Minutes:
The Leader of the Council made the following announcements: -
Freeport East
Since our last meeting, I am pleased to say Freeport East has received final Government approval, allowing it to move forward into the delivery phase.
The development of the Freeport, which includes Gateway 14 at Stowmarket as one of the three main development sites, is expected to create up to 13,500 new jobs.
Getting to this major milestone is an important moment, and the result of much hard work from a number of different organisations, including Mid Suffolk District Council. The opportunities to welcome businesses to the region, as well as to create employment for people in and around Stowmarket and the Mid Suffolk area, will provide a huge boost to our local economy.
And I am pleased to report that this afternoon, I attended a ground breaking ceremony for The Range.
Solar car ports
Our new solar car ports have been unveiled at Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre in Stowmarket, and I was delighted to see this pioneering project complete. 70 solar carports are located at the centre, providing up to almost 24% of the centre’s annual electricity demand.
We are among the UK’s first rural local authorities to trial the technology, which will not only reduce the centre’s reliance on the grid, but also cut carbon emissions. The site also includes battery storage so excess energy produced during sunnier periods can be saved for later, as well as electric vehicle charging points.
Combined with a similar scheme at Kingfisher Leisure Centre in Sudbury, the works cost £1.4m which was funded by £800,000 match funding from the DLUHC’s Getting Building Fund - awarded by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership. This was topped up by a combined £650,000 from the councils. It is a good example of the innovative work we are doing to reduce carbon emissions.
Voter ID
As you will be aware, the Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station. The local and parish elections in May will be the first time that electors will need to show voter ID.
Mid Suffolk District Council is committed to ensuring residents are fully aware of what is happening and will be using our full range of communication channels to support the Electoral Commission’s national campaign within our district.
Members can also play a key role in raising awareness of these changes and there are resources available to help.
All members should have been sent details of these changes to help you respond to any questions. This includes a summary of the accepted forms of photo ID that can be used in polling stations. It also shows how residents without any of the accepted forms of photo ID can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate , online or complete a paper application form.
More details are available on our website or the Electoral Commission website.
New fleet of bin lorries
And finally… our new fleet of environmentally-friendly bin lorries has now hit the road, and I want to say thank you to the hundreds of our residents who suggested names for them.
The two-week long competition saw over 400 individual name suggestions from people of all ages, which was a great response. The councils’ crews and waste team chose just 22 from the shortlist and came up with an excellent list.
So we warmly welcome Ed Sheerbin and Gary Bineker, among others, to their new rounds.
Councillor Eburne requested clarification on whether the £650,000 top up for solar carports was from both Councils.
Councillor Morley believed it was from both Councils but would check.
Councillor Matthissen, in regard to voter ID, asked where paper applications would be able to be obtained for those without access to the internet.
The Chief Executive replied that it would be answered outside of the meeting.
Update: Those who require a paper application or are in need of assistance, can do so by contacting the Council for the form or help respectively. Contact can be either via one of the Council’s Customer Access Points, the main telephone number: 0300 1234000 or emailing: elections@baberghmidsuffolk.gov.uk
Guidelines for the paper application process:-
When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:
• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number
You should apply using the same name that you used to register to vote.
You will not need to provide your gender, and your certificate will not have a gender marker.
If you don't know your National Insurance number or don't have one
You can find your National Insurance number on:
• payslips
• official letters about tax, pensions or benefits
You can still apply if you don’t know your National Insurance number, or don’t have one.
You will need to provide other forms of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement and a utility bill. Your local council will contact you to arrange this.
If you don’t have any other accepted proof of identity, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation.
Providing a photograph
You will need to submit a photo with your application. The requirements for the photo are similar to the requirements for a passport photo.
If you need help taking a photo, then your local council will be able to do this for you.
To be accepted the photo you provide must meet certain requirements in terms of style, quality and size.