Local residents will soon be invited to give their views on proposals being submitted to Government to create three new unitary councils to cover Norfolk.
This proposal would see the current eight local councils across the county replaced with three larger ones – ensuring residents continue to get all their vital local services delivered locally by those who know their own communities better than anyone else.
Two reports endorsing a three-unitary model – one being a Greater Norwich Council – were last night given formal backing by the city council’s decision making body, cabinet.
As a result, the proposals for how local councils should be structured in Norwich and the wider county will be submitted to the Government tomorrow (Friday 21 March).
Mike Stonard, leader of Norwich City Council, said: “Greater Norwich is unique within Norfolk. It is the economic and cultural capital of the region and it drives growth.
“These are just two of the reasons why a Greater Norwich Council needs its own single unitary council – a place where people who live and work here, who understand the city, and who really know their local communities, can represent the best interests of their residents.
“Over the past few months, we have worked closely with our district council colleagues to shape a vision that isn’t just about structures and governance. Instead, it is about how we deliver for the people and businesses of our city, and wider county, as well as how we secure Norwich’s place at the heart of regional and national growth.”
This work led independent experts, Deloitte, to confirm that a three-unitary model for Norfolk is the strongest option – with a Greater Norwich Council being one of the three unitary councils for our county.
Deloitte’s three-unitary option scored the best because it:
- Is firmly rooted in an understanding of the places of Norfolk, in that it reflects and prioritises the three main historic urban centres (Norwich, Great Yarmouth and King’s Lynn) which act as the main civic and economic hubs for Norfolk
- Will drive the delivery of improved outcomes for the people of Norfolk
- Creates a singular focus for Norwich as the economic driving force and powerhouse of Norfolk
- Creates more opportunity for delivering economic growth
- Ensures areas will have appropriate place identities
- Is based on local relationships between existing districts with a track record of successful collaboration and delivering highly effective, cost effective services
- Provides a strong base for devolution alongside a Norfolk and Suffolk Strategic Authority
- Better maintains effective local engagement due to the number of smaller authorities which can build on highly successful methods of community and stakeholder engagement employed by each of the districts.
The city council will continue to develop the three-unitary model, including a Greater Norwich Council, for final submission to the Government on 26 September 2025. This will include a full business case and fully worked up boundaries.
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