My recent report to Newmarket Town Council – March 2007

Newmarket Library  - has started the process of refurbishing the children’s area.  The aim is to have a bright and spacious area for the children to use.  Improvements are also planned for the library entrance and stairway to put more modern, bright and energy-efficient lighting in all these areas. 

Firebreak Courses – these five-day courses are run by the Suffolk fire and rescue service for youngsters who are referred by the Youth Offending Service or by special advisors in schools.  The course offers a mixture of social support and basic physical fire service training. I have just sponsored two young people from Newmarket to attend one of these courses through my locality budget. 

Locality Budget – This is a list of some of the things I have supported this last financial year with my budget. 

• Newmarket in Bloom

• The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal

• Little Buds Pre-School

• Xchange Newmarket community church centre

• NOMADS

• Studlands Park (play equipment)

• Footway in Moulton

• Red Lodge Church

• Herringswell village of the year project

• St Felix School, visit to Endeavour House to hold School Council meeting.

• Newmarket Community Resource Unit

School Organisation Review – As I am sure you are all aware the County Council voted on the 22^nd March to move to stage two of the Education Review with a preferred option of an all two-tier system of education in Suffolk.  It is important for us all to remember this is not just about education in the three-tier areas but about raising the standard of education throughout the whole of Suffolk.  It is our intention now to proceed carefully with the next stage of this review,  a detailed implementation plan for stage two of the review will be taken to SCC Cabinet meeting on 10^th May 2007.  One of our immediate priorities will be to develop a staff support programme in all areas with three-tier schools, to ensure schools can continue to take forward improvement plans and start preparations for change.  I will be able to give the Council further updates during the coming months. 

Youth opportunity/youth capital funds – There has been a poor response so far from the young people of Forest Heath for this funding.  There is approximately £32,000 allocated to our area for young people.  Young people must apply and bid for the money and a panel of young people (with training and support) consider the bids put forward.  If anyone is aware of a local group of young people that would benefit from some extra money please ask them to contact Nicola King at FHDC or myself for further details. 

 

Suffolk – it’s like Life on Mars!

Concerned parents lobbying councillors, ‘fears for the future of schools’, action groups and public meetings.  This is not Newmarket today but Woodbridge in the 1980s.  The fact is that a successful transition from three-tier to two-tier education has already been achieved in Suffolk in recent memory.

The similarities between the mid-eighties and today are remarkable.  The objectives of the Woodbridge review were to:

1. Establish a common age of transfer

2. Ensure the viability of schools

3. Improve or replace inappropriate buildings

4. Remove surplus places

5. Improve the quality of education

The reasons for change were again, very familiar. For example, recruitment of teachers was difficult and the viability of village first schools was under threat due to falling pupil numbers.

The change went a head and the worries of the anti-lobby proved to be unfounded. The phasing of the change was designed to minimise the number of moves children had to make. Rather than the predicted (by the anti lobby) fall, pupil performance improved dramatically (from 48% of pupils achieving 5 or more A* to C grades at GCSE in 1994 to 67% in 2006).

The vast majority of school staff was confirmed in post. Some took early retirement and others were redeployed to alternative schools. Finally, concerns about transport proved unnecessary as there was a reduction in the number of journeys required as children remained in their local rural primary school for two years longer.

Surely what Woodbridge could do 20 years ago, Newmarket can do better today.

Lorry Parks love them or loathe them?

Since being elected to district and county council I have realised how peoples lives are made a misery by HGV’s parking on residential roads. However, my sympathy not only lies with the residents but also the drivers, who are merely trying to do their jobs. 

We recently surveyed drivers stopping overnight at the Red Lodge Cafe, and we were informed the drivers would appreciate the following facilities: a top priority would be a safe place to stop, somewhere secure, closely followed by somewhere to wash and be clean and good food to eat.  This is not rocket science and no different to what we would all expect for ourselves so why do we deny our lorry drivers the most basic facilities?  This is something I hope to rectify working with both the district and county councils.  Suffolk County Council are looking to provide lorry parking facilities at 30 minute intervals along the A14 and A11, this will not only give drivers better conditions but also release residential roads from the pressure of lorries parking overnight.

This is a subject I shall return to on many occasions here I am sure, please watch this space for an update…