Message to Town and Parish clerks sent on behalf of Chief Executive Arthur Charvonia

"Having today received the decision on Local Government Reorganisation, I’m keen to update you directly on what this means for the future shape of councils in Suffolk.

The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government has confirmed that Suffolk will move to three unitary councils.

These new authorities will replace the current six councils, with the three new unitary councils covering western Suffolk, central and eastern Suffolk, and Ipswich and southern Suffolk.

The new councils will come into operation in April 2028. Ahead of this, elections scheduled for next year will establish three shadow authorities responsible for guiding, shaping and overseeing the transition within their respective geography.

As you may expect, our leaders have welcomed the news as part of a joint statement from the district and borough council leaders – looking forward to creating councils that are large enough to deliver, and local enough to care.

Our council officers are also fully committed to working together to ensure a smooth transition and to maximise the opportunities that this change presents for our residents, communities and partners – including our town and parish councils.

This is the most significant change to Suffolk’s local government arrangements in more than 50 years. We now have a collective responsibility to help shape three new councils that can continue to deliver the essential services our communities rely on from day one.

We will keep you informed of next steps as the detail of our transformation programme develops, but for now, our focus is on embracing the challenge ahead and working collectively to deliver the very best outcomes for the people of Suffolk.

Arthur Charvonia

Chief Executive, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils"