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Volume 10 • Issue No. 10 • SEPTEMBER 2020
Freedom at Last, by Stephen Squirrell
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In T o uch online:
- A WORD FROM THE EDITOR
- NEWS
My social life has been turned upside down in the last few months. I used to walk into town on Saturday morning, list in hand, to visit the shops and the market
stalls, meet with friends for coffee and wander home in ꢀme for lunch. Now I walk into town on Saturday aſternoon when it’s likely to be quieter and wave at friends from a distance. I know this isn’t what most of you might define as a ‘social life’ (and I must admit it looks preꢁy sad now I see it in wriꢀng) but I’ve been ‘off the scene’ for many years and happy to be so. Of course I like to paint the town red (crimson rather than fire engine) on occasion but it’s been a while
since my weekends were spent in pubs and clubs, never knowing what might
happen. Or who I might meet!
SHOP LOCAL TO BENEFIT
LOCAL ECONOMY BY UP TO £19M
High Streets across Babergh and Mid Suffolk could benefit from almost £19m of addiꢀonal income over the next six months, if all adults spent an extra £5
by shopping local every week.
I did meet my husband in a packed pub back home in Ballinasloe (yes, Guinness
was involved!), so for the sake of those who do enjoy an acꢀve social life or who haven’t yet met Mr or Mrs Right, I’m delighted the pubs are open again, making an extraordinary effort to adhere to guidelines and ensure the safety of staff and patrons. Restaurants too; eaꢀng a meal I haven’t had to cook myself and not having to clear up aſterwards is a thrilling (yes, thrilling) prospect right now. In fact we’ve booked a table at the new Italian restaurant in town and I’ve already decided what I’m having. I start from the back, with dessert, and work upwards and shall be enjoying vanilla pannacoꢁa with wood-roasted apricots at about
9pm on Saturday evening.
With just under 150,000 adults aged over 18 in Babergh and Mid Suffolk, an extra £5 spent could equate to over £730,000 per week being generated in local high streets and villages across the districts, equaꢀng to a whopping £18,980,000 over the next six months.
The figure was announced during Shop Local Week (10-16 August), part of
the government’s Enjoy Summer Safely campaign, which set out to celebrate
the importance of local and independent stores and the benefits they bring
to the whole community and local economy.
Live performance is making a comeback too, which is wonderful news for
venues, arꢀsts and audiences. It will be interesꢀng to see if performers and writers have been inspired by their lockdown experience. In fact, if you haven’t
already watched Staged, a BBC comedy starring David Tennant and Michael
Sheen, find it now on BBC iPlayer. It’s a wonderful treat.
Throughout lockdown, local shops and markets have played a crucial role
in supporꢀng the local community to buy food and supplies in a safe and easy way without having to travel too far. Many businesses have diversified their offer to make shopping for essenꢀals simple and supporꢀng those who needed to shield. New services like deliveries, online ordering and even addiꢀonal market days have provided a lifeline for many local residents.
If there is anything posiꢀve to take from our experience of Covid-19, it must
be that it has taught us to be kind and caring. We know we can pull together when needs must and now we must use our spending power to support our
local economy and aꢁempt to stave off further job losses. Every penny you
spend locally will help to secure the future of a local business and its employees, possibly even people you know.
With many lockdown measures starꢀng to ease, Shop Local Week aimed to encourage people to keep visiꢀng to their local high street and not return to pre-COVID habits of out of town and online shopping.
Enjoy your freedom safely, consider the safety of others and together we can make this ‘new normal’ work in everyone’s best interests.
Cllr Gerard Brewster, Mid Suffolk District Council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for economic growth said: “This year has been incredibly challenging
for businesses on our high streets. I have been impressed to see how many businesses have risen to the challenges created by the coronavirus to support
customers in their local community. It is staggering to see how an extra £5
spent in our local high street can provide a huge boost to the local economy.”
Published by: Mansion House Publishing (UK) Ltd,
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EDITOR: Sharon Jenkins T: 01473 400380
In Touch Titles
• Stowmarket & Stowupland
Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are working hard to support local businesses and will be launching an iniꢀaꢀve to maintain the momentum of
Shop Local Week in the coming weeks.
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Readers are invited to submit articles, illustrations and
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If you have enjoyed volunteering in your community during lockdown, why not consider volunteering with a local charity? Suffolk Family Carers is based on Hill View Business Park in Old Ipswich Road, Claydon. We provide informaꢀon, advice, guidance and support for anyone who
is caring for a friend, family member or neighbour. The person that they are caring for may be ill, have a disability, a mental health issue or be elderly and frail.
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The views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher. Every effort is taken to ensure that the contents of this magazine are accurate but the publisher cannot assume any responsibility for errors or omissions.
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How can you help?
