East Suffolk Council

East Suffolk Council and East Suffolk Services Ltd have both been awarded the highest status within a scheme which ensures organisations are inclusive to people with disabilities. Both the Council and East Suffolk Services Ltd have been awarded Disability Confident Leader status following a Disability Confident submission, which was validated by Disability Advice North East Suffolk. The Disability Confident scheme, accredited by the Department for Work and Pensions, helps employers recruit, retain and train great people. Disability Confident organisations play a leading role in changing attitudes about, and increasing understanding of, disability. There are three levels of the scheme, with Leader status being the highest.

Cllr Mark Packard, Cabinet Member for Planning and Coastal Management at East Suffolk Council has issued the following statement in response to the Government’s announcement regarding the National Planning Policy Framework. “We will need time to fully digest the implications of this announcement. However, it is clear that our response to the Government’s consultation - which laid out our concerns about proposals to enforce unachievable housebuilding targets - have been disregarded. “We entirely refute the Government’s characterisation of local government as ‘blockers’ to planning – particularly here in East Suffolk, where we are quite the opposite. Our Planning Team, the Committees, and the Council more widely, are committed to enabling and delivering the right development in the right place in this part of the country. “Our current Local Plans already include ambitious plans for housing and economic growth – with just over 900 homes a year and over 20,000 homes to be built during the plans’ lifetime to 2036. This includes seven strategic sites of up to 2,000 homes, including Garden Communities, delivering new community-scale housing and infrastructure over the long term. “We recognise the need for more housing in England, given that many local communities, like our own, struggle with housing affordability along with the challenges of second homes in tourism hotspots. However, the significant increase in housing numbers which the Government are now demanding, is entirely unrealistic, and the Government’s top-down approach will drastically undermine public trust in the Planning Process.”

We have three new opportunities to join our team at East Suffolk! - Environmental Health Officer/Food Safety Officer - Health and Safety Advisor - Procurement Business Partner These roles are based in either Melton or Lowestoft. Applications for these roles close in January. For specific closing dates and more information: bit.ly/3lC5swo

A new community engagement group has been established to help further enhance and encourage public participation in planning matters. The Community Engagement Group (CEG) has been launched as part of an ongoing partnership between East Suffolk Council and East Suffolk Planning Alliance (EPSA) – launched in 2023 with the purpose strengthening community engagement in the planning system. The alliance has since grown to comprise 56 affiliated town councils, parish councils and residents’ groups, meeting regularly to identify and discuss issues around planning policy, procedure, delivery and sustainability. An agreement has now been signed to form a community engagement group to work together with East Suffolk Council as stakeholders in the planning and decision-making process, complementing the ongoing and regular engagement East Suffolk Council has with town and parish councils on planning matters. https://eastsuffolk.co/ceg

Residents in East Suffolk are invited to have their say on the proposed renewal of six Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) which expire in June 2025. There are 21 existing PSPOs relating to the control of dogs at locations across East Suffolk. Six of these PSPOs were adopted in June 2022 and are now due for renewal for a further three years. The PSPOs cover the following areas: -Charsfield Recreation Ground -Martello Park Gardens, Felixstowe -Felixstowe Town Hall Gardens -Felixstowe Seafront Gardens -Langer Park children’s play area -Thorpeness beach For ease, it is proposed to consolidate all the PSPOs in June 2025. A separate PSPO covering Charsfield churchyard, which was introduced in 2023, will be discontinued in June 2025 as the dog controls within it are now duplicated in the Dogs on Leads (General) PSPO. A public consultation is now open, and residents are invited to give their views: https://lnkd.in/gP2h9Q8h

📷 It’s back! 🎉     Our ‘East Suffolk Through the Lens’ photo competition is NOW OPEN so grab your camera and get snapping.      Whether it’s the people, wildlife, scenic nature, vibrant towns or hidden local gems, we want to see what makes East Suffolk amazing to you.      Enter now for a chance to win up to £100 in high street vouchers and be featured on the cover of our resident magazine, delivered to thousands of homes across East Suffolk.     All skills welcome! Competition closes at 11:59pm on Thursday 30 January 2025.       For more details, including how to enter and T&Cs, go to https://bit.ly/41r7NgO      #EastSuffolkPhotoComp #EastSuffolksAmazing  

East Suffolk Council has expressed its support for UNESCO World Heritage status to be awarded to coastal wetlands located on a globally important route for migratory waterbirds. The East Coast Flyway, which runs from the Humber Estuary to the mouth of the Thames and has RSPB Minsmere at its heart, was recently selected as one of five tentative sites nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status by UK Government. The wetlands along our East Coast support over 155 different bird species, many of which migrate thousands of miles from the Arctic, Northern Canada, Greenland and Siberia to the UK East coast with some continuing their journeys to winter in Africa. Hence the full name of the route as the East Atlantic Flyway. These East Coast wetlands are a winter home to more than one million waterbirds and are a global exemplar of nature conservation management with some leading examples of well-planned adaptation in response to climate change. Read more: https://lnkd.in/emdbRc7V

📣 𝗔 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸: 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝘂𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 📣 East Suffolk Council is undertaking its first Place Review—an in-depth evaluation of major residential developments completed across the district since 2010. This initiative aims to identify what works, address challenges, and how we can achieve better outcomes in future development. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲? • 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝘁𝘀: Assessing 21 completed developments across East Suffolk. • 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗺𝗲𝗻t: Analysing land use in the audited sites. • 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶t: Evaluating the Council’s strengths and opportunities for improvement. • 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆𝘀: Collecting insights from developers and design professionals like you. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 We’re seeking feedback from architects, architectural technicians, urban designers, landscape architects, planners, and developers who work in East Suffolk. Your expertise will help us understand what drives successful design and placemaking. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 Complete a short survey that takes no more than 30 minutes (It’s confidential and anonymous). • Interested? Email chris.king@eastsuffolk.gov.uk for the survey link. • Please submit your survey by midday on Friday 13 December.

We have three new opportunities to join the Active Suffolk team! - Administration and Support Officer - Place - Project Officer (Measurement, Evaluation and Learning) - Development Officer (Place) - Ipswich Applications close 17 December: https://bit.ly/3ZsWm5v #JoinEastSuffolk

Put your money where your 💚 is this festive season. Whether you’re looking for unique gifts, delicious treats, or festive home decors, East Suffolk’s local shops offer it all with a personal touch you won’t find elsewhere. Make a difference this festive season by shopping local. #ThinkLocalEastSuffolk #SmallBusinessSaturday #SmallBizSatUK East Suffolk Means Business