The first three councils have kicked-off their bids in the scramble for unitary status.

Norwich  and Exeter  city councils and Ipswich BC announced last week they would be putting plans to the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to become unitary, under proposals unveiled in the White Paper. Local government minister, Phil Woolas, announced last week that councils would have a 12-week window to outline their case (see The MJ, 26 October).