MID SUFFOLK

Inside Multi-million

Win pound boost for A family Stowmarket swim Page 2

Have you Supporting our got your free Tree for Life? Communities Page 7 We’ve been working with community groups across Mid Suffolk Pages 5-6 What we’ve done for yyou 2015-2019 Improving our area | New homes | Supporting communities | Cleaner environment

www.midsuffolk.gov.uk Welcome “There’s a lot for us to be proud of in Mid Suffolk. Not only have we delivered on our plans to create more affordable homes, we have taken full advantage of funding opportunities to improve our environment for you, our residents. We’ve invested heavily in the future of our towns and have seen real growth in our District. This means more jobs, better skills and successful business expansion. We’ve transformed the way we work so that we save money and do things in the best way possible, delivering the services that mean the most to you. Through neighbourhood plans and community activities, we’ve given you the opportunity to play an active role in making Mid Suffolk a better place to live and work. Lights, I’m proud that we’ve delivered so much good work and I do not doubt that we will continue to play our part in Mid Suffolk remaining one of the camera, top places to live in the UK.”

action! We’ve committed over £2.5 million to the Regal Theatre in Stowmarket so the main auditorium can be improved, two new cinema screens can be added and the front of house area can be renovated.

Working with Stowmarket Town Council, this will mean 45,000 more people can enjoy the theatre each year, helping to regenerate the town centre.

Work on this is planned to start in 2019 and be Cllr Nick Gowrley Leader of Mid Suffolk completed by 2020. District Council

2 Mid Suffolk - Your Council Creating Homes in Mid Suffolk

Families helped since 2015 Homes matter with our homes for let scheme We are developing our fi rst ever Joint Our partnership with Orbit Homes Strategy, and our aim is to make Housing Association and sure that the right type of good quality Lovell Partnership saw 86 homes are available for those who need post-war ‘temporary’ Unity houses transformed into 167 it. We are committed to ensuring there energy effi cient, modern and are enough affordable homes in the affordable homes for local right places. communities in Stowmarket, Woolpit and Haughley. A home in Mid Suffolk costs Together with Funding for this huge four year regeneration landlords we’ve project came from the Homes and 10 times helped return Communities Agency, together with the average salary, investment from Orbit and us, to a total but we’re helping sum of £23 million. With it, we were able to provide more to provide a mix of homes for social rent, affordable solutions. 174 affordable rent, shared ownership and We’ve worked hard outright sale. to increase the previously number and types empty homes The last homes were completed in of housing and in partnership we’ve back into use Kingsmead Close in Stowmarket at the end made it possible. of 2017.

Home grown, green homes For the fi rst time in 30 years, we are building our own homes again. Over the past four years, we have purchased 44 properties, and built 46 new homes for people who need affordable rental properties.

The fi rst homes we built were in Acton Close in Bramford using a pocket of unused land to create two new homes available for those with a local connection to the village. We invested in green technology such as air source heat pump central heating and hot water systems, as well as solar PV panels.

“In the past fi nancial year, we let out about, we can plan jobs better to do 278 properties across the districts, but repairs whilst in the area. on average they lay empty for 51 days between lets. This wasn’t good enough. Today, the turnaround is just 24 days, so those most in need wait less time for By improving our processes and giving a much-needed home.” our maintenance teams better mobile Cllr Jill Wilshaw technology to see jobs whilst out and Cabinet Member for Housing

Mid Suffolk - Your Council 3 Helping you build for the future

It’s important to us that we help communities build business planning and reviewing local housing the homes they want and need. need.

In 2016, we received £225,476 from the We have contributed directly to three community- Government to help in places where homes are housebuilding projects in Henley, Mendlesham most unaffordable for local people. and Redgrave, and advised more than 22 parishes on how they can provide new homes for their The funding has been used to help parishes with communities.

