Suffolk Libraries, safe for another five years.

Sudbury Library

When so many libraries across the country have closed it is good to read today that Suffolk Libraries have signed a further five year management agreement with Suffolk County Council.

There are 44 libraries across the county, and not one has closed during the current period of Government cuts.  This is in stark contrast to other parts of the UK.  It is not a statutory duty for councils to run libraries and therefore they are vulnerable to closure as councils cast about for additional savings.  Future success depends on making up the shortfall by continuing to encourage volunteering and the encouragement of friends groups and other sources of local financial support.

There is an added incentive for the County Council to make sure that the libraries keep open.  A year or so ago Suffolk was identified as a council that had done particularly well in a national report that examined the future of libaries nationwide.  It would be a pity if that good reputation was damaged.

Many people have written off the library in an electonic age, but real books are actually proving very resilient against the onslaught of the kindle and other devices.  Libraries are also about a lot more than lending books.  In Sudbury the library  is much enhanced by hosting the services of the Tourist Information Centre, and it is still an important point of call for those wishing to know what is going on in the area.  A quick look at the website shows that the library organises a number of interest groups for local people of all ages,  and thus is an important point of contact and social centre too.

In addition to that Sudbury Library must be one of the most attractive libraries in the country! Formerly the Corn Exchange the building was designed by H.E. Kendall and was completed in 1841.  The poet John Betjeman was among those who fought to save the building when it was threatened with demolition.  It is now Grade 2 listed.

Fear and Greed at the County Council

I am surprised and disappointed by the decision taken at the County Council last week to give double digit increases in allowances to the Leader and Cabinet Members, while holding the remuneration of backbenchers to the 1% increase currently ‘enjoyed’ by the officers of the council.

At a time when officers are being asked to take pay increases that fall well below inflation such a move seems wrong.  Apparently the higher allowances were recommended by an independent panel, which has looked at other councils and found the level of payments at Suffolk to be below average.  However, we are not talking about a marketplace here, and councillors can hardly jump ship and go elsewhere if they are dissatisfied with their lot.  Moreover, it is not as though there is a shortage of people wanting to take on the jobs of the current Cabinet.  Many very well qualified and, some might say, far more appropriate people are waiting in the wings.

I am pleased to say that at least a few Conservatives were prepared to abstain.  However I understand that this was a risky choice since it was decided that the vote should be subject to a ‘whip’.  It frankly seems unsavoury to me to force party members to vote in favour of higher  remuneration for some of their number (including those wielding the whip) when an unwhipped vote has generally been the norm in the past on crucial policy matters relating to the Fire Service, Education and Adult Care.

At the same meeting I understand that a decision was made to axe the free shuttle bus that is used by staff wishing to go into the centre of Ipswich at lunch time.  This seems another ill-considered move, particularly since the service was paid for out of car parking payments made by the staff themselves.   Fortunately Ipswich Borough Council has come to the rescue and is going to pay for the service.  Good for them.

Officers of the council work hard and have had to put up with a much increased work load in recent years as the number of people working at the council has been reduced.  Councillors need to maintain good relations with their officers and work comfortably alongside them to get policies through.  When the future looks ever more uncertain and the need for further cuts is on the cards, now is not the time to provoke justified resentment.

Farewell to Geoff Dobson

Earlier this week I ventured back to Endeavour House in Ipswich to say goodbye to the outgoing Director of Resources, the incomparable Geoff Dobson.

As the ‘Finance Director’, Geoff has kept Suffolk County Council on the straight and narrow during very difficult times.  Not only is he was able to combine a compassionate approach with hard financial realism, he also has a highly developed sense of humour, an attribute that is becoming increasingly necessary in local government. I found him to be wonderful support during my time as Cabinet Member for Resource Management.

Geoff’s years at Suffolk County Council crowned a very successful career in local government finance. Following posts in councils in the North of England, his most recent jobs included stints at both Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough.  He also served as

 a highly respected Chairman of CIPFA, the prestigious national association for local government accountants.

Geoff is a keen walker and is also an avid Manchester United Fan.  I am sure that he won’t find his retirement dull.  He will be sorely missed, although he leaves behind him a highly motivated and excellent staff who I am sure will not drop the ball!

The assembled gathering was treated to a slide show of highlights from Geoff's successful career

Remember your County Councillor

I was disappointed to read in the Suffolk Free Press this week about the issues that a resident in my Division has been having with the Highways Department at Suffolk County council.

The disappointment lay not so much in the issues described, although service failure is always to be regretted, but in the fact that the resident did not think to raise the issue with me, his County Councillor, before complaining to the newspapers.  (Actually it would have been quite good if the newspaper had contacted me for a comment too).

One of the main parts of a County Councillor’s role is to take up residents’ problems, and, without wishing to blow my own trumpet, I have over the past four years been assiduous in raising all reasonable complaints with County Council officers or referring people on to other agencies as appropriate.   On the whole I have had a good success rate in resolving local issues, although it has to be said that no one can have a 100 percent record.

