At a meeting on Wednesday evening, Waveney District Council passed a resolution to support the creation of a brand new unitary authority for the East of Suffolk.

Following the announcement by the Boundary Committee for England (BCE) of its preferred options for the future shape of Local Government in Norfolk and Suffolk, WDC has formally confirmed its opposition to the proposals and its intention to develop a model which the Council believes will best serve the people of Waveney.

Central to these proposals is the retention of Lowestoft in Suffolk and a clear rejection of any option that creates either a giant unitary council for Suffolk, or the similarly unwieldy ‘Rural’ Suffolk option.

Cllr Mark Bee, Leader of Waveney District Council said: “We have been asked to consider what is right for Waveney and if we must follow a unitary path, I have no doubt whatsoever that the best option is a council that is big enough to be heard, but small enough to remain locally accountable, delivering services our way, to our residents.

“Both the giant One Suffolk and Rural Suffolk options would create remote and out of touch authorities that could not begin to understand the specific needs, ambitions and expectations of our particular local communities. Meanwhile an East Suffolk authority, distinct from our friends in the west, would keep decision making close to home.

“If the Boundary Committee gets its way, hundreds of thousands of people in distinctive communities from Southwold to Newmarket will see everything from their bin collections and car parks to their buses and sports centres run by a distant authority with no sense of place and Waveney District Council will not stand idly by.”

The BCE is currently consulting on its preferred proposals and Waveney District Council has received numerous communications from residents who are opposed to these plans.

A final decision will be made by the Secretary of State in February and Cllr Bee believes there is still time to prove to the Government that the preferred options are flawed and do not serve the best interests of Waveney residents.

“There is still time to get this right and we will not sit back and allow others to tell us, the people of Waveney, what’s in our best interests,” he said. “Local services should remain in the hands of local people to preserve the quality of life we have all come to expect.”

Cllr Bee also condemned all proposals that would see Lowestoft move in to a unitary Norfolk and once more called on the residents of Lowestoft to join him in a protest against the recommendation, in the town centre on Monday September 1.

“Lowestoft is Suffolk and proud - and any organisation that could suggest moving it in to Norfolk clearly knows nothing about the town and its people. The more people that turn up and show their support, the greater effect it will have. Who could possibly try and force something so patently ridiculous and unpopular to happen?

“My ambition is to see Lowestoft and Waveney at the heart of a progressive, dynamic and logical new unitary authority and not ripped apart, marginalized and forgotten. I am proud of this district and the hugely important role that Lowestoft plays within it, and I speak for this council by saying that no other option would serve this town and this district better than an East Suffolk unitary authority.”

People can express their views on the proposals by using the online form at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/eastern/suffolk/suffolk-structural-review  

…or writing to: Review Manager (Norfolk/Suffolk Review), The Boundary Committee for England, Trevelyan House, Great Peter Street, London SW1P 2HW or email: reviews@boundarycommittee.org.uk  

For further details of the Lowestoft protest, go to:
http://www.waveney.gov.uk/news/news_SUFFOLKPROUD.htm