Prevention is better than cure

Did anyone else watch the BBC "on the Case" programme about eyesight? When a BBC team with an optician did a spotcheck in Aylesbury (where 9 out of 10 haven't had a eye test in the recommended last 2 years) the results were quite shocking.

And the main reason was the eye test fee costing normally £20.

I wonder what the result would be in South Suffolk? I must admit I'm guilty as the day before the programme I had my first test for too many years. Yet it was all the other checks that the optician did eg diabetes, cateracts that mean we shouldn't avoid this MOT if you will.

Government shouldnt put financial barriers in the way of preventative health care.

IMF slates VAT cut. Gordon should have listened to Vince.

The International Monetary Fund has said the VAT cut is not seen as an incentive to spend. It does presume you have the money to spend.
Now Vince Cable and the Lib Dems did try and get this £12.5 billion Budget item overthrown. Did the Tories support us ??
Vince and the Lib Dems suggested that this money would be better spent giving a real stimulus to the hard pressed sectors of the economy eg construction by using the money to expand the green economy such as energy efficiency of homes and schools/hospitals, public transport infrastructure and building zero carbon social houses and having a win, win by creating and protecting jobs, reducing fuel bills and cutting climate change gases.
Did the Tories support this??

Public buildings need to lead the way

Government owned buildings are some of the worst for energy efficiency and carbon emissions. This is a story which will not get much coverage.
Yet, tackling climate change needs the Government to lead the way and set the example. If individuals are to improve their homes and cut emissions by changing behaviour then we need to be confident that our Government is doing exactly the same and even more.
The worst offender, the Dept of Energy and Climate Change!! The defence is........ sorry there isn't one. The longer we take to act, the more painful it will be.
Government needs to start putting Nicholas Stern's review at the centre of everything.

Forgotten roots

What has happened in this country when 2 amazing turnarounds occur in the same week.
Fistly, Labour threaten to charge interest on Social Fund loans given to the very poorest and often needed in an emergency. I watched an agitated Neil Kinnock on TV struggling to contain his anger and disbelief that a Labour, sorry New Labour government was considering it.
Its like a Victorian attack on the "undeserving poor."

Secondly, the war that has begun between the Police and the Conservatives who have seen themselves traditionally as the party of law and order. Clearly there is a bit of a ceasefire at present but when Boris started interferring in the Met, then unrelated, the police arrest and investigate Damien Green Tory MP and the Mail newspaper (long term Tory friend) starts running stories on the business interests of the wife of the senior police officer investigating Mr Green. Potentially, it all starts looking like a steady long term relationship heading to a messy divorce.

Interesting times lie ahead.

Should politics enter into it?

A friend asked me why politics were involved in the Town Council?
Well till May 2007 when the Conservatives got a majority it hadn't for the 8 previous years I'd been on it.
The Mayor was shared between Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem and Independent. Issues were discussed on merit and no one opposed something just because a member from another party or none suggested it. The Chair of Committees were shared out on merit not on political logo.
Now, all Chairs and Vice Chairs are Conservative (apart from one vice chair which was an accident!), the Mayor and Deputy is always Conservative and often a block vote of 11 out of 16 occurs. Even pre meetings occur to make decisions on how to vote on issues. Sometimes you wonder whether discussion and debate is worthwhile when some councillors nod in agreement with you and then vote in a totally different direction. Even worse they tell you the trouble they would get into if they did vote with the Lib Dems.
For the record our Lib Dem councillors can vote freely, we have no pre meetings, we often vote together as we share similar views but this is a Town Council dealing with very local issues. We will support a Conservative members good idea, I just wish it was reciprocal

Sudbury Town Council and next year's council tax.

The latest draft of next year's budget for the Town Council makes some unhappy reading. A whopping 11% increase is forecast by the Tory run council. Unfortunately, they have committed themselves to a number of new spending issues without thinking about the budget to come.
I have got in the budget (again) the funding of Eden's youth club for an extra night and I hope this isn't going to be a victim just like last year when the Tories took the funding out for it right at the last moment.
Many councillors say that youth facilities need to improve so I hope they are good to their word.
There is also the funding for the new PCSO officer part funded by the Council. This was an idea supported by all on the Council but again no one listened about the effect on the budget and what might need to be reduced or delayed for another year.
Then, of course, there is that land to the rear of the Town Hall, costing a 5 figure sum in interest, with no money set aside to do anything with it, mind you, could they afford to?
The Town Council might be a small part of your council tax bill but each year the same Tory councillors say we must not be over inflation. Well that worthy aim might be quite painful to get to this year. If only some councillors thought about whether we can afford this or how it can be paid for before they said yes lets do that.
Seeing the big picture is distinctly and sadly lacking.

