João Santos
João is a Local Democracy Reporter covering Suffolk's district and borough councils, as well as Suffolk County Council.
News
Council approves £38m aquatics centre plan
Ipswich Borough Council has approved a £38 million aquatics centre as part of its £70 million four-year capital programme – but questions are already being raised about whether it will ever be built.by
Oliver Rouane-Williamsand
João Santos
News
Is Ipswich Borough Council being ambitious or reckless with your money?
Councillors have signed off a 2.99% council tax rise and £70m in town centre investment, but with the authority set to be abolished by 2028, opposition groups are questioning whether the promises can ever be delivered.byJoão SantosandOliver Rouane-Williams
News
Suffolk County Council approves maximum 4.99% council tax rise in 'best out of a bad job' budget
Suffolk County Council has approved a 4.99 per cent council tax increase, raising Band D bills by £82.26 to £1,731.69, after rejecting a Reform UK proposal for a smaller rise that was dismissed as flawed and lacking detail.byOliver Rouane-WilliamsandJoão Santos
News
Reform councillor's county council tax cut plan branded 'rubbish' and 'dangerous' by rivals
Opposition leaders have condemned a Reform UK councillor's alternative budget proposal as lacking substance and detail, with critics questioning how he would fund a lower council tax rise through unspecified job cuts and sick leave reductions.byJoão SantosandOliver Rouane-Williams
News
Council approves cremator replacement at Ipswich Crematorium
Ipswich Borough Council has given the go-ahead to replace two gas cremators at Ipswich Crematorium and carry out major refurbishment works to the building.byandJoão Santos
Nicola Sebastian
News
Mystery tenant to bring empty Ipswich building back to life with £560k council investment
An undisclosed tenant will bring an empty town centre building back into use after the council agreed to invest £560,000 in the property, though details about both the building's location and the nature of the project have been kept confidential.byOliver Rouane-WilliamsandJoão Santos
News
Suffolk's £150m SEND debt write-off welcomed but concerns remain
Suffolk County Council says the Government's decision to cancel 90 per cent of its £168 million special needs funding gap will make a real difference, but warns it does not remove financial pressure completely as the deficit continues to grow.byJoão SantosandOliver Rouane-Williams
News
'Rough' police precept increase approved despite affordability concerns
Councillors have approved a near-maximum increase to the police's share of Council Tax, with PCC Tim Passmore stressing not increasing the precept would be "so detrimental that it doesn't bear thinking about".byJoão SantosandOliver Rouane-Williams
News
Suffolk's local elections officially cancelled by Government
Local elections in Suffolk have been officially cancelled by the Government – a decision that is likely to prove highly contentious amongst residents.byOliver Rouane-WilliamsandJoão Santos
News
Council rents to rise by 4.8% from April
Ipswich Borough Council has approved a 4.8% increase to council housing rents from 1 April 2026, adding an average of £5.07 per week to social housing rents.byOliver Rouane-WilliamsandJoão Santos
News
Conservative councillors told how to vote on local election delays
Conservative councillors at Suffolk County Council were instructed by their party whip to vote down an amendment supporting local elections going ahead in May, with one admitting he could have broken ranks but chose to be a "team player" instead.byJoão SantosandOliver Rouane-Williams
News
Ipswich council to spend more than £600,000 on bins and bags
Ipswich Borough Council has agreed to spend more than £600,000 on bins and bags over the next three years to fulfil its statutory duty to deliver waste collections across the borough.byOliver Rouane-WilliamsandJoão Santos
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