A message from Nick Timothy MP:
I want to say thank you if you took time to complete my survey on local government reform. Hundreds of people have contributed their views and you can see a summary of the results below.
I have expressed by reservations about the way in which this entire process is taking place. The Government is calling this devolution but one of my concerns is that it is sucking power upwards.
My view is that power is best held close to the people whose lives that power affects. I want local people to be given more say over the things that affect them like road safety and planning. Then there are complications about how they are going to manage the change — related to council tax and services. So I am looking for guarantees that the people of West Suffolk will not lose out. And I completely oppose any suggestion that the local elections should be postponed again for another year.
If you would like to hear my thoughts in a recent interview on this topic on BBC Radio Suffolk, please click here.
It is not too late to take part in the survey. If you would like to do so, please click here.
Best wishes
- A large majority (more than three quarters of nearly 200 people surveyed) do not agree in principle with creating a combined mayoral authority for Norfolk and Suffolk under one mayor
2. A majority (57%) of just under 200 people surveyed do not agree in principle with reorganising local government into unitary councils
3. Around 85% of 200 people surveyed either oppose or strongly oppose any further delay in the local elections
4. When asked which model of local government people prefer, 73% of 200 people surveyed said they preferred three unitary councils — Western Suffolk, Central and Eastern Suffolk and Ipswich and Southern Suffolk, while 14% supported the proposal for having one unitary council across Suffolk.
5. A large majority (78.5%) agreed with Nick Timothy MP that we must avoid any outcome where equalising council tax across Suffolk means higher bills in West Suffolk, with that extra money being used to subsidise services in Ipswich and other other areas.
6. A large majority (nearly 83%) agreed with Nick Timothy MP’s stance that local communities should have a stronger say over planning and development decisions, particularly when it comes to new housing.
7. A large majority (around 85%) strongly agreed or agreed with the idea that parish councils should have a greater say on broader local matters — including issues such as speed limits, traffic management and road safety. Only around 10% disagreed with this idea.
8. A large majority (88.5%) agreed that any financial savings from local government must stay in Suffolk, and be used to improve services here.
9. Nearly 70% of those surveyed opposed the idea of a merger between police forces in Suffolk and Norfolk (including 55.5% who strongly opposed this), while just under 17% strongly support or supported the idea.
