Portfolio holders at a Suffolk council could be scrapped in favour of a committee system of decision making, as councillors have agreed to hold a debate in the New Year on future leadership.

Babergh District Council currently operates a leader and cabinet model of governance where a leader and series of councillors with portfolios on specific areas make many of the decisions.

But the Green group at the authority, which does not currently have any representation on the Conservative/Independent/Liberal Democrat cabinet, has called for a return to the committee system utilised until May 2017.

That would involve committees for each of the portfolios, such as housing, environment or economic growth, with councillors from all political parties being represented in those according to their numbers on the council.

Robert Lindsay, who represents North West Cosford ward, put forward a motion to Thursday night's full council meeting calling for consideration of the committee system to be brought back, approved by the council.

He said: "The key fact is that the committee system is the only system that guarantees every councillor has a say on what the council is doing.

"If you are not from the largest party you may not get your ideas through, but at least you get a chance to have a say and vote on it.

"We have to have another debate anyway. I think it is reasonable to have that debate when we are allowed to have it."

Local Government legislation requires councils to stay locked in to a system of decision making for at least five years.

The authority agreed to move from committees to cabinet on December 20 2016, meaning five years only elapses on December 20 2021.

The new system came in on May 23, 2017.

A variety of committee systems exist, some of which continue to have portfolio holders while others do not, but the committee format can give minority parties a stronger voice in decision making.

The Conservatives enjoyed a majority between 2015 and 2019, but didn't retain enough councillors to keep control in the May 2019 elections.

A rainbow coalition of four Conservatives, three Independents and one Liberal Democrat therefore formed an administration.

However, the Greens and Labour do not have representation on that body.

The council currently comprises 14 Conservatives, 10 Independents, four Greens, three Liberal Democrats and one Labour councillor.

Conservative leader John Ward said: "When I became leader nearly four years ago I did say I would try to build an administration that would be more inclusive, and to that end I included an Independent, Cllr Davis, in the cabinet.

"I made a commitment at the February meeting this year that the cabinet would look at ways of improving engagement and communication with the rest of the council.

"However, it is clear from conversations I have had that there is still more to do, which is evidenced by desire to explore the option of reverting to the committee system of governance, as many believe this would be more inclusive.

"It's now time that council has the opportunity to debate and make a decision."

The council's Constitution Working Group and officers will now work on drawing up the best options for both improving the current cabinet system and the best committee system for consideration, which will then go to the first full council meeting after December 20 for a decision.

Any changes agreed then will begin from May 2022.