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Parish Council

5th March 2024

The monthly updated spreadsheet showing the progress of NSIPs and large-scale energy projects in the districts is available to view.


19th December 2023

Babergh District Council waste collection 2024 Calendars

The babergh-refuse-and-recycling-collection-schedule-2024-1  can be viewed on the Babergh District website. Residents who have requested a paper copy will have been sent one.

Please find some useful links to get you started:

 Check-your-collection-day

Babergh Twitter and Facebook

Mid Suffolk Twitter and Facebook


19th December 2023

Update on the refurbishment of the existing Bramford to Norwich overhead line

Message from National Grid:

We’re getting in touch with an update on the essential work that National Grid is carrying out to refurbish the existing 400, 000 volt overhead between Bramford substation in Suffolk and Norwich substation in Norfolk.

Our programme to replace the fittings and wires between the existing 198 pylons along the 62 kilometre transmission line started in spring 2022, with completion originally expected by December 2023. These essential refurbishment works including reinstatement are now expected to be complete by summer 2024.

Network planning:

We’re always working hard to maintain and improve our network to ensure we operate a safe and reliable electricity system now and in the future. For our engineers to carry out this refurbishment work safely, we need to switch off the electricity running through the wires.

Our engineers carry out the work on one side of the pylon so that the wires on the other side can be kept ‘live’ for transporting electricity to where it is needed. Once all the work on one side has been completed, the lines are switched back on and the lines on the other side are switched off so the work can be carried out. 

To ensure we maintain and balance electricity demand across the UK network, one of the late 2023 outage dates for carrying out this refurbishment needed to be rescheduled. We now expect all work on the pylons to be complete by spring, with reinstatement along the 62 kilometre route finalised by summer 2024.

How will these works affect local communities

Our principal contractor, Balfour Beatty, is carrying out the work to replace the fittings and wires. Our working hours are between 7:30am to 6pm Monday to Sunday.

Residents will see some activity on or near the overhead lines and pylons. When working near some roads and public footpaths, we need to close them for short periods. This is to keep the public and our staff safe.

Our contractors put up advance notice signs to let local communities know of any restrictions on roads and rights of way. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused during the short-term closures. We are working closely with Balfour Beatty to reduce local disruption and to remove temporary closures as quickly as possible.

Thank you from everyone working on the refurbishment project for your patience as we continue our work to upgrade our existing electricity transmission network in East Anglia. 

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our community relations team on 0800 046 3857 or email at BNReurbishment@nationalgrid.com.

National Grid Bramford to Norwich overhead line refurbishment

E: BNReurbishment@nationalgrid.com 

T: 0800 046 3857   

W: Bramford to Norwich Overhead Line Refurbishment


 

18th October 2023

Free Energy Efficiency and Net Zero Support for households:

The Parish Council has received details of the free energy efficiency and Net Zero support available to households and VCSEs in our area.

Support for households:

Groundwork East are currently supporting households to improve their energy efficiency and help lower carbon footprints related to domestic properties. This support is fully funded by Suffolk’s Public Sector Leaders and free to householders! Under this support they can provide advice on anything that can help improve the efficiency of Suffolk based homes or signpost householders to other energy efficiency projects that might be of interested.

They are delivering this free support via email or households can fill out our DIY virtual home energy audit which will provide them with basic info on their home which they can review and suggest changes.

Email – Suffolk@groundwork.org.uk

Virtual home energy audit - https://forms.office.com/e/nG5aQAeviB

Free Climate and Energy Training:

Funded by the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership, Groundwork East are offering 1 day training courses covering topics including climate change, reducing home energy bills and energy efficiency technologies. There are multiple dates available and the courses are aimed at people wanting to find out how to do more to champion energy efficiency and climate change within their own community.

All the courses are free to attend with virtual webinars online and in-person options available. Each course is delivered over one day (approximately 5 hours), with in-person courses being held at Groundwork East’s office base near Ipswich. Participants need to live in Suffolk to be eligible.

Courses will feature information about climate change and reducing personal carbon footprints, energy efficiency, how to carry out a DIY home energy audit and the funding available to make changes for the better. On completing the training, participants will be equipped with knowledge and resources to become energy champions within their own community. The course aims to raise awareness of Suffolk’s ambition to reach net-zero emissions by 2030 in line with the Suffolk Climate Emergency Plan.

To sign up to a course, please visit here - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/groundwork-east-57385505193

Or contact Suffolk@groundwork.org.uk for more info.

VCSE Support:

Funded by Suffolk’s Public Sector Leaders, Groundwork East is offering free on-site Energy Audits to voluntary and community sector (VCSE) organisations.

This includes the following:

  • Visit of the premise from one of our Sustainability Consultants
  • Carbon footprint calculation
  • Recommended actions to reduce the carbon footprint with outlined costs and savings
  • Guidance to any potential funding/grants

Contact NetZeroSuffolk@groundwork.org.uk to arrange your free energy audit for your VCSE. 


11th September 2023

PRESS RELEASE:

TAX PAYERS ORDERED TO PAY DEVELOPER’S BILLS AFTER MIDSUFFOLK ERRORS

Taxpayers are left paying substantial costs incurred by a developer after Mid Suffolk Council refused to defend an application at appeal.

