A peninsula councillor has welcomed a proposed move to bring work done to remove graffiti removal, managing playgrounds and maintain car parks and other council services to be brought back under their own roof.

Babergh District Council has been recommended to change from outsourcing key public realm services and instead adopting an 'in house' model of provision akin to those already delivered at Mid Suffolk District Council.

It emerged at a joint scrutiny committee of the councils last week in which it was recognised that the contract for outsourcing at Babergh was coming up for review, and delivering more services in house could make them more efficient.

Babergh councillor Mary McLaren, who represents Stour ward, which covers Holbrook, Harkstead and Stutton, said: "Public realm in our area of the world does not have a high profile and I think we would welcome that."

It relates to 'public realm' services which include: emptying litter bins; maintaining council grounds; warden services; maintaining play areas and parks; litter picking; emptying dog bins and litter bins; dealing with fly-tipping; highways verges work on behalf of the county council; public toilet management and maintaining car parks.

It would not affect contracts on waste collections and leisure facility management.

The scrutiny committee has recommended that Babergh adopts an 'in house' model, which must be approved by the council's cabinet, and if approved would likely take effect from November 2021 when the current contract for outsourcing ends.

Council officers said a single in-house operation for both councils would help increase service standards, provide a more efficient response and help improve biodiversity with projects such as re-wilding areas.

The committee report confirmed that the changes could be made within the existing budget.

The two councils have not ruled out forming a trading company further down the line to deliver services, but a move to having both councils in-house first would be more beneficial in the short and medium term.

The cabinets at both councils must now decide which model they want to adopt in future.