Latest news with #CliffWaterman
BBC News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Three-council plan for Suffolk proposed
A proposal has been made to create three new councils in Suffolk under local government government wants the current council structure in the county scrapped and replaced with one layer of existing district and borough councils have proposed three unitary authorities, and the BBC understands they could be based around Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and County Council wants a sole authority to provide all services across the county. In June, the county was given nearly £300,000 to help develop plans for council government minister Jim McMahon said the funding should be split between councils and he hoped areas would collectively submit final five district and borough councils will now vote on whether to take forward their three-authority published proposals do not contain details about boundaries or names for the new councils. West Suffolk Council will be the first of the authorities to vote on the Waterman, the Labour leader of the council, said: "This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to ensure local government stays local and delivers for the communities and businesses it serves."A local unitary authority specifically for the western area of Suffolk would find it far easier than one mega council to concentrate on the unique attributes and needs of our market towns, and on the rural communities that surround them."The other local authorities will vote on the plans soon, with proposals due to be submitted to the government in September. Suffolk County Council has accused the district and borough councils of leaving "communities in the dark" over a lack of detail in their Rout, the council's cabinet member for local government reform, said: "This detail is important not only for the public, who rightly want to know where their town or village is within the districts' proposals, but also for us as we model the service implications for some of Suffolk's most vulnerable residents if the government chooses to break Suffolk up."Are they suggesting Felixstowe is in with east Suffolk or Ipswich? Where is Hadleigh, Woodbridge or the Shotley peninsula?"We just don't know, and by not coming clean they're keeping the public in the dark and putting service users at potential risk." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New MP office opens in market town
An MP has opened a new parliamentary office in a market town after it felt "like the right thing to do". Dr Peter Prinsley, Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, opened the office about a year after being elected. The MP will hold surgeries at his new office in 4 Market Place, in Stowmarket. Dr Prinsley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It did feel to me like putting the office in Stowmarket made sense. There had never previously been any parliamentary office here; it felt like the right thing to do." The MP officially opened the office by cutting a red ribbon with the help of his wife, Dr Marian Prinsley, on Friday. "Stowmarket is a really lovely little town, and we are very pleased to be able to be here," he added. The MP and his staff had been using the space for several months but had to delay the opening date until security provisions could be organised. Cliff Waterman, labour councillor and leader at West Suffolk Council, said the opening was great news for Bury St Edmunds. "He's saying 'here I am, come talk to me' and I think that's what an MP should be doing," he added. His office will employ four people regularly, in a mix of part-time and full-time roles, and will eventually offer internships and work experience opportunities. Dr Prinsley said: "I'm usually here at the end of the week – I hope people might spot me, we're definitely open to people coming to see us." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Local Democracy Reporting Service
BBC News
29-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
MP Peter Prinsley opens new parliamentary office in Stowmarket
An MP has opened a new parliamentary office in a market town after it felt "like the right thing to do".Dr Peter Prinsley, Labour MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, opened the office about a year after being elected. The MP will hold surgeries at his new office in 4 Market Place, in Stowmarket. Dr Prinsley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "It did feel to me like putting the office in Stowmarket made sense. There had never previously been any parliamentary office here; it felt like the right thing to do." The MP officially opened the office by cutting a red ribbon with the help of his wife, Dr Marian Prinsley, on Friday."Stowmarket is a really lovely little town, and we are very pleased to be able to be here," he added. The MP and his staff had been using the space for several months but had to delay the opening date until security provisions could be Waterman, labour councillor and leader at West Suffolk Council, said the opening was great news for Bury St Edmunds. "He's saying 'here I am, come talk to me' and I think that's what an MP should be doing," he added. His office will employ four people regularly, in a mix of part-time and full-time roles, and will eventually offer internships and work experience Prinsley said: "I'm usually here at the end of the week – I hope people might spot me, we're definitely open to people coming to see us." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
