As far as I can see most of the matters with which the Council has been concerning itself since May 3 are not of immediate importance to people in Waldingfield Ward, although they could well have an impact on them in the longer term. Ipswich’s bid to become a unitary authority is a case in point.
Last week a special full Council meeting was held to consider Babergh’s response to Ipswich’s bid for unitary status. Unlike many of the other District Councils in Suffolk, Babergh is not opposed in principle to the concept of unitary local authorities (which combine the functions of the County and District Councils in one authority). However Councillors do believe that the Ipswich bid is deeply flawed for many reasons and have resolved to oppose it. (E mail me on antillj@btinternet.com if you want more information about this.)
If Ipswich does become a unitary authority it will be a political decision rather than one based on sound financial/organisational foundations, or on a surge of public enthusiasm. The Government cannot much like the sea of blue that currently characterises the political map in Suffolk. A unitary Ipswich is the one area that might actually occasionally add a patch of red. Moreover, few people in Ipswich itself, or in greater Suffolk, appear to have been asked their opinion. Those who have have largely expressed hostility or indifference. The only people who seem keen on the idea are Ipswich Borough Councillors and the Labour MP for Ipswich, Chris Mole.
Despite the fact that the proposed changes are highly likely to cost us all money in higher council tax rates, we in Suffolk have been rather muted in our response in comparison with other places in England. This could be because in our case no councils are actually going to be abolished although the County Council will lose some of its powers as its functions are duplicated in Ipswich. Elsewhere in Britain MP’s have been to see the PM to protest, and three councils, Harrogate, Congleton and Shrewsbury, have gone to the expense of mounting a legal challenge by way of judicial review.
Even before this latest turn of events, like so much else the Government has done, the reform of local government was a complete mess of fudge and half decision making Let’s hope that Gordon decides that this is a muddle too far and drops the issue for the time being.