Babergh Council tax increase.

Babergh District Council's council tax is likely to increase by 2.9 - 3.5% for next year(2009-2010). The economic down turn has made it a difficult task with constant changes to interest rates affecting investment income but there will be some real service improvements as Babergh is entering the free swimming for the retired scheme set out by the Government.
On Babergh there is a healthy cross party consensus that council tax rates should be as near to the inflation rate as possible and even below it if we can but without damaging services.
Unfortunately, Babergh is only approximately 10% of your bill but being the collecting authority it often gets the blame when there are big increases.

Tory Fiasco over schools in Clare.

Conservatives are at each others throats again, this time over schools in Clare.

The Tory run County Council has refused parents wishes and their own party policy on a new secondary school in Clare.

Yet the inepitude started earlier.

Firstly, they decided to close excellent schools such as Clare Middle and Stoke by Nayland Middle School.

The key piece of evidence that children in the 2 tier system that achieve 7 B grades at GCSE would only get 6 B's and 1 C grade in the 3 tier system! Oh and of course, it was nothing to do with money!

Next they forgot that students from Clare middle school go to both Haverhill and Sudbury Upper schools. So when they started reorganisation and the foolish decision to close Clare Middle school they did the Haverhill pyramid first and decided to do the Sudbury pyramid later, forgetting those students from Cavendish, Glemsford, Hartest that then go on to Sudbury. Where would they go?

Next by reorganising, they put alot of schools on a death sentence that makes staff recruitment and retention very difficult and will see some schools being half empty for a number of years.One has to fear what might be the educational consequence.

What we need are all local secondary schools to be well resourced and quality schools. Choice would create winners and losers and as school funding relies on student numbers, the consequences for other local schools are quite evident.
It is apparent that parents have produced an excellent document and case for a secondary school remaining in Clare. The consequence for Clare's sustainability and viability could be negative.
Finally, the move to more vocational qualifications could make it very dificult for a small rural secondary. There will be many students moving between different schools and the West Suffolk College to be on a Vocational course as no one school can provide the full range. The times in schools are changing, hopefully the new curriculum will be for the better but thats for another post, another day.

December is a quiet month!?

December is a bizarre council month. The Town Council only has the fortnightly planning committee and Babergh managed a half an hour long Full Council today. I just wonder how many members in full time employment attended that one ? The journey to and from Hadleigh would have been longer!
Council meetings might be short on the ground but the bad weather brings concerns over trees near homes and planning issues never go away though the economic downturn is definately meaning there are fewer applications at present.

What to do with Belle Vue?

I see that someone is calling for the Town Council to go back to Belle Vue House and be the centre of an amalgamated Sudbury, Cornard and Chilton and that the Town Hall could be used for community use.
Firstly, Chilton doesn't want it. Why would a small parish want to go in with 2 big partners. The future is partnership working as we do by employing the 2 Community Wardens.
Secondly and most importantly, the Town Council would have to purchase Belle Vue House as this building would be transferred to the new Unitary Authority.
So why did the Town Council speculatively buy that piece of land behind the Town Hall - only for new offices!
Why would they purchase Belle Vue House for "new offices" too?
As for amalgamating Sudbury and Cornard, some councillors would like the "power", the kudos, or even to be Mayor of both? But no one is talking about it because its not needed.
Everything can be done by partnership working.
They might border each other but Sudbury and Cornard are still different communities.
Bigger is not always better.
Anyway, till the new Unitary authorities for Suffolk arrive we dont know what extra responsibilities the town council/parish councils will get if any at all.

Babergh tries to limit future housing growth

At Strategy Committee the other day we were considering demands to increase housing growth for the South Suffolk area beyond existing levels. The Government really wants this for 2021-31. EERA also want us to consider where the new houses would then go.
Martyn Booth and I argued that we should not accept this increase in growth rate. Our infrastructure in towns such as Sudbury,Cornard and Hadleigh has not been improved by County or Government in fact we had seen services lost due to centralisation. Any increase in growth would most likely go into the market towns. This would be unacceptable.
The Committee totally agreed and it was good that we had total cross party support.

