I am not sure how many times we have debated the issue of Local Government reform at Babergh.
Yesterday’s discussion at the Council meeting must have been the third occasion on which a paper on the subject has been presented to us. As those who watch this matter closely will know the consultation period, which was supposed to end with a recommendation on the future of Suffolk to the Secretary of State in February, has been extended and Ms Blears is now expected to make her decision before the time of the Parliamentary Recess in July.
I for one am getting a little weary of the subject, but nonetheless debate continued on the merits of ‘one or two unitaries’ for well over an hour. Despite the clearly expressed indifference of the populace of Hadleigh, some of the Lib Dem councillors for that area persist in insisting that Hadleigh should be included in the fast growth urban ‘North Haven’ unitary as opposed to the sleepier ‘Rural’ authority that it is planned will include all of Suffolk apart from Ipswich and Felixstowe. An amendment on this was accordingly tabled, but heavily defeated. The Boundary Committee have made it plain that they do not believe that a case has been made for this option and have already discounted it. One can only assume that the tactics of the Lib Dems has little to do with reality and more to do with positioning themselves in advance of the forthcoming elections in June.
I continue to believe that One Suffolk is the preferable way ahead for the county, but at Babergh at least I am in a small minority. Although having two authorities looks superficially attractive, I simply do not believe that splitting the County Council’s services in two can possibly offer better value for taxpayers. I also have deep concerns about the long term viability of ‘Rural Suffolk’, given the lack of an area of fast economic growth to help to pay for the services needed by a widely scattered and ageing rural population. The addition of Lowestoft , one of the most deprived areas in the Country, to the mix has in my opinion made matters worse.
So I was among the seven or so Members that voted against recommending two unitaries for Suffolk as the best way ahead.
If I had to guess, and reading between the lines of their most recent report, I would say that the Boundary Committee will in the end go for the One Suffolk option. Even if they do so however, given the instabilities at the centre of Government at present, and the potential for more legal challenges, it is by no means certain that the project will not run out of time.
