English Devolution White Paper

Let's shape the future of Suffolk together graphic

Local government in Suffolk is changing. All county, district and borough councils are being replaced with 'unitary' councils, which will be responsible for delivering all services.

We have worked together, with district and borough councils in Suffolk, on an ambitious proposal for three unitary councils, which will deliver services to different parts of the county.

We believe these will meet the differing needs of our diverse communities - councils that are big enough to deliver, local enough to care.

Government announced on 25 March 2026 that local government in Suffolk should be reorganised to have three unitary authorities. These will replace Suffolk County Council and the five district and borough authorities: Babergh, East Suffolk, Ipswich, Mid Suffolk and West Suffolk. These new authorities will cover western Suffolk, central and eastern Suffolk, and Ipswich and southern Suffolk.

You can find out more via the government’s website, and more about the business case for three unitaries put forward by Suffolk’s district and borough councils at Three Councils for Suffolk:

The new councils will begin operations in April 2028.

English Devolution White Paper

On 16 December 2024, Government published its English Devolution White Paper GOV.UK - English Devolution White Paper. This included the creation of mayors and strategic authorities to support their work. County councils were invited to take part in the Devolution Priority Programme to be some of the first to create new mayors under the Government guidance.

In addition, district, borough and county councils were invited to take part in local government reorganisation which looks at delivering all council services under new unitary authorities serving a particular area.

Devolution Priority Programme

Norfolk and Suffolk have been accepted on the Government’s Devolution Priority Programme to create one mayor for the two counties, supported by a mayoral combined authority.

The Government has outlined that the mayor and new authorities will have funding and powers devolved to them from Government. You can find out more about this, as well as the consultation the Government ran on proposals, at GOV.UK - Norfolk and Suffolk devolution consultation

Key devolution dates

4 May 2028: Election of mayor of Norfolk and Suffolk

Local government reorganisation

Local government reorganisation would see all six of Suffolk’s district, borough and county councils disbanded and replaced with one or more unitary authorities. They would provide all council services in an area.

Government asked councils to submit proposals for its deadline of 26 September 2025.

Suffolk borough and district councils worked together to produce a joint interim report looking at what would be the best unitary solution for the county, while taking into account Government guidance. This was agreed by West Suffolk Council, Babergh District Council, East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council and Mid Suffolk District Council and sent to Government to meet its 21 March deadline.

This report was designed to show the shape of proposals and direction of travel.

Read the Interim Plan for Suffolk Local Government Reorganisation

Government was supportive of the plans going forward for further work so that final and more detailed proposals could be submitted to meet its 26 September deadline.

Suffolk district and borough councils agreed in July 2025 to focus on working up detailed plans for three unitary councils for Suffolk.

At the same time, Suffolk County Council put forward proposals for a single unitary council for Suffolk called One Suffolk. This too went forward for consultation by Government.

Case for change – reorganisation of local government in Suffolk

Following evidence gathering and detailed work, and shaped by public opinion, Suffolk’s district and borough councils put together a final business case to reorganise local government in Suffolk.

The Case for Change - Three Councils for Suffolk was agreed at the appropriate meetings of Suffolk’s district and borough councils in September. It was sent to Government: Big enough to deliver, local enough to care

Consultation on proposals for local government reorganisation

Central Government opened its own public consultation into the proposals from November 2025 until 11 January 2026, before making a final decision in 2026.

You can read more on the proposals, as well as the one unitary option put forward by Suffolk County Council, at Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government - Citizen Space - Consultation on Proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Norfolk and Suffolk

Key local government reorganisation dates

21 March 2025: Outline business cases submitted to Government
26 September 2025: Final business cases submitted to Government
25 March 2026: Government announced preferred option