If Brown is to save the world?

Fans of the BBC2 series "Heroes" will know that to save the world Gordon Brown will have to save the cheer leader. But finding a cheer leader for this Government might be a problem for this Primeminister!

chance of a western bypass?

The announcement that nearly 100 road schemes across the East of England are bidding for just over half a billion pounds upto 2019means that we will be lucky to get our much needed relief road.
Suffolk County Council may have put it on a list but alongside 9 other Suffolk schemes means the odds are small.
At the same time, Suffolk have struggled to do any traffic management in the town. This was a precursor to getting a bypass. BUT here is the sting in the tail. If we are unlikely to get a bypass for another 10+ years minimum then what traffic management are they going to put in to deal with the traffic growth with existing housing development or any other ones? What are your plans Conservatives at Suffolk? Do you have any? Or as your tactic of promising every market town that needed a bypass knowing full well the funding wouldn't be there so you could blame the Government for it, been found out?
Why not be honest with communities and bid for what is actually achievable rather than being disingenuous. We need some solutions to our traffic, a bypass would help us to make roads safer to promote cycling and walking but some radical, new ideas are needed in the mean time?

First the Community Hospital, next post offices, then the tax office, finally the magistrates court?

The Government has announced the closure of South Suffolk's only tax office. So what? many would say but in a rural area the centralisation of services whether due to cost cutting (or is it efficiency gains?) or the greater use of the internet rather than face to face has a detrimental effect on an area where public transport is infrequent and poor for many.
But it isnt just tax offices, we have already lost several post offices and the threat still hangs over the use of local justice in our only Magistrate court and exactly where will some of the beds that are in Walnuttree hospital end up being?
Services in rural areas are more expensive to deliver so the pressure to centralise is obvious but the social cost and the financial cost to the customer in time off work or even the environmental cost in travelling further mean officals need to have a rethink.
Our market towns grow, our rural population grows but the services move further away. Not all are ICT gurus or even trust the security of some sites and some may even want to leave their homes and reassuringly talk to someone(!)
In a rural area like South Suffolk our market towns of Sudbury and Hadleigh need to be service centres so other visits and money is spent here. Government needs to understand rural areas better.

"No" to Chilton Quarry

Great news that the second proposal to build a Quarry at Chilton has been refused. An appeal is due on the first application in the New Year.
When the Police oppose an application on road safety grounds then I really think that officals should listen and proposers of the scheme realise that this is a no go.
There is a little sting though that campaigners need to think about. The Chilton Woods development will need a source of aggregate etc and the soil removed from the site will need to be disposed of. Lorry movements from that are going to be a problem for Sudbury and the villages on the A134/131. There is a need to think how this will be minimised.

Christmas Lights

Friday night saw the new Christmas lights turned on in Sudbury successfully. The layout is different to previous years, they use alot less energy and they give a better ambience. Please give your views on what you think.

Sudbury and Play equipment for all.

The other night at the Town Council we were discussing how to use the money from Section 106 payments from small developments in town. The idea of equipment that is for exercise as well as fun was looked at, the idea coming from the Town Clerk. this is equipment that any age can use whether young or retired and would be great fun.
We have enough money for 3 sites so I suggested that we look at Tudor Green, Pinecroft Rise, First/Second Avenue. A site in each ward. It is investigate. Its not definate. There nmay be issues with the sites. But its a tremendous idea.

Hadleigh's new leisure facility

Hadleigh so deserves a new leisure facility. The new plans are before Development Committee.
It was a real disappointment that Babergh could not truely afford a new Pool but in its £2 million investment for a complex next door to the existing Pool, Hadleigh will get something that a market town of its size deserves.
In the dark days, when everyone was talking of closure of the Pool, our Lib Dem Group kept fighting that leisure should be a priority in a town like Hadleigh. It did not make us popular with the Tories and even others at the Council.
Once 2012 is out of the way let us hope that lottery money becomes available again for new Pools and Hadleigh can get what it truely wants.

