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Legal challenges have succeeded in delaying further changes to local government, while officials consult with the public. Arrangements for Suffolk, Norfolk and Devon will be reviewed again by the Boundary Committee for England, once new comments have been sought. The committee published initial findings to comply with judicial review judgments handed down in November 2008 and January 2009. Proposals include a single unitary council for the current Suffolk CC area, and a two-unitary pattern featuring an Ipswich and Felixstowe unitary authority, and a Rural Suffolk unitary authority comprising the rest of the county. Max Caller, chairman of the Boundary Committee for England, said: ‘On the basis of the evidence received so far, we think both sets of proposals may have the capacity to meet all five criteria that the secretary of state has given us, and deliver the very best for local people.' Politicians involved reacted with anger. Shadow leader of Devon CC, John Hart, said: ‘This is a total fudge. It's obvious the Government didn't like what the Boundary Committee was suggesting about a single Devon unitary because it doesn't fulfil its local ambitions.' Just a week away from the start of the new unitaries on 1 April, John Healey has claimed the new councils are ‘better placed to meet the recession'. Speaking to The MJ ahead of the changeover, the local government minister said the new councils were on track to make costs savings, when they amalgamated. ‘Those councils where they have reorganised are better placed to meet the recession than elsewhere.' However, he added: ‘The acid test will be the services.' Mr Healey claimed he had ‘no plans to have either a mandatory or large-scale' reorganisation beyond those already in the pipeline for Suffolk, Norfolk and Devon.

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WHITEHALL

More delay for Devon, Suffolk and Norfolk

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