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Fibre is coming...
The below email was received by the Parish Council recently...
''We wrote to you last year with the news that CityFibre had been awarded the Project Gigabit contract for Suffolk. Project Gigabit is the government’s flagship £5 billion programme to enable hard-to-reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit-capable broadband. The four-year programme will see around 136,000 premises across Suffolk and parts of surrounding counties connected to our fibre-to-the-premises network.
We wanted to let you know that the initial planning phase is complete and that work is about to start. Work begins in the area between Ipswich and Felixstowe over the coming weeks. As we move from area to area, we will let local relevant councillors and parish councils know ahead of time.
The contractor carrying out the work on our behalf is OCU Utility Services. Wherever possible, existing duct and pole infrastructure will be used to reduce the amount of construction required. However, new infrastructure will be needed and we are working closely with the council’s highways team to coordinate any work that is required.
Why is this work so important? In a rapidly changing world, we rely more and more on digital connectivity and the UK needs to ensure its residents and businesses can cope with future demands. This is not just about being able to better browse the internet or stream television programmes. There are many other factors to consider such as:
• Households have an ever-increasing number of internet connected devices like smart speakers, domestic appliances, heating control systems and doorbells.
• Smart TVs and gaming consoles become more and more sophisticated requiring faster internet speeds.
• The Covid 19 pandemic has demonstrated how important fast and reliable broadband is. Essential services such as healthcare and education are now increasingly online and regular homeworking has become the norm for many.
• When buying a house the speed of the internet is now one of the top purchasing factors.
If you would like to know more about our build process, please visit cityfibre.com/build. Our latest project information, including an FAQ and a way to register for updates is available at www.cityfibre.com/projectgigabit. When it’s time to order services, residents and businesses will also be able to choose from a range of internet service providers.
If you have any immediate questions then please let us know, preferably via Contact_CityfibreSouth@cityfibre.com. We will provide further updates as the build progresses.''
2024/25 Parish Council Budget
We have been working hard to keep increases on the Parish Council tax to a minimum given the financial burden on many of our residents already struggling through the cost-of-living crises. For several years the increase has been 0% and we have filled gaps from our reserves. However, this is not sustainable over the longer term and therefore it has been agreed to increase the Parish Council tax by 6.14% in the next financial year to deliver a balanced budget over the medium to longer term. This still requires the Parish Council to use some funds from the reserves. The increase will mean the total Parish Council tax precept would average £34.56 per Band D equivalent property per year and it will be an increase of £2.00 per property per annum from the current financial year.
Trimley St Martin Parish Council have many projects in the pipeline, and we are actively looking for grants for these so watch this space.
A reminder that, when parking for morning drop off or afternoon pick ups, that it is essential that the Highway Code is adhered to. The double yellow lines were put in place to enable traffic to flow as freely as possible during these times and this cannot happen if people are parked on them illegally. This not only causes blockages and delays for other parents but also for residents who need to get in and out of their own driveways.'
We are looking for people who can work as part of a team with other volunteers for provide an interesting and safe space for those with dementia and their carers.
The Volunteer will need to -
- be flexible, willing and positive as role may need you to make teas/coffees, wash up, move tables and chairs and generally tidy up after a group sessions.
- participate in the activities of the session, which may include crafts, doing jigsaws, singing or dancing
-Generally chatting and listening to people at the group.
- a genuine caring nature, be positive and willing to be patient with good listening skills
-It s important to commit to the role and provide continuity to the group. The group meets fortnightly on Friday mornings at Memorial Hall, High Road, Trimley St Martin
- will need to complete an application form and have a DBS carried out as they are interacting with vulnerable people and participate in an induction which takes 2 hours. This covers safeguarding, GDPR, hygiene and basic dementia information.
- it is suggested that, if possible, the volunteer participates in a dementia workshop, which goes into more depth about dementia and how to interact with someone with dementia. This workshop is carried out at Home Instead office and is 3 hours.
Wendy Chard
Head of Community Engagement
Home Instead
01473 272