Local Government Reorganisation

Debate between Angela Rayner and Jonathan Hinder

Monday 7th September 2026 Commons Chamber

[Angela Rayner]

Like I said, I have paused that decision today, and we will be reviewing it. I am sure that the Local Government Minister will be happy to meet with Devon Members to discuss the challenges that they face.

[Jonathan Hinder (Pendle and Clitheroe) (Lab)]

This decision, to put it mildly, is frustrating for everyone in Lancashire who has been involved in the process, and I feel for councillors, council workers and all the service users for having to deal with that frustration. What are the legal reasons, so I can go back to my constituents and explain them? Having listened to this statement, I have nothing I can take back to constituents to explain why this happened, when the next step will be, or whether the boundaries that were just announced in July are going to change. Give us something to go back to people with, please.

[Angela Rayner]

I considered the legal advice provided as part of the judicial review process, and the decision to withdraw the decision reflected updated legal clarity. It is a long-standing principle that the Government do not publish or comment on legal advice. I have been clear that I want to be able to review these decisions to ensure, as the new Secretary of State, that they are the right ones. We will consider the programme in the round in the light of the Government’s priorities, as set out in “Rewiring the State”, and Ministers will meet with Members of this House and will set out decisions at our earliest opportunity.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Angela Rayner and Jonathan Hinder

Wednesday 20th November 2024 Commons Chamber

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

We have committed to 350 banking hubs through this Parliament. I am sure that the Minister will be happy to meet the hon. Member on that point. I hope he will thankful for the levelling-up fund round 2 money that we secured, with £14.3 million going to Waltham Cross renaissance project, to regenerate the town centre for his constituents.

[Jonathan Hinder (Pendle and Clitheroe) (Lab)]

Q15. I know better than most that, under the last Tory Government, neighbourhood policing was stripped away, leaving the police invisible in towns such as those I represent. As a former police inspector, I am delighted that the new Labour Government have committed to rebuild neighbourhood policing. Will the Deputy Prime Minister assure my constituents that Labour’s neighbourhood policing guarantee will soon ensure that every town has a dedicated neighbourhood team?

[The Deputy Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for his expertise and his work before he came to this place. Tory austerity has decimated neighbourhood policing. We will put thousands more neighbourhood police and police community support officers back on our streets, to ensure that every community has a named local officer. We will tackle illegal drugs, halve knife crime, crack down on antisocial behaviour and go after the gangs who lure young people into violence.