David Ruffley MP has today spoken of his disappointment at the Boundary Committee's recommendations for the restructuring of local government in Suffolk.

The Boundary Committee has recommended two unitary authorities in Suffolk- Greater Ipswich, including Ipswich, Felixstowe, the Shotley and Deben peninsulas, and the Great Blakenham area, and a single council for the rest of Suffolk, excluding Lowestoft which will be included in a huge Norfolk unitary authority.

David said:

'This is a truly bizarre decision- I have been opposed to this costly and unnecessary reorganisation of local government from the outset. However, I had hoped the Boundary Committee's decision would have some semblance of logic or, at the very least, be in accordance with one of the suggestions put forward by our democratically elected local authorities.

'Let us be clear about one thing- there will be no savings from this reorganisation and council tax will not be reduced because of it. Any savings that are mooted will be swallowed up by the gigantic costs of administering the reorganisation.

'This decision is not about saving money- if the Government wanted to do that they would have taken the axe to the ridiculous number of unelected bureaucrats that dominate regional affairs.

'This is blatant gerrymandering from Labour- they are trying to fiddle the political map around where they think their votes are.'