Leading think tank endorses single unitary authority for Suffolk

A leading think tank has welcomed proposals for a single unitary authority for Suffolk, highlighting the opportunity to support economic growth without fragmenting local governance.

In its report Priority Growth: How to reorganise local government in 2026, Centre for Cities argues that Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) should simplify governance and provide areas with the scale and capacity needed to drive growth.

Using Travel to Work Areas (TTWAs), a tool to indicate an area where the population might commute to a larger town or city, the report suggests that these areas should be aligned with new unitary boundaries.

A single unitary authority for Suffolk would strongly reflect this principle – both empowering Ipswich and enabling growth across the county.

The report says: “The [High Skill Travel to Work Areas] for Norwich and Ipswich are very large and encompass almost all of authorities A and B respectively, such that the alternative proposals would seriously fragment local governance across each local economy.”

The report notes that a One Suffolk unitary authority would bring together strategic functions under one democratically accountable body, reducing fragmentation and duplication while improving coordination across housing, transport, skills and public services.

The report says: “Decisive action in the DPP areas in 2026 will break the deadlock facing the Government in this area, and set the stage for devolution to underpin higher growth and public service reform across the country for the rest of this Parliament and decades to come.”

The report emphasises that successful local government reorganisation should be grounded in functional economic areas. Suffolk’s economy lends itself to a single authority capable of taking a county-wide strategic view.

Richard Rout, Cabinet Member for Devolution, Local Government Reform and NSIPs, said:

“We’ve said throughout this process that there isn’t a strong Suffolk without a strong Ipswich, and vice versa. This report further cements the idea that a single unitary authority for Suffolk will provide the best outcome for the economic growth of our market town and the wider region.

“We welcome this endorsement of the One Suffolk proposal and would encourage everyone to read the report by the Centre for Cities.

“The report comes at a vital time as we approach the final few weeks of the Government’s consultation on LGR. Please take some time to respond to this consultation and have your say on the future of local government in Suffolk.”

The One Suffolk business case is built on rigorous financial analysis of Suffolk-based data conducted by global advisory firm Grant Thornton, rather than using generic national modelling as used in the three-council model.

This is one of two proposals being consulted on by the government. The alternative, from Suffolk’s districts and borough councils, would see Suffolk split into three arbitrary council areas, putting key services such as social care at serious risk and costing millions to set up.

The government consultation on LGR in Suffolk is now live, and will run online until January 11^th.