East Suffolk Council

An innovative new council entirely comprising young people from across East Suffolk has met for the first time, ensuring the ideas and concerns of younger people are heard. Earlier this autumn, thirty-two young people from up and down East Suffolk were elected to the new East Suffolk Youth Council, an innovative initiative designed to engage young people in politics and enable them to influence decisions affecting their lives and communities. Following an induction day on Monday 18 November at which the new Youth Councillors were ‘sworn in’, the first Youth Council meeting took place at Riverside in Lowestoft on Monday 9 December. As their first item of business, the Youth Councillors elected a Chair and Vice-Chair. Both positions were hotly contested, but after multiple nominations, speeches and votes, a Chair was elected from St Felix School in Reydon, and a Vice-Chair from Thomas Mills High School in Framlingham. The Youth Council then turned to their first motion, in which they called upon East Suffolk Council to devote greater resources and attention to youth safety and well-being. With the newly elected Chair presiding ably over discussions, the Youth Councillors emphasised the impacts of social media and the Covid-19 pandemic upon youth, and the need for improved youth activities, services and support. The Youth Council carried their motion unanimously, and East Suffolk Council must now consider their views. At their November Full Council meeting, elected Members unanimously agreed that they would discuss any valid motion duly passed by the Youth Council at their next Full Council meeting. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eBaETPNz

An East Suffolk museum has been presented with the first bench to receive an impressive new look as part of a renovation programme. The heritage-style sunbeam bench delivered to Felixstowe Museum is among 34 labelled for restoration and reinstatement along the seafront. It follows an East Suffolk Council survey into the condition of commemorative benches available for individuals and organisations to sponsor for a period of 10 years. Seventeen benches will be faithfully restored by East Suffolk Services Ltd (ESSL) and returned to The Prom, north of Felixstowe Pier, while a further 14 will occupy landscaped areas along Sea Road. Each bench will be removed for refurbishment, and adorned with an optional commemorative plaque, upon reservation by an individual or group sponsor. https://lnkd.in/ehTax9Py

A new planning document has been adopted in East Suffolk to help guide proposals for the conversion of properties to Houses in Multiple Occupation. East Suffolk Council’s Cabinet has adopted a new planning document which provides guidance as to circumstances which could be considered ‘exceptional’ when owners are proposing to convert properties to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the former Waveney area. Policy WLP8.4 of the Waveney Local Plan requires that ‘exceptional circumstances’ are demonstrated for conversions to HMOs but does not provide any further guidance. This new guidance note assists in the understanding of policy WLP8.4 by providing a list of circumstances which could be considered exceptional when an applicant proposes an HMO conversion. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ewBka_b7

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