A step in We’ve dealt with more than the right 4,500 direction planning applications over the past four years. For the fi rst time in 25 Delivered in partnership years, we offered our fi rst with Havebury Housing Shared Ownership Scheme Partnership, the scheme to enable local people was part of our New Accessible homes to buy one of 11 newly Build Affordable Housing The fi rst new build council home we built properties in Great Programme and was paid for built in 2015 was specially adapted for Blakenham. with Homes and Community wheelchair users. Agency and Mid Suffolk This has given people the funding. It was in Thurston and we worked with opportunity to buy a share the family and architects to design of their home whilst paying Where families have taken a home that was right for them. We rent on the remaining share, the opportunity to buy their want to build more homes like this in making it a more affordable council homes from us under the future. way to become a home the Right to Buy scheme, we owner. have reinvested that money in other homes to provide for These homes were part of other families in need. a wider development on an area of wasteland we owned. As part of a three-year Twelve other new builds programme to invest in more were offered for affordable council housing, we have rent. bought 43 homes.

4 Mid Suffolk - Your Council Supporting Communities

Over the past four years, our grants of £1.3 million have supported nearly 100 projects and organisations across Mid Suffolk Picture credit: EADT This included funding village to develop access to the arts, the Council has meant that we hall refurbishments in Stonham supported community transport can continue our work to tackle Aspal, Creeting St Mary, and reducing rural isolation. loneliness by providing a social Stradbroke and Westhorpe, space in a rural place, particularly support for Citizens Advice, Ann Osborn from the Rural for those without access to the the John Peel Centre and The Coffee Caravan says “The internet.“ Mix. We’ve also backed projects support we have received from

Making a difference All our Councillors have access to Believing in a Locality Fund to inject money in to well-deserved projects in your community their areas. During the past four years, £700,000 has made a huge difference right across the When communities come together to save buildings that are district including improvements important to them, they often look to us for expertise. We’re to local village halls, support to on hand to help make a difference. Three closed pubs were youth groups and enhancing the secured as Assets of Community Value by the community and environment. successfully re-opened for everyone to enjoy and support. This includes the Cross Keys in Redgrave which was bought by local people through £50 shares. The pub is run by the Not spending a penny community society, with people volunteering in the pub and restaurant to keep it the social hub of the village. We know that many people fi nd it diffi cult to spend time away from home due to anxiety over Thank you for making such a difference access to the nearest public “Many of the organisations we fund wouldn’t exist without conveniences. We’ve worked volunteers giving their precious time. More with local businesses and have than half a million hours of volunteer time a pilot running in Stowmarket has been donated to these groups in the to encourage establishments past four years, making a tremendous with facilities to display a sticker difference to our communities.” to allow residents to use their Cllr Julie Flatman toilets for free. Cabinet Member for Communities

Mid Suffolk - Your Council 5 Everybody needs good neighbours “Neighbourhood Plans help local towns and villages to have more control over planning their area and guide what is important and needed for their communities. We’ve supported many parishes in taking ownership in their future housing need and advised them of the processes in creating their own Neighbourhood Plans.”

Cllr Glen Horn Cabinet Member for

Planning Adopted 2017 Referendum stage Pre-submission consultation stage fi nal draft stage

Mendlesham | Stradbroke and Debenham | Haughley, Stowupland, Thurston | Botesdale & Rickinghall Neighbourhood plans

