Decision to grant Exeter and Norwich unitary status declared unlawful

 

The Government’s decision to grant unitary status to Exeter and Norwich was unlawful, a High Court judge has ruled today.

This morning, Mr Justice Ouseley allowed an application for judicial review brought by Devon and Norfolk county council to the Secretary of State’s decision to grant unitary status to Exeter and Norwich, saying that the unfairness caused by the Government’s last minute changing of the basis for deciding on the matter was “real, plain and unlawful”.

The judge said “On the face of it, the decisions taken by the Secretary of State and the Minister simply made a mockery of the consultation process.”

Responding to the judgment, John Hart Leader of Devon county council said: “It is a victory for common sense and a vindication of our decision to pursue legal action to get it overturned.

“We always questioned the way the previous Government had gone about reaching its final decision over Exeter and it is now clear that the process they followed was flawed.

“This plan would have cost local people dearly and wasted millions of pounds at a time when we need to be fully focused on saving money and protecting frontline services,” he said.

Norfolk county council Leader Daniel Cox added “Our prime interest in opposing a Norwich unitary has always been the long term health and well being of Norfolk and Norwich.

“We firmly believe city and county belong together and their residents should be protected from the costs and consequences of any break up and duplication of critical services and staff across two councils rather than one,” he said.