Cabinet discusses council tax rise of 4.5%

Suffolk County Council's Cabinet is set to recommend a council tax increase of 4.5% for 2007-08 at its meeting on 6 February 2007.

The Cabinet has announced that the financial strategy behind the budget proposals will enable changes to be made to the way the council operates in the future.

The council's scrutiny committees discussed all the budget savings proposals and the opposition councillors made some key comments. One such change as a result of these discussions is the proposal to reduce the amount of savings which needed to be found by the Schools Music Service. It was recognised that that the service provides high quality, successful and very valuable musical opportunities for young people across Suffolk, which should be kept where possible. Although the service will still be expected to find savings, the Cabinet have agreed to reduce the amount they are expected to find.

At its meeting on 6 February, the Cabinet will receive feedback from the chairs of the scrutiny committees, before discussing the overall budget proposals and the recommended level of council tax increase. All the information on the budget will be put before the full Council on 22 February for the final decision on the budget and council tax level.

Fares increase on Suffolk sponsored services

The fares for the Park and Ride services will be increasing from Monday January 29. A return fare for up to 5 passengers will be £3.00 from London Road and Bury Road, and £3.50 from Martlesham.

Travel from Park and Ride sites to Ipswich hospital will now be £3 from Martlesham and £3.50 from London Road and Bury Road.

Fares on all other bus services sponsored by the county council are also being revised. Increases will be an average of 8%. The Administration has announced these increases are necessary to allow them to run services.

For further information please contact the operator or call traveline on: 0845 606 667. Alternatively visit, www.suffolkonboard.com.

Rubbish stories for National Storytelling Week

School children from across Suffolk will be taking an unusual approach when celebrating National Storytelling Week.

Students from The Oaks Primary School in Ipswich, Grange Primary School in Felixstowe and Glade Primary School in Brandon will be visiting their local library to talk rubbish!

Staff from the county council’s waste management team will be at the libraries with the ‘Waste Monster’ to encourage the children to tell stories using rubbish as prompts. They will also see a puppet show explaining the importance of recycling.

For further information on Suffolk recycling go to www.suffolkrecycling.co.uk

Locality budget

Over the past year I’m pleased to have been able to help a number of organisations in my division. Some of the projects I have supported are listed through the link below. I’m pleased that the locality budget will be remaining at the same level next year. Should any of you have any projects or organisations which you feel would benefit from some locality money, please do get in touch.

The locality budgets will be suspended for the election period (from 12th March), but as of May (after the elections) I will be able to fund projects once again.

http://www.suffolkcc.gov.uk/central/members/LocalityBudgets.htm

Sudbury health services

At the January meeting of Suffolk County Council’s Health Scrutiny Meeting the chief executive of Suffolk PCT admitted that Sudbury is unlikely to get a new community hospital. Instead of a new hospital, the PCT said more resources would go into home-care services.

I think this is a dreadful shame. The PCT has refused to give the people of Sudbury any guarantees. I voted against abandoning the referral of the plans of West Suffolk PCT to the Government for further review, but was sadly outvoted.

Suffolk PCT is undertaking a new review for health services in this area and will be presented to the health scrutiny committee in March. I will update you all further then.

Avian Flu outbreak

There is help at hand for anyone who keeps poultry and is concerned about the threat of bird flu. The county council has an information leaflet available and has set up a special helpline to answer enquiries. The helpline number is 08456 032 814. The advice is also available on the county council's website - www.suffolk.gov.uk and the Defra website www.defra.gov.uk.
Trading Standards are working with the State Veterinary Service, who are enforcing a Protection Zone of three kilometres radius and a Surveillance Zone of 10 kilometres around the premises where movement restrictions will be imposed and poultry must be isolated from wild birds.

A wider Restricted Zone has also (in consultation with ornithologists) been imposed, covering east Suffolk and South East Norfolk bounded to the west and the north by the A140 and A47 respectively, an area of approximately 2090sqkm. It requires the isolation of poultry from wild birds, and requires movements to be licensed. As further information becomes available and in consultation with ornithological experts the restrictions in place may be adjusted.

The national general licence on bird gatherings has been revoked, and bird shows and pigeon racing will no longer be permitted.