Suffolk County Council

Suffolk County Council
Coat of arms or logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Chairman of the Council
Cllr Michael Ladd, Conservative
Since 24 May 2018
Leader of the Council
Cllr Matthew Hicks, Conservative
Since 24 May 2018
Structure
Seats 75 (38 needed for a majority)
Political groups
Administration
     Conservative Party (52)
Other parties
     Labour Party (11)
     Liberal Democrat (5)
     Independent (4)
     Green Party (3)
Length of term
 4 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
 4 May 2017
Next election
 7 May 2021
Meeting place
Endeavour House
Ipswich
Suffolk
United Kingdom
Website
www.suffolk.gov.uk

Suffolk County Council is the administrative authority for the county of Suffolk, England. It is run by 75 elected county councillors representing 63 divisions. It is a member of the East of England Local Government Association.

History

Established in 1974 and initially based at East Suffolk County Hall, the Council was located to Endeavour House in Ipswich in 2004.[1] In September 2010, the council announced that it would seek to outsource a number of its services, in an attempt to cut its own budget by 30%.[2] In 2011 controversy surrounding the CEO Andrea Hill featured in local and national press (including £122,000 spent on management consultants),[3] leading to her disciplinary hearing and resignation.[4]

Structure of the County Council

Endeavour House home of Suffolk County Council

The County Council is led by its CEO Nicola Beach, who has been in this role since May 2018[5].

The Council is split into 5 distinct areas known as directorates[6]. Each directorate has responsibility for a range of services and statutory requirements.

Directorates Directors
Adult and Community Services (ACS) Director Mike Hennessey
Corporate Services (CS) Director Chris Bally
Fire and Public Safety (FPS) Director Mark Hardingham
Growth, Highways and Infrastructure (GHI) Interim Director Aidan Dunn
Health, Wellbeing and Children’s Services (HWC) Director Sue Cook

Responsibilities

Suffolk County Council is responsible for major services which are provided countywide. These include:

  • Education and learning: schools, evening classes for adults, youth clubs and higher education grants.
  • Environment: conservation of the countryside and public access to it, waste disposal and archaeological services.
  • Leisure and culture: archives and support for arts and museums.
  • Public safety: fire rescue service and emergency planning advice.
  • Registrars: registration of births, marriages and deaths.
  • Social care: care for older people who are physically or mentally infirm, or have a mental health problem, those with physical or learning disabilities and children and families who need protection and support.
  • Trading standards: protecting consumers and giving advice.
  • Transport and streets: maintaining and improving Suffolk's roads, footpaths and public rights of way, road safety, public transport co-ordination.

Shared services

Responsibility for some services is shared between the county council and borough, district and parish councils in Suffolk, including:

  • Conservation
  • Economic promotion
  • Emergency planning
  • Museums and the arts
  • Public transport
  • Street cleaning
  • Tourism

Elections

The council is run by the Conservative party. The Conservatives hold 52 seats on the Council, Labour 11, Liberal Democrats 5, Independents 3, Greens 3 and West Suffolk Independents 1.

These last elections were held in May 2017.

Previous elections include:

References

  1. ↑ "Suffolk has its heart ripped out: Once-proud Grade Two listed county hall is wrecked by drug addicts and tramps". Daily Mail. 22 August 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "Suffolk County Council to outsource most services". BBC News. 2010-09-23. Retrieved 2010-09-23.
  3. ↑ Private Eye
  4. ↑ "Council chief Andrea Hill quits Suffolk Council". BBC News. 2011-07-06.
  5. ↑ "Chief Executive Officer". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Directorates". Suffolk County Council. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
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