July 2026

District Cllr's report for July 2026

 

      District Councillor’s Report for July

Better Recycling has now been in force for a month since June 1st and the vast majority households in Babergh and across Suffolk have now received their bins.  The biggest obstacles have been reaching some addresses that are challenging in terms of location but overall at the time of writing 90% in both Mid Suffolk and Babergh have received their new waste bins.

Babergh has prioritised Bin / Food collections over other elements of the service and have had to suspend bin deliveries for yesterday and today.

Most food waste collections are still taking please on the scheduled day and we’re returning the next day to recover.

We are still working through and improving on:

  • Delivering the final new bins and food waste caddies.

  • Rolling out new bins to communal bins stores and properties , completed by close of play today.

  • New food collection drivers and loaders productivity and quality

  • Pushing up the food waste daily completion rates (avoiding the need to mop up and roads the following morning)

  • Further reducing the causes which are driving the high volumes of calls and e-mails (mainly missing or missed bins)

The 3 weekly collection schedule is working to plan with just BAU issues such as breakdowns , no issues or outstanding works other than normal missed bins / road closure returns etc.

Whilst the contact position has eased slightly, incoming call volumes remain high with longer call wait times and higher abandonment rates than normal, and realistically this will continue for a few weeks as yet.

(We remain in the same position as the other Suffolk collection authorities in this respect.)

The waste inbox will continue to be triaged with any missed refuse (black bin), sharps boxes / clinical bins (yellow) and bulky collections prioritised.

For those that are still awaiting their new bins, the advice given has been to contact directly the district council via the website or by telephone and to continue with the same practices and routine until the new bins arrive.

Armed Forces Day on the 27th June at The King’s Meadow Recreation Ground in Stowmarket was well attended and included a helicopter flypast as well as face painting, inflatables and soft play.  Military Wives Choir were joined by The Honington Band which is a 30 piece band were on the main stage, Businesses locally, charities and community groups of many kinds were available as well on the day.

The event ran from 11am to 3pm and was organised in Mid Suffolk by James Patchett who is the Armed Forces Champion paying tribute to Armed Forces Personnel both past and present.

In Full Council this month, we discussed and approved a Conservation Plan for Sproughton which myself as someone who grew up in the village was happy to see being approved.  It means historic heritage sites such as Tithe Barn, Sproughton Hall and the Old Mill at the banks of the River Gipping can be preserved for future generations to enjoy.

Conservation status means Babergh District Council has a statutory duty to pay special attention to sites listed in the plan, a 4 week consultation period was provided during January and February this year and overall the process took 2 and a half years to complete by the Sproughton Parish Council, Cllr Rhona Jermyn who drafted the conservation area document itself.

As well as this, licencing was approved for Street Traders except across the busy dual carriageways of the a12 and a14 so that those who want to sell their products or produce across the roadside can do so, but with a proper business licence to ensure the practice is above board and legal to do so.

Finally, my locality budget is going towards improvements and upgrades to the Shotley Cricket Club, which I already spoke a little about in the last District Councillor’s Report, I have since been invited to a match for T10 Cricket Sun July 5th at the Tattingstone Playing Fields which it is hoped the new improvements will take place in time definitely for next season.

Players come from across the Peninsula and it is growing in popularity, therefore I was happy to contribute my funds for this year.