Electoral Commission wins council reorganisation test case
The Electoral Commission’s Boundary Committee has welcomed a Court of Appeal ruling over the controversial restructuring of three local councils in Suffolk.
The spat had centred on the Committee’s plan to create a single Suffolk unitary council, or two unitary councils, which Forest Heath, St Edmundsbury and Suffolk Coastal councils had objected to in order to preserve historical differences between East and West Suffolk. The councils argued the Committee had not listened to local people and councillors’ wishes.
In July the High Court decided that the three councils had not been given a fair hearing over their objections. However, the Boundary Committee challenged this in the Appeal Court and on 2nd December received a judgment in its favour, with the judges saying there had been sufficient consultation, paving the way to create a single unitary Suffolk council.
In a statement released just after the appeal win, the Boundary Committee stated: “The Court of Appeal has recognised that the process the Committee followed was lawful and consistent with the guidance that the Secretary of State issued.”
The Committee added: “Our approach has allowed around 20,000 residents, groups and organisations in Suffolk, Norfolk and Devon to have their say and provide evidence about how their local authorities should be structured.”
The organisation added that the court battles had meant “delays and increased costs to the public purse”.
Forest Heath council has promised to fight on. In a statement, the council said: “Suffolk residents...will not have their case heard by the organisation parachuted in to carve up local government. The Boundary Committee is accountable to no-one.”
It said that council leaders were “frustrated at the lack of local democracy”. The council added they would now look at taking the case directly to ministers or possibly trying the new Supreme Court.
