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One Suffolk – the business case put forward by Suffolk County Council for a single unitary authority that is smarter, simpler and better – was issued to government today (Thursday 25 September).
One Suffolk proposes scrapping Suffolk’s six councils, made up of the districts, borough and county council, and replacing them with a single new council that would deliver both local and county-wide services. This comes in response to the government’s drive for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) across the country.
Councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for Devolution, Local Government Reform and NSIPs, said:
“We are confident that One Suffolk will save Suffolk £39.4 million each year, enabling the new unitary authority to deliver bold new initiatives such as a £40 million new deal for market towns and Ipswich and a full review of car parking and markets.
“Meanwhile, the opposing plan for three unitaries would cost an eye-watering £145.3 million more than the current two-tier system, and their business case lacks robust, local evidence.
“Thank you to everyone who has engaged with and supported the One Suffolk plan. I’d urge you all to read out business case and let us know your thoughts – and of course to take part in the government-run consultation once it is live.”
The foundations of the One Suffolk business case are built on rigorous financial analysis of Suffolk-based data conducted by global advisory firm Grant Thornton, rather than relying on generic national modelling.
Among the many benefits in the One Suffolk business case is the proposal for a new deal for market towns, including Ipswich. This would be backed by a £40m capital investment fund, alongside a review of car parking charges and markets conducted in consultation with traders, businesses and representative bodies.
The One Suffolk campaign engaged communities from across Suffolk, with 8,189 responses to our Residents’ Survey. This made it the largest survey response rate for the county council in the past decade.
The next step in the process of local government reorganisation will be for government to consult on the preferred options for unitary authorities in Suffolk, before taking a decision on which proposal to take forward.
Read the business case: