Judy Terry is a marketing professional and a former local councillor in Suffolk.
With local elections looming, politicians don’t seem to understand how disillusioned people actually are with their self-serving behaviour. It started with Partygate, prompting voters to support promised change which was short-lived when the extent of eye-wateringly expensive ‘freebies’ given to newly elected ministers and MPs was revealed.
It has been downhill since, with endless policy U-turns and a general refusal to accept responsibility for critical decisions affecting farming, hospitality, private education, energy and other industries. The latest scandal, involving appointing the British Ambassador to America, has led people to despair at the lack of focus on issues which affect people’s daily lives.
Confidence has evaporated, and turnout in the local elections will undoubtedly be impacted, with many people saying that they don’t trust any party to deliver on their promises because they say anything they think will appeal to voters, without having an essential clear strategy.
For example, few people understand – or are even aware of – the implications of local government reorganisation, with changes to be implemented from 2028. In Suffolk, three new unitary authorities will replace the current two-tier system, instead of a single unitary. Transition planning is underway for East Suffolk, West Suffolk and Ipswich/South Suffolk, reshaping how services are delivered.
When the decision was announced, Suffolk County Council’s Leader, Cllr. Matthew Hicks, expressed concern, saying that ‘a single authority would have provided a huge opportunity to improve the services our residents rely on, but dividing our county into three independent authorities based on random geographies carries huge risks for vulnerable people and long-term financial resilience:
“Throughout the consultation process we were clear that a single authority for the whole county, with its population of 763,400, would not only be the most financially resilient, saving £40 million a year, but it would also be the best option for improving service delivery.”
He mentioned the lack of supporting evidence for the decision, ‘making it even more ludicrous’, when senior leaders from across Suffolk highlighted their concerns, but were ignored.
Cllr. Richard Rout, Cabinet Member for Devolution, warns of threats to the future financial stability of local government in Suffolk, fearing the net result will be substantial cuts to local services. ‘Splitting up key county-wide services that vulnerable residents rely on, such as adult social care and children’s services, is an enormous risk. Opting for three new councils means Suffolk will be £145 million worse off in the first 5 years and £13 million worse off every year thereafter:
“We’ve been sold the fairytale that smaller councils must be more local, however three new councils will mean three sets of senior staff, three sets of back-office services and three times the bureaucracy. I stand by the fact that a single council for Suffolk would have been the smartest, simplest and best option.”
Elections for the new shadow authorities will take place next May, with each new authority responsible for delivering services previously undertaken by the County Council, including planning, adult social care, children’s services, highways and waste collection. Each authority will have to negotiate new contracts with outside providers.. will they have the common sense to co-ordinate with each other?
Waste collection will inevitably be one of the biggest challenges, following changes requiring household waste to be treated differently, with new bins to dispose of items including food waste. So far, residents haven’t been told which bins to use for what! Storing the bins is likely to be a big problem for small terraced properties in narrow roads, which dominate parts of Ipswich, whilst flats also have restricted access for new large bins. The general view is that there will be an increase in dumping rubbish, which is already happening in some locations following the introduction of separate charges for brown bins which many landlords are refusing to pay, and some owners simply cannot afford, given the rising cost of living.
Highways will be another major challenge, not just potholes, but understanding why there are so many serious accidents on major roads in and around Suffolk, leading to regular closures of the bridge over the River Orwell in recent months, causing traffic jams in Ipswich and other areas, disrupting business.