Senior councillor quits role over devolution vote

A senior county councillor has left his role after a vote that saw elections postponed.

Conservative Bill Borrett, who was responsible for public health at Norfolk County Council, announced he had left the cabinet on Friday.

It comes after councillors voted on Thursday in favour of working with the government on a plan that could see smaller councils scrapped.

Mr Borrett, a former leader of the authority, said he could not support the idea, but council leader Kay Mason Billig said they would "remain friends and colleagues".

"I am extremely unhappy that the council requested the county council elections due this May be postponed for at least a year, to facilitate discussions with the government to impose a single mayor for Norfolk and Suffolk," he said.

Mr Borrett said the proposal was "very unpopular" was his constituents.

"I am very sad to be leaving my post as cabinet member for public health," he continued.

"I feel that the team has achieved a huge amount in a relatively short time.

"I believe we have changed the way the county council works, working far more closely with the NHS, district councils and the private and voluntary sectors for the benefits of the residents of Norfolk."

He will remain a councillor for the Elmham and Mattishall division.

Mr Borrett briefly led the council in 2013 and is chair of the Mid-Norfolk Conservatives.

In a statement, Ms Mason Billig said: "Bill Borrett has left the cabinet - he felt that he couldn't go with the cabinet position on the devolution priority programme and local government reform and it made his position untenable, really.

"He made his position quite clear. He had good reasons; we'll remain friends and colleagues."

The proposal to scrap smaller councils could see hundreds of district and county councils replaced by larger unitary authorities.

Government ministers believe fewer councils with more responsibilities could save money and provide better services.

It is widely expect that reorganisation could see three unitary authorities running services in Norfolk, and two in Suffolk.

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