Suffolk Liberal Democrats County Coordinating Committee have launched a new website this week bringing together news, views and features on Liberal Democrats people and campaigns across the County.
With local elections for the County, Ipswich Borough and numerous outstanding by-elections scheduled for May 6th the new website will aim to present visitors with a front row seat and a social media link to the five local Suffolk parties, the work of our Lib Dem Councillors, local election candidates, the Lib Dems Manifesto for Suffolk and election results.
Elton John (here) is right to raise concern about the loss of free-movement for musicians to tour in Europe. He is a very wealthy man but the main victims of this mess are local musicians starting out and professionals in music production, set design and simply those vital people, often self-employed and on low wages, who enable the tours to physically get around and deliver one of the things this Country does best, to people and communities that love us for it.
This year's theme chosen by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust is "Be the light in the darkness".
Due to COVID restrictions it was not possible to have the usual public gathering in Suffolk. Instead, to mark the occasion a special video has been created.
Back on 6 May 1978 much of Suffolk decamped to the old Wembley stadium to watch Ipswich Town win the FA Cup in front of a full house of 100000. It was a joyous day
Yesterdays announcement that that at least that same number of people had died from covid was absolutely terrible. Its hard to grasp the scale of the devastation. So many lives lost, so many families grieving. What is equally shocking to our mind is that this waste of life seems to be accepted. You would expect real anger at what has been an enormous failure of policy but if its there it seems well hidden if opinion polls are to be believed
A new website has been launched today aiming to offer residents across Suffolk and North East Essex a single, comprehensive and accurate source of information about COVID-19 and the roll out of the vaccination.
Councillor Inga Lockington has already taken a look for us and said "With all the information and questions about Covid and the Vaccine here is an update from our Local NHS. It is important for all of us that we get correct information. Like many residents I can't wait for us to get back to a time when we can meet family and friends again so if you/we are able to receive the vaccine we are helping each other with taking up the offer when we receive it."
Justice campaigner and former Parliamentary Candidate James Sandbach has been selected as the Liberal Democrats' candidate for the upcoming Police and Crime Commissioner election in Suffolk.
James has been involved in Suffolk politics for several years having been the Lib Dem Parliamentary candidate in Suffolk Coastal (2015 and 2017) and Central Suffolk and North Ipswich (2019). He lives in Saxmundham where he is Town Councillor.
Professionally, James has an active background in the voluntary sector, the justice system and the challenges it faces - over the past 15 years he has worked for leading national charities Citizens Advice, the Legal Action Group, and LawWorks (the solicitors pro bono group).
On the upcoming election, James said: - I am delighted to have been selected to be the Lib Dem PCC candidate for Suffolk. The PCC has an important role in supporting our fantastic local police force, and ensuring the policing needs of all of Suffolk's communities are met.
Since I moved to Suffolk, I've been struck by the ever-diminishing emphasis on community policing - police numbers down, local stations closed, and the thin blue line stretched far too thinly. I strongly believe that when it comes to fighting crime, anti-social behaviour and low-level disorder, prevention and deterrence is always the best approach but to do that well there must be a strong bond between the police and local communities, accessibility, and a visible presence.
I'm looking forward to talking to communities across Suffolk about their concerns and my priority will be to fight for better funding and resources to support the police in the vital work they do in the community."
Paul Daley is standing as the Liberal Democrat Candidate in Holywells Ward and St Helens County Diivision.
He is keen to find out what issues matter most to the residents of the area and what are your top priorities that you would like your councillors to be addressing.
Please spend a few minutes completing this short survey. If you have any particular questions, or matters you would like to raise with Paul, feel free to email paul.daley@ipswichlibdems.org.uk
Over the years I have reported this kind of LITTER several times on the "Report it Tool" on the County Council's Web-Site. This is Street Litter left behind when a Utility Company or our County Highways Teams have worked in our streets.
They think they have finished the job, packs up and go but clearly can't be bothered to always take all the Boards/bollards/sandbags away with them. Someone brought the Items along so why do they not count them out and back in again. At the end of the day they all cost money and boards left behind on pavements can cause injury.
The Borough Council has received details as to how the Planning Inspectorate will deal with the public enquiry into the Ipswich Local Plan. This, under current legisla�on, describes the local planning framework for the Borough, until 2036 .
Councillor Oliver Holmes, on behalf of Ipswich Liberal Democrats, submitted a number of suggested amendments concerning the residential development to the north of Humber Doucy Lane, parking policy for the town centre and the failure to take account of changes in natonal policy on climate change. Full details of the enquiry will be given when they are published.
This whole process may be meaningless if the Government's Planning White Paper is enacted. Under a suggested zonal system, new housing would be agreed in principle using a natonal algorithm.
Oliver comments: "Removing Local Democracy from planning and planning control will not mean more housing - the real problem is non-comple�on of new homes already approved through our current planning system."
Consultation on the White Paper finishes at the end of October. If you are concerned, want to learn more or want your voice to be heard, we found the following helpful:-
It used to be the case that Developers would provide local authorities with a fixed sum, for 10 years, to maintain the shared areas of new estates, including their green and leisure spaces, before transferring to normal Council maintenance funded through Council Tax.
This is no longer the case and Developers can choose to make their own private arrangements including annual charges for grounds maintenance.
The Vista (Hayhill Development) was set up in this way. Residents have told us of some things not being done because the Estate management company believes them to be the Borough Council's responsibility.
We have contacted the Borough Council about this and are working with residents to see if there are ways we can help improve maintenance of shared areas.
As a local party, we are planning so that in future years, we can gain more seats in Ipswich and through this, to make a difference in Ipswich, but to do so, we do need to increase our income and to fund the extra expenditure this will require. We have recently added a fundraising officer to the executive to help plan this and over coming months, there will be a number of opportunities to help make a difference.
