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The government has launched a public consultation on plans to replace the current system of local government in Norfolk and Suffolk with a mayor-led authority for both counties.<\/p>\n
The consultation is part of the government’s wider devolution plans to move more power away from Westminster to local communities. <\/p>\n
It would mean county, district, borough and city councils were merged into several single unitary authorities overseen by the directly elected mayor. The government said merging councils<\/a> could save \u00a32bn.<\/p>\n There have been accusations of democracy being sidelined<\/a> over the fast-tracking<\/a> of the proposal, which has led to this May’s local elections being postponed for a year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The government published its White Paper<\/a> outlining the devolution plans in December, which it said would help to drive economic growth and streamline services.<\/p>\n Now it is seeking the views of those who live and work across Norfolk and Suffolk.<\/p>\n Included are questions on the proposed geography, how the combined county authority would make decisions, as well as questions on the effects of working across this geography through a mayoral combined county authority.<\/p>\n Both present county council leaders support the single mayor authority plans.<\/p>\n Earlier this month, Suffolk County Council leader Matthew Hicks said: “Devolution and council reorganisation will mean we can secure and free up funding to plough directly back into public services that benefit our residents.”<\/p>\n