www.midsuffolk.greenparty.org.ukwww.midsuffolk.greenparty.org.ukwww.midsuffolk.greenparty.org.ukwww.midsuffolk.greenparty.org.uk

News from Your CouncillorsNews from Your CouncillorsNews from Your CouncillorsNews from Your Councillors Spring 2011Spring 2011Spring 2011Spring 2011

Rachel Eburne & Andrew Stringer

Haughley & WetherdenHaughley & WetherdenHaughley & WetherdenHaughley & Wetherden

New communityNew communityNew communityNew community----led picnic site?led picnic site?led picnic site?led picnic site?

Suffolk County Council is “divesting” itself of the old Haughley Picnic Site and asking community groups if they 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 for purely commercial purposes. Mid Suffolk District Council is keen to support a community-led approach and we are in discussion with several groups at the moment.

This would be a great opportunity to bring back into use this local asset and we are hopeful that we can find a solution to keep it in public hands.

Broadband Broadband Broadband Broadband UpdateUpdateUpdateUpdate

In December District Cllr. Rachel Eburne received assurances from the Leader of Mid Suffolk DC that 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.

Recent reports that Mid Suffolk is 373 out of 407 local authorities for having “acceptable access to broadband” (source: research by Point Topic) show that we are one of the areas most in need. There still needs to be more action to get this situation improved.

Haughley: Saturday 12th March

10am to 12noon

Meet on Village Green

Wetherden: Saturday 26th March

10am to 12noon

Meet opposite The Maypole

COMMUNITY LITTER PICK Come and spring-clean your village!

(Gloves and hi-vis vests provided but do bring your own if you can.)

News from your District Councillor - Rachel Eburne

Council tax freezeCouncil tax freezeCouncil tax freezeCouncil tax freeze

Mid Suffolk will not be increasing their element of council tax from April this year – and this makes good financial sense especially as, by doing this, they are eligible for a 2.5% grant from central government. In Mid Suffolk, this will amount to gaining an additional £235,000.

£££ 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 your local parish. The element payable to Mid Suffolk represents approximately 10% of the total.

What’s happening to our District Council?What’s happening to our District Council?What’s happening to our District Council?What’s happening to our District Council? Mid Suffolk District Council and neighbouring Babergh District Council are continuing to work towards greater integration or merger. The next step is 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 heardYour view will be heardYour view will be heardYour view will be heard

From 9th 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 number of services (revenues and benefits, recycling and waste collection and legal services). It will be your chance to give your point of view. Look out for more information to be provided by Mid Suffolk.

Traffic slowing down?Traffic slowing down?Traffic slowing down?Traffic slowing down? The community speed watch is up and running, thanks to extra funding provided by Andrew Stringer. Recent checks have shown many vehicles are clocked at going well above the speed limit.

If you do see a community speed watch, remember it is hoped to serve as a reminder for all to stick to the speed limits in our villages – and not just to catch drivers out.

Waste Paint :Waste Paint :Waste Paint :Waste Paint : New Disposal SchemeNew Disposal SchemeNew Disposal SchemeNew Disposal Scheme Although the HWC still cannot accept waste paint - classed as hazardous - Mid Suffolk DC have announced two options for disposal. If the tin is less than one third full, simply fill it up with soil, wait for it to harden, and then include in your black wheelie bin.

Larger quantities can be collected by arrangement - call 0845 606 6045

Thanks for the Thanks for the Thanks for the Thanks for the Christmas treesChristmas treesChristmas treesChristmas trees Christmas tree recycling once again proved popular in our area with a pile of trees collected from Haughley as you can see here.

Across the district 4.26 tonnes of Christmas trees were recycled (and 4.1 tonnes in Babergh). These trees are taken to a local composting facility for processing into soil improver and compost.

News From Your County Councillor News From Your County Councillor News From Your County Councillor News From Your County Councillor ---- Andrew Stringer Andrew Stringer Andrew Stringer Andrew Stringer

What are they doing to our County Council ?What are they doing to our County Council ?What are they doing to our County Council ?What are they doing to our County Council ?

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 to 2012 the Council would find £40 million in savings in one year. This one line is the rationale behind axing lollipop ladies and men, closing seven out of Suffolk’s 18 recycling centres, the closing or franchising out of libraries such as Elmswell, the closure of Bury Road Park and Ride, the axing of concessionary fares at the remaining Park and Ride facilities (London Road and Martlesham), and the ending of subsidy for many of our rural bus services.

