Suffolk County Council has announced plans to create a unitary authority in place of its existing six councils.
The local authority has argued that its ‘One Suffolk’ proposal will save £78.2m after five years, with one council saving £39.4m annually.
In a statement, the council claims its proposal will improve council services by supporting financial resilience, ‘harmonising’ council tax, empowering communities and boosting local economies.
The plan also involves a £40m investment into market towns and the creation of a new town council in Ipswich to ‘enhance democratic representation’.
Cllr Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for devolution, local government reform and NSIPs, said: ‘I am certain that One Suffolk will deliver the greatest possible savings and the greatest improvement to services of any of the proposals put to government.
He added: ‘We are very clear that this would be a brand-new council with a new culture and a new relationship with residents, businesses, community and voluntary organisations and town and parish councils.’
The plans will be submitted to the council’s cabinet on Wednesday next week, and if approved, considered by Government on September 26.
Competing proposals have been put forward by Suffolk’s district and borough councils, involving plans to create three unitary authorities centred around Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft.
.png)
