Latest news with #SandyMartin
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Get to work' on northern bypass, MP pleads
An MP has called on a council to "get to work" on a bypass after councillors voted in favour of the new road following years of political gridlock. A northern bypass for Ipswich has long been suggested as a means of easing congestion - but just a fortnight ago any decision appeared to be off the cards until next year. The plan was approved last week when a Labour councillor's motion received cross-party support at the Conservative-led Suffolk County Council. "It is welcome that people from across the political divide have demanded that the administration wake up and finally take action," said Jack Abbot, Labour MP for Ipswich. "It is now incumbent on Suffolk County Council to immediately get to work and produce the plans. "If they do so, I'll work alongside them to get the funding we need from government in the long-term interests of Ipswich, Felixstowe and Suffolk." Sandy Martin, who brought the motion, said the northern bypass would not only help ease general congestion, but also boost trade at, and stemming from, the Port of Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port. "We cannot afford to have Ipswich brought to a complete standstill every time the bridge is shut, we cannot afford as a county to see Felixstowe downgraded," he added. "We cannot afford as a country to see the expensive delays and disruptions to this nation's major trade route without any mitigation measures taken." The plans were shelved in February 2020 due to a lack of political support, with councillors and the area's three Conservative MPs at the time divided on the plans. Hundreds of people protested outside the council's headquarters, claiming the scheme would destroy the countryside, increase pollution and would cost the taxpayer millions of pounds without reducing traffic. The project has had a recent resurgence in popularity after Mr Abbott said it was "bypass or bust" amid weeks of diversions and congestion during works on the Orwell Bridge. Many of the same key problems which led to the strong opposition still remained, particularly in relation to how to secure government funding for the project, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. In 2019, funding was reliant on 15,000 new homes being built over and above the numbers local authorities were allocated in their local plans. Conservative councillor Elaine Bryce, who played a key part in opposing the initial scheme, said the amount of development needed to unlock the funding would cause devastation in many of the villages she represented. Andrew Stringer, a Green councillor and the main opposition group's leader, said: "There must be ample opportunity to provide a bridge, tunnel, anything else other than just tearing through one of the most beautiful parts of Suffolk." Council leader Matthew Hicks, who renewed his opposition for the bypass, said: "Suffolk is waiting for a whole series of infrastructure to move forward. "Labour has failed, so far, to bring new funding." The motion was backed across party lines with 29 votes for and 12 against, while eight abstained. The authority will now seek further clarity from the government on its priorities. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Big businesses bemoan Orwell Bridge work 'failure' No decision on road plan 'until mayor elected' Bypass for town is 'of national significance' - MP
BBC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
'Get to work' on northern bypass, Ipswich MP pleads
An MP has called on a council to "get to work" on a bypass after councillors voted in favour of the new road following years of political gridlock. A northern bypass for Ipswich has long been suggested as a means of easing congestion - but just a fortnight ago any decision appeared to be off the cards until next plan was approved last week when a Labour councillor's motion received cross-party support at the Conservative-led Suffolk County Council."It is welcome that people from across the political divide have demanded that the administration wake up and finally take action," said Jack Abbot, Labour MP for Ipswich. "It is now incumbent on Suffolk County Council to immediately get to work and produce the plans. "If they do so, I'll work alongside them to get the funding we need from government in the long-term interests of Ipswich, Felixstowe and Suffolk." Sandy Martin, who brought the motion, said the northern bypass would not only help ease general congestion, but also boost trade at, and stemming from, the Port of Felixstowe, the UK's largest container port."We cannot afford to have Ipswich brought to a complete standstill every time the bridge is shut, we cannot afford as a county to see Felixstowe downgraded," he added."We cannot afford as a country to see the expensive delays and disruptions to this nation's major trade route without any mitigation measures taken."The plans were shelved in February 2020 due to a lack of political support, with councillors and the area's three Conservative MPs at the time divided on the of people protested outside the council's headquarters, claiming the scheme would destroy the countryside, increase pollution and would cost the taxpayer millions of pounds without reducing project has had a recent resurgence in popularity after Mr Abbott said it was "bypass or bust" amid weeks of diversions and congestion during works on the Orwell of the same key problems which led to the strong opposition still remained, particularly in relation to how to secure government funding for the project, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. In 2019, funding was reliant on 15,000 new homes being built over and above the numbers local authorities were allocated in their local councillor Elaine Bryce, who played a key part in opposing the initial scheme, said the amount of development needed to unlock the funding would cause devastation in many of the villages she Stringer, a Green councillor and the main opposition group's leader, said: "There must be ample opportunity to provide a bridge, tunnel, anything else other than just tearing through one of the most beautiful parts of Suffolk."Council leader Matthew Hicks, who renewed his opposition for the bypass, said: "Suffolk is waiting for a whole series of infrastructure to move forward."Labour has failed, so far, to bring new funding."The motion was backed across party lines with 29 votes for and 12 against, while eight authority will now seek further clarity from the government on its priorities. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Council library takeover challenges blocked
