I can confirm that there is to be a major reform of local government in 2022 or 2023.

I can also confirm that the local government reorganisation will see the end of North Yorkshire County, York City Council, Craven District Council,  Hambleton District Council, Harrogate Borough Council, Richmondshire District Council, Ryedale District Council and Selby District Council.

I would expect East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Hull City Council to amalgamate.

As a campaigner and an Independent East Riding Councillor between 2016 and 2019, I have witnessed first hand the waste and incompetence of local authority. I highlight just three aspects:

• Senior Officers – The salaries paid to senior officers are excessive. By amalgamating East Riding and Hull half of these would be removed.
• Councillors – I am aware of lame-duck Councillors who do next to nothing. I believe the number of Councillors should be reduced by at least a third.
• Dustbins – The dustbin service typifies the incompetence of local authorities. The five-day working week is outdated, operating a catch-up system is unnecessary and not having a national bin system is ridiculous.

Given the waste I witnessed at East Riding I never voted to increase the Council Tax yet all other Councillors did. I could never support charging residents more for a service when the local authority itself was so inefficient.

East Riding/Hull Amalgamation

Sadly East Riding is a Conservative dictatorship in the same way that Hull is a Labour dictatorship. Neither are democratic. An amalgamation will remove both dictatorships.

In direct contrast to East Riding and Hull I was and remain, in awe of the talented Stamford Bridge Parish Council. I believe they are a fantastic example of a Government body.

In principle, I fully support the planned Government reshuffle. This will be the first major reshuffle since 1972. It should have happened years ago.