East Suffolk Council

In a report submitted to government today, Suffolk’s five district and borough councils have united to present an interim plan which would revitalise local government and put the needs of local communities first. A clear message is being sent to Government that multi-unitary authorities are vital in Suffolk, for services to work and for residents to be heard, in a county with a range of rural, coastal, industrial, agricultural and urban demands. The Councils are clear: a one size fits all ‘mega-council’ covering a vast geographical area could not possibly focus on the competing needs of three-quarters of a million people as effectively as two or three unitary authorities. Babergh District Council, East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council, Mid Suffolk District Council and West Suffolk Council have each signed off the report following a series of council, cabinet and executive meetings where councillors from across the county examined and helped shape the proposals. In a joint statement the leaders of Suffolk’s borough and district councils said: “Multiple unitary authorities will produce services designed with residents in mind to meet local need, drive improved outcomes, create value and save money in a sustainable way. “Our joint proposal demonstrates that a one size fits all mega authority will not solve the existing issue of large countywide services that will continue to drain money, requirement improvement and potentially lead to further cost cutting. Crucially, more than one unitary authority is the best way to meet these issues and would ensure strong democratic representation as one would be too remote for residents to be heard. “It is the best solution to ensure decision makers, and the communities they represent, would be as close together as possible. This ensures that services are designed and delivered in a tailored way built on local knowledge to meet the unique need of an area, its residents and businesses. It creates new councils able to deliver both value for money and better outcomes. “This is a generational change to the way local government and services are delivered and something we should seize. It is a real opportunity to think holistically about how services such as leisure, housing and social care could help residents to thrive. This is about starting with a blank page and not simply bolting existing council services together. “Our collective solution is the best way to deliver great services and value for money. It makes sure the ‘local’ stays in Local Government for Suffolk.” Read the full story and the report: https://lnkd.in/exuVwG_E

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An innovative new commercial development has opened its doors in the heart of Lowestoft’s PowerPark energy hub. Delivered by East Suffolk Council, The Nexus is home to 16 modern business units for office and light industrial uses – positioned at the forefront of the region’s renewable energy sector. Work began on redeveloping the Newcombe Road industrial site in November 2023 – following two years of design and planning work to create an ideal base for start-ups and more established businesses, with a particular focus on clean energy enterprise. Concertus Design and Property Consultants provided initial design and planning assistance for the project, with construction led by SEH French, marketing for the various-sized units carried out by Bycroft Commercial, and Allman Woodcock administering the project as employer’s agent. https://lnkd.in/e54nWuQA

We currently have seven opportunities to join our team in East Suffolk: - Auditor - Communities Officer (two positions available) - Administrative Support Officer - Rough Sleeping Outreach Worker - Housing Advice and Prevention Officer - Environmental Health Technical Officer Find out more and apply: https://bit.ly/3lC5swo #JoinEastSuffolk

A charity dedicated to widening access to music education has received funding from East Suffolk Council to help expand its reach. The MORABE Rural Music programme applied for £5,500 of funding from the Melton, Woodbridge and Deben Community Partnership to provide sessions focused on maternal wellbeing and support for babies and new mums until July 2026. The free, weekly sessions will follow a successful pilot scheme and aim to reach 150 participants in rural communities by the end of the year – with a primary focus on enhancing mental and emotional health during a critical life phase. There are eight Community Partnerships across East Suffolk, with an overall budget of £1.73m earmarked to tackle priority issues identified by local people. Each partnership comprises East Suffolk councillors working in collaboration with town and parish councils, Suffolk County Council, businesses, police, health and voluntary organisations, community groups and youth representatives. https://lnkd.in/ev3YP3DV

Officers from our Communities, Housing, Fraud, Environmental Protection and Licensing teams joined forces with Suffolk Trading Standards, Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service and Suffolk Constabulary for a multi-agency day of action to improve community safety in the Kirkley and Whitton areas of Lowestoft. During the day, teams addressed concerns over anti-social behaviour, and provided support for local businesses regarding business rates and licensing. Several bags of litter were collected, and a small amount of fly-tipping was addressed. Suffolk Trading Standards and Suffolk Police led an operation concerning the sale of illicit tobacco products. Using a tobacco detection dog, a large quantity of illicit tobacco and non-compliant vapes were found at a local shop. In total, 1,744 packets of cigarettes (34,880 individual cigarettes), 730 tobacco pouches and 454 vapes which were all suspected to be illegal were seized and an investigation is underway.

Our Planning Team are currently recruiting for a number of roles with a variety of different skill requirements. Whether you are at the start of your career or looking for a new challenge, we would love to hear from you. Even better, we've just created a brand new webpage dedicated to planning jobs within our organisation! Head there now and take a look at some of the amazing opportunities https://lnkd.in/eYPrn2Bv

We currently have two exciting opportunities to join our East Suffolk Services Team: - Refuse Loader Applications close 24 March https://bit.ly/3XYBVxh - Grounds Maintenance Operative Applications close 26 March https://bit.ly/41SWWef #JoinEastSuffolk

The Leaders of the county’s five district and borough councils have responded to the decision by Suffolk County Council to submit interim proposals for a single unitary authority, as part of the Local Government Review process. Cllr Deborah Saw (Babergh District Council), Cllr Caroline Topping (East Suffolk Council), Cllr Neil MacDonald (Ipswich Borough Council), Cllr Andy Mellen (Mid Suffolk District Council) and Cllr Cliff Waterman (West Suffolk Council) said: “Any case for a huge and remote ‘mega council’, delivering services to three-quarters of a million people across a vast geographical area, is no more compelling today than it was when it was first announced. “Leadership would be more remote and distant, not stronger, with a real risk that communities feel ignored and unconnected from their representatives. A multi-unitary solution for Suffolk would address these concerns head on, providing meaningful democratic representation which enables communities and economies to thrive. “Keeping local government truly local will ensure that our communities are heard, and their needs are met effectively. Only our proposals can meet the government’s criteria to deliver financial sustainability, drive better outcomes, find tailored local solutions, create efficient services, economic growth and strong community engagement; all thanks to unitary structures that are big enough to deliver but close enough to care and connect. “This is a critically important generational change to the way local government and services are delivered, and our proposals - which recognise the county’s diversity - are far more fit for the future than unimaginative plans which amount to little more than simply bolting all council services together.” The district and borough councils will be holding meetings next week before submitting their own, final interim report to the Government ahead of its 21 March deadline.

East Suffolk Council has secured a provisional allocation of £5.9million to help improve the energy performance of social housing as part of the Government’s Warm Homes Plan. The Council was announced among the local authorities and housing associations offered a total £1.29bn to retrofit properties, across 144 nationwide projects, under the latest wave of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. Funding will contribute to a total £12m programme to allow the installation of energy efficiency upgrades and low-carbon heating measures in social homes across East Suffolk – supporting climate goals and helping to protect tenants from risk of fuel poverty. https://lnkd.in/ehGH7zJg