Creating a new, single council for Suffolk will eliminate the risks of a postcode lottery of essential and life-saving public services, the Leader of Suffolk County Council, Cllr. Matthew Hicks, has said today.
Speaking at the county council’s Annual General Meeting, Cllr Hicks criticised proposals to create two or even three councils – which he argued would lead to “artificial borders” within the county. He said:
“Any suggestion of disaggregating or creating artificial divisions within this single market—leading to a postcode lottery in care services or pitting one side of the county against another—is not something we should pursue with any seriousness. The only option is for one Suffolk, and this is coming over loud and clear as we talk with people across our county.
“Now is not the time to create postcode lotteries of essential services, with authorities squabbling over finite pools of financial and human resources.”
He emphasised that Suffolk had secured the opportunity to choose a bold new future that generations can be proud of and warned about throwing this opportunity away. He said:
“We cannot afford to throw this opportunity away by choosing to recreate multiple layers of bureaucracy and complexity, with unnecessary multiple local authorities. We cannot risk the disaggregation and dismemberment of our adult social care services from the essential economies of scale it needs to continue to provide good quality care and support services to our most vulnerable residents. We cannot afford to throw away hundreds of millions of pounds of efficiency savings which could be used to invest further in essential services.”
Closing his speech, Cllr Hicks recommitted himself, and his administration, to lead Suffolk through to a bold new future, saying:
"Now is the time for visionary leadership. This council has a responsibility to get this right for the people of Suffolk, to create a future that we and future generations can be proud of - and that’s what this administration will do.”
You can read his full speech and watch the full council meeting on the councils’ YouTube channel.
