Unitary legal ruling favours districts

Author: Local Government Chronicle   |  

Moves towards unitary local government in three county areas could be delayed after a judicial review came down in favour of three Suffolk district councils .

The Boundary Committee for England (BCE) had been due to present its advice on unitary structures in Devon, Norfolk and Suffolk to Secretary of State John Denham next Wednesday. It had already indicated it favoured a single- or two-unitary option in Suffolk.

But Mr Justice Foskett today (Friday) ruled the BCE should have consulted on an alternative, three-unitary model proposed by Forest Heath DC, Suffolk Coastal DC and St Edmundsbury BC.

A spokesman for the BCE said it was “disappointed with the judgment” and admitted it could be forced to delay giving its advice for all three county areas.

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