Help shape boundaries for a new West Suffolk Council

Residents of the two west Suffolk councils are being asked for their views on where ward boundaries for a new single council should be.

Forest Heath District and St Edmundsbury Borough Councils have been backed by Government to replace the two authorities with a new West Suffolk Council, with the order to create the new council due in Parliament later this month.

New council wards for the West Suffolk Council have to be created as the suggested number of councillors should drop, in line with guidance, from 72 to 64.

People are being asked to look at the options which have been developed by the councils and are based on local information provided earlier this year as part of an informal engagement process.

These are just the councils’ initial ideas for the ward boundaries and replies to this engagement process will help shape options to go to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) in April.

The LGBCE makes the final decision and will hold its own consultation this summer. Residents and organisations can also put their own proposals forward to the LGBCE for consideration.

People can view the maps of the suggested wards and help to shape the options by visiting www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/wardoptions by March 28. Hard copies of the maps are available to view at the Council offices in Bury St Edmunds, Haverhill and Mildenhall.