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News from Your Councillors Spring 2011 Rachel Eburne & Andrew Stringer Haughley & Wetherden New communitycommunity----ledled picnic site? Broadband Suffolk County Council is “divesting” itself of the old Haughley Picnic Site and asking community groups if they Update would like to come forward to run this site. If not, we fear this may end up in the hands of a private company and used In December District Cllr. Rachel for purely commercial purposes. Mid Suffolk District Council Eburne received assurances from is keen to support a community-led approach and we are in the Leader of Mid Suffolk DC that discussion with several groups at the moment. our area would be one of the priority areas for upgrading of broadband. And further to this was advised that this is still the case – as soon as all the funds are available. This would be a Recent reports that Mid Suffolk is great opportunity 373 out of 407 local authorities to bring back into for having “acceptable access to use this local asset broadband” (source: research by and we are hopeful Point Topic) show that we are one that we can find a of the areas most in need. There solution to keep it still needs to be more action to in public hands. get this situation improved. COMMUNITY LITTER PICK Come and spring-clean your village! (Gloves and hi-vis vests provided but do bring your own if you can.) Haughley: Saturday 12 th March Wetherden: Saturday 26 th March 10am to 12noon 10am to 12noon Meet on Village Green Meet opposite The Maypole www.midsuffolk.greenparty.org.uk News from your District Councillor - Rachel Eburne Council tax freeze Waste Paint : Thanks for the Mid Suffolk will not be increasing New Disposal Scheme Christmas trees their element of council tax from Although the HWC still cannot Christmas tree recycling once again April this year – and this makes accept waste paint - classed as proved popular in our area with a pile good financial sense especially as, hazardous - Mid Suffolk DC have of trees collected from Haughley as by doing this, they are eligible for a announced two options for you can see here. 2.5% grant from central disposal. If the tin is less than government. In Mid Suffolk, this one third full, simply fill it up with will amount to gaining an soil, wait for it to harden, and additional £235,000. then include in your black wheelie bin. £££ The County Council is also taking advantage of this grant, and will impose no increase this year. Your council tax is made up of amounts payable to Mid Suffolk District Council, Suffolk County Council, the Police Authority and Across the district 4.26 tonnes of your local parish. The element Christmas trees were recycled (and 4.1 tonnes in Babergh). These trees are payable to Mid Suffolk represents taken to a local composting facility for approximately 10% of the total. Larger quantities can be collected processing into soil improver and by arrangement - call 0845 606 compost. 6045 Traffic slowing down? The community speed watch is up and running, thanks to extra What’s happening to our District Council? funding provided by Andrew Stringer. Recent checks have Mid Suffolk District Council and neighbouring Babergh District Council are shown many vehicles are clocked at continuing to work towards greater integration or merger. The next step is going well above the speed limit. to recruit a single chief executive across the two councils, saving about £100,000 a year, to run a fully integrated or merged single council. We support this move as we believe our District Council is making a genuine attempt to save money and preserve vital local services without causing wholesale disruption among our villages. Merger will narrow the financial gap caused by slashed Government grants to both councils, lessening the need for service cuts and meaning there will probably not be any other compulsory redundancies this year. Your view will be heard From 9 th May onwards the two neighbouring councils will be conducting a postal public poll to gauge the level of public support for the two councils not only integrate but to merge. Both councils already share a If you do see a community speed number of services (revenues and watch, remember it is hoped to benefits, recycling and waste collection and legal services). serve as a reminder for all to stick It will be your chance to give your point of view. Look out for to the speed limits in our villages – more information to be provided by Mid Suffolk. and not just to catch drivers out. News From Your County Councillor --- Andrew Stringer Stowmarket Waste Recycling Centre --- Saved ! The recent budget vote has meant that seven out of the eighteen Household Waste Recycling Centres in Suffolk are to close – fortunately not Stowmarket. It will have slightly reduced hours, including opening at 9am. There are two sites in the Mid Suffolk area destined for closure – at Bramford and Brome. We are trying to ensure these closures do not lead to an increase in fly-tipping in the area. County Councillor Andrew Stringer condemned the closures : “This reckless move will inevitably result in more fly- tipping, a scourge of our rural villages, leaving the District Council to clear up, incurring far more cost than is saved.” FOOTPATH CAMPAIGN John Peel Centre The bright idea of using the Despite the news of all the cuts, behind the scenes work is going on to redundant Stowmarket Corn get footpaths made a priority. We share your concerns about Exchange as an Arts Centre has been dangerous roads and paths, particularly at Fishponds (Haughley), going moved forward in recent months. through Haughley Green and in Park Road (Wetherden). Contact Andrew Stringer to show how much you want to be able to cycle or The John Peel Centre for Creative walk from our villages and it will help to keep the pressure on! Arts – to use the full title – has a much higher public profile through its successful participation in the ITV “People’s Millions” which awarded it £50,000 of National What are they doing to our County Council ? Lottery cash. Suffolk County Council has embarked on their cost cutting enterprise calling it “the New Strategic Direction”. To huge national media interest this was hailed as a ground breaking new way of delivering services involving communities, including the charitable sector, being at the heart of low-cost service delivery in the future. Buried in the mountains of paperwork surrounding this issue was a one-line statement that said in 2011 Phase 1 of work on the Corn to 2012 the Council would find £40 million in savings Exchange, little used for more than in one year. This one line is the rationale behind axing two decades, has been completed to lollipop ladies and men, closing seven out of Suffolk’s provide the essentials such as 18 recycling centres, the closing or franchising out of toilets and a kitchenette. Many libraries such as Elmswell, the closure of Bury Road individuals and firms are lending Park and Ride, the axing of concessionary fares at the remaining Park and Ride facilities (London Road and their energies and professional Martlesham), and the ending of subsidy for many of skills, helping the money go our rural bus services. further. Phase 2 will make the building usable as a public space. A “All of this appears too much too soon with little time series of events are planned this for vulnerable rural communities to react and plan year to further fundraise for this alternative arrangements. The other huge risk is that Councillor Andrew Stringer closures without proper consultation will alienate the exciting project. Green Party very communities that could well take on some of these services and run them councillors have been involved more cost effectively.” throughout, from John Matthissen moving refusal of the application to Just one example of this potential alienation: our two parishes asked the County convert the Corn Exchange to a wine Council how much it would cost to fund our lollipop lady outside Haughley Crawford’s Primary School. They were informed that the basic cost for that person bar a couple of years ago, to Andrew would be around £2500 per year but the County Council would charge a further Stringer who is doing so much to £1000 per year to administer the post. drive the project forward, including chairing the fund-raising group. Recycling ––– we can do even better Mid Suffolk is already one of the best areas in the country for dry recycling , which deals with all the material that goes in the green wheelie bins. But some continental European countries achieve even higher recycling percentages. Help make a difference : join Mid Most of us can probably do a little more to minimise what goes to landfill Suffolk Green Party today! (black wheelie bin). It is also important to ensure nothing wrong I would like more information contaminates the green bins, as this can disrupt the sorting equipment or about Suffolk Green Party even result in an entire lorry-load being rejected and sent to landfill. I can deliver Green Party • Green bin material - paper, cardboard, cans and plastic bottles newsletters in my street or village I would like more information about • Plastic containers which held liquid, such as shampoo, yoghurt, practical tasks like tree planting, cooking oil or cosmetics > Green bin - take off lids volunteering in Finborough’s new NOT plastic bags, crisp packets, supermarket bags, cling film etc conservation area and litter picks. • • Plastic bags can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) at I would like to join the Suffolk Green Party.

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