Failure to resolve an issue has usually been because of the financial constraints that the council has suffered over the past 4 years as central government cuts have had an impact on the speed at which officers can respond. There are also situations in which one would like to help, but for legal or other reasons it does not prove possible. In the case of highways matters it must be added that demand for work on our roads is infinite and officers have to prioritise their work load to deal with the busiest routes and the gravest problems first.  This can sometimes lead to what seems to be excessive delay.

Returning to the case in point, I spoke to the resident concerned yesterday and, since I have less than a week to go as a County Councillor, I have agreed with him that I will pass information about his problem to my successor, whoever that may be.  I am sure that he will take the matter up, and is likely to be able to resolve it.

Do remember that if you are having problems with the County Council, the first port of call should be your County Councillor.  The contact details of all new and re-elected councillors will be up on the County Council website shortly after the election on Thursday.

Last Council Meeting closes harmoniously.

On Thursday I attended my last full County Council meeting.

Since it was the last meeting of the full council before the election in early May, the atmosphere during the early part of the meeting was fairly highly charged with political point scoring being the order of the day.  Both the Labour Party and UKIP introduced motions which, I suppose, were designed to embarrass the administration.  One was about Highways and the other about the democratic accountability of the Local Enterprise Partnership.  Both motions were fairly technical in nature however, which means that they were unlikely to resonate particularly strongly with the public at large.  I am not sure if either made much of splash in  the EADT.

Despite being four down the Conservatives managed to win both votes and thus see off any criticism.   In  recent months this has been the usual outcome, despite the fact that the Group has not always had a theoretical majority.  Luckily our record of attendance is good;  better than some of the opposition groups.  The Greens in particular seem to have put in a rather patchy performance.

The last hour or so of the meeting was taken up with reports and business from committees that are largely concerned with the internal workings of the council such as the Audit, Scrutiny, and Pension Fund Committees.  Although these do include members from different political parties, and, in the case of the Pension Fund Committee, representatives from the District Councils and also the Unions, these bodies have worked very effectively over the past four years,  It was good to hear politicians from all sides coming together in a mood of mutual congratulation, and, more importantly perhaps, praising the council’s excellent officers, for their extremely professional and efficient support.

Chief Executive, Deborah Cadman, Chairman Colin Spence and Vice Chairman Stephen Burroughs

Attending full council meetings has not been the part of the councillor’s role that I have most enjoyed, and I left the chamber shortly before the end without much feeling of regret.  The coming weeks, when I will be bidding farewell to the Parish Councils that I have worked with since 2013, will, I suspect, prove much more difficult.

Gone!

How to avoid scams, plus other good advice; a chance to meet Suffolk County Council Trading Standards

It is not generally known but Suffolk County Council Trading Standards Department is one of the most highly respected in the entire country.   It has won several awards in recent years, and in general its officers are so busy doing what they do that it is rare to have the opportunity to meet them.

A representative, Matthew Spall, will however be talking about his work and answering questions at the next Articulate breakfast meeting at the Auberge at Yaxley on Wednesday 22nd February.   Booking for this event closes on 15th February, so there is not much time to reserve your place!


Why attend?   Jenna Cox of Articulate writes:

'You are doubtless inundated with spurious offers of service or product that can appear awfully good … but are they?

We all know the old saying …"If it looks like a duck and it quacks like a duck, chances are …"

But scammers, rogue traders and fraudsters are becoming ever more sophisticated and they are costing businesses, as well as consumers, a lot of money. They can also impact the reputation of your business through no fault of your own.

Is there no one/no body that can protect us?

In Suffolk, Trading Standards is campaigning hard so that you have a better understanding of what is afoot in the area and how to deal with/recognise when something is not as it seems. They are also proactively addressing the problem and identifying those who threaten us and taking action to stop it.

We hope you can be there to participate and get a new understanding of Trading Standards and how they might be of service to you.

Bookings close on 15th February
For details and to book, please visit

http://www.articulatehlc.co.uk/events/trading-standards-breakfast

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Primary School application deadline just one week away!

Parents of children who were born between 1^st September 2012 and 31^st August 2018 have just a week to apply for a primary school place for the 2107/18 School year.

It really is important to get the application to the council in time to give a child the best chance of attending their first choice of school.  An online application is recommended, and 82% of parents and guardians use this facility.  The great advantage of the online route is that parents receive immediate acknowledgement that the application has been received.

 Any applications that reach the County Council after the deadline will be considered after all the others have been processed. This could mean there are no places left at a preferred or nearby school which can cause real inconvenience and distress to parents and children alike. An application must be made, even if the child already has a place in a nursery class, pre-school or children’s centre.

Last year Suffolk County Council received 7920 on-time applications from parents for the reception year outlining which school they would prefer their children to be educated at from September 2016. Of those, 90.7% of applicants received offers for their first preference and 97.5% of applicants received an offer from one of their three preferences.

 Any parents or carers who have not yet applied for a school place should apply online or download an application form at: www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions or contact Suffolk County Council immediately on 0345 600 0981.