Some Waveney communities will see a change in their governance after East Suffolk Council approved changes to councillor numbers and ward boundaries.

A unanimous vote in favour of the proposed changes was passed at a full council meeting last month, which will see changes across the district.

The council also agreed to attempt to implement the changes before the council elections in March 2023, which will require the chief executive to write to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE).

In Waveney, the main change will effect the Harbour and Normanston ward in Lowestoft.

The previously proposed changes would see a large single parish ward for the Harbour area, which East Suffolk's own review recommends splitting into two parish wards for "more effective and convenient local governance."

The change will not impact the number of councillors in the area.

A report on the proposals states: "A review will be carried out by the Electoral Services Team at East Suffolk to identify the most appropriate split of Harbour parish ward.

"The split will provide one parish ward with two councillors and one parish ward with three councillors."

The changes were also backed by Lowestoft Town Council, who say the split will result in more manageable and cost-effective by-elections, with the new parish wards due to take effect from 2027.

Despite ESC's approval for the change, LGBCE consent is required for the recommendation.

Elsewhere, the council also approved a recommendation to reduce the number of seats for Sotterley on Shadingfield, Sotterley, Willingham and Ellough Parish Council by half - from four to two.

The Sotterley seats were uncontested in 2015 and 2019, with three councillors out of a possible four currently in place.

In December 2021, the seat had a elector-councillor ratio of 23.8:1, which is predicted to rise to 47.5:1 by 2027.

The suggestion for the change was submitted to the CGR Member Working Group by Shadingfield, Sotterley, Willingham and Ellough Parish Council, who say reducing the seats will result in a more equitable representation for electors.

There is also a proposed change to a parish boundary, meaning 13 homes will move from Shadingfield to Redisham parish, affecting around 20 electors.

Consultation on the recommendations ran between May and July earlier this year.