I was delighted today (Sunday 17th March) to officially “open” the new compost toilet at Gallowsfield Wood in Haughley. The Management Committee, led by Geoffrey Kay (see Gallowsfield Wood ) approached me for funding from the Mid Suffolk Locality Awards and I was pleased to be able to help. It was rather a cold morning but many volunteers and locals turned up. I’m sure the new facility will come in useful when there are future working parties at the woods.
Posts Tagged 'Wetherden'
At your convenience
Published March 17, 2019 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Gallowsfield Wood, Haughley, Mid Suffolk District Council, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
Investing in local communities
Published February 20, 2018 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Communities, Green Party, Haughley, Mid Suffolk, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
The following organisations and projects have received awards from the Mid Suffolk District Council Locality Award and I am very pleased to be able to support them:
- Wetherden Village Hall – improvements to access and parking
- Haughley Playing Fields Committee – replacement of safety matting in children’s play area
- Haughley Bowls Club – updating the bowls green
- 1st Wetherden & Haughley Scouts – refurbishing the Scout Hut kitchen
- Wetherden Parish Council and Wetherden Football Club – repairs and improvements to the Pavilion
- Haughley United Football Club – storage shed
- Wetherden Townlands Trust – upkeep of village car park
- Haughley United Youth Football Club – goals (for use at Wetherden Playing Field)
- Haughley Amateur Theatrical Society – support for the Panto
- Rural Coffee Caravan – contribution towards replacement caravan
Every Mid Suffolk District Councillor receives an allocation to award to local groups. A further allocation is expected to be provided for 2018/19 so groups will be able to apply for projects then. I will publicise it when details are available.
Rail Crossing Closures Threat
Published June 1, 2016 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Green Party, Haughley, level crossing closures, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
Once again, rail crossings in our area are threatened with closure. Three immediately around Haughley and Wetherden are at risk – two on the Ipswich to Bury line (on the Haughley Green to Haughley footpath and at Mutton Hall) and one on the Norwich line (at the Leggetts footpath just north of Haughley Green). A public consultation will soon be open so please register your views. From 14th June until 5th July you can go online at www.networkrail.co.uk/anglialevelcrossing or email anglialevelcrossings@networkrail.co.uk or phone 03457 11 41 41. A consultation event is being held in Stowmarket at the Community Centre IP14 2BD on Tuesday 14th June from 3pm to 8pm. The local press have been covering this (read here) and also a local pressure group (www.suffolkcrossings.co.uk ) but it is important that as many of you as possible have your say.
2015 Elections – re-elected uncontested
Published April 9, 2015 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Election 2015, Green Party, Haughley, Mid Suffolk District Council, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
Following the closure of nominations for the 2015 Mid Suffolk District Council elections, as no other candidate has stood against me I have been re-elected uncontested. I am very appreciative of the support I have received from the communities of Haughley and Wetherden to date and hope to continue to serve residents well. I will continue to raise any concerns and support local issues that residents have.
Why do people drop litter?
Published March 24, 2013 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Green Party, Haughley, litter, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
This month there were community litter picks in Haughley and Wetherden – volunteers targeted roads leading into the village centres to give them an annual tidy up. Thanks to everyone who came and helped but why do people drop litter? One young volunteer helped pick up rubbish from the edge of Haughley playing field and from that alone 
five bin-bags were collected including one just of plastic bottles and one just of glass. And this is on a site with two waste bins nearby. Still it all looks tidier – for a while.
Broadband – fibre optic cabling…
Published November 14, 2012 Uncategorized 4 CommentsTags: broadband, Green Party, Haughley, Rachel Eburne, suffolk better broadband, Wetherden
Many of you will have noticed various vans along the roads installing cabling. The current installation is of fibre optic cable, running from Stowmarket, to Haughley and then via Haughley Green to Bacton. For the next stage, this needs to be connected up to the cabinets for improvements in line speed.
A planning application has been made to install a new cabinet just round the corner from the existing cabinet next to the bus shelter in Haughley (next to 2 Station Road). This cabinet serves most of Haughley and Haughley Green. I understand that that this cabinet will be fibre-enabled and, once in place and “live”, will greatly enhance broadband services in the area.
There is no date for this work (the application goes before Haughley Parish Council next week) and in a similar situation it was some months between installation of the cabinet and the fibre becoming operational – however a step in the right direction!
