Tim Huggan

The Government has brought forward proposals for the long awaited dualling of the A11 between Barton Mills and Thetford. The proposal is to start work in 2010 on the final stretch to become dual carriageway between Norwich and London. There are currently no proposals to improve the Fiveways roundabout or any of the junctions south of it.
Local Lib Dem Councillor Tim Huggan has asked the Highways Agency to urgently consider proposals for the improvemnet of the roundabout and associated junctions. He needs your help if they are to take this matter up.
Tim Huggan said ‘ With a large Sainsbury’s likely in Mildenhall , increasing volumes of traffic as Norfolk is easier to reach from outside means that traffic volumes increase, gridlock will become more regular and more accidents will happen as local people try to cross the A11. This work needs to be done at the same time as the road is upgraded.

The ‘Haven Gateway’(Ipswich and Felixstowe and hinterland) proposal has some merit.  It is a natural travel to work area and would have much to say for it in that it would be a big enough area to achieve the necessary savings as a unitary authority.

The remainder of Suffolk Authority (minus Lowestoft) would be an authority with no natural centre.  It could be made to work, now that Lowestoft would not be part of it as it would be an authority comprising the market towns and rural villages of Suffolk.  No one town would dominate it.  

I personally would have been happier with a West Suffolk authority but this is a proposal I could live with if appropriate arrangements are put in place. This authority would have 2 members per county division to create a council of about 80 Councillors.  There would be about 10 area committees with 6-10 councillors on each and direct parish participation who would have much local decision making powers.  The eventual presumption is for single member wards.

On Sunday,  I had a very enjoyable day walking around  Barton Mills, seeing the scarecrows, talking to friends and watching the entertainment.  Yet again Barton Mills has produced a festival worthy of the name.  

The effort that goes into it is amazing and the organisers must be proud of themselves to established this as probably the best festival of its type in the country.

My sons Alex and Tom had a great time too!

A second gain for the Lib Dems from the Tories in the last 7 months.  Given where the Tories are in the opinion polls not a good result for them.  A pretty good result for the local Lib Dems and for local people.   Pat McCloud will make a very good councillor.  He certainly knows how to stand up for the local community!

 The Result:

Forest Heath DC Red Lodge WardTurnout 38%Pat McCloud Lib Dem 321 votes 55.9%Conservative 230 votes 40.1%

Shame on you Tories!  Red Lodge needs a primary school within its village.   Leaving local residents in doubt with council double speak on whether or not it is to get a new school is not on! 

Tory Leader of Suffolk County Council said in a Tory election leaflet ‘I will do my best to find a solution that ensures the best possible education for the children of Red Lodge.’   So no ‘You will get a new school’  just a promise of some consultation in the Autumn.  Just how long do local parents have to wait?   I remember the Tories promising the people of Studlands Park in Newmarket a school thirty years ago,  sadly they never got one. 

I just would rather they show us the plans for the school, if there really are any.

Lib Dems claim a victory for Common sense on Council Office Refurbishment Project

Lib Dem group leader Ian Radford responding to the Conservative group’s decision to accept the Liberal Democrat’s campaign to put the Council Office project on hold said:

Last July we opposed this project without costing that the Council should have an expensive office refurbishment. As recently as February we put a motion to full council calling on the project to be put on hold until the outcome of Local Government review became known. This motion was rejected by the Conservatives on the council.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Ian Radford continued ‘It is interesting that Councillor Jaggard now wants to do what Cameron accuses Brown of and that is to steal our policies. It is also interesting that he wants to rewrite history.

The Conservatives are now claiming that this project was supported by the whole council, it is not the case and has never been the case. The Liberal Democrats had rather that hard pressed local council taxpayers money was spent on local services not plush new council offices.

Ends

Notes
1. Council minutes from the July 2007
The minutes from the council meeting last July state ‘This item prompted considerable discussion by Members and Councillor I P Radford spoke at length and expressed the view that further detailed information needed to be provided before a decision could be reached. Vote for 23 vote against 1

2. The council minutes of 5th March 2008 clearly show
Councillor I P Radford spoke at length on this matter and voiced concern on the following matters:
. The lack of Liberal Democrat representation on the Office Refurbishment Board;
. The termination of contract with AW Business Solutions Ltd as projectmanagement lead, following appointment by Council on 31 July 2007;
. The need to establish clear detailed costings of works;
. The outcome surrounding the pending recommendations of the Boundary Committee.
Councillor Radford proposed an amendment that the project be suspended until full clear costings of necessary repairs were made available pending the publication of the Boundary Committee results. Councillor T J Huggan spoke in support of the amendment and seconded the motion.

On being put to the vote and with 2 Councillors voting for the motion, 19 against.
3. A press release from the Conservative Group on Forest Heath District Council
Monday, 19 May 2008
EMBARGO For immediate release
BEGINS
The Conservative Group will argue at the Council meeting on June 4th that plans to refurbish the Forest Heath District Council office should be suspended until the Local Government Review has delivered its recommendations to the Secretary of State in early 2009.
Leader, Cllr Geoffrey Jaggard said: “The refurbishment was supported by the whole Council last July. We are now in a very different situation and it is unclear how the buildings will be used in future. I therefore believe the right thing to do is put the office refurbishment project on hold.”

“We hope that, whatever the decision about local government in Suffolk, a local presence will be preserved in Forest Heath.”
ENDS

Few things surprise me about what the Tories are up to in Suffolk anymore.  Then something comes along  and does.

Not content with appointing a new Cheif exec at £70,000 more than advertised at £220,000 with benefits and a nice severance package,  the Tory controlled council was found to have acted ‘potentially unlawfully’.   So there, that has surprised me,  I wait to here the self justification from our Tory County councillors who pushed through this appointment.

When I am stressed out after a hard day, I quite often will take my two boys out for a walk particularly the playground where the innocence of life soon makes the stress seep away.

Other people cope in different ways by writing ranting emails  or having a stiff drink or relaxing with friends.  I always think ranting emails are a bad idea because it is so instantaneous and to send it to political opponents is just not the done thing.  I hope that I never take that route.

Today I visited two places that have over the last few years difficult areas for the Liberal Democrats Epping and Brentwood.

 I knocked on doors in Theydon Bois for our candidate there and then went delivering in Brentwood south in the afternoon.  I found that we have gained new activists and were invigorated.  I found that in Brentwood they need to updater their literature over the next year if they are to go onto bigger and better things and to challenge the Tory run council seriously.

It is very rare to have the Local Government Ombudsman to give a verdict of maladministration on a council. 

Forest Heath has been the subject of this finding.   The Conservative group at last night’s meeting seemed to have great difficulty in accepting the ruling of the ombudsman.  Several suggested delay, the leader said with a heavy heart etc etc.

The ‘Independents’ were keen to review the evidence as presented and put that point of view in the debate.

 I strongly believe the Ombudsman is there to protect the public and to make sure that Councillors and the Council always act with the utmost integrity.    The Ombudsman found that he Council in this case had not and I welcomed the decision and the fact that it was accepted if only by 9 votes to 6.