• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Forest Heath District Council‘s Concept for Unitary Local Government in Suffolk This document outlines Forest Heath District Council‘s concept for unitary local government in Suffolk based on West Suffolk and East Suffolk Unitary authorities. It is the view of Forest Heath District Council that such a model will offer the customer and the Government the optimal benefits across the key criteria set by DCLG for unitary councils in Suffolk. Critically, it will: • Be of a scale and nature to which people in Suffolk can relate • Make sense geographically • Facilitate access to services • Offer optimum value for money to the government • Enable local accountability and empowerment. The precise boundary is not as important as the concept itself at this stage œ but we suggest that the A140 provides a clean definition of geographic separation, although the concept boundary could easily be flexed to include the totality of Mid Suffolk and Babergh districts with no loss of benefits to the overall business case. An Approved Policy response to the Boundary Committee Forest Heath District Council April 9th 2008 1 Introduction This concept paper has been prepared in response The West Suffolk Unitary will be able to build a to the Boundary Committee review of local sense of community around the similarities of the government structures in Norfolk and Suffolk, market towns and smaller conurbations spread including the possibility of the inclusion of across the varied environment. Lowestoft/Waveney within either the Norfolk or Suffolk boundary. There is also a strong sense of place for an East Suffolk Unitary which has much commonality in the We believe that residents of Suffolk are currently current areas of Waveney, Suffolk Coastal and receiving good services at both county and district Ipswich. level and the limited consultation we have carried out in preparation of this paper suggests that a We strongly believe that Waveney and Lowestoft sizeable proportion of the population are in favour should remain part of Suffolk and play a key role in of maintaining the existing three tier system of the development of a robust and energetic future government within Suffolk. (see page 4) identity for the East of the county. We consider that the existing communities in the town and district have strong heritage and economic ties to We believe that the basis of any new structure Suffolk. should be a balance between —large enough to provide strategic direction whilst remaining In relation to the consideration of Lowestoft and small enough to connect with its Norfolk: communities“. Consequently, the ”best fit‘ for Suffolk is the creation of two unitary authorities • The complications of cross border provision in based on an East/West geographical boundary. relation to police, health and other public services would counteract any perceived This would ensure two authorities substantial benefits of combined local government enough in size and capacity to ensure services structures. could be delivered effectively whilst also providing • There are also other ways of working across value for money. For the community these bodies administrative boundaries which can deliver the would build upon the differences within the County, key outcomes including multi-agency working the coastal areas to the East and the rural market arrangements and strategic partnerships, towns to the West, securing an improved sense of where required. place for all communities. • Other areas of Suffolk also have strong ties with adjoining counties, for example Forest The concept outlined in this paper provides an Heath and St Edmundsbury form part of the initial assessment of the benefits to the county, its Cambridge Sub-Region, but this does not residents, businesses, partners and stakeholders. automatically lend itself to incorporation. Our concept is based around the principle that both The distinctiveness of the two new authorities will East and West Suffolk have strong identities that provide an opportunity for the development of residents are proud of and eager to retain. The new, strong and clear identities for both East and interests of individual neighbourhoods and West Suffolk, along with new and innovative communities across the County cannot be member involvement, community engagement effectively managed and served by one unitary mechanisms and effective, efficient working authority, representing over 700,000 people. arrangements. The existing pattern of service delivery in Suffolk, This is an exciting opportunity to make a better natural geography and communities of interest form of local government for Suffolk and we want lend themselves to an East/West model. to make it work. With our neighbours in St Edmundsbury, we believe passionately in West Suffolk and we are committed to developing this concept to fruition, with the support of the Boundary Committee and our partners. 1 Vision We want to build upon the relationships that We want to establish new authorities that will already exist within East and West Suffolk engage effectively with local communities to deliver respectively with other local agencies such as the services that reflect a real commitment to the area police, the health care trusts, voluntary and and its citizens and that are accessible and community groups to develop a new type of local relevant. government and local governance delivering accountability, accessibility and empowerment. We hope to see both the East and West Suffolk Unitary Authorities share our core organisational Our vision for the local area is already one of a values of: —clean, green, safe and prosperous“ area. This vision will carry through into the new unitary • Professionalism authority. • Accountability • Efficiency • Value for Money. Assumptions We have made a number of working assumptions in the development of our Concept and this • We have included preliminary evidence document, in particular: which demonstrates broad support for our concept. This has been obtained from the • Our proposal has been developed at this consultation we have been able to first stage as an initial concept given the undertake to date, as well as evidence timescale to which we have had to work. from previous consultation exercises where appropriate. Further consultation with a • We have for convenience based the number of partners, stakeholders and East/West unitary concept on a conceptual residents will be undertaken to inform any boundary. It may, in the final analysis, be detailed business case. desirable to modify those boundaries, particularly if public consultation reveals • More work will need to be undertaken in strong local views about their community the development of the neighbourhood and sense of place. governance models to ensure that these are appropriate to individual areas and • The figures used within this paper, in maximise accessibility, accountability, relation to the population/electorate base ownership and empowerment. of any new unitary authorities, are based on an amalgamation of Forest Heath, St • This concept sets out principles which can Edmundsbury, Mid Suffolk and Babergh to operate across new East and West Unitary constitute West Suffolk, with an East authorities. However we recognise that Suffolk authority incorporating Suffolk the local governance arrangements can Coastal, Waveney and Ipswich, if and may need to be amended, throughout supported by their communities. this review process, to ensure that they reflect the needs of both the East and the • We have included indicative information in West of Suffolk. respect of affordability to provide a financial context to our concept. However in line with the guidance from the Boundary Committee we have not, at this stage, carried out a detailed affordability analysis of this concept. 3 road Cross Section of Support Further unitary local government structures must be supported by a broad cross section of partners and stakeholders. We have endeavoured to raise awareness with geographical strengths and policy imperatives local residents through the local media using outlined. advertorials, a web consultation, a Parish Briefing newsletter and our own consultation leaflets for The size and structure of the East/West authorities public use. We have also presented our Concept to would negate some of the concerns raised key stakeholder groups including town and parish throughout Suffolk, in respect of the initial Ipswich councils, elected Members and staff. Unitary proposal such as: The timescale for the Concept stage has meant • Transition costs. that it has not been possible to undertake a • Potential for inequality. detailed programme of community engagement. • Loss of economies of scale. • Capacity for service delivery. We have, however, developed an outline • Duplication within the County as a whole. programme, including the establishment of focus groups to enable us to engage key groups during … together with the concerns from the Secretary of the preparation of our full business case. State that the Ipswich proposal would not achieve payback within the specified period. The establishment of new unitary authorities for Suffolk provides an opportunity for real —place Both East and West Suffolk also have a natural shaping“ as envisaged by Sir Michael Lyons. urban administrative centre, easily accessible by public transport, in respectively, Ipswich and Bury An East/West model would create a real sense of St Edmunds and this will help people relate to and identity for local residents and businesses. The access the new authorities.

Load more

  19

Copy Link