Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District Councils have been working in partnership since 2008, enabling the Councils to save over £18m in that time. In January 2017 the Councils agreed to create a new single ‘super district’ Council serving the residents and communities of east Suffolk, from Lowestoft in the north to Felixstowe in the south.

In order to form the new single Council, the Local Government Boundary Commission for England will be undertaking a formal review to draw up a new pattern of Council Wards for what will become East Suffolk District Council. These are the electoral areas represented by one or more District Councillor.

It is likely that the new wards will be larger than the current district wards, ie they will cover more parishes and therefore more electorate due to there being fewer Councillors in the new District Council.

Please note that parish boundaries will not be affected by this review.

East Suffolk Parishes

Current Suffolk Coastal District Wards

Current Waveney District Wards

We are asking for your input at this stage to help formulate the new Warding Map for the new Council.

Everyone has an opportunity to submit their view by completing the following survey:

Electoral Review Informal Consultation

You’ll note from the survey that we’re particularly keen to hear from you about local community ties, i.e. which parishes/community areas are you most connected with?  Which communities naturally go together?  We will then use the results of the survey when looking at proposing new district Ward boundaries. 

It is important to understand the priorities within which the Local Government Boundary Commission for England will make their final proposals and decisions:

“The Commission has three main criteria - set out in law - which it must follow when it produces a new pattern of wards or electoral divisions. They are:

• ·         The new pattern of wards should mean that each councillor represents roughly the same number of voters as elected members elsewhere in the authority.
• ·         Ward patterns should – as far as possible – reflect community interests and identities and boundaries should be identifiable.
• ·         The electoral arrangements should promote effective and convenient local government and reflect the electoral cycle of the council.”

Subject to the necessary approvals, Councillors for the new boundaries will be elected in the elections for the new East Suffolk District Council in 2019.

Please complete the survey by Monday 19^th February 2018.

More information on the proposals for East Suffolk can be found on our website.

We would prefer to receive responses via the survey, however, respondents can also submit a written response and post these for the attention of Nick Khan at either of the Council addresses.

Kind regards

New Council Programme Team

Suffolk Coastal and Waveney District Councils

newcouncil@eastsuffolk.gov.uk