Derbyshire County Council slams “flawed” public consultation

Derbyshire County Council has raised “fundamental concerns” over a public consultation about plans to put a Sheffield Mayor in charge of some council services in Chesterfield.

The Council believes the current consultation, launched on 1 July 2016 by Sheffield City Region Combined Authority − a group made up of Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and Rotherham councils − is “misleading and flawed”.

The Council says it has written formally to the combined authority to highlight the problems it believes are so serious that the consultation should be withdrawn.

Sheffield City Region is required by law to consult with the public on plans forcing the County Council to hand over responsibility to a Mayor and combined authority for running services in Chesterfield, including major roads, funding for maintenance and road safety on all roads in the borough, public transport, travel concessions (Gold Card and b_line), skills for employment and major planning and investment projects.

A statement from Derbyshire County Council said: “We believe the consultation documents launched by the combined authority do not tell the full story and do not ask the key question whether or not people think Chesterfield should become a full member of Sheffield City Region.”

The Council’s leader, councillor Anne Western said: “Local people feel hoodwinked. The question they really want to answer isn’t included in the consultation and it’s essential that Derbyshire residents get a full chance to have their say in order for the consultation to be both legal and fair.

“People are being asked how the proposals should work when the fundamental question is really ‘do you think these plans should go ahead at all?’

“This is a really complicated subject and Sheffield City Region hasn’t explained well enough how it intends to take over these services and run them − so how can anyone be expected to give an informed response?”

An online poll that we carried out in February 2016 asked whether or not people thought Chesterfield should join Sheffield. More than 2,500 people took part and 90% said no.