What other benefits could there be?

Prevention means acting early to stop problems before they escalate: whether in health, housing, or children’s services. It’s about helping people stay independent, reducing long-term costs, and improving lives.

The two unitary proposal would require a complete review of the way in which services are delivered across the county area. Such a review would need to be carefully undertaken to ensure that those most vulnerable in our communities are protected through a period of change.

Through this transformation it is expected that the new Councils would further engage to help produce the right response for our communities. There are concerns that a single large council covering the whole county area could not react in the same way. Our proposed model strives to achieve the right balance: it’s large enough to deliver effectively, yet close enough to communities to respond quickly and meaningfully.

The proposal’s key strengths are:

• Localised delivery: councils which are close to their communities understand them better, enabling earlier intervention and personalised support. They can deliver more insightful services, which provide the best value for money.
• Community partnerships: services can be better co-designed with the voluntary and community sector (VCS), ensuring relevance and responsiveness. Local people feel more ownership through this approach.