Our Let’s Walk Project We supported the Suffolk stages organised 18 volunteer led of the Men’s Cycle Tour 2017 Community Cash walks in Stowmarket for those and the Women’s Tour last year. We’re one of the fi rst councils living with low level mental The economic impact of hosting in the country to share with health issues. Over 6 weeks, these large sporting events is residents how and where money the project helped improve signifi cant, and they build our received from developers is wellbeing by connecting to reputation as a great tourist spent locally. 44 community the outdoors and spending destination. facilities, such as village halls time with others in similar and sports pavillions, have situations. Maps of the walks Residents in Claydon were benefi ted from almost £220,000 are available for anyone to keen to take over the open of developer contributions. use from the Stow Health GP space next to their homes See which projects have been scheme. which we managed in Station funded at: Road. Our rangers shared www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/contributions Eye became the fi rst Suffolk their practical knowledge of town with ‘Walkers are Welcome’ maintaining the green area to status in 2018. Regular group give confi dence to the group Wellbeing matters walks, new self-guided walk to manage the area for future “We’re proud to support activities maps and hospitable businesses residents. which improve the health and make sure that all walkers wellbeing of everyone in our receive a warm welcome. A successful £500,000 district. Suffolk-wide bid in April 2017 Many of these use our wonderful We brought 12 award- has meant that we’ve been natural environment, such as the winning Lullaby concerts able to improve our support popular weekly Great Run Local to Mid Suffolk to give a to local victims of domestic at Needham Lake and a range fi rst experience of live abuse. For the fi rst time, we’re of walks as part of orchestral music to under able to provide accommodation Suffolk’s annual 7s. Working with Orchestras specifi cally for victims of Walking Festival.” Live and the City of London domestic abuse, working with Cllr Diana Kearsley Sinfonia, audiences of 2,500 Bury St Edmunds refuge to Lead Member for Health enjoyed the award-winning provide extra support to the & Wellbeing programme. victims.

6 Mid Suffolk - Your Council Valuing our environment

Improving home heating In March 2018, Babergh and Mid Suffolk secured £475,200 from the Warm Homes Fund, a National Grid-funded organisation to help residents improve their home heating and tackle fuel poverty. We’ve installed 180 Air Source Heat Pumps to council properties providing heating and hot water. This lowers fuel bills and carbon With over 246 families applying emissions and requires little maintenance and no fuel deliveries. for a free tree for their newborn child, our scheme to green up In 2017, we secured £2.8 million to bring central heating systems the district and leave a growing and gas connections to around 500 households and help residents legacy for future generations improve their home heating and tackle fuel poverty. The fund also defi nitely left a positive impact supports extra insulation such as cavity wall and loft insulation in on our environment. The idea these homes to bring even more benefi t. was suggested by the Green Party and whole-heartedly supported by the council. Rapid vehicle charging points coming soon Request yours here: As more drivers buy electric cars, we’ve supported the www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/treeforlife change by leading a project installing rapid electric vehicle charging points along the A12, A14 and A11. Funded by the Highways Agency, the points mean you “I am very proud of our efforts can charge an electric vehicle in under an in creating the largest social hour. They will be fi nished in 2019. solar scheme by a council in the UK. This has meant fi tting more than 2,000 Solar panels to our council homes Making businesses greener will save our tenants around Through our membership of Since the launch in 2016, 35 £300,000 in energy bills in the Suffolk Climate Change businesses have had free total a year. So far, we’ve Partnership securing £6.5 audits which have identifi ed generated enough energy million of European funding, measures that would save over to run an astounding 13,680 local businesses have received £82,000 on energy bills and washing free advice and grants to help carbon dioxide emissions. machines a them become more energy year.” effi cient. Cllr David Burn Cabinet Member for Environment

Since July 2017, we’ve replaced and lowering our 250-car park and street lights with carbon footprint energy saving LED lights, reducing by 43.2 tonnes annual running costs by a staggering... of CO 75% 2

Mid Suffolk - Your Council 7 We’ve bin Taking food standards seriously innovative When it costs £300,000 every year to Almost 97% of food businesses clear our main roads of abandoned in our area meet generally litter, it’s clear there is a problem. satisfactory food hygiene standards, rating three or The Government’s Litter Innovation above. fund gave us the opportunity to test Over four years, seven new bin designs in laybys to reduce local businesses have been littering from vehicles. Brightly convicted of serious food coloured bins and solar powered hygiene offences. This signage make it harder for drivers to included the operator of a excuse night littering. mobile food business, who repeatedly ignored advice from offi cers to improve food This saw litter drop by nearly 37% at hygiene standards and was sites with the new bins. found guilty of eight food hygiene offences in 2016, fi ned £1,300 and also banned from managing a food business for “You continue to rate our waste three years. service highly. Our survey in 2018 shows 76.9% of residents are satisfi ed with our service.” Cllr Roy Barker Lead Member for Waste

