First year of new council leadership captured in annual report

22 Jul 2024

The first year of West Suffolk Council since a change in its political leadership in May 2023, has been captured in the council’s annual report.

The West Suffolk Annual Report looks back over the past 12 months, measured against the council’s four strategic priorities adopted in December:

• Affordable, available and decent homes
• Sustainable growth
• Thriving Communities
• Environmental resilience.

Cllr Waterman, leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “It has been a very busy year and this report shows the positive progress that we are making.

“We have revised the latest draft of the West Suffolk Local Plan so that it will deliver more affordable homes as well as homes that are more energy efficient, so they cost residents less to power and heat. That plan is now with planning inspectors for the next stage in the process of creating a local plan.

“We have also delivered £1.6m of grants for adaptations and facilities to help elderly and disabled residents to carry on living independently and safely in their own homes. In total we awarded 211 disabled facilities grants in 2023/24 compared to 72 four years ago. 

“As part of Safe Suffolk Renters, we have been working to lift standards in the private rented sector. We are also working with more landlords through our West Suffolk Lettings Partnership to place tenants in suitable private rented accommodation.

“We have led on community engagement including with partners in health and housing to help shape a new housing, homelessness reduction and rough sleeper strategy which, once adopted will better place us to take on the challenges that our communities will face in the years ahead.

“Sustainable growth includes helping new and existing businesses to grow, making sure West Suffolk continues to be an attractive place for business, investing in skills to support better wages, supporting high streets and markets and securing infrastructure such as transport and education to support local growth.

“We have delivered work to help empower people with greater skills, boosting their confidence, self-esteem and their earning potential. And we have directly invested in a number of projects to support footfall and growth in our town centres including incentives to encourage market trade.

“West Suffolk Council is now in a very good position to benefit from the exciting developments in housing, planning and economic growth the new government announced in the King’s Speech.”

Cllr Victor Lukaniuk, deputy leader of West Suffolk Council, said: “Our work around Thriving Communities is about ensuring residents can access services, benefits and support as well as lifting their physical and mental health through sport, cultural activities and leisure including parks, open spaces, play area and leisure centres.

“In the past 12 months we have invested in the work of community groups, charities and voluntary organisations to ensure residents can access services, benefits and support and to lift their health and wellbeing as well as councillor locality budgets. 

“The success of Mutiny in Colour saw the council work in a collaboration with venues in Haverhill and Newmarket to showcase the work of contemporary artists including Banksy across three of our market towns.

“We’ve led the way in trialling a reverse vending scheme designed to boost recycling and reduce litter supporting environmental resilience while also offering the potential for points-based rewards which can then be spent in local businesses.

“We’ve also delivered grants for carbon reduction work to not for profit organisations and energy efficiency improvements to help people heat their homes for less, while our Solar for Business scheme is achieving great results in supporting businesses to cut carbon emission and save money.”
 
Other highlights in the report include:

• In Brandon the council funded high street improvements through its allocation from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund while it supported further improvements through a Rural England Prosperity Fund EPF grant to Brandon in Bloom.
• In Bury St Edmunds the council has seen its best year yet for The Apex venue while it also backed the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds with a £61,000 annual grant towards its core costs.
• In Haverhill, the council has invested and is finalising work to Provincial House which will see adult skills and learning take place there in a project that will also create additional footfall to the high street and increased opportunities for businesses.
• In Mildenhall, the council delivered a £122,000 pump track, a new facility for the town built on land next to Mildenhall Hub.
• In Newmarket, the council allocated Rural England Prosperity Fund money to help achieve the long-term ambition of a cinema for the town. 

The full draft annual report including other achievements of the past year can be read from page 133 in the Cabinet agenda for Tuesday 23 July 2024. 

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