building their local economies and delivering jobs on behalf of the local people that they serve.

“Strong decisive leadership is crucial as we move towards economic recovery and now these unitary plans have been approved by Parliament we believe Exeter and Norwich, uniting together all the services in their area, will each make a far more potent economic force than the current status quo.

“Throughout this process our highest priority has always been to have the best and most efficient local services for the people of Exeter and Norwich. We will continue to offer the councils our full support as they work hard in the months ahead to create city councils that will deliver high quality customer-focused services, strong leadership and greater accountability.”

As unitary authorities Exeter and Norwich will be ideally placed to adopt a Total Place approach to local services in a time of financial constraint; delivering better joined up services that promote greater value for money, by focusing more clearly on the needs of individual users.

Ministers have urged all Devon and Norfolk councils to use the creation of the new unitary councils to drive forward economic growth in their regions by creating more innovative and efficient models of service delivery. The Government has also offered Devon and Norfolk Councils a senior official to act as a Champion in Whitehall to help them identify opportunities to deliver more efficient and effective organizations and services.

Source: Communities and Local Government

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The funding – which is the remaining allocation of the Government’s £60m cycling budget for this year – will deliver new parking provisions, designated routes and a range of other enhancements aimed at encouraging more people to cycle.

Results from an evaluation of the original six Cycle Demonstration Towns (Aylesbury, Brighton & Hove, Darlington, Derby, Exeter and Lancaster) show that they are working. The survey found a 27 per cent increase in the number of cycle trips as well as strong evidence of new cyclists taking to the road and demonstrable health benefits.

Transport Minister Sadiq Khan said:

“The new money for the Cycling Demonstration Towns and the Peak District National Park represents a great opportunity for people to join the cycling revolution. By getting more people cycling, we can help tackle congestion and pollution, as well as helping to promote health and fitness.

“I have been hugely pleased with the Cycle Demonstration Town project and these results prove that when you provide the right facilities and support, more people will get on their bikes.

“I am also pleased to announce that we will be providing Sustrans with £6m this year to install cycle parking and build cycling and walking links to schools, making it easier for children, and others living nearby, to travel on foot or by bike.”

Phillip Darnton, Chairman of Cycling England, said:

“This is fantastic news for our demonstration program. Cycling England and the Department for Transport set out in 2005 with six cycling towns to show that investing in cycling can deliver real impact – in tackling congestion and pollution, and improving health. The results from the original six towns, and the promise shown by the new wave of 11 additional cycling towns and one cycling city alongside other cycling demonstration projects such as the Peak District National Park, give us great confidence we can make a real difference to the travel culture of the UK.”

Also announced by the DfT was a best practice guide for local authorities. The guide covers a wide range of sustainable travel initiatives that authorities can consider bringing forward as part of their third Local Transport Plans. It also aims to help them choose and deliver measures which are carefully tailored to specific locations and achieve sustainable transport goals.

Source: Department for Transport

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