The number of councillors at Suffolk Coastal could be reduced if
next week’s Full Council agrees to an electoral review of the
current total of 55 that represent the district’s 34 wards.
Suffolk Coastal’s Leader is urging his fellow councillors to
take the opportunity of a planned review of the district’s wards by
the Local Government Boundary Commission to also look at trimming
the number of elected representatives.
“We are due a review because there have been significant
population changes across our wards, but I think we should go for
something more significant and ask for a reduction of up to a third
in the total number of councillors which I think would be
manageable given the way our Council is evolving,” said Cllr Ray
Herring, Leader of Suffolk Coastal.
“This reduction would recognise the tough financial times we are
currently in but also, more relevantly, the significant changes
that have happened and are set to occur in the way councils like
ours operate.
“Our Cabinet has made us speedier, more efficient and
business-like in making decisions, new technology has made the
Council and councillors more accessible to our residents, while the
Localism agenda will inevitably give town and parish councils a
stronger local voice. The role of back-bench councillors has also
changed, with less of their time being spent in committee meetings.
While they still have a key role to play in helping and
representing their local communities it is probably right to ask
whether we need or can afford as many as we currently have,” added
Cllr Herring.
Suffolk Coastal is set to have a Further Electoral Review of its
wards because the average size of its wards has altered so much
since the last set of changes were introduced in 2003. Full Council
will be asked on Thursday, January 26 to also request the Boundary
Commission to review the size of the Council.
While the review would move towards equalising the number of
residents represented by each councillor, it would also take
account of more difficult issues such as community identity and
shared interest in its creation or amendment of ward areas.
The overall review would take just over a year, and would
involve public consultation before Parliamentary approval, but
should be implemented in time for the next round of scheduled
elections at Suffolk Coastal in May 2015.
“Our May 2015 elections are due to coincide with the General
Election when 10 per cent fewer MPs will be elected. If the review
recommended a reduction of 30 per cent in the number of our
councillors, that would free up some of our increasingly limited
officer time, and a fall in the total amount of allowances paid
out, with potential savings of up to £100,000 a year.
“However, we also have to ensure that the safeguards are in
place to ensure that our communities still have an easily
accessible and accountable local district councillor. I am
confident that goal can be achieved but we will all have to see how
the review proposes that is done.
“Thursday’s meeting is the opportunity to take the first step
towards an even more modernised Suffolk Coastal. We have already
been leading the way in terms of our joint-working with our
neighbours at Waveney, which has led to a significant stream-lining
of staff from the top downwards, and a review of the number of our
councillors seems the natural next move,” added Cllr
Herring.