On 10 February 2010, the Department for Communities and Local
Government announced their final decisions on unitary proposals for
Suffolk. The Government Minister, Rosie Winterton said:
"After careful consideration of the Boundary Committee's
recommendations and representations from local councils, MPs,
stakeholders and the public Ministers found that there were
divergent views across Suffolk local councils as to what would be
the best unitary solution for the county. No single proposal
emerged that Ministers believed that local councils would unite
behind. We are therefore inviting all the Suffolk councils and MPs
through a countywide constitutional convention to reach a consensus
on a unitary solution for that area."
There is further detail in the CLG press statement, at the
following web link:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1463715
Cllr Tim Passmore, Leader of Mid Suffolk District Council
said:
"This decision is no good to anyone. Once again it shows a complete
lack of leadership in this Government, who seem to be incapable of
making decisions. This is no good for the council tax payers or
businesses in Suffolk. The looming public expenditure cuts will
force us to make large alterations to the way we operate, which
would have been made far easier with the advent of unitary
Government. Perhaps one day, we might get some politicians in
Westminster that do the best for the people in Suffolk. No wonder
the country is in the mess that it is."
Background
The Boundary Committee for England over the past two
years has been carrying out an independent review of the way local
government works in Norfolk and Suffolk.
What is Local Government Review?
The review has been looking at how one or more single, all-purpose
councils - known as 'unitary authorities' - could replace the
existing 'two-tier' system of county and borough/district councils.
In England, there are currently two-tier areas (like Norfolk and
Suffolk), and unitary authorities (like Peterborough and Southend).
The government asked the Boundary Committee for England to
recommend options for unitary local government in Norfolk and
Suffolk, based on the boundaries of existing councils or on new
boundaries or on a combination of the two.
What has happened?
In July 2008 the Boundary Committee put forward two draft
proposals for the future of councils in Suffolk: two councils
covering Suffolk, or one council for the whole of Suffolk. In both
cases, Lowestoft was proposed to move into Norfolk.
The Boundary Committee consulted on their proposals with local
authorities, town and parish councils, businesses, voluntary
organisations and residents during the Summer of 2008.
In September 2008, Mid Suffolk District Council and Suffolk County
Council sent in a joint submission for a single unitary authority
covering the whole of Suffolk, including Lowestoft. A copy of this
is available under ‘More Information’ (below).
The Boundary Committee reviewed all the material received from
various organisations during the consultation, with a view to
making a recommendation to the Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government.
However, there was some additional delay in the process. The
Boundary Committee was originally due to make its recommendations
on the structure of local Government in Suffolk on 31 December
2008. This deadline was extended to 13 February 2009, and then
extended again to 15 July 2009. This came about as a result of the
judicial reviews lodged by some of the district councils in Norfolk
and Devon. The Boundary Committee was considering Suffolk, Norfolk
and Devon restructuring all within the same review process.
The Boundary Committee announced on 19 March 2009 that they would
be consulting further on the following options for Suffolk:
- A Suffolk unitary authority compromising the existing county of
Suffolk; and
- An Ipswich and Felixstowe unitary authority and a Rural Suffolk
unitary authority compromising the rest of the county of
Suffolk
These further draft proposals were the same as the two proposals
that the Boundary Committee published in July 2008, except that
they were now proposing that Lowestoft is retained in Suffolk under
both proposals.
The Boundary Committee felt that these proposals met the
Secretary of State’s criteria for unitary authorities. The
Boundary Committee consulted with people in Suffolk to ask their
views on these proposals. The consultation ended on 14 May 2009,
and the Boundary Committee were to make their recommendation to the
Secretary of State by 15 July.
However, three of the Suffolk councils challenged the Boundary
Committee consultation process in the High Court, and in July a
judgment was handed down in their favour, but this was subsequently
overturned in December, following a successful appeal by the
Boundary Committee.
On 7 December 2009 the Boundary Committee published its advice
on unitary local government in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk. In
Suffolk, the Committee has made two proposals: a unitary county of
Suffolk (the Committee’s preferred alternative proposal for
Suffolk); and a two-unitary pattern comprising an Ipswich &
Felixstowe authority and a Rural Suffolk authority.
Once the Committee had 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 today), with or without modification
• take no action
The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government had
stated that anyone who wishes to make representations on any
unitary proposal that he was considering, or on any matters
connected with it, could do so by 19 January 2010.
What happens next?
Following the Secretary of State's decision on 10 February 2010,
we will await further details of the proposed 'County
Constitutional Convention', however it is not expected that this
will result in anything that will have any impact prior to the
forthcoming General Election.
More information
Supporting papers:
For more information on Local Government Review, please visit
the
Boundary Committee's website.