Suffolk county councillors blast "undemocratic" proposal to replace six councils with three
The county councillors would prefer there to be just one
Suffolk's district and borough council leaders have been criticized after their proposals to shake up the system in Suffolk. The Government want Suffolk's six district and borough councils to be replaced with unitary authorities with more powers, and the district and borough council leaders plan to replace them with three. They have been blasted for this by the County Council, who want the six councils to be replaced by just one overarching authority.
Advocates for a three-council system argue it would be "big enough to deliver, local enough to care."
Babergh's Cllr John Ward said: "We believe this option balances cost and values and puts people and place at the heart of reform."
But Cllr Beccy Hopfensperger, leader of the Conservative group on West Suffolk Council and cabinet member for adult care, is among those who disagree with both the three-council proposal and the way it was announced.
Hopfensperger said she was extremely disappointed that councils had not been briefed on this announcement beforehand: "As elected members, we are being shut out of the process.
"It's undemocratic. It's untransparent. It's not fair on our residents who we are there to represent."
Hopfensperger added that the three-council proposal would cause councils to compete for stressed resources, rather than working together: "We've already got very good systems in place to work with health and social care.
"You start breaking up those systems - you become less efficient, less integrated.
"You're risking the vulnerable people of Suffolk by creating more boundaries for people and more risks for people to fall through those cracks."
What's next?
Councils will continue to develop their final business cases ahead of submitting them to the Government on September 26. The government will then carry out a consultation in early 2026, and are expected to make their final decisions later in the year.