Report to Parish Council September 2023

Heath Road Development and East End

I am sure Councillor Rothwell and Councillor Roberts will update you on the
problems with the Heath Road site and complaints from residents about trees. We
have been working together on this. I have yet to receive an answer to my
question about how the enforcement team plan to enforce the breach of planning
conditions when the three mature Oak trees were felled last year. The silence on
this particular matter is deafening.

Rural England Prosperity Fund
Babergh District Council has launched three new grant schemes to provide capital
funding to small businesses, culture and creativity groups and community
organisations in Babergh’s rural areas. The money comes from central government
and is designed to replace lost EU funding – unfortunately the level of funding is
much lower than the EU schemes. As Cabinet member for People and Places
(East), I was briefed about this scheme some weeks ago and was worried about
spreading these funds too thinly. The council officers have been creative and
hopefully the money might make a meaningful difference in some areas.

Grants of between £5,000 – £10,000 are available per application, but applicants
must be able to match any funding that with their own funds. Funding will be
available for activities that will have a positive impact on rural business and
communities by strengthening buildings, equipment and assets or that deliver new
activity. We should consider whether any assets in the village could benefit.
Free Trees, Hedgerows and Wildflowers Scheme
Suffolk is well below the national average for tree cover. This Babergh scheme
aims to increase the number of trees in our area and to increase biodiversity.
Parish land, school grounds, recreation grounds and land open to the public are all
eligible for free trees, hedging and assistance with the creation of wildflower
meadows. Again, we should consider whether the Parish Council can benefit from
this scheme.

Belle Vue Park Sudbury
I don’t how many of us visit Sudbury, but there are proposals to replace aging and
vandal-prone toilets at Sudbury’s Belle Vue Park with a new environmentally friendly
café and fully accessible facilities. What is interesting is the design of this new
scheme, which is environmentally friendly, with an EPC (Energy Performance
Certificate) rating of ‘A’, solar panels and air source heat pumps.

Electric vehicle and bicycle charging points and biodiversity planting are also
planned in addition to facilities which will enable disabled visitors to fully access the
site. This is the future where we build sustainably and provide access to everyone.

Sallie Davies District Councillor East Bergholt