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Local Government Review of Suffolk

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The Boundary Committee for England (BCE) has carried out a review of local government in Suffolk which was meant to recommend whether one or more unitary councils should be set up to take over from the existing top two tiers that include district/borough councils and the county council.

Government fudges decision and calls for a convention

On 10 February 2010, the Government announced that it had been unable to decide whether to introduce unitary councils in Suffolk as there was 'not a consensus on a unitary solution' for Suffolk. A statement issued by the Government is below, along with a letter from its Department of Communities and Local Government.

The Government has called on all the Suffolk councils, with local MPs, stakeholders and through a 'county constitutional convention' to reach a consensus. Suffolk Coastal and Waveney's joint statement issued in response to this news is also listed below. At present there are no further details on the Government's intentions.

On 7 December 2009 the BCE issued its final recommendations to the Government for the future shape of local government in Suffolk. There was a Government deadline of 19 January 2010 for comments from the public and the councils affected by the proposals - giving everyone just six weeks to make their comments.

The Government had previously intended to allow nine weeks worth for consultation because ‘there has been a range of diverse views about possible unitary structures and sometimes contentious debate’. However, the shorter deadline was justified by the Department of Communities and Local Government on the basis it would still give enough time for Parliament to vote on the Secretary of State’s decision if he had decided to introduce unitary councils in Suffolk, and for it to be implemented from 1 April 2011.

Suffolk Coastal's response to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government

On 19 January 2010, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, was told by Suffolk Coastal that he should reject the BCE's recommendations for the future shape of local councils in Suffolk because they are fatally flawed.

You can read the covering letter and the documents sent to the Secretary of State in response to the BCE’s recommendations by following the links below:

Final recommendations published for the future shape of local government in Suffolk

On 7 December 2009 the BCE issued its final recommendations to the Government, giving the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government two choices - its preferred option of one giant council for all of Suffolk (the so-called One Suffolk option) or an Ipswich/Felixstowe unitary (the so-called North Haven option) along with a Rural Suffolk unitary council covering the rest of the county. Follow the links below to read the documents issued by the BCE:

Once the BCE provided its advice it was up to the Secretary of State to take a decision on whether:

  • To implement the original (Ipswich Borough Council) proposal, with or without modification.

  • To implement the Committee’s alternative proposal (as published on 7 December 2009), with or without modification.

  • Take no action.

High Court ruling set aside by Court of Appeal

On 2 December 2009, the Court of Appeal handed down its judgement in relation to the BCE's appeal against the High Court judgement handed down on 10 July 2009, following the judicial review requested by Suffolk Coastal, St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath councils.

The Court of Appeal found in favour of the BCE and set aside the High Court decision to quash the further draft proposals in Suffolk because the process was flawed.

A joint press release was issued by Forest Heath, Suffolk Coastal, St Edmundsbury and Waveney councils in response to the judgment: Council Leaders say residents' voices will be heard despite lost appeal.

Government puts review on hold

Following the High Court ruling made on 10 July (see below), the Government announced on 14 July that the BCE no longer had a date by which it had to publish its recommendations as to what, if any, changes would be made to local government in Suffolk.

Follow the links below to view the exchange of letters between the BCE and the Government:

Follow this link for help with downloading and opening PDF files.

High Court ruling on the review

On 10 July, Mr Justice Foskett ruled that the planned publication by the BCE of its final recommendations on 15 July 2009 was flawed as the process used by the BCE in drawing up its final recommendations was flawed.

The judgement was made following a judicial review requested by Suffolk Coastal, St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath councils. A press statement was issued by the four councils including Suffolk Coastal that have been calling on the BCE to consider creating three unitary councils, East, West and Ipswich, in Suffolk.

BCE draft proposals - March 2009

Follow the links below to view the draft proposals from the BCE that were published on 19 March 2009. These proposals were dismissed as flawed by the High Court ruling of 10 July 2009, which was subsequently overturned by the Appeal Court on 2 December 2009.

Suffolk Coastal issued the following press release in response to the BCE's proposals: Review has turned into a farce.

The proposals are the same as the two options that the BCE published in July 2008, except that they are now proposing that Lowestoft is retained in Suffolk. The revised options are:

  • A Suffolk unitary authority comprising the existing county of Suffolk.

  • An Ipswich & Felixstowe unitary authority and a Rural Suffolk unitary authority comprising the rest of the county of Suffolk.

Suffolk Coastal's response the March 2009 proposals

Our response to the BCE and the Secretary of State was very clear. If unitary government has to be introduced in Suffolk then we believe our proposal for East Suffolk, West Suffolk and Ipswich unitaries is the only logical model. However, we would suggest that now is not the time to be looking at introducing any significant reorganisation in Suffolk but to leave us to get on with delivering core services for our residents and tackling our budgetary pressures.

We wrote to all of our towns and parishes (see below) advising them of our stance and to remind them that they do not have to sign up to either option put forward by the BCE. They can also put forward their own views including enhancement to the current ‘three tier’ model.

Suffolk Coastal's preferred unitary option

Suffolk Coastal's preferred optionSuffolk Coastal’s preferred unitary option is for three councils - East Suffolk, which would include Felixstowe, Kesgrave and Lowestoft; West Suffolk; and Ipswich.

Our leaflet 'Make Suffolk Three' (new window PDF 152KB) explains our preferred option in more detail.

You can also view our response to the BCE's earlier draft proposals.

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