For many months now, the Kirton & Trimley Community Action Group (KATCAG) has said the Local Plan submitted to the Inspector, in respect of the previous Suffolk Coastal District Council, is riddled with flaws. We have taken issue with:-
(i) the imposition of housing that fails to reflect the needs of our Community
(ii) the urbanisation of Domesday villages and the sacrifice of their individual identities
(iii) the need to bury 300 acres of prime arable land under concrete with no meaningful evidence to support doing so
(iv) the proposed closure of our local school to suit the whims of a developer
(v) the destruction of valuable wildlife habitats to facilitate these plans
This said, we recognise the above issues are not unique to our Ward. They are common throughout the East Suffolk area.
The good news is the District Councillor Election on May 2nd this Thursday, does offer you an opportunity to vote to change a few things. Final Consultation submissions are now with the Inspector and some of them are worthy of a close look. For example, a planning consultant employed by Fair Play For Felixstowe identified the Central Government formula used to identify the need for 11,000+ new houses in the southern half of the District would appear to have been mis-applied.
KATCAG is not opposed to some new housing, provided it is of the right type in the right place. However, we can’t support a Local Plan where the overall housing requirement is 20%-25% overstated and the dwellings will most likely comprise second homes or holiday homes. Additionally, the case for allocating huge chunks of prime arable land for ‘employment’ purposes has simply not been made.
So, what is our goal with this post? KATCAG would like to believe that you, the voting citizens, are motivated as we are to preserve our communities as best we can, not in some Edwardian time-warp fashion, but to ensure our local politicians are encouraged to make decisions in the best interests of our community, taking into account local concerns.
KATCAG remains firmly non-party political, but we are compelled to engage directly with the political governing system or by fielding Independent candidates who support our cause.
So why is KATCAG publishing this list? The simple answer is KATCAG hopes to see the election of 55 councillors, who are likely to favour one final review of peoples’ “soundness” concerns, ahead of the Inspector’s Hearing. What does ‘soundness’ mean? In brief: to ensure planning decisions are taken on a fair, reasonable and appropriate basis, in line with the needs of our community.
There are 198 candidates standing in the District Council Election. It can be anticipated almost all of these candidates will support the same values as ourselves, but we think some may come under pressure to support party-political policy, even if it means voting against the wishes of their communities. We acknowledge this is a value-judgement, but we have evidence to support what we are saying. So, how have we arrived at the list of names below?
We have tried to be objective and have started by ruling out any candidates we think might come under the kind of party-political pressure described above. Thereafter, we have given precedence to candidates who have held office before. As regards the remaining candidates, we recognise the parties have an obligation to field a candidate in accordance with their constitutions. However, this has a damaging effect when they are all broadly committed to the same set of values, as it splits the vote.
To minimise the effect of this, we have assessed who has the best chance of winning each Ward and are recommending a vote for the candidate(s) we have named. Please consider voting for the following people and, if you think we are doing the right thing, copy this blog and SHARE, SHARE, SHARE with everyone you know across the entire East Suffolk District.
Tony Cooper Aldeburgh & Leiston
Phillip Harle Aldeburgh & Leiston
Jules Ewart Aldeburgh & Leiston
Elfrede Brambley-Crawshaw Beccles & Worlingham
Tarek Lahin Beccles & Worlingham
Peter Shelley Beccles & Worlingham
Graham Elliott Bungay & Wainford
Caroline Topping Bungay & Wainford
Mark Gibbons Carlford & Fynn Valley
Jane Mardell Carlford & Fynn Valley
Nick Webb Carlton & Whitton
Sandra Tonge Carlton & Whitton
Paul Light Carlton Colville
Adam Robertson Carlton Colville
Peter Monk Deben
Seamus Bennett Eastern Felixstowe
Jan Candy Eastern Felixstowe
Michael Ninnmey Eastern Felixstowe
Gary Kitching Framlingham
James Holloway Framlingham
Malcolm Cherry Gunton & St Margarets
Nasima Begum Gunton & St Margarets
Sarah Hunt Halesworth & Blything
Peter Coghill Halesworth & Blything
Janet Craig Harbour & Normanston
Steve Ardley Harbour & Normanston
Tess Gandy Harbour & Normanston
Peter Wilkinson Kelsale & Yoxford
Helen Clarkson-Fieldsend Kesgrave
Julie Cuninghame Kesgrave
Tracy Watson-Brown Kesgrave
Alan Green Kessingland
Peter Byatt Kirkley & Pakefield
Louise Gooch Kirkley & Pakefield
Malcolm Pitchers Kirkley & Pakefield
Fiona Shreeve Lothingland
Edward Thompson Martlesham & Purdis Farm
Margaret Walsh Martlesham & Purdis Farm
Rachel Smith-Lyte Melton
Stephen Wrinch Orwell & Villages
Sherrie Green Orwell & Villages
Yvonne Cherry Oulton Broad
Jen Jones Oulton Broad
Jack Smith Oulton Broad
Kit Twinch Rendlesham & Orford
Peter Ward Rushmere St Andrew
James Sandbach Saxmundham
David Beavan Southwold
Mike Deacon Western Felixstowe
Mark Jones Western Felixstowe
Margaret Morris Western Felixstowe
Jon James Wickham Market
Sharon Miller Woodbridge
Kay Yule Woodbridge
Andrew Turner Wrentham, Wangford & Westleton
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