Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will place in the Library a copy of the cost-benefit analysis for local government reorganisation in (i) Hampshire (ii) Essex (iii) Norfolk and (iv) Suffolk, including (a) an assessment of the financial resilience of the proposed new authorities, (b) the estimated transition costs and (c) the financial and non-financial benefits of service transformation.

Councils were asked to set out in their proposals how their area would seek to manage transition costs, including how those costs would be met over time from existing budgets, such as through the flexible use of capital receipts to support transformation and invest‑to‑save projects. Proposals were also required to explain how the new authorities would be financially sustainable and resilient over the longer term, and the expected financial and non‑financial benefits of reorganisation.

The government's assessment of the proposals was taken in the round, having regard to all the criteria in the statutory invitation and all relevant information available. This included consideration of the evidence and assumptions provided by councils, representations received during the statutory consultation, and official advice, including assessment of proposed costs and savings and the financial sustainability and resilience of the new councils, informed by departmental analysis and sector benchmarks. A summary of the decision on local government reorganisation already has been provided for i) Hampshire ii) Essex iii) Norfolk and iv) Suffolk. The proposals considered in reaching those decisions are publicly available, and the government has no plans to publish further information relating to the decision‑making process.