Go slow on Sudbury's western bypass

When the Government turned down the bypass they instructed Suffolk County Council to try traffic management. If this failed to reduce congestion and traffic problems then a bypass could be revisited.
You have to ask what have Suffolk done in the last 3 to 4 years? The Cross St scheme still isn't finished, the improved Belle Vue junction is scrapped, they have scaled down any work on Melford Rd. They have limited money for minor traffic management in Sudbury and so the bypass will remain long term.
YET, the Conservative Transport Portfolio holder keeps saying they are doing their best, it wont fall off the agenda. They promise they are telling government about Sudbury's case but dont do anything on the ground to help it. If they were genuine they would be truely showing that traffic management won't work because the geography of Sudbury makes it a traffic nightmare to resolve. Our Conservative MP needs to take his fellow Suffolk Conservatives to task. They would also admit, it was their Conservative colleagues in Essex CC and Braintree DC who opposed it last time too.

Budget thoughts

After that Budget, I know what its going to cost me but I'm unsure what I'll gain.

What worried me?
1. that the finances will not be back to normal till after 2015. 2 elections later
2. the optimistic view that growth will return in a year.
3. if this view is wrong then....
4. will VAT cuts get passed on to customers in all sectors?
5. the cut in public spending, so only 1.2% increases instead of 1.8%. If wage deals are 3year then there are going to be some real redundancies in schools, health and councils.
6. the cuts in public spending don't account for the National Insurance increases schools, hospitals will face in the future.Budgets are going to be very difficult.
7. the size of the borrowing, up to 57% of GDP.
8. the denial that Gordon and Alistair had any role in this "American caused recession!"
9. the budget admits there are significant uncertainities in the figures. More tax increases may be needed. Lets hope not.
10. if the Banks dont start lending then this stimulus is wiped out.

Finally, why wasnt it a tax cut for the low paid. The people who need it most. Some have no more to spend, some have borrowed to their limit, so how does cutting VAT help?

As for the Tories, exactly what would they have done? For a party of deregulation they have few answers.

Sudbury bus station regeneration. Hope for a cinema?

So what should happen to this area on the edge of the town centre? Is the future, a new shopping area with possibly a much wanted cinema and some housing or is an upgraded bus station more needed? Can the 2 be put together.
What is needed is some vision. I hope that new landowners, Babergh and the County will urgently talk to each other and consult with the public on what they think.
We had a good possibility shown by the Civic Trust study. Whatever this area is vital to Sudbury's future as a Market Town. It has to be got right.

Lib Dems and Vince Cable got the economy right

I'm always shocked that the Lib Dems never get the economic credit they deserve.
Firstly, it was Lib Dem policy for Bank of England to be independent which Gordon Brown immediately stole in 1997 eventhough it wasn't in their manifesto. An important part of low inflation. But to the present day.
Vince Cable Lib Dem Shadow Chancellor has been warning for years about a personal debt crisis and irresponsible lending. Every time, the Brown would ignore. Then Northern Rock went wrong, Vince Cable suggests nationalisation, Brown dithers, the Tories can't accept it, nothing is done till much later and the situation is worse.
It is the Lib Dems that warned about regulation failure of the financial sector but the Tories wanted less and Labour were on watch, overseeing it all.
It is the Lib Dems that call for house prices to be in the measure of inflation to stop such spirals. It is the Lib Dems that call for repossessions to be a last resort, for Councils and RSL's to be allowed to purchase new empty stock for affordable homes.
The Lib Dems call for a 4p tax cut for for the low paid and middle earners months ago now Labour think a financial stimulus is needed so tax cuts are predicted. It is the Lib Dems that call for a funded tax cut by increasing taxes on the highest earners to pay for the tax cuts to the lower paid for it is they who need it most.

People need to remember Brown and Labour presided over the UK economy ignoring warnings, failing on who was overseeing the Banks and delaying on solutions which made it worse.
Tory and Labour lead to boom and bust.

Sudbury's Belle Vue House.

West Suffolk college have applied to turn the video store on Cornard Road into a new education facility hopefully linked to the new Suffolk University in Ipswich. If this means an access point to more further and higher education in South Suffolk, then brilliant!
Some may think what does that do to Belle Vue House, I think they would have moved anyway as Belle Vue House is not very disabled access friendly or potentially suitable for a modern ICT based education facility. There is a serious question about what Sudbury wants Belle Vue House to be used for? if the Citizens Advice Bureau also want new facilities and leave?