• Bramford, Offton, Somersham & Willisham • Capel St Mary (Capel Capers)
We are looking for more telephone supporters to help us keep in touch with family carers who may be isolated, have a heavy caring role or
care for someone who no longer is able to hold a conversaꢀon. This
role can be carried out from home so is a perfect way to volunteer in
the current situaꢀon!
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• Copdock, Belstead, Bentley, Tattingstone
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No part of this magazine may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, either wholly or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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In Touch with Ashbocking, Swilland, Tuddenham,
Training and support for your volunteer role, out-of-pocket expenses, the opportunity to meet new people and to make a real difference to
the lives of family carers.
We also publish Spotlight on Felixstowe
- Westerfield Witnesham is published by Mansion
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House Publishing (UK) Ltd
Thurs 10 September
is the advertising and editorial deadline for the October edition
Who do I contact?
If you are interested or you would like to find out more, please call 01473 835477 or email us at: volunteer@suffolkfamilycarers.org
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3
NEWS
SWILLAND & WITNESHAM GROUPED PARISH COUNCIL
Highlights and decisions from the draſt minutes of the parish council meeꢀng held on Wednesday 15 July via Zoom
PLANNING
had sꢀll hadn’t been a reply to the parish council’s leꢁer to SCC Highways sent in January. However, he was now in a posiꢀon to proceed with a site
visit. Dr Williams and Cllr Jones would arrange this.
Mr Hindle reported that there had been a planning commiꢁee meeꢀng on 7 July. Two applicaꢀons for the site at Homelands House were on the agenda, one for conꢀnued use of the storage container and portakabin for dress hire and storage of musical equipment with associated office. The other was for parꢀal change of use of exisꢀng building from office and storage for household goods and documents as permiꢁed by C12/2035 to B1(a) to office use for administraꢀon of off-site mini-bus and taxi private hire business.
Other Highways issues
It was asked why the roadworks had taken so long to clear between
Witnesham and Westerfield due to Scoꢂsh Power works. Clerk would enquire as to ꢀmescale for expected compleꢀon.
Grass cuꢂng at Acre Close seemed overdue. The clerk would establish which
contractor to contact and resolve.
The site had a history of planning enforcement issues around operaꢀons on the site and operaꢀng hours which had subsided in the last year or so. Neither of the applicaꢀons was objected to but condiꢀons on such that there were no operaꢀons on site, admin only, controlled operaꢀng days and ꢀmes and that the future use of the site is closely monitored by ESC to ensure no operaꢀonal use.
Concerns were raised regarding safety for pedestrians on Swilland High Road, in parꢀcular young children on the stretch just north of the school in regard to speeding vehicles compounded by having no pavement. Clerk would rereport the leaning 20mph advisory sign to SCC Highways and Mrs Shaw would raise the speeding issue at the next ASB meeꢀng.
Applicaꢀon at West Barn Low Farm, Kirby Lane, Swilland
VILLAGE HALL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE (VHMC)
No objecꢀons during C19 emergency measures: applicaꢀon permiꢁed by esc.
Sound/Acousꢀc improvements
East Suffolk DC/20/1802/ARM / Ipswich Borough 20/00417/REM
Detail of landscaping, fencing and paths for the Country Park which had
previously been agreed in principle with no considered material impact on the parishes.
Dr Nicol reported that the work was completed in early July. A measured result for reverberaꢀon before the work was 2.6 seconds. It is now 1.01 seconds. Mrs Shaw thanked Dr Nicol for all his efforts in the project and this
was echoed by all councillors.
A planning enforcement case had been raised by ESC invesꢀgaꢀng a high
fence close to the access track in Mill Lane, Witnesham.
Village Hall Re-opening / COVID-19 Risk Assessment
Mrs Shaw reported that VHMC had a 20-page edict to follow on what can and can’t be done. Clerk would liaise with Mrs Shaw to ensure the appropriate documentaꢀon was being referenced. There hadn’t been a VHMC meeꢀng
and the chair asked that VHMC should have a plan of how and when they
might re-open the hall when it is safe to do so.
There had been no update on the pending condiꢀonal decision on Street Farm.
An appeal to the planning inspectorate had been lodged for Kersey Croſt Kennels, Strugglers Lane, Witnesham which was PC supported but ESC
refused.
CURRENT FINANCIAL SITUATION
Clerk reported that budget adjustments had been agreed by the finance commiꢁee at their meeꢀng on 29 June. Dr Nicol gave an overview of these adjustments which involved the addiꢀonal income of £1k from ESC grant, plus £2.5k redirected redundant INR budget to bring the village hall project budget up to £4.5k (£1k exisꢀng). It was proposed, seconded and agreed that the budget be increased in accordance with these details by £1k with £47,505 total income and reserves and £47,605 total expenditure.
