Communities ministers have extended the deadline for the Boundary Committee to provide advice on unitary proposals for Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk. The move follows last week's surprise Court of Appeal ruling that the committee had not given due consideration to opponents of plans to create a new unitary council in Suffolk. While the court gave the committee leave to appeal, the ruling meant officials were unable to provide ministers with their final recommendations on the long-running reorganisation proposals, which were due next week. Speaking on 14 July, a CLG spokeswoman said: ‘We have today received a request from the Boundary Committee to extend the deadline for its advice, which we have granted. Once it is clear when any appeal may be determined, a new deadline for the Boundary Committee's advice will be specified. ‘We are still clear that if appropriate unitary structures are identified for Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk that have the potential to offer real benefits for the residents of these areas by delivering better services, improved efficiency, stronger strategic leadership and genuine engagement and empowerment of local communities, it would be wrong to deny the people of these three areas those benefits.'
