LOCAL government reorganisation in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Devon will not come into force until at least 2011, which could put the whole project in jeopardy.
Graham Dines
LOCAL government reorganisation in Suffolk, Norfolk, and Devon will not come into force until at least 2011, which could put the whole project in jeopardy.
Following decisions last year not to implement original proposals for unitary councils for Exeter, Ipswich and Norwich at that time, the Secretary of State asked the Boundary Committee to provide advice by July 15 on whether there could be alternative unitary proposals for Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk.
When this is published, the public will have until September 18 to make representations and Communities Secretary John Denham expects to take his statutory decisions by mid October 2009 with Parliamentary Orders being laid by the end of the year to establish unitary councils on April 1 2011.
Elections to the new authorities are likely to take place in May next year, possibly on the same day as the General Election.
Mr Denham said today: “The people and communities of Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk deserve the highest possible levels of local service delivery and the local leadership that is needed to promote their prosperity.
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