Changes for Coastal Partnership in Suffolk

A partnership that manages Suffolk’s eroding coast is set to be scrapped.

Since 2016, Coastal Partnership East - has been managing the vulnerable coastline right around all of East Anglia.

However, East Suffolk Council says that sea level rise and climate change are having an impact and have stretched resources more than was expected when the partnership started.

As a result - the district council will now lead in protecting places such as Pakefield, where cliffs continue to fall into the sea.

When Coastal Partnership East was created in 2016 it was anticipated that peaks and troughs of resource demands would mean a partnership approach would work efficiently across a shared coastal frontage. Since then the pace of coastal change has increased, with several significant events over the intervening years, which has led it to be challenging to prioritise shared resources effectively to meet local need.

East Suffolk Council Cabinet has agreed to proposals which would lead to the dissolution of the Coastal Partnership East (CPE) programme. The three partner Councils will all be considering the matter at meetings to be held this month. Should agreement be reached, CPE would cease operating, allowing the three individual councils a more flexible approach to focus on their own specific coastal management needs.

When Coastal Partnership East was created in 2016 it was anticipated that peaks and troughs of resource demands would mean a partnership approach would work efficiently across a shared coastal frontage. Since then the pace of coastal change has increased, with several significant events over the intervening years, which has led it to be challenging to prioritise shared resources effectively to meet local need.

The initial agreement anticipated peaks and troughs of resource sharing at different times across the three councils. However, there has been a continual demand on each local authority to manage the effects of sea level rise and climate change. Therefore, it is now considered necessary for each council to direct staff and resources towards managing the individual challenges of their coast effectively.

Councillor David Beavan, East Suffolk Cabinet Member and CPE Board Member said: “The partnership has achieved a huge amount. However, this proposal is in the best interests of East Suffolk’s coastal communities, enabling us to dedicate our own resources to our communities and partners. This will help us ensure we deliver the best possible approach for our coast and its particular demands.”