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Unitary authorities are to become obligatory in Suffolk … a process kick-started by a bid Ipswich made in 2006 to become one. The Boundary Committee wants to hear feedback from everyone, be it individuals or organisations. They want to have feedback on how we want Suffolk structured, and they want to know why. They are looking for validated not emotional responses.
If we don’t respond as either individuals, or as a parish, the thing will just happen to us, and we won’t have had a say. Therefore, we urge all Thornham Magna residents to take some time to consider the matter, and to make their views known to the Boundary Committee. The deadline for these submissions is 26th September 2008. This can be done in one of two ways:
If you’re not sure where to start, take a look at what residents from other areas have written: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/boundary-reviews/all-reviews/eastern/suffolk/suffolk-structural-review Please communicate your feedback, however small or insignificant you might consider this.
The status quo as it currently stands is that one proposal will be put forward to the Secretary of State for the end of December 2008. Everyone (the public) will have 4 weeks to write their views into the Secretary of State. It may be possible to have a unitary authority order issued in February 2009, which would be followed by electoral views, and then implementation in 2010.
So what are the options? One unitary authority, which is countywide, or two unitary authorities made up of Ipswich & Felixstowe, and the rest of the county . If we say nothing, the second option of two unitary authorities is the one that the Boundary committee has put forward. See the following web-sites for maps or further information on the options:
http://www.suffolk.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/60667F8C-9E8A-4326-A941-76E1E524654B/0/suffolkccandmidsuffolkdc.pdf
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/56683/NOR_SUF_D_MAPA4_WEB_SO-header.pdf
http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/56684/NOR_SUF_D_MAPA5_WEB_SO-header1.pdf
http://www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/About+your+Council/LocalGovernmentReviewDecision.htm
Lowestoft – should this join Great Yarmouth and Norfolk, or stay with Suffolk? What are your views? Lots of information is available to read online, at various sites on the web, just by googling ‘unitary authority and suffolk’. The Boundary Committee have made it clear that it is up to us to say what we want for Suffolk in terms of a local government structure. They emphasised that we should be looking for the best structure, not the cheapest, or the one with the quickest return. There is no blueprint, and so it’s up to us to determine the future of Suffolk’s governing body. Please could you take the time to consider our future.
The Suffolk Preservation Society have stated “If we are not vigilant we will be left with an urban solution for a rural area, which will not serve Suffolk well.” http://www.suffolksociety.org/localgovreview7july08.PDF Feel free to contact members of the Thornham Parish meeting for any questions relating to this.
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