Unitary proposals delayed again

A legal challenge is delaying a decision about local government

Final recommendations on proposals for unitary authorities in Norfolk and Suffolk have been delayed again.

The Boundary Committee was due to make a recommendation on abolishing many local councils in the two counties.

But because of legal challenges by a group of councils in Suffolk, final proposals to the government have been held up.

A recommendation will now be made to the secretary of state when a date is set, once the legal wrangling is over.

'Super council'

The Suffolk councils which brought the High Court challenge argued that not enough people had been consulted over the plans and consultation documents were not easy enough to understand.

The revised proposals for Norfolk suggest one "super" council for Norfolk or a two-tier system with two unitary councils - one for Norwich, the other for the rest of Norfolk.

Previously the boundary committee suggested that Lowestoft in Suffolk could be included under the jurisdiction of a new single unitary authority for the whole of Norfolk.

In Suffolk, one revised option would put Ipswich and Felixstowe under one authority and the rest of the county under another.

The other option would see a single authority for the whole county with its existing boundaries.

The councils bringing the legal challenge have brought their own ideas to the table for three unitary councils in Suffolk.