With regards to the Suffolk-wide Better Broadband project, I have raised our concerns that properties on the edge of Haughley and in Haughley Green may be at risk from not being part of the project nor benefit from the BT investment. I’ve been told that these concerns have been “taken on board” and will be included in the contract discussions. In the meantime I understand Suffolk County Council is still waiting on the EU decision as to how the public funds can be used.
What is important to you?
Published September 6, 2012 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: community engagement, Green Party, Haughley, Mid Suffolk District Council, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
With the need for longer-term planning in order to minimise financial pressures, Mid Suffolk District Council (MSDC) is asking local communities (residents and businesses) what services the council should or should not be providing. Information gathered will help to prioritise the council’s work in the future.
MSDC are asking questions such as “What’s good about living here?; What do you want to change? What community facilities are being well used and also under-used?” and also “What should the Council be doing more – and less – of in the future?”
Discussions with many residents have highlighted the following issues. Which of these do you feel need the most attention?
1. Having an efficient rural transport system
2. The need for safe foot/cycle-paths (and lower traffic speeds)
3. Access to high-speed broadband
4. Price of heating oil and also petrol
5. Employment opportunities for young people
6. Affordable housing for local families
7. Volunteers to run local clubs and services
And are there any specific issues businesses have that MSDC can help solve?
Please let me know your thoughts.
If you want to understand more of the detail, please get in touch. You can also respond directly to MSDC via the council’s website www.midsuffolk.gov.uk. (Look for “Community Engagement 2012”.)
May news
Published May 10, 2012 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Haughley, NPPF, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
Planning: The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is now in place. This is 49 pages of planning policy to replace thousands of pages of national policies. One of the main principles is for a “local plan-led system” and at Mid Suffolk District Council there are the current Local Plans and Core Strategy documents which should be in line with the NPPF. Part of this, and in line with the Localism Act, is the creation of Neighbourhood Plans. This is for our local communities to decide whether to produce a Plan to suggest what development they might want in the area. It is a complex process and Mid Suffolk is currently working through ways to help.
While there is a reduction in paper the actual planning process is still in place and those involved will look at how the NPPF is interpreted in relation to day to day planning decisions.
Haughley Playing Field equipment: Mid Suffolk were pleased to be able to contribute a small grant towards the fundraising efforts for new play equipment on Haughley Playing Field. This has been a great effort in getting all the funding necessary and preparing the ground ready for the equipment to be installed in time for the Jubilee weekend.
November news
Published November 18, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: Haughley, NPPF, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
There has been much discussion in the media lately on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) especially in relation to the issue of retaining the countryside for its own sake. Other issues raised include keeping the provision to build on brownfield land first, before considering greenfield sites, and providing a better definition of sustainable development. Mid Suffolk has submitted its response to the consultation but there is concern that the Framework, overall, is skewed towards urban centres and does not fully consider impacts on rural areas.
The Big Tree Plant (www.thebigtreeplant.direct.gov.uk) is a campaign by Defra and The Forestry Commission to plant more trees in England over the next four years. Funding is available for local groups who wish to plant trees in their community. For communities that want to do this Mid Suffolk’s tree officer has offered to give help with completing the application form and giving general advice on tree-planting.
News for April
Published April 8, 2011 Uncategorized Leave a CommentTags: fly-tipping, Green Party, Haughley, Rachel Eburne, Wetherden
A joint Chief Executive is about to be appointed for Mid Suffolk and Babergh District Councils. The next stage in progress towards a potential merger will be the public poll occurring in May after the District and Parish elections. All households should have received information about this poll from Mid Suffolk.
The bid to take over the old Haughley Picnic Site from Suffolk County Council is going ahead, supported by local groups, Haughley Parish Council, Harleston Parish Meeting and Mid Suffolk District Council. If anyone wishes to be involved in this please let me know.
From the community litter picks in Haughley on Saturday 12 March we collected over 20 large bin bags of rubbish plus a TV and a couple of tyres. Thank you to everyone who came along to help – it is appreciated by everyone. By the time you read this we will also have had a litter pick in Wetherden, hopefully as successful. On another positive note, two individuals have recently been fined for fly-tipping in our area so please report any fly-tipping you see as it can have a result.
Rachel Eburne 