Belle Vue park update

The land swap is off between Babergh District Council and McCarthy & Stone as they have sold the site by the bus station to a local company. This means that Belle Vue House cannot be sold, demolished or redeveloped unless the issue returns to the Strategy committee at the Council.

The site by the bus station could potentially give Sudbury new shops, cinema or other community facilities in the future. If this site had been lost to a McCarthy & Stone retirement flats development any new retail would have had to go to the edge of town in competition with the town centre. So lets hope the new purchaser has good ideas for the area which is vital to our town's economic vitality in the future.

As for the BMX site, apparently talks are still ongoing but I hear that Suffolk Highways may not want the second entrance onto Cornard Rd. This road would take some of the Park by the toilets(see previous post) and would really change the nature of the Park.

Post office threat averted?

This Labour government had embarked on an attempt to get a private contractor to run the Card Account that delivers benefits and pensions. This is delivered at present by the Post Office. The threat of losing this contract to Paypoint or a major bank threatened another 3,000 post office closures. It was only a short time ago we lost 2,500 post offices and for every 1 saved another was closed.
Mant post offices support also a village shop. They rely on people coming to collect a benefit or pension and then spending money there. The social function is enormous and can be vital for a village's sustainability in planning terms. The Labour government see a several million £ loss per week as need for further privatisation. Mrs Thatcher would have been proud of New Labour in many ways. Often there is a need for innovation but some services are basic and part of the fabric of village life. Many elderly people suffer from isolation in rural areas and therefore the social function and contact is hard to value.
Thank goodness a change of mind has ocurred yesterday. The excuse the credit crunch, reality is probably not wanting more bad press and a successful lobby to halt this privatisation too far.

Poll: How should the area around the bus staion be developed?

Here is my first attempt at a Poll. Hope people will have a go. See the right side of the page to complete it.

Fight fuel poverty and climate change

Energy is expensive with many single elderly people (est 80%) struggling with fuel poverty. The window for fighting climate change is small. The 2 are linked. There is an urgent need for Councils and Social landlords to improve their energy efficiency whether it is insulation, boilers or new design. Government needs to help homeowners who cannot afford these works. It will help employment, it will aid the environment, it will reduce poverty. yet inertia reigns, there is no urgency.
Energy companies charge a higher rate for the first fuel you use yet it is the most essential. Why? Surely this should be the lowest rate? Low users are penalised eg your single elderly resident. It actually suggests use more and pay less.

Sudbury Town Council: "not through the tradesman entrance!"

So last night at Full Council, they decided to employ architects to design a new toilet and office block on the land to the rear of the Town Hall. This will re-locate the advice centre,Town Clerk etc.
A town always needs good toilets but surely refurbishing Burkitts Lane would have been a cheaper option.
An interesting new comment came about from Conservative Deputy Mayor Cllr Beer, " we want the main doors open rather than people coming in through the tradesman entrance at the side of the Town Hall."
So thats what its all about! But if you are moving the staff and advice centre into new offices in the car park who is going to want to go into the Town Hall through the front door?? Is this a delusion of grandeur?

Sudbury Remembers

Today, on the 11th November if you have a spare moment go into the Town Hall via the Tourist Information Centre to view the Living War Memorial which tells the stories of those who fell from Sudbury in both World Wars. There are some moving tributes and miraculous stories. This was my Mayoral project in 2006-07.

Ross Scott new Lib Dem President

Congratulations to Ross Scott on becoming the new Lib Dem President by a mile. Ross is a former Suffolk County Councillor and sits in the House of Lords. She's been a good friend to South Suffolk. I'm sure Lembit Opik will be disappointed though somehow its not a surprise.

Sudbury: The need for residents parking

The County Council need to introduce residents parking in and around the Town centre. I have residents in a number of streets (Friars St, Church St, Cross St, Queens Rd/Suffolk Rd, Gaol Lane) who struggle to park anywhere near their home. Obviously no one has a right to park outside their property but in a historic town with many houses having no off street parking and limited on street due to the narrow streets then space is at a premium. In a market town like Sudbury with not the best bus services then most shop & office workers come in by car.

Residents in Gaol Lane want to start a petition and hopefully we'll take it to the Town Council to get their support too.

