Nearly a decade later, the statistics are a little out of date, but the direction of travel remains unchanged. Whilst many in Ipswich may think that my focus on local government reform is something new or radical, much of it is factual and historical. Make a small one-off or a recurring donation to support our work.
We truly appreciate your support. The same newsletter, much like the former powerful county-borough was tossed aside by For anyone who has directed, managed, or worked in large and successful corporations, we know that accountability and authority are paramount to success. Ipswich Borough Council is the local authority for Ipswich, a non-metropolitan district with borough status in Suffolk, England.
Based in Grafton House. Yet overnight the once powerful County-Borough of Ipswich moved from a unitary authority elected by all its stakeholders for its stakeholders; to a two-tier structure, a conurbation politically dominated by rural Suffolk. A new Suffolk wide County Council came in to oversee economic development, infrastructure, highways, transport, health, adult and childcare, schools, hospitals, crime, libraries, and environment.
For nearly 50 years of its existence we rarely have had anyone from Ipswich on the all-powerful Suffolk County Council cabinets with budgetary and strategic control. Suffolk County Council is based in Ipswich, controls Ipswich, but rarely by decision makers who are stakeholders in Ipswich! This alone would be bad enough. Greater Ipswich has expanded well beyond those boundaries.
Just take a look at Colchester District boundaries to see the disparity. Yet, the same rural districts are never as keen to equip Ipswich with the infrastructure, roads, and services that the shared stakeholders need to deal with the growth.