“All of this appears too much too soon with little time for vulnerable rural communities to react and plan alternative arrangements. The other huge risk is that closures without proper consultation will alienate the very communities that could well take on some of these services and run them more cost effectively.”

Just one example of this potential alienation: our two parishes asked the County 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 would be around £2500 per year but the County Council would charge a further £1000 per year to administer the post.

John Peel Centre John Peel Centre John Peel Centre John Peel Centre The bright idea of using the redundant Stowmarket Corn Exchange as an Arts Centre has been moved forward in recent months.

The John Peel Centre for Creative 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 Lottery cash.

Phase 1 of work on the Corn Exchange, little used for more than two decades, has been completed to provide the essentials such as toilets and a kitchenette. Many individuals and firms are lending their energies and professional skills, helping the money go further. Phase 2 will make the building usable as a public space. A series of events are planned this year to further fundraise for this exciting project. Green Party councillors have been involved throughout, from John Matthissen moving refusal of the application to convert the Corn Exchange to a wine bar a couple of years ago, to Andrew Stringer who is doing so much to drive the project forward, including chairing the fund-raising group.

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

Despite the news of all the cuts, behind the scenes work is going on to get footpaths made a priority. We share your concerns about dangerous roads and paths, particularly at Fishponds (Haughley), going through Haughley Green and in Park Road (Wetherden). Contact Andrew Stringer to show how much you want to be able to cycle or walk from our villages and it will help to keep the pressure on!

Councillor Andrew Stringer

Stowmarket Waste Recycling Centre Stowmarket Waste Recycling Centre Stowmarket Waste Recycling Centre Stowmarket Waste Recycling Centre ---- Saved !Saved !Saved !Saved !

Contact Your Local Green CouncillorsContact Your Local Green CouncillorsContact Your Local Green CouncillorsContact Your Local Green Councillors

District Councillor Rachel Eburne Shrub Farm, Fir Tree Lane Haughley Green IP14 3RL 01449 673311 rachel.eburne@midsuffolk.gov.uk

County Councillor Andrew Stringer

Broadway House, Broad Road, Cotton IP14 1AD

01449 780339 07774 199061 Andrew.stringer@suffolk.gov.uk

Printed on Recycled Paper

Recycling Recycling Recycling Recycling –––– we can do even better we can do even better we can do even better 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.

Most of us can probably do a little more to minimise what goes to landfill (black wheelie bin). It is also important to ensure nothing wrong contaminates the green bins, as this can disrupt the sorting equipment or even result in an entire lorry-load being rejected and sent to landfill.

• Green bin material - paper, cardboard, cans and plastic bottles

• Plastic containers which held liquid, such as shampoo, yoghurt, cooking oil or cosmetics > Green bin - take off lids

• NOT plastic bags, crisp packets, supermarket bags, cling film etc

• Plastic bags can be taken to the Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) at Stowmarket

• Clear Plastic Egg boxes - Green bin

• Cardboard egg boxes - Brown bin or compost

• Don’t buy eggs in polystyrene boxes

• Glass bottles and jars to the bottle bank

• Fruit juice and milk cartons (Tetra-paks) should NOT go in the green bin, but save them up and take to HWRC or the bring site next to Elmswell train station.

• If you are going to the HWRC, various other materials can also be recycled instead of going in the black bin, including, garden waste, scrap metal, wood, textiles, engine oil, mobile phones, batteries, hardcore, plaster board, and hard plastics such as plastic chairs, broken toys, laundry baskets and flower pots.

More help and information on More help and information on More help and information on More help and information on wheelie bins at wheelie bins at wheelie bins at wheelie bins at

www.midsuffolk.gov.uk www.midsuffolk.gov.uk www.midsuffolk.gov.uk www.midsuffolk.gov.uk

0845 606 60450845 606 60450845 606 60450845 606 6045

Printed by Suffolk Greenprint 3 Wash Lane Corner, Great Finborough IP14 3BJ Promoted by Brian Fearnley, 14 Dove Close, Debenham IP14 6RR

Help make a difference : join Mid Suffolk Green Party today!

I would like more information about Suffolk Green Party

I can deliver Green Party newsletters in my street or village

I would like more information about practical tasks like tree planting, volunteering in Finborough’s new conservation area and litter picks.

I would like to join the Suffolk Green Party.

£5 cheque payable to Suffolk Green Party. Please send to 3 Wash Lane Corner, Great Finborough IP14 3BJ

Nam

e: …………………………………………………………………………Phone : ……………… … ………

Address: …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

E-mail : ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Comments, questions, suggestions, problems …….

�

�

�

�

Tetra-paks