Consultation opens on joint mayor for two counties

Norfolk and Suffolk, separated by the River Waveney, pictured above at Homersfield, could be governed by a single mayor-led authority

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.

The consultation is part of the government's wider devolution plans to move more power away from Westminster to local communities.

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 could save £2bn.

There have been accusations of democracy being sidelined over the fast-tracking of the proposal, which has led to this May's local elections being postponed for a year.

Norfolk County Council, pictured above, and Suffolk County Council would be scrapped under the proposals

The government published its White Paper outlining the devolution plans in December, which it said would help to drive economic growth and streamline services.

Now it is seeking the views of those who live and work across Norfolk and Suffolk.

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.

Both present county council leaders support the single mayor authority plans.

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."

But others are concerned some services will be "squeezed" as planners focus on things like social services.

Norfolk has eight councils at present, while Suffolk has seven.

The district councils are responsible for services such as bin collections, parks and local planning.

Many of them already have combined to share a lot of services, but retain political independence from each other.

The two county councils provide services including waste disposal, road maintenance, schools, libraries and social care.

Under the new proposals, county, borough and district authorities would be replaced by fewer unitary authorities, with representation at the combined mayor-led authority.

The mayoral combined authority consultation closes on 13 April.

A separate consultation on proposals for further local government reorganisation is expected to follow at a later date, possibly September.