Mid Suffolk

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Coord Template:Infobox settlement Mid Suffolk is a local government district in Suffolk, England. The district is primarily a rural area, containing just three towns, being Stowmarket, Needham Market and Eye. Its council was based in Needham Market until 2017 when it moved to shared offices with neighbouring Babergh District Council in Ipswich, outside either district. In 2021 it had a population of 103,417.

The neighbouring districts are East Suffolk, Ipswich, Babergh, West Suffolk, Breckland and South Norfolk.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering five former districts which were all abolished at the same time:

• Eye Municipal Borough
• Gipping Rural District
• Hartismere Rural District
• Stowmarket Urban District
• Thedwastre Rural District

Thedwastre Rural District had been in the administrative county of West Suffolk prior to the reforms; the other districts had all been in East Suffolk.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref> The new district was named Mid Suffolk, reflecting its position within the wider county.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

Governance

Mid Suffolk District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Suffolk County Council.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref> The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2011, Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils began working together, with one, fully integrated staff structure.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Political control

The council has been under Green Party majority control since the 2023 election, being the first time that the party had taken majority control of any council.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The first elections were held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:<ref name=compositions>Template:Cite web (Put "Mid Suffolk" in search box to see specific results.)</ref><ref name=gain>Template:Cite news</ref>

Party in control		Years
Template:Party name with colour	1974–1976
Template:Party name with colour	1976–2003
Template:Party name with colour	2003–2005
Template:Party name with colour	2005–2007
Template:Party name with colour	2007–2019
Template:Party name with colour	2019–2023
Template:Party name with colour	2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Penny Otton<ref name=Howard/>	Template:Party name with colour		May 2003
Roger Saunders<ref name=Howard>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=star>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	May 2003	Aug 2005
Tim Passmore<ref name=star/><ref name=BBC21Dec2012/>	Template:Party name with colour	Aug 2005	Nov 2012
Derrick Haley<ref name=BBC21Dec2012>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	Dec 2012	28 Apr 2016
Nick Gowrley<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	28 Apr 2016	May 2019
Suzie Morley<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	20 May 2019	May 2023
Andy Mellen<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Template:Party name with colour	22 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:<ref name=Thorncliffe>Template:Cite web</ref>

Party		Councillors
Template:Party name with colour	23
Template:Party name with colour	4
Template:Party name with colour	3
Template:Party name with colour	4
Total		34

The four independent councillors sit together as the "Mid Suffolk Independents" group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The next election is due in May 2027, where all seats of the council will be up for election.<ref name=Thorncliffe/>

Elections

Template:Also Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 34 councillors representing 26 wards, with each ward electing one or two councillors. Elections are held every four years.<ref>Template:Cite legislation UK</ref>

Premises

Since 2017 Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils have their combined headquarters at Endeavour House in Ipswich, sharing the building with Suffolk County Council.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Council Offices, High Street, Needham Market: Council's headquarters 1982–2017

When first created the council inherited offices in Elmswell, Eye, Stowmarket and Needham Market from its predecessors. It initially used the former Hartismere Rural District Council offices on Castleton Way in Eye as its headquarters, retaining the former Gipping Rural District Council offices in Needham Market and Stowmarket Urban District Council offices at Red Gables on Ipswich Road as secondary offices.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The council initially decided to consolidate its offices in Stowmarket, being the district's largest town and a central location, but no suitable site could be found there. Instead it decided to extend the former Gipping Rural District Council's headquarters in Needham Market. The original building there was a large eighteenth century house called "Hurstlea" at 131 High Street.<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref><ref>Template:NHLE</ref> A large modern extension was built behind the original building, which was formally opened in January 1982.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Towns and parishes

Hawks Mill at Needham Market

Church and Guildhall at Eye

The whole district is covered by civil parishes. The parish councils for Eye, Needham Market and Stowmarket have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Mid Suffolk District Council