District Councillor Report: December 2020
Getting close to Christmas and who knows what it is going to be like. We are all in lockdown
again, and hopefully it will achieve the reduction in Covid infection rates and hospital
pressures that the Government wants to achieve. Being in a relatively low infection area
makes the draconian measures seem irrelevant but movement is the sure way to spread an
infection like this around. Stay safe, observe the rules, no matter how confusing they may
seem and we will get through this.
By now the council will have discussed the draft Joint Local Plan and possibly approved it for
final public consultation before submission to a planning inspector. At 610 pages it takes a
bit of wading though and despite having a paper copy in front of me it is confusing and not
exactly what one would expect of a “Plain English” approach. Planning rules are complicated
enough, designed I am sure to allow anything to be the outcome depending on how it is
phrased! At the same time the council is looking at the Changes to the Community
Infrastructure Levy rules. Now there is a typical piece of “local government speak”. The only
mention of the deficit of “infrastructure” is in the objections of residents to planning
applications. Making developers pay for past mistakes is not allowed, but residents have to
live with the consequences of those past errors. Take the A12 at Junt. 31 East Bergholt. Back
in 2008 Highways England in its grand sounding “Route Based Strategy” stated that traffic
flows at peak times were at capacity for a dual carriageway and that the junction was
substandard. It also stated that new developments of more than 50 homes would have to
pay for junction improvements, Since then what has happened? NOTHING!
Planning will always been controversial, but if the rules are enforced and are the same for
everyone, they can be accepted. Gaming the planning system is a popular pastime, but
enforcement seems to be even more obtuse than the planning rules themselves. I will
continue “fighting” for the constituents who have problems with the council and its
systems.
Remembrance Sunday has been and gone without the normal public solemn act of
Remembrance. A small socially distanced event took place in East Bergholt at the War
Memorial. The important thing is that “We Will Remember Them” and please support the
Royal British Legion in its work for ex-servicemen and women and their families. You can
donate via the website for those with access to the internet.
Let me finally praise the work of the silent army of people who keep things moving, even in
a Lockdown. Our Bin men who every week without fail pick up one or other of our bins. The
Milkmen, Butchers, Bakers, Post Men and Women and of course the staff in our local shops
without whom we would be in real difficulty! Thank you to you all and stay safe whilst we
hope that science creates an effective vaccination rather than some rather misleading
charts and predictions.
Stay Safe; Remember, FACE: HANDS: SPACE.
Cllr John Hinton
November 2020