Happy New Year!
Lets hope that 2016 is a pleasant and prosperous one
I must apologise for a break in blog entries – my elderly mother became ill and was hospitalised in early December – and this had an impact on the time I was able to spend blogging.
Below is the report I gave to Woodbridge town council in early December, but updated in some particulars to the beginning of 2016
Political balance on SCC Following the resignation of former deputy leader Cllr Lisa Chambers from Suffolk County Council at the end of the November, the ruling Conservatives no longer had an overall majority. (This was compounded by the sad death of former St Edmondsbury Mayor, Tim Marks, Councillor for Haverhill Cangle on 5 January.)
The current County Council balance is Conservatives 36, Other parties 37 (Labour 15, UKIP 9, Liberal Democrat 7, Independent 4, Green 2) plus 2 vacancies .
Woodbridge Thoroughfare TRO Enforcement After years of complaints and problems about parking, pedestrian safety, and damage to the fabric and character of the Thoroughfare, the trial full enforcement (of restrictions that have been law since 1995) will be going ahead in the New Year. The aims are:
- To Improve things for retailers and shoppers by producing a pleasant and attractive environment, while at the same time supporting the Thoroughfare’s residents;
- To ensure the Thoroughfare is safer and pleasanter for the thousands of pedestrians who delight to shop and visit each week, ( whether families with children, older people, disabled people or the town’s many tourists)
- To prevent unauthorised traffic using the Thoroughfare;
- To limit the damage being done to the fabric by heavy vehicles
- To help the police by reducing the number of vehicles parking illegally in the Thoroughfare;
- To collect hard evidence of the requirements of all users of the Thoroughfare
Outcome: The scheme is planned to run for three months. It will provide solid information on traffic flow and footfall patterns for the first time. This will allow Woodbridge to find a permanent solution that everyone in Woodbridge can agree .
New Ipswich Road Bus Stop. After months of delay the new Ipswich road bus stops were finally been put in – above the Notcutts roundabout -so that people wanting to get to Framfield surgery and Clarkson Court will find it easier to use the bus services. These are additional to, and do not replace, other bus stops.
County Councillor’s Surgeries My surgeries at Woodbridge Library) have been held by tradition from 10-12 on the 3rd Saturday of every month.December’s will be the last at this time.
Devolution Cambridgeshire has now been included to the Norfolk/Suffolk bid- making an overarching East Anglia partnership
From January my surgeries will move to the new time of 9-11 am, same place.
The first surgery dates for 2016 will be 16 January, 20 February and 19 March.
