The creation of a combined authority for Nottinghamshire has been condemned as a ‘wacky and nonsense’ idea by a key opposition leader.

Nottinghamshire CC’s Conservative group leader, Cllr Kay Cutts, instead argued that switching to unitaries would save between £50m and £90m a year.

Cllr Cutts added that unitary councils would reduce the likelihood of a situation similar to that in Rotherham by improving information sharing.

She continued: ‘There are too many of us councillors and district council officers are extremely well paid for not doing a great deal.

‘We haven’t had a debate about combined authorities but, at the moment, I can see nothing positive.’

The Independent Forum, of which Mansfield DC’s executive mayor Tony Egginton is a member, is also arguing for three unitary councils for the county – all of approximately the same population – including the existing unitary, Nottingham City Council.