DISTRICT and borough leaders have laid bare their proposals for three unitary councils in a major shake-up.

The Government wants Suffolk's six county, district and borough councils to cease to exist and be replaced by unitary authorities with more powers.

The question is how many will replace them — the county council says it prefers a single authority covering the entire county, while the districts and borough councils are backing three.

Leaders across the districts and borough councils have revealed they expected to make as much as £34 million in savings every year, reinvesting at least £20 million back into services, while keeping decision-making local.

The costs of transitioning into such a model, they said, could be paid back within four years, in direct contrast to claims they may never be recouped.

Their message is simple: to create three unitaries 'big enough to deliver, and local enough to care'.

Babergh's Cllr John Ward said: "We believe that this option balances cost and values and puts people and place at the heart of reform."

Addressing concerns on whether three unitaries would be able to work together to deliver services, rather than compete for stressed resources, he said the councils would lay the foundations for cooperation to be possible.

"It's a matter of culture," he said, "it's up to us to ensure that culture is inherited by the unitaries and they follow on and work in the same spirit of cooperation, and I think that's possible."

Cllr Cliff Waterman, West Suffolk leader, said: "What we're after is providing the best services for our local communities based on what their needs are."

In delivering care for children with special educational needs and disabilities, for instance, they are confident the three-unitary approach will bring about much-needed reform.

Cllr Caroline Topping, East Suffolk's leader, added: "We don't want service to be delivered as it currently is because it's not working,

"We want to transform the service to make it work better because, at the minute, it's broken and it needs an overhaul."

The Districts' proposed new boundaries

What about boundaries?

Boundaries would have to be redrawn, anchoring each authority in Suffolk's largest towns, Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich and Lowestoft, with about 60 councillors for each of the new authorities.

The Western Suffolk unitary would include most of the current West Suffolk Council and take in villages like Regrave, Woolpit, Felsham and Wattisham.

The Ipswich and Southern Suffolk unitary authority would include Hadleigh, Elmsett, and Felixstowe.

Finally, the Eastern Suffolk authority, which would take in much of the council's coastal communities, would also include Wortham, Wetherden and Stowmarket.

Councillors said choices around which towns and villages were based on making sure each unitary authority had a similar number of residents, while keeping in line with their economic contexts.

Cllr Neil MacDonald said: "We've had a lot of discussion about the boundaries, but they have to be sensible economic areas which can stand on their own and be sustainable in the future."

Business as usual

A reform of the system, changing the way local government operates for at least 50 years is bound to bring about some disruption, particularly during the transition period.

Despite this, councillors have guaranteed projects will continue to be delivered, with councils operating as usual throughout.

There may be some limitations in terms of new projects coming through the pipeline, but councillors have promised innovation and progress would continue.

For those worried about their Council Tax, they guaranteed residents would not be paying more in 2028, when the new authority is established, than they would have otherwise done with the current system.

What's next?

The councils will continue to develop their final business cases ahead of submitting them to the Government on September 26.

A consultation will then be conducted by the Government, which they expect will end in early 2026, ahead of a final decision later that year.

Elections for a 'shadow council' will take place in May 2027, which will exist underneath the current structure until May 2028, when it will take over.

More on their proposals can be found at ThreeCouncilsForSuffolk.org

What have opposers said?

Cllr Richard Rout, who is heading the county council's 'One Suffolk' bid, criticised the plans as 'chaotic, confusing and ultimately unworkable', with financial projections 'optimistic to the point of being dangerous'.

He said: "They will mean higher Council Tax across the county, but particularly in places like Felixstowe, Hadleigh, Kesgrave the villages south of Ipswich and the Shotley peninsula, more money spent on senior staff and administration and less money going on frontline local services in Suffolk.

"Breaking up key expensive care services, that are currently delivered county-wide, won't just cost more as they employ new senior teams, it will put the most vulnerable in our community at risk.

"They will create a postcode lottery for care, drive up costs and create boundaries where they don't currently exist.

"I remain as convinced as ever that One Suffolk is the only solution with the best interest of Suffolk's residents at its heart."

Cllr Beccy Hopfensperger, leader of the Conservative Group in West Suffolk, said she was extremely disappointed councillors were not briefed.

She said: "This move, made without the courtesy of engagement with those democratically elected to represent the people of West Suffolk, is both unacceptable and undemocratic.

"It is astonishing that a proposal of such significance — one that could reshape local governance across the county — was publicised externally before being discussed internally."