I was walking along the beach this morning — as you do — pondering the benefits of creating new local authorities with new mayors here and new mayors there (Outlook, February 20). I cannot find — in my case with the proposed merger of Norfolk and Suffolk councils — a shred of published evidence that either of these bodies are competent.
Merge, create new structures, do whatever but, please, why have there never been any league tables published which tell us how good or bad our local authorities are. The government’s white paper on local government reform has no published criteria for us poor citizens — who pay for these services — to judge whether creating another merger will truly benefit us in kind. Think HS2, but worse.
Putting your finger in the air and hoping is what we did in 1974. Please let us not repeat this in 2025.
Here in Aldeburgh, roads are a Suffolk county council responsibility but our beaches are not, nor is the lighting, car parking or the collection of rubbish. It’s chaotic.
Publish the evidence of competency before we waste billions of pounds (again) when we vote next year.
Derek Wyatt
Former MP, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK
