DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT December 2025

High School Rebuild
I recently visited East Bergholt High School to learn about the plans for its complete rebuild and
transformation, funded by the Department for Education. The main building housing the hall and
canteen was built in 1957 and designed for 300 pupils.
Other buildings went up gradually in the following decades. One double class room used for
exams was inexplicably built over a sewage drain which then exploded. Block C was completely
refurbished but has never been used because it was declared unfit when RAAC (reinforced
autoclaved aerated concrete) was found in its structure. As a result the school is currently
using portacabins for classrooms and has lost the use of its tennis and netball courts.
The senior leadership, teaching and support staff have continued to do a difficult job amidst
constant upheaval, nevertheless gaining a ‘Good’ Ofsted assessment two years ago. Respect
must go to the children who have weathered this turmoil and who study in buildings that are well
past their sell by date or are temporary classrooms.
The Department of Education has assessed East Bergholt High as suitable for the School
Rebuilding Programme and has brought together a project team to design a fit for purpose new
building for 900 pupils. The ambitious plans are well under way and are not only environmentally
outstanding but will make the buildings and space support the work of the school in every
way. The project team will share more detail and timescales of their plans with the local
community early next year, following which a planning application will be submitted to the local
planning authority.
Penrose Trust, who run EB High School, intend to present the plans to the Parish Council in
January 2026 before consultation with the whole village.

Noise Nuisance
A Shotley resident has been fined over £1,000 after repeatedly allowing his dog to cause a
serious noise disturbance, despite multiple warnings and formal enforcement action. A notice had
been issued by Babergh District Council following numerous complaints from neighbours
distressed by the persistent barking.
An investigation by environmental protection officers using noise monitoring equipment
confirmed excessive barking and howling throughout the day. Residents reported being
regularly woken as early as 6am, with some recordings capturing up to 200 barks in a single
episode. The resident was fined £660, ordered to pay £100 in costs to the council, and a victim
surcharge of £264 – totalling £1,024.
Funding Summit
I will be attending a funding session run by Babergh and Mid Suffolk councils to set out grant
opportunities for community organisations. It is on Wednesday 19 November in Bildeston from
Asylum Seekers and Refugees
There has been a great deal of media coverage about housing asylum seekers in hotels and other types of accommodation. Asylum seekers are held initially in centres for days or weeks and are
then ‘dispersed’ to longer term accommodation while their claim is processed. This is the situation in Babergh:

There are no initial holding centres in Babergh
There are currently no asylum seekers housed in hotels in Babergh.
Serco run the Home Office contract to find ‘dispersal’ accommodation in the East of England. This means Serco makes the decision about where to house asylum seekers. The company seeks to
find accommodation in the private sector for this purpose. Serco do not use social housing – (council and housing association properties).
Serco consults the county and district councils, police and health service when looking at properties to accommodate asylum seekers. Babergh officers inform the district councillor for the area and
feedback to Serco any concerns raised by council departments, for example about community tensions, anti-social behaviour, lack of public transport and other services. Ultimately the decision
where to place asylum seekers will be made by Serco and the Home Office. Babergh meet with Serco regularly to monitor placements.
Babergh has no duty to house homeless asylum seekers. The situation is different for Refugees. A refugee is a successful asylum seeker and the Home Office is satisfied their case is genuine. A
refugee is entitled to homelessness assistance.
There is no help available for ‘irregular migrants’, These are people who, for various reasons, have no right to stay in the UK. They are not entitled to benefits or homelessness assistance. This is
called ‘no recourse to public funds’.
I must stress that the number of asylum seekers housed by the government in Babergh and Mid Suffolk is extremely small compared to other areas of the country. Rural areas are often not the best
place to house asylum seekers.

Local Government Reorganisation
Suffolk County Council and the five district and town councils in Suffolk have now approved and submitted their proposals to central government for how local government should be reorganised in
Suffolk. We now wait for the government’s decision. The government is expected to launch a public consultation in November 2025, running until February 2026, before making a final decision.

Councillor Sallie Davies. Sallie.davies@babergh.gov.uk

0900 to 1430. I will return hopefully with comprehensive information that we can pass on to
community groups.
Locality Funding
After a post on Facebook, I have been overwhelmed with requests for funding from local
organisations from my small ‘locality’ fund. Unfortunately I only have £2000 which has now
been allocated to five projects or organisations. I signposted the other organisations to
alternative sources of funding.

Councillor Sallie Davies
Sallie.davies@babergh.gov.uk