We all want to make Mid Suffolk an even better place to live

After winning an outright Green majority on Mid Suffolk District Council in May’s local elections, we were keen to make an immediate impact. We’ve made good progress with our initial 3-month action plan and enjoyed working with communities and our excellent council staff.

But this period also needs to be kept in perspective - it is just the beginning. A change in direction takes time, so be suspicious of anyone who over-promises what can be delivered in 100 days.

So, I’d like to tell you about some of the projects we’ve started, and how we aim to work with communities differently.

One of our first moves has been to create the Pride in Your Place campaign.

Mid Suffolk is full of special places and we want everyone to feel proud of where they live - and of our district as a whole.

That’s why we have been offering funding for projects which make visible improvements to communities, on top of the existing work we do. This fund is open to every town and village.

Sometimes, just small things – such as removing graffiti or cleaning road signs – can make a big difference to how a place looks and feels. I encourage all towns and parishes to get involved if they haven’t already. Details on how to apply for funding can be found on our website.

Tackling the climate emergency is an ongoing priority for our council. Over the past few years, the council has implemented a number of climate measures: our bin lorries switched from diesel to a greener fuel, and we installed hundreds of solar panels on our leisure centres – both projects have reduced our emissions.

But as the twin challenge of the climate and nature crises become ever clearer, we need to step up this work. Last week the council joined UK100, a nationwide network of councils who are leading climate action. They are already giving us training and support to make sure we are on the right path for a sustainable future, and we want to be leaders in this area of work.

We have been setting up an insulation project to make more Mid Suffolk properties warmer this winter.

We have also created a group to specifically look at additional measures we can take to improve biodiversity.

We are also working on the problem of poor rural connectivity. Many places in our district are no longer served by public transport. We’ve been looking at potential solutions, including electric bus provision, and hope to bring forward more details soon.

Much closer collaboration with communities is key to achieving our aims. The council wants to help towns and villages thrive, but this will only happen when we listen to and empower local people. In the coming weeks, we are set to begin a major engagement exercise with residents and local organisations to help shape our future priorities and policies.

We want our council to feel closer to its communities, and we have already held public meetings away from the council’s Ipswich offices, taking meetings out to Elmswell and Stowmarket.

Another of our initial actions has been to lobby the Government to provide a clear national framework for the development of solar farms.

Several Mid Suffolk communities have faced large solar applications recently, and government policy is tilted heavily in favour of approving these, undermining local decision making. This leaves the council bearing the brunt of residents’ ire, when really they should be lobbying their MP. We need a strategic, joined up plan at national level that balances energy development and food production, and that doesn’t industrialize the countryside.

We do want to strengthen the rural economy and we are using a new round of funding from the Rural England Prosperity Fund to help businesses and communities to invest. This capital grants scheme can help with a range of projects, including farm diversification, tourism business expansion, and the development of community facilities in rural areas.

These initial plans are just our first steps on a journey. We want our council to provide high quality services, and help to develop thriving and resilient communities, but we know this won’t happen overnight.

We’re making a start by engaging with our residents. We all want to make Mid Suffolk an even better place to live.

Councillor Andy Mellen is the leader of Mid Suffolk District Council