Public services – What do YOU think?

How could public services work better for you?

The national government wants to simplify how Councils work. This means the current County, District, and Borough Councils will be replaced and all services will be run by new “Unitary Councils”.

 Currently, local government services are delivered in Suffolk like this:

• Suffolk County Council is responsible for delivering services such as special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), roads, public transport, social care, libraries, and recycling centres across the county.
• Five district and borough councils (Babergh, East Suffolk, Ipswich, Mid Suffolk, and West Suffolk), are responsible in their areas for delivering services like bin collections, street cleaning, parking, leisure services, local planning, council housing, and helping homeless people.

A Unitary Council is a single authority which provides ALL these services for a specific area.

Suffolk’s Councils are now looking at how to reorganise to better meet the needs of residents, businesses, and communities, as part of the government’s Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) initiative.

We want to know what you think. Please take a few minutes to share your views!

This survey is being conducted by Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils in collaboration with East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council and West Suffolk Council.

Please note that all responses to this survey will be treated in the strictest confidence and you will not be identifiable in reporting the survey findings. For full details of how we use personal data, please view our privacy policies at www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/uk-gdpr-privacy-notices

Have your say:

You can complete this survey online at:  www.babergh.gov.uk/devolution-and-lgr  

Alternatively, please download it here, complete it and either:

• Scan and email it to engagement@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk
• Send it to Have Your Say Suffolk, East Suffolk Council, Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ

The deadline for receiving completed submissions is Friday, 25th July 2025.