It is an area with its own high street and unique history - and is a tourist destination in its own right.

Soo it is only fair, some say, that Kirkley should have its own parish council fighting for its interests. Yet hopes that this part of Lowestoft would get its own governmental body have not been proposed in a consultation.

Lowestoft is unusual in that the majority of the town is not represented by a town or parish council.

That has given Waveney District Council the opportunity to correct what some people see as a 'democratic deficit', by creating organisations that will fight for their individual areas.

Yet while its two proposed options include creating one large Lowestoft town council or a smaller town council with separate parishes for Pakefield and Oulton Broad, the consultation document said: 'There is no proposal to create a separate parish council for the area of Kirkley.

'Although the area does have its own identity and a strong business community, it was felt to be too much of an integral part of the town of Lowestoft to not be a part of a Lowestoft Town Council.

'Not including Kirkley would create a town council covering mostly the north half of Lowestoft and it was felt that overall, the creation of a new town council for Lowestoft should promote unity and give representation to the town as a whole.'

It stressed that Kirkley would still be represented with its own ward councillors on a new town council.

But Desmond Baldry, who chairs a 'Kirkley Parish Council-in waiting', said: 'It is a completely different type of area.

'I don't like the idea of a big town council that is going to cost the taxpayer a fortune.

'Parish councils would be of minimal expense.'

The consultation closed on Monday (August 22).

What do you think? Write, giving your full contact details, to: andrew.papworth@archant.co.uk