Mr Collings reported that Fenn Wright had been observed recently at the Saw Mill site and yet another planning applicaꢀon might be pending at land adjacent to Rose Coꢁage, Mill Lane, but none so far.
HIGHWAYS Gibraltar Crossroads
Cllr Jones apologised that he hadn’t yet arranged for a site visit and that there
DAN POULTER MP REPORTS BACK
The decision about building Sizewell C in Suffolk is rapidly approaching. The habitats. I believe this environmental damage is not sufficiently miꢀgated by French-owned power company EDF have decided to conꢀnue with their EDF’s current construcꢀon plans. applicaꢀon for a Development Consent Order which is now out for public
I am also concerned that EDF have done liꢁle to reduce the impact that consultaꢀon. If built, we shall be living with the construcꢀon phase of Sizewell
construcꢀon traffic will have upon East Suffolk’s communiꢀes. EDF’s decision
C for more than 10 years so I felt it important to set out my thoughts about
to move from sea to land-based delivery of supplies has not been adequately whether Sizewell C is a good thing for Suffolk.
considered. There will be a need for substanꢀal road and rail improvements
to support this change in the construcꢀon plan and I am therefore concerned that EDF has not listened to Suffolk’s parishes and communiꢀes’ views.
In the absence of an alternaꢀve, and unꢀl we can find beꢁer ways of storing the electricity produced by renewable sources such as offshore wind and solar energy, nuclear power will remain an important form of UK electricity producꢀon. At a ꢀme when all are striving to be more environmentally conscious and the government has commiꢁed to meet climate change and carbon reducꢀon targets, nuclear energy has the advantage of being carbon
neutral and helps to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
The East Suffolk train line and the A12 are vital transport routes for those who live and work in central and eastern Suffolk. The A12 is also an important
access route for tourists who spend millions of pounds in our area. Tourism
brings huge economic benefits to our county and visitors must be able to reach Suffolk without encountering delays and congesꢀon caused by construcꢀon traffic.
I am also mindful that the construcꢀon of Sizewell C will bring job opportuniꢀes at a ꢀme (post COVID-19) that may prove to be economically challenging. The Suffolk coast leads the way in creaꢀng jobs in the renewable energy sector and the construcꢀon of Sizewell C will undoubtedly provide future job opportuniꢀes for our children and grandchildren.
Finally, I have concerns about the potenꢀal security implicaꢀons of Chinese financial involvement in such a major energy project, for which I have not yet received adequate assurances.
Having considered the maꢁer carefully, on balance, I am unable to support the current proposals for Sizewell C. I will conꢀnue to monitor developments
very carefully and, as always, shall stand up for the best interests of the
residents I represent in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.
Considering the environmental posiꢀves of nuclear energy and the local jobs boost to Suffolk, I sꢀll have serious reservaꢀons about the proposals for Sizewell C. I am concerned about the potenꢀal damage to our beauꢀful Suffolk coastline, and the impact that this will have upon its rare species and
4
In T o uch online:
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5
OUT & ABOUT
ASHBOCKING, SWILLAND, TUDDENHAM, ASHBOCKING, SWILLAND WESTERFIELD & WITNESHAM
& WITNESHAM WI
The usual diary dates secꢀon is no longer relevant in the present situaꢀon but The lovely summer weather and new guidance from WI Headquarters was an the outreach post office facility is sꢀll available in Witnesham Bapꢀst Church incenꢀve for a garden get-together for members on 12 August. No speaker Room. The opening ꢀmes are: Tuesdays from 12.30-4pm and Thursdays from of course, but it was good to have a socially distanced chat and a quiz to 9am to 12 30pm.
entertain.
Thankyou from FIND (Families in Need)
Chrissie Lighꢃoot will be opening her wood at Hall Farm Coꢁage in Church
Thank you so much to those of you who have conꢀnued to respond so Lane, Witnesham on Sunday 20 September from 11am unꢀl 5pm in aid of The generously to support FIND’s work in the local community , either by Blossom Appeal Charity. Do come and have a stroll around the delighꢃul eight
donaꢀng money or ꢀnned food and packets. FIND is sꢀll managing to fulfil acre wood which is managed for wildlife. You are invited to bring a picnic,
the requests made for the emergency three-day food supplies for those in though please be mindful there are no toilet faciliꢀes.
real need through the generosity of supporters such as you. We are also kept
As yet, there are no plans for a meeꢀng on September 9 as Witnesham Village
busy taking household goods to people most weeks.
Hall is not open just now. We were due to have David Green tell us about
Recipients may be people who are waiꢀng for their Income Support to arrive planꢀng pots for winter. Hopefully, he will be free to visit another ꢀme.
