The government has required that formal notice be given if Suffolk wishes to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme by 10 January 2025. Therefore, the meetings, both to be held on 9 January 2025, will see all 75 councillors debate and vote on a proposal to recommend Suffolk is at the front of the queue. Following the Full Council meeting, the Cabinet will make a final decision.
Councillor Matthew Hicks, leader of Suffolk County Council, said:
“The government has set out its devolution and reorganisation proposals and has asked that Suffolk County Council submit an expression of interest by 10 January if we wish to be part of the Devolution Priority Programme. As a result, we must hold these extraordinary meetings. On 9 January, all Suffolk County Councillors will be given an opportunity to have their say before a final decision is made by Cabinet.
“Changes of this scale create an opportunity to streamline local government, empower joined-up decision making, save taxpayers money and ensure councils are resistant to economic challenges.
“I welcome the positive engagement of Suffolk’s district and borough councils. This is a significant decision and one that will not be taken lightly.”
On 16 December, the Government published its much-anticipated English Devolution White Paper, outlining plans for broader and deeper devolution coupled with a programme of coordinated local government reorganisation.
Key to the proposals is a reorganisation of council structures, particularly in two-tier areas like Suffolk, with a shift away from district, borough and county councils towards unitary councils. The government argues that unitary councils can deliver better outcomes for residents and save money that can be reinvested in public services.
For most areas, the government says that this means creating councils serving populations of 500,000 or more, with exceptions where they make practical sense.
Alongside reorganisation, the government is also proposing to create new Mayoral Authorities – with a single directly elected Mayor covering larger geographies (for example Norfolk and Suffolk) and with powers over strategic policy areas like transport infrastructure, health improvement and blue light services.
At this stage, no decisions have been made about what will happen in Suffolk.
The meetings will be held consecutively from 2pm in the King Edmund Chamber at Endeavour House, 8 Russell Road, Ipswich, IP1 2BX. The meetings will be live streamed on the council’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/SuffolkCC
Papers for the meetings can be viewed at https://committeeminutes.suffolk.gov.uk
