Forward into 2008!

As the Christmas break draws to a close I have started to focus on what is likely to be important at Babergh in 2008.

At the back of everyone’s minds as we get down to business again next week will be the probability that, following Hazel Blears’s announcement about Local Government in Suffolk, Babergh is unlikely to exist in its current form in the medium term. This will serve to increase uncertainty and make decision making much more difficult. Various projects will now certainly be put on hold. A major problem is that, contrary to what has appeared in the press, the Government actually has said very little about the detail of what they expect from the Boundary Committee review, so any forecasts made about the future of Local Government in the County are completely speculative.

What is certain is that there is no consensus between the County Council and the six District Councils that currently exist in Suffolk. I understand that at a meeting held to discuss the matter preferred options from council leaders ranged from a unitary authority for the whole county to the retention of the status quo. Looking at what has happened elsewhere in England however, the Government does not seem particularly interested in the opinions of local politicians, and will impose its own solution. This, given the range of opinions expressed in Suffolk, is sure to correspond with some people’s preferred outcome!

One thing that is almost certain to be put on hold is the revision of Babergh’s Constitution. It was hoped that the council would move from its current system of committees to a Cabinet and Leader model. It is now likely that a Leader of the Council will be created within the current constitutional framework. A Leader (as opposed to the Chairman, which is a purely honorific position) will have delegated powers to take decisions without having to seek ratification from the council; necessary when decisions may have to be made at speed.

Largely unaffected by constitutional change will be the start of work on Babergh’s Local Development Framework. This will be created in discrete parts, unlike the major work that was the old style Local Plan. The aim of the framework is to set parameters for the planning process for the District going forward. It will be necessary to be alert to how the framework will affect the environment in Waldingfield Ward and take issue with those that are undesirable at an early stage. I will be writing about this in more detail at a later date.

I think that car parking charges will raise their ugly heads again this year, as pressure is put on the Council to ‘use its assets efficiently’. Expect some stormy sessions ahead on this subject!

As far as the Information Management Task Group, of which I am the Chair, is concerned, there is now likely to be less emphasis in the short term on trying to find schemes that we can do more cheaply and efficiently in partnership with other councils, particularly those outside the county. However, there is plenty still to be going on with in connection with projects that are already in hand. Work spent sorting out the information flows within Babergh will stand us in good stead when the time comes for merging with whoever we will be merging with down the road. At least we will know what we’ve got in all those black boxes!