Suffolk County Council say they are waiting for a report on decriminalisation so till that is ready they wont issue any permits. That seems unnecessary where there is a clear and obvious case.
Babergh is now policing the car parks and PCSO's seem to be policing the streets so why do we have to wait, they ask?

Conservatives cost you. Sudbury Town Council land saga. part 2

This issue is like a yo yo. The Conservative dominated Town council said new offices for the Town Council were the priority with the Mayors Parlour re-established and the front doors to be open, for what when the offices are to the rear, one can only guess?
Now realising they cant use any of the Tesco Section 106 money for this as, not surprisingly, it has to be used for town regeneration. Some are thinking of going to the second priority which was new toilets eventhough they have just closed down the Burkitts Lane toilets which could have been refurbished. Why because they can use the S106 money. The Conservatives are now totally divided some want the offices, others toilets meanwhile Sudbury taxpayers have bought a piece of land just before the credit crunch which has dropped in value, has been used as staff car parking for a year and has no coherent plan for it.
Tuesday 11th council will have to give some direction. Whether the Tory majority is capable is doubtful.
The Lib Dems would want affordable housing, its what the site has permission for! Its what the Tories thought should be the 3rd choice. And we didn't need to buy the land for this to happen.

Sudbury Car Parks victory

After a couple of months of trying to get a rethink and change, I am delighted that officers of Babergh District Council have re-thought the scheme where the machines would not dispense tickets between 5pm and 8am. Now night shift workers, residents and people with early medical appointments won't face the threat of a fixed penalty notice.
I am just delighted because for a time I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall. Perserverence wins!

Sudbury Fireworks

No not a Council meeting but the successful "free" Fireworks,last night,organised by the Town Council at Delphi. A really good family event. Feedback has been really positive and the event was well supported if slightly down on last year.
Car park duty involved alot of arm waving!!

Melford Road new crossing

Success !! Suffolk County Council say they are investigating putting in a new crossing near the Chaucer Rd/Melford Rd junction and definately a reduced speed limit after residents have been asking for ages. They may even improve the junction too. I got this on the Town Council agenda and gained their support. This issue came from one of our Lib Dem councillor surgeries. Shows it works.

Threat to Belle Vue Park, Sudbury.

Alot has been in the press about development to Belle Vue much of it inaccurate and speculative but right in wanting to protect it.
This picture shows the battle ground. For the developer to be able to build the new health facility on the BMX site, they need a second entrance on to Cornard Rd. This would take the road through the hedge into the Park, past the public toilets (road safety issue) and bring traffic into the heart of what is a peaceful haven where children can run free at present. No more if this was to happen.

There are no plans to build all over the Park that is scaremongering but this a real threat to the peace and tranquility never mind the small area of the park lost for future generations.

Yes, Sudbury needs a new health facility but not one that takes our public space. Yes,the old BMX site could be used if the development remains in the walled area. (Sudbury Town Council and Gt Cornard Parish Councils are building a new BMX site up near KFC).Yes, there are other possible sites eg Walnuttree and Church Field Rd. Yes, no sale unless planning permission is achieved is a condition.

No planning application has been made yet. The PCT could chose another site. Lets hope the developers realise the battle they will face.

Regional Spatial Strategy or where shall we put more houses?

How many more houses do you think Suffolk needs by 2031? Well if some get their way then it will be nearly 100,000 more than initially estimated.
Next question. Where should we put them? New Eco-town(s)? expand villages? market towns? or large urban areas? Or equitably across all options?

The serious questions are how accurate are the estimates? how many new houses will be due to household growth ie divorce, marriage later, longer life expectancy, more singles and how many due to economic growth? Should it be on greenfield or brownfield?And what infrastructure improvements can be gained to cope with growth in those areas? The County Council told Sudbury last time, " growth will help you get your bypass. I thought then it wouldn't and of course it hasn't."

Social changes and internal migration plus the need for affordable housing means growth but our beautiful county and countryside needs protecting too. A balance is needed.

land question

Residents are concerned about Babergh Council selling a small parcel of land part (12metre sq)of an area of open space on their estate in Ballingdon to a household. Is this sale retrospective? Residents claim the land has been grabbed already. This kind of issue is difficult but residents are also worried about precedent here. They don't want more land being sold later so more housing can be built.

Postscript: land has not been taken already, residents have got together nearly 100 letters of objection and the decision may go to the Secretary of State.

