Government had previously announced that whilst it did not believe that proposals for unitary councils put forward for Norwich and Ipswich in January 2007 met all its strict criteria, there remained a case for unitary arrangements covering the borough or city, and potentially the wider county areas of Norfolk and Suffolk.
The Boundary Committee has therefore been asked to advise, by 31 December 2008, whether there are alternative unitary proposals that will deliver quality public services, value for money, stronger leadership, neighbourhood engagement and a broad cross section of support.
The Boundary Committee has also been asked to advise whether there are workable unitary proposals that cross the existing Suffolk/Norfolk border containing Great Yarmouth and Waveney councils that would deliver real benefits for local people.