With an average of one out of six meals eaten away from More of us Cleaning up anti- home, having local outlets with high quality healthy recycling social behaviour options is something we want to celebrate. garden waste In the past four years, we have cleaned Brown bin use has up over 850 incidents of fl y tipping, prosecuting and fi ning offenders where Together with Suffolk Public increased by Health, we launched the possible. Fines of £8,500 have been Eat Out Eat Well award two imposed. years ago to encourage food businesses to promote their 19 people have received fi xed penalty 34% notices with fi nes of £1,500 for littering healthy alternative offers. in Mid Suffolk since and other waste offences. This includes We’re proud of the 14 gold 2015. the successful prosecution of an awards across Mid Suffolk You can order individual who dumped waste in two and Babergh, including locations over the course of a month. Manor Farm Coffee Shop, yours here: In both instances, the fl y-tipped waste Barham and Tickety Boo www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/mybin included documents with address café in Thurston. details of the offender within it.

8 Mid Suffolk - Your Council Encouraging business

“Supporting our wide range of businesses to thrive and grow is vital to our economy. From improving skills and local job opportunities through to attracting signifi cant investment, we’re committed to providing a place of growth for the future. We’re proud to have supported large commercial developments in the past four years at Eye Business Park and Port One Logistics Park in Our fi ve Great Blakenham that have created local jobs.” year plan Cllr Gerard Brewster Cabinet Member for Economy We know you want to see our market towns return to the hustle and bustle of days gone by and really thrive. Open for business You told us what you thought We work hard with partners such as the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce was important to invest in and New Anglia Growth Hub to give the best support to our local Stowmarket in Our Vision businesses. for Prosperity to make it a 2015 destination town. Our Open for 215 homes at Chilton 270 homes at Leys, Stowmarket Our fi ve year action plan has Business strategy Gt Blakenham the backing of other partners has enabled us to Major agricutural who will work with us to simplify the planning New Builders Merchant greenhouse development deliver change in the town. process to support and DIY store on Gt Blakenham expanding businesses, former Bosch site in This year will see a major Stowmarket . upgrade at The Regal, opened up grants for Extensions and alterations companies to grow at the Oaksmere hotel in creating a new state of 266 homes in Chalk successfully and Brome the art High School facility Quarry in Needham 2016 replacing the existing boosted jobs growth in Market . school and investment in a the district. New employment site technology hub to attract IT 2017 in Gt Blakenham businesses to the area. During the past four . years, we’ve approved Outline permission for some signifi cant 600 homes, sports 2018 pavillion and recreation planning applications facilities in Chilton Leys, 6 technology starter units that will improve our Stowmarket and offices in Brome 5,000 local area for jobs . jobs to be created and growth in the 280 homes and a 60 economy. bedroom care home New employment site by 2021 in Eye at Eye airfield

This timeline shows how, New employment Nationally, all business properties had their rates site at Mill Lane, in the past four years, re-evaluated in 2017. For some, this meant a huge Stowmarket we’ve dealt with some signifi cant planning increase and threatened their viability. We have applications that will supported local businesses with over £200,000 to lessen shape the future of our the impact for our most affected businesses. local area.

