ARCHIVED news story
Four councils plan is best for Norfolk
Released on 14 April 2008
Our plans are best for Norfolk because they have unique selling points, and are innovative, holistic, thoughtful and practical. I urge people to read and support them.
Council Leader John Fuller
Local government reorganisation in Norfolk will mean maximum gain and minimum pain, if the Boundary Committee backs plans by South Norfolk Council.
That's the message of South Norfolk Council Leader John Fuller following publication of its 40-page blueprint for reorganisation entitled Best4Norfolk.
It is now with the independent Boundary Committee for consideration.
Best4Norfolk makes a compelling, evidence-based case for reorganising the county into four unitary councils that can provide the full range of services for their people.
Councillor Fuller is writing to all Norfolk councils and partner organisations and all South Norfolk's parish councils urging them to read the submission and give it their support.
He said:
"Our plans are best for Norfolk because they have unique selling points, and are innovative, holistic, thoughtful and practical. I urge people to read and support them."
He added:
"Our approach is innovative because it finds new ways for authorities to club together to deliver more at a price people can afford, while maintaining local accountability and control.
"What we are proposing is holistic and gives residents the chance to influence what goes on locally while not disrupting street-level services like waste collection and recycling, adult social care and education.
"Our submission has unique selling points and is the only solution we have seen that respects the natural geography and offers a set of councils people can recognise from the practicalities of their daily lives, and which they can relate to."
He said a number of independently moderated focus groups of residents, parish councils and other public bodies had backed the plans, expressing the strongest support for the Best4Norfolk option.
The submission is available for download from the council's website at www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/unitary.
The publication of Best4Norfolk follows a Government decision to reorganise local councils, and ask councils to suggest “effective and convenient” patterns for new unitary authorities in both Norfolk and Suffolk.
In South Norfolk, the public, council officers and councillors have been investigating the best alternatives.
In particular, they have been examining ways to find the balance between new councils having economies of scale and the necessity of having local decisions made by local people with local knowledge.
These investigations have concluded that Norfolk is best served by four new councils - half the number of existing ones - that are close enough to residents and businesses and are responsive to needs.
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Contact us
| contact officer/team: | Communications Team |
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| web: | online enquiry form |
| email: | communicationsteam@s-norfolk.gov.uk |
| telephone: | 01508 533611 or 01508 533983 |
| minicom/textphone: | 01508 533622 |
| address: | South Norfolk House Swan Lane Long Stratton Norwich NR15 2XE |
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