Sudbury Car parks and ticket machines

Residents in the Town centre have been complaining about the new ticket machines in the Babergh car parks. They stop issuing tickets at 5pm and restart at 8am. So what? Well if you are a resident in a small terraced house with no on-street parking or off street parking who has used the car parks for years or a resident in a new flat built because planning policy allows flats to be built without spaces if public car parks are nearby then it does matter. Why? because residents are getting penalty notices for non display of a ticket even if a few minutes late. Its inflexible, residents had no warning and the solution is quite simple either a) machines dispense tickets all day or b) give residents adjoining the 2 car parks a permit valid till 11am (3 hr wait).
Some do not like the machines but parking is still free and they manage the spaces well. People were obviously overstaying the 3 hour limit before.
The County Council really need to help us deal with our traffic problems in a co-ordinated and integrated way. Everything is piecemeal. I think the County Council really don't know what to do about traffic in Sudbury.

Sudbury Tories vote against the need for councillor training.

Last night (14th Oct) Dean Walton a Conservative councillor brought a proposal that councillors should follow standards training, all chairs & vice chairs should have training and the Chair of Council should be limited to 2 years.
Having just been awarded Quality Status I would have thought that Council would have welcomed this and realised they need it but NO!
Council decided that "these proposals are not appropriate and therefore not supported."
All the Lib Dem councillors supported Dean but all his fellow "team mates" voted him down.

So we have a Town Council that thinks training is inappropriate. Unbelievable.

Even a Conservative member of Babergh's Standards Committee voted against training in Standards for councillors !!!

Quality Status

Good news that Sudbury Town Council has achieved Quality Town Council status. This is re-accreditation and all praise should go to the Town Hall staff for their ability to take on new work and challenges.
The process was harder this time and the importance of Community Engagement and a Training Strategy were vital.
Thankfully, the Lib Dems have been holding councillor surgeries once a month with the public.
As for training some councillors of the blue persuasion seem not to want or need any. That is a story for another post.

Sudbury Town Centre improvements ?

This tree was thankfully saved by me from those who wanted to fell it so there was a clearer view of the Town Hall !

The Tory run Town Council had paid for new paving with Suffolk County Council in front of the Town Hall and wanted the tree to go.

The Town Council wants to have a big say with the District Council on how the money from Tesco's recent expansion should be used to improve and enhance the Town centre. Seems perfectly sensible and right to me.

So far we have some good new litter bins, some well used new seats, some new Christmas lights are on the way but what else could it be used for?

The Chamber of Commerce want to use it to set up a Trust to run the carparks free for ever. Unfortunately, this may be difficult as these areas were probably not named in the legal agreement.

Some on the Town Council would like to use the money to redecorate the front of the Town Hall. That might be visually appealing but shouldn't this windfall be used for something that will last and not something that should be in a maintenance budget!

The saga of the Sudbury Town Council land purchase.

Tomorrow evening(14th Oct) the Tory run Town Council will continue with their "what shall we do with this piece of land?" saga.

The story so far?

The previous Town Council had rejected purchase of this piece of land to the rear of the Town Hall due to all the rights of way across it. This Council bought it for over £300,000, borrowing the money over 50years, so there is a land cost of £750,000 before any build costs are added.

What is worse, is they had no idea what to use it for at the time. They did not research the planning conditions on it of which one is an archeological dig.It was totally speculative. It is being used as car parking for staff at present.

Since then: they have drawn a list of possible options with number 1 being an extension to the Town Hall for offices, just in case, we might get more powers under the Local Government Review but there is no guarantee of this.

I suggested that affordable housing should be provided on the site as it has planning permission for flats to be built on it. There is a clear need in the Town too. The Tories decided this should be preference number 3!

At Council, the recommendation from their committtee is to postpone a decision till we know the outcome of the Local Government Review in Febuary. If they had delayed the purchase, I wonder what price we would have got it for now in the current climate!

The taxpayer is still paying a 5 figure sum each year, on the loan, till a purpose is found.

Introduction

Martyn Booth(left) and I are the District Councillors for Sudbury South.
The ward covers Sudbury Town centre and the Ballingdon and Cats Lane areas of town.

I hope you will find this a useful and thought provoking insight to the issues facing the town as well as council stories.

Please get in touch if there are any issues we can help with.


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N Bennett 101 Queens Rd, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 1PQ.