I am very supportive of the paper that has been published today. It has been produced by councils from across Norfolk working together to find the best outcome for the residents of the county.

We live in a part of the country that is incredibly diverse, with urban, rural, and coastal areas and I believe that any change needs to keep local government genuinely local, reflecting the specific needs of residents and businesses, while strengthening democratic accountability and representation.

It is my view that we should only embrace local government reorganisation where we are confident any change can secure long-term positive benefits for our communities and I see the best chance of us achieving that outcome is under a three-unitary model.

Creating three unitaries will ensure that the size of the authority will remain close enough to communities to deliver a better understanding of local demand and enable the continued delivery of locally designed services.

This localised working, but on a broader scale, could have positive impacts across all our services, but particularly in priority areas like housing, health and social care, striking a balance between size and scale while protecting local identities.

I will continue to work closely with my district and county colleagues to deliver the best outcomes for everyone living and working in our communities.