Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Conservative empire building scheme rumbles on.
Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council lost its judicial review against plans to scrap five local councils for a single authority.

The council challenged the process on the grounds that the government did not have the power to undertake the review and that it was unfair and unbalanced.

However, Mr. Justice Underhill dismissed the challenge on Wednesday. Shrewsbury and Atcham, along with Congleton Borough Council who jointly led the challenge, now face court costs of more than £400,000.

The government had been facing a flurry of legal action against their plans. Including Shropshire eight of the nine areas affected are pursuing judicial reviews against the government's decision.

WWDC will now have to look at the Shrewsbury judgement to see if there's any hope for local democracy in Wiltshire, or whether the government has too much power to make it worth fighting on.

If it cannot be stopped, the new council will take effect from April 2009 with elections the following month. Our existing county councillors, without consulting anyone else, have decided that the new authority will be called "Wiltshire Council". As this abreviates to 'WC' it would seem to be very appropriate!

A transition cabinet will be formed containing four (Conservative) members of the current county council cabinet together with the leaders of the four district councils. It has been decided (by whom?) that county council leader Jane Scott will chair the transition cabinet.