Two call-in challenges against a county council over its plan to bring library services back under the authority's control have been rejected. Since 2012, libraries in Suffolk have been managed by independent charity Suffolk Libraries but now the Conservative-run Suffolk County Council is taking over the running of the 45 sites. It has seen a public dispute between the charity and the authority, with a petition against the move being signed 23,000 times and a protest taking place. The opposition Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent (GLI) group and the Labour group had lodged separate challenges but the council rejected both. Call-in challenges can be lodged by councillors against council decisions. A monitoring officer, who is employed by the council in a non-political role, decides whether the challenge can progress. If allowed, the council's scrutiny committee would debate the issue. In the case here both challenges were deemed 'not allowed' on all points. The GLI argument centred around four points: Whether the contract with Suffolk Libraries could have been extended for a period while the council retendered the contract If financial costs had been 'properly scoped' That councillors received the full background information for the decision too late to prepare a response That the decision should have been subject to a public consultation. Simon Harley, the group spokesperson for communities, said: "It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the Conservative administration has rejected a more independent scrutiny of this decision, also ignoring the massive petition from the people of Suffolk on legalistic grounds. "We have no further options available to us to overturn this, but the people of Suffolk will remember this flawed decision and likely regret it for many years to come." The Labour challenge raised similar points but also suggested the time left until the council takes control on 1 June would be "extremely challenging" and raised concerns that vulnerable people who use library services may see those stopped. Labour group leader Sandy Martin said: "The Conservative council claim that all the relevant information needed to make a sensible decision was in the reports shown to the meeting. "But the fact remains that they have never explained in detail how county council employees, on higher salaries, working for a council department that will not have charitable status, can deliver a better library service for less money than Suffolk Libraries have done." A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: "The way our cabinet reached the decision to bring Suffolk's libraries back in house has now been thoroughly reviewed. "This means that any suggestions that the decision was not taken properly have been rejected. "We will now focus on keeping all 45 libraries open, maintaining current opening hours, bringing libraries staff back to the Suffolk County Council family and continuing our investment in library services." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
27-03-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Suffolk council library takeover challenges blocked
Two call-in challenges against a county council over its plan to bring library services back under the authority's control have been 2012, libraries in Suffolk have been managed by independent charity Suffolk Libraries but now the Conservative-run Suffolk County Council is taking over the running of the 45 has seen a public dispute between the charity and the authority, with a petition against the move being signed 23,000 times and a protest taking opposition Green, Liberal Democrat and Independent (GLI) group and the Labour group had lodged separate challenges but the council rejected both. Call-in challenges can be lodged by councillors against council decisions. A monitoring officer, who is employed by the council in a non-political role, decides whether the challenge can progress. If allowed, the council's scrutiny committee would debate the the case here both challenges were deemed 'not allowed' on all points. The GLI argument centred around four points:Whether the contract with Suffolk Libraries could have been extended for a period while the council retendered the contractIf financial costs had been 'properly scoped' That councillors received the full background information for the decision too late to prepare a responseThat the decision should have been subject to a public Harley, the group spokesperson for communities, said: "It is disappointing, but not surprising, that the Conservative administration has rejected a more independent scrutiny of this decision, also ignoring the massive petition from the people of Suffolk on legalistic grounds. "We have no further options available to us to overturn this, but the people of Suffolk will remember this flawed decision and likely regret it for many years to come." The Labour challenge raised similar points but also suggested the time left until the council takes control on 1 June would be "extremely challenging" and raised concerns that vulnerable people who use library services may see those group leader Sandy Martin said: "The Conservative council claim that all the relevant information needed to make a sensible decision was in the reports shown to the meeting. "But the fact remains that they have never explained in detail how county council employees, on higher salaries, working for a council department that will not have charitable status, can deliver a better library service for less money than Suffolk Libraries have done." A spokesman for Suffolk County Council said: "The way our cabinet reached the decision to bring Suffolk's libraries back in house has now been thoroughly reviewed. "This means that any suggestions that the decision was not taken properly have been rejected. "We will now focus on keeping all 45 libraries open, maintaining current opening hours, bringing libraries staff back to the Suffolk County Council family and continuing our investment in library services." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
