The borough leader, Neil McDonald, was lambasted on Monday after he rejected an £80,000 plan to support parish councils in Suffolk with facing nationally significant projects like Sizewell C or Sunnica solar farm. However, councillor Richard Rout, Suffolk County Council’s cabinet member for devolution and local government reform, described the decision as "selfish", "narrow-minded" and "embarrassing". He said: "Yet again, Suffolk County Council are unnecessarily politicising an SPSL (Suffolk Public Sector Leaders) decision about an unsolicited application for a post focused on NSIP (National Strategic Infrastructure Project). The existing district and borough councils have proposed having three unitary authorities. Meanwhile, Suffolk County Council wants one authority to provide all services across the county.