Mid Suffolk - Your Council 9 Investing in the future

Mix it up Looking after There’s no tomorrow without investment today, and we know that equipping our young people with life skills and the pennies creating local job opportunities Local government fi nance has been changing over the past few is vital. years. With reductions in funding from the Government, we have had to look elsewhere to fund vital public services. This includes The Mix in Stowmarket investing in property to generate rental income which we invest develops those skills in our back into services. 16-24 year olds through their support workers and career programmes and we’re proud Income 27% 28% Income to fund this work. Business Rates 12% 17% Business Rates Mid Suffolk 2015/16 District 2018/19 Council Tax 31% Council 35% Council Tax Grants 30% 20% Grants Planning ahead “Where other councils are struggling, Mid Suffolk is proud to be Your view matters fi nancially secure and less reliant on government Together with Babergh District support. As well as generating income through Council, we are developing a council tax and business rates, we bring in income draft Joint Local Plan setting from the properties we own and charging for out the future of the district for commercial services.” the next 30 years. In 2017, we ran a consultation to get your Cllr John Whitehead fi rst views on what matters Cabinet Member for Finance to you and we received over 14,000 comments. You’ll be able to have a further say later this year. Move to With Babergh, we expect to save £5.8 million from this Once the plan is complete, Endeavour House move over the next decade, there will be an Examination “After consultation, Mid Suffolk which we can then reinvest in Public led by the Planning and Babergh agreed to stop in the services you value the Inspectorate. the huge expense of running most. two old buildings as our main Our previous offi ces in offi ces and come together Needham Market will become We passionately believe in investing in places and in in one modern building in much needed local housing 2018 we bought the former Ipswich. and retail space.” Natwest Bank and Aldi This public service hub with building in Stowmarket Suffolk County Council and Cllr Nick Gowrley to help with the town’s two Clinical Commissioning Leader of the Council regeneration. and Cabinet Member Groups has improved our for Assets and We continue to consider partnership working and Investments the properties for a longer reduced unnecessary travel. term arrangement.

10 Mid Suffolk - Your Council Here for you We’re here when you need us and we’ve been busy making improvements to the ways you can get in touch with us.

@MidSuffolkDistrictCouncil @MidSuffolk

More than 623,180 1.5 million 2,828 81% Did you website calls answered visits to our rated us as visitors over in the past new face to face excellent in our customer access customer service know? four years four years point in Stowmarket at Stowmarket

We now have one telephone number to In one year, we replace the many we had before. Our process more than average time to answer has reduced signifi cantly, and our phones now 1.1 million open earlier in the morning to refl ect payments when you need us most.

Our new and improved joint website, was launched in 2017 and makes it quicker and easier for you to fi nd 91% the information you need. We have created simple online forms so that of payments are made online or automated you can do business with us 24/7, whenever is convenient for you.

‘Making sure our offi cers have the We collected right tools for their jobs has a real £57 million All change! impact on how we deliver services to you. We have saved money in Council Tax in The Boundary Commission for England from working differently in the past 2017-18 on behalf of has reviewed the electoral wards in four years, investing in technology SCC, the Police, Town Mid Suffolk to refl ect the changes in to make it easier for staff to do their and Parish councils populations in our towns and villages. job wherever they are in the district. and ourselves As a result, the number of Councillors This means we have more time to representing Mid Suffolk will reduce help those that really from 40 to 34 from this May’s elections, need support.” bringing fairer representation of your community. Cllr Suzie Morley 78% of these Are you registered to vote? Cabinet Member for Organisational payments were www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/myvote Delivery by Direct Debit

Mid Suffolk - Your Council 11 Useful Contacts

Our website enables residents to pay, report, and apply for things 24 hours a day. www.midsuffolk.gov.uk 0300 123 4000 Mon - Fri: 08.45 to 17.00

Drop in to see us in Stowmarket Win (54 Ipswich Street, IP14 1AD), Monday - Thursday 09.00 to 17.00 a family swim or Friday 09.00 to 16.30. For out of hours emergency repairs We’re proud of our community swimming to council properties or to report pools in Mid Suffolk, and want to share dangerous structures: them with you. 0808 168 7794

We’re giving away 10 free family swims, £ To make a payment: and all you have to do to enter is give us 0845 372 4112 your feedback on this edition of Your This will cost you 3p per minute plus your phone Council magazine using the link below. company’s access charge

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