Dines' Days : Biker Blair busts Suffolk

Biker Blair busts Suffolk

THE unitary cup has been dashed from the lips of Ipswich. But the rest of Suffolk shouldn't be smug - our beloved Communities Secretary Biker Blears (no disrespect, she's a renowned motorcycle enthusiast) - has seen fit to investiagte Suffolk being split up into two or three unitary councils, including a Greater Ipswich. Lowestoft and Waveney could merge with Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. All this came as a shock to local government leaders in the county - they now have to co-operate on plans for their own demise.

I support unitary councils, as long as they are big enough to deliver strategic services effectively and at a reasonable cost. Shire counties and districts have had their day - Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire, Cornwall, and Wiltshire will be unitary counties after yesterday's announcement. Suffolk is too big to become unitary county and will be split. Eventually Essex will follow suit.

posted on 05 December 2007 18:57 by Graham Dines

Comments

06 December 2007 09:37 by Robin Whitmore

# re: Biker's surprise.

From Stalin to Mr Bean and back again....

06 December 2007 10:10 by Bernard Crofton

# re: Biker's surprise.

It wasn't a unitary cup for Ipswich as the town was never big enough to support proper unitary services. Indeed it abandoned trying to set up a fire service so there would still have been a two tier structure for some significant local government services. The result would have been high tax bills and poor services for Ipswich.
A whole county unitary would be easiest to set up and easiest for the public to understand. It could start at least with a decentralised structure based on the existing districts and parishes, avoiding the chaos of a rushed reformation.

07 December 2007 10:06 by Sue Lockett

# re: Biker Blair busts Suffolk

This should be the moment to have a referendum for a Mayor of Suffolk with an elected Assembly. The taxpayer does not need 7 CEx's and all the parafanalia that goes with their empires as is the case currently. It is probably the last opportunity for the taxpayers of Suffolk to achieve clarity about who is in responsible for delivering local goverment services and value for money from their taxes.

10 December 2007 09:34 by Robin Whitmore

# re: Biker Blair busts Suffolk

Thanks but no thanks Sue.Not another Lord H with all his assorted bag carriers.

Another top heavy administration like the one that you have ruined here in under eighteen months after 12 successful years of growth!

Local people deserve local services.