In February 2023 the Mid Suffolk Planning Committee refused an application by Bramford Green Ltd for a solar farm on farmland near Bramford in a Special Landscape Area.

The application was appealed by the developer at the national Planning Inspectorate hearing in August 2023. Mid Suffolk Council declined to defend its position. It was left to residents, Parish Councillors, and two District Councillors to put forward evidence against the flaws and omissions of the development.

Overturning the Mid Suffolk decision, the Government Inspector criticised Mid Suffolk Council. He stated that the original reasons for refusal were "reasonable and reflect common practice in wording and content" but the "rationale for the change in the Council's stance is questionable." He subsequently ordered Mid Suffolk Council to pay all of the developers’ costs for the appeal. With a full legal team and eight expert witnesses, this will be a hefty bill for taxpayers to pick up, running into tens of thousands.

This is the latest in a series of disputes with residents and local Parish Councils on the application. Following the elections when Mid Suffolk became the UK's first Green Party majority council, newly elected Councillors were persuaded by officials not to defend the original planning committee’s refusal which went against planning officers’ recommendations. Although Planning meetings are usually open the public and press, everyone was ordered out of the room and the live stream was cut.

In March, four Parish Councils and Care Suffolk, a residents organisation, wrote to Chief Executive Arthur Charvonia expressing ‘no confidence’ in the Planning Department and calling for an independent investigation into its performance, but no action was taken.Residents and Parish Councils have consistently condemned inaccurate information and apparent bias of planning officers, and a formal complaint is currently open with the Local Government and Social Ombudsman.

“The Planning department is not fit for purpose” said Burstall Parish Council Chair Barry Gaspar. “This latest debacle proves our point. Despite clear warning from us, because no action was taken, taxpayers will now pay a heavy price. To make matters worse, officers are now using the same arguments and making the same mistakes in relation to other solar farm applications in our area. Mid Suffolk seems to be happy to turn rural areas into industrial zones"


 1st September 2023

Notice is hereby given that a casual vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for Burstall Parish Council.


11th August 2023

PRESS RELEASE: 

RESIDENTS ACCUSE MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCIL OF BIAS ON SOLAR FARM INQUIRY

Mid Suffolk District Council has abandoned its own local development plan by failing to defend its refusal of a proposed solar installation at an Inquiry to be held by the National Planning Inspectorate. The Inquiry will take place at Pinewood Community Hall from 15th to 17th August 2023 and follows Mid Suffolk’s refusal of the proposal earlier this year on the grounds that it contravened the Local Development Plan and was putting energy infrastructure on land needed for food production. The proposed development was also opposed by nine Parish Councils.

The ENSO proposal would build on 85 acres of prime agricultural land in a beautiful landscape area between Burstall and Flowton. 

The decision not to defend or explain its refusal before Inspector Mr Cullum Parker is further evidence of bias in favour of developers.

In February 2023, Councillors voted to refuse the application stating that the Council would defend any appeal put forward by the developer. This created a legitimate expectation amongst the public that they would do so. However, in a planning meeting led by officers at which the public was excluded, that position was overruled.

“Residents continue to inform me that they have lost faith in the impartiality of our planning officers”, said Care Suffolk coordinator, Samantha Main. “They wonder what the point is of the new Joint Local Plan being prepared if officers won't even defend their existing Plan. The purpose of the enquiry is to listen to all the arguments between the developer and the public to assist the Inspector to make an informed decision. As taxpayers, we have a right to expect Mid Suffolk to be publicly accountable”.

“We believe that Planning department officials are acting unprofessionally” said Burstall Parish Council Chair, Barry Gasper “the District Council has abandoned residents. We are now left having to defend the policies of the Councils ourselves. It is not a very subtle way by officers to signal they support the ENSO scheme”.

This week the National Farmers Union warned that more priority for national food production was needed, as the UK’s own food self-sufficiency had fallen from 78% to 61%. “Mid Suffolk selectively applies evidence and ignores whatever does not support developers’ plans” said Cllr Gasper “Quality farmland is needed for food, that is a clear Government directive conveniently ignored”.

Burstall Parish Council and the community organisation Care Suffolk, together with Hintlesham & Chattisham and Sproughton Parish Councils have written to the Mid Suffolk District Council Chief Executive Arthur Charvonia, saying they have lost confidence in the Planning Department.

Submitted by Burstall Parish Council and Care Suffolk


 SPROUGHTON BURIAL GROUND

 Did you know that there is a legal agreement between Sproughton Parish Council and Burstall Parish Council that allows for Burstall residents to be buried at Sproughton Burial Ground at rates charged as the same for Sproughton parishioners. 

From 1 April 1969, a legal agreement was signed between the two councils granting Burstall parishioners the right to have interred in Sproughton burial ground the bodies of persons who would be entitled to be buried in any place of burial provided by Burstall Parish Council.

The right of interment includes the rights to purchase/be granted exclusive rights of burial and the right to erect a memorial stone; the same rights as Sproughton residents and at the same costs. The terms and conditions offered to the parishioners of Sproughton are offered to the parishioners of Burstall.

The original fee paid by Burstall Parish Council to Sproughton Parish Council was £1 per annum, this was increased during the 1990's to £24 and this year, we have received notification from Sproughton Parish Council of their intention to raise this fee to £200 as from April 2022. Burstall Parish Council agreed to accept this increase at the meeting held May 2021.