Row between council leaders over boundaries hots up as referendum nears

A council leader has accused his neighbour of an attempted takeover bid as a referendum on boundary changes looms.

Hull City Council in June set up an independent commission to examine redrawing the city’s boundary to include 12 parishes that were put into East Riding of Yorkshire during the 1996 local government reorganisation.

It will also look at whether the Labour-run city and Conservative-controlled unitary should be combined into one large council.

East Riding retaliated by organising an advisory referendum in the parishes concerned for which voting will take place between 8 and 26 September.

The unusual dispute has arisen because Hull was left in 1996 with a tightly drawn urban boundary with little hinterland.

Chief Executive Darryl Stephenson said: “Now is an opportune time to conduct an inquiry, as the city’s regeneration makes great strides forward, and as the local government and regional government scene has changed with city deals, local enterprise partnerships, single local growth fund and combined authorities.

“The existing set up potentially leaves the city at a disadvantage which in turn will affect the sub-region and prospects for jobs.”

But a local newspaper reports East Riding’s Conservative leader Stephen Parnaby having accused Hull of staging a takeover bid, saying: “I am sick and tired of hearing and reading clap-trap coming from all corners of the Guildhall.

“Hull City Council has set up a commission to look into boundary change with no discussion whatsoever with us. The city council decided who would be on the commission, again with no discussion with us and with no invitation to join it.

“What we have is a take-over bid by the city council and it is pretty crude – no frills or finesse – just a land-grab.”

But Hull’s Labour leader Stephen Brady has told the BBC: “We are considering alternatives to the current boundaries to enable the city to take advantage of economic opportunities, playing our part as the driving force of the region in bringing economic prosperity and creating jobs.”

Mark Smulian