A referendum is to be held on abolishing all eight councils in Lincolnshire and replacing them one unitary council.
Lincolnshire County Council said a unitary system of governance could save up to £150m in the first five years.
Leader of Lincolnshire County Council, Cllr Martin Hill said: ‘The current system of councils in Lincolnshire is one we can no longer afford. A unitary model has successfully been adopted in many areas of the country and has proved to be simpler, better for services, more local and most importantly - costs less to run.
‘I believe the current system is complicated, wasteful and no longer financially sustainable. Without change, important local services are already being reduced and even cut entirely.’
If approved by the county council, the poll will be held at the same time as the May local government elections, asking the public whether they agree that Lincolnshire should have a unitary system of governance.
But leader of East Lindsey DC, Cllr Craig Leyland, said he was of the ‘firm belief’ that a single unitary council for Lincolnshire was ‘not a viable proposal given the size and geography of the area’.
Photo: © Richard Croft
