Looks like a merger between Stratford & Warwick District Councils is on. At least our council tax money won't be sucked up by the north of the county: https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/new-super-sized-council-by-2024-if-stratford-and-warwick-merger-goes-ahead-9155069/

Mark my words, this will end up badly. The talked about savings won't be realised and it'll turn into an expensive failure that will be, equally expensively, reversed at some future point.

I read about the merger in the print version of The Herald this morning. The whole thing seems to be short term & short sighted. Apart from £172,000 savings from having fewer councillors, and merging refuse collection, there's not a lot else.

The housing bonus was mentioned, but that won't last for ever unless the whole southern half of the county's paved over. COVID was also mentioned as a cause of lost income due to no tourism, but apart from fewer shops paying extortionate rates, the area will most likely be flooded with tourists & their fat wallets again by next summer.

The Warwick/Stratford merger has taken a step forward: https://www.leamingtoncourier.co.uk/news/politics/council/plans-combined-super-district-council-warwick-and-stratford-districts-move-step-closer-3129917

MERGING Stratford and Warwick District Councils is one step closer.

Both authorities have given the green light to the next steps for working together.


https://leamingtonobserver.co.uk/news/stratford-and-warwick-council-merge-one-step-closer-28059/

Another box ticked for the Stratford/Warwick merger: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/consultation-launched-for-south-warwickshire-super-district-plans-32058/

Waste collection in the Stratford & Warwick areas are being reduced. The official line is 'Sending less rubbish to landfill', but sounds like penny pinching to me: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/contract-secured-for-three-weekly-bin-collection-across-south-warwickshire-32676/

We shall see a rise in fly tipping, I think.

We certainly did!

Yep, which will end up with no money being saved at all.

B***dy hell, 550 development sites have been identified as part of the Stratford/Warwick councils merger: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/list-of-potential-development-sites-published-as-part-of-south-warwickshire-merger-34969/

Hardly unexpected. Follow the money! Corruption at the local level is far higher (and more lucrative) than at the national level.

Thread/posts moved & merged to include Margaret's, Rebbonk's & Lex's posts....

Looks like the merger might screw up plans for council ward changes in the Stratford areas: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/ward-boundaries-may-need-second-review-due-to-potential-district-merger/

The merger's off; maybe down to two egos not being able to agree on who will be leader of the new council?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-61177293

https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/warwick-and-stratford-district-councils-abandon-merger-plans-amid-irreconcilable-differences-37744/

Any money saved from the merger would be minimal, which was obvious from the start of the process: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/council-merger-plan-was-too-risky-for-stratford-district-residents/