Boundary Commission's Recommendations for new East Suffolk Council
Lib Dems submissions win favour from the Boundary Commission for East Suffolk
The final makeup of the new East Suffolk District Council have been released and submissions by the East Suffolk Party for changes to the proposals affecting Felixstowe and Southwold have won the support of the Boundary Commission.
In February 2018, the Government approved a bid from Suffolk Coastal District Council and Waveney District Council to merge. A Local Government Changes Order 2 was subsequently approved by Parliament on 24 May 2018, establishing a new East Suffolk Council from 1 April 2019
The Boundary Commission have now agreed to the proposals for a 55-member council for East Suffolk constituting a reduction of 39% in terms of the overall number of councillors representing the area to be covered by the new authority. The average number of electors per councillor is now set at 3,471 based upon the 2017 electorate of 190, 890. This would increase to 3,670 in 2023 on a projected electorate of 201,837.
The recommendations must now be approved by Parliament. A draft Order - the legal document which brings into force the Commission's recommendations - will be laid in Parliament. Subject to parliamentary scrutiny, the new electoral arrangements will come into force at the local elections in May 2019.
The new Council will have 29 wards with 55 Councillors as follows:
- Aldeburgh & Leiston (3)
- Beccles & Worlingham (3)
- Bungay & Wainford (2)
- Carlford & Fynn Valley (2)
- Carlton & Whitton (2)
- Carlton Colville (2)
- Deben (1)
- Eastern Felixstowe (3)
- Framlingham (2)
10. Gunton & St Margarets (2)
11. Halesworth & Blything (2)
12. Harbour & Normanston (3)
13. Kelsale & Yoxford (1)
14. Kesgrave (3)
15. Kessingland (1)
16. Kirkley & Pakefield (3)
17. Lothingland (1)
18. Martlesham & Purdis Farm (2)
19. Melton (1)
20. Orwell & Villages (2)
21. Oulton Broad (3)
22. Rendlesham & Orford (1)
23. Rushmere St Andrew (1)
24. Saxmundham (1)
25. Southwold (1)
26. Western Felixstowe (3)
27. Wickham Market (1)
28. Woodbridge (2)
29. Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton (1)
To quote; 'The East Suffolk Liberal Democrats considered that the draft Blyth Estuary ward covering 19 communities was too large, and opposed the assertion that the coastal focus of the area towards Southwold would act as a unifying factor for the other communities in the area. They recommended an alternative warding pattern with one ward focused on Southwold'. The Lib Dem recommendation was adopted however the BC have included Walberswick in the Southwold Ward.
Regarding the remainder of the former draft Blyth Estuary Ward, the BC said that 'the proposed Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton ward still comprises parishes which respondents consider do not have strong connections. However, they consider that creating a single-councillor ward with good electoral equality will allow for effective representation, and that the A12 provides for good internal transport links'.
East Suffolk Liberal Democrats incl Felixstowe Branch were also successful with their submitted proposals to alter the pattern of wards in Felixstowe. To quote the BC; 'the proposals submitted focused on splitting the town into an Eastern Felixstowe ward and a Western Felixstowe ward. The proposals identified the A154 Garrison Lane as an identifiable and locally acknowledged boundary between the east and west of Felixstowe. The Liberal Democrats noted that the Walton area is more strongly connected to the western part of the town than to the east. The Liberal Democrats' proposed Eastern Felixstowe ward would comprise the entirety of the coastline of Felixstowe, along with the Old Felixstowe area We consider that the proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrats should be adopted, subject to one amendment' - 'to transfer houses north of Langer Road into the Western Felixstowe ward and to use the railway line as the boundary between the two wards instead'.
The BC are now proposing a three-councillor Aldeburgh & Leiston ward, comprising the entirety of our draft Leiston ward along with the parishes of Aldeburgh, Friston and Snape, as well as the parishes of Sternfield and Benhall. This another very large Ward which appears to have more to do with road than community connections.
This website will present a more detailed breakdown of the final District Council electoral map in due course however the full BC report can be found as follows:
http://www.lgbce.org.uk/all- reviews/eastern/suffolk/east-suffolk
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