New shape of Suffolk councils unveiled – now it’s up to Parliament

Proposed ward boundaries for the new East Suffolk council. Key: 1. Aldeburgh & Leiston 2. Beccles & Worlingham 3. Bungay & Wainford 4. Carlford & Fynn Valley 5. Carlton & Whitton 6. Carlton Colville 7. Deben 8. Eastern Felixstowe 9. Framlingham 10. Gunton & St Margarets 11. Halesworth & Blything 12. Harbour & Normanston 13. Kelsale & Yoxford 14. Kesgrave 15. Kessingland 16. Kirkley & Pakefield 17. Lothingland 18. Martlesham & Purdis Farm 19. Melton 20. Orwell & Villages 21. Oulton Broad 22. Rendlesham & Orford 23. Rushmere St Andrew 24. Saxmundham 25. Southwold 26. Western Felixstowe 27. Wickham Market 28. Woodbridge 29. Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton Picture: BOUNDARY COMMISSION (Image: Archant)

East Suffolk will have 55 councillors representing communities from the north of Lowestoft to Felixstowe and inland as far as Framlingham – it is being formed by a merger of Suffolk Coastal and Waveney councils.

West Suffolk, formed by a merger of St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath, will have 64 councillors.

The Commission’s final recommendations propose that in East Suffolk there should be eight three-councillor wards, 10 two-councillor wards and 11 one-councillor wards.

In response to local feedback during the public consultation, the Commission has changed some of the proposals it put forward in July. In East Suffolk these were in the Southwold, Aldeburgh and Leiston, Wickham Market and Orford areas.

Proposed ward boundaries for the new West Suffolk council. 1. Abbeygate 2. Bardwell 3. Barningham 4. Barrow 5. Brandon Central 6. Brandon East 7. Brandon West 8. Chedburgh & Chevington 9. Clare, Hundon & Kedington 10. Eastgate 11. Exning 12. Haverhill Central 13. Haverhill East 14. Haverhill North 15. Haverhill South East 16. Haverhill South 17. Haverhill West 18. Horringer 19. Iceni 20. Ixworth 21. Kentford & Moulton 22. Lakenheath 23. Manor 24. Mildenhall Great Heath 25. Mildenhall Kingsway & Market 26. Mildenhall Queensway 27. Minden 28. Moreton Hall 29. Newmarket East 30. Newmarket North 31. Newmarket West 32. Pakenham & Troston 33. Risby 34. Rougham 35. Southgate 36. St Olaves 37. Stanton 38. The Fornhams & Great Barton 39. The Rows 40. Tollgate 41. Westgate 42. Whepstead & Wickhambrook 43. Withersfield Picture: BOUNDARY COMMISSION (Image: Archant)

The Commission’s final recommendations propose that in West Suffolk there should be two three-councillor wards, 17 two-councillor wards and 24 one-councillor wards.

It has changed some wards in the south of the new “super-district” and also made boundary changes in Mildenhall, Newmarket and Haverhill.

Professor Colin Mellors, Chair of the Commission, said, “We are grateful to everyone who took the opportunity to have their say on how they should be represented in the future.

“We think this pattern of wards strikes the right balance between delivering fairness for voters as well as reflecting the shape of communities across East Suffolk.

The merger of Suffolk Coastal and Waveney was agreed by former Local Government Secretary Sajid Javid earlier this year. Waveney MP Peter Aldous, Suffolk Coastal MP Therese Coffey, Suffolk Coastal leader Ray Herring, Sajid Javid, Waveney leader Mark Bee, and Central Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dan Poulter met to discuss the East Suffolk councils' merger. Picture: SUFFOLK COASTAL DISTRICT COUNCIL (Image: Archant)

“We are also grateful to people across West Suffolk who took part in the review. The Commission has looked at all the evidence that was put forward during the consultation.

“We believe these recommendations deliver electoral fairness for voters as well as reflecting community ties throughout West Suffolk.”

And the changes are not written in stone – they still need to be implemented by parliament.

A draft Order – the legal document which brings into force the recommendations – will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks.

St Edmundsbury council leader John Griffiths and James Waters from Forest Heath agreed to merge in 2017. Picture: WEST SUFFOLK COUNCILS (Image: Archant)

It allows the electoral arrangements to come into force at the authority’s first elections in 2019.