CONSERVATIVES on Stroud District Council have released a statement outlining why they are in favour of a unitary authority to run services in Gloucestershire.

A motion was put to the last SDC meeting on July 25 by Cllr Paul Carter (Con, Nailsworth) and seconded by Cllr Chas Fellows (Con, Chalford) to set up a working group to look at the creation of a unitary authority.

Due to the length of debate on the local plan, Cllr Carter requested that the motion be withdrawn and resubmitted at the next meeting in October.

In the statement the Conservatives said: "The current system of county and district levels of councils is an inefficient way of managing local services in the 21st Century and residents would be better served by a single authority in each area.

"There are duplications in some service areas and gaps in others. The public have little understanding of which authority provides which service.

"By combining two or more authorities together large savings could be made in the need for CEOs, directors of service and senior staff as well as contracted services."

Cllr Paul Carter added: “This is the latest in a long line of initiatives that the Conservatives have put forward to save money for the council."

Last week the SNJ reported how Stroud Labour Party was also calling for a unitary authority.

Cllr Chas Fellows said “In years gone by they (Labour) have opposed the idea of a countywide authority but they now seem to be in favour.

"We have looked at this on a large number of occasions over a number of years but we have never been able to get a consensus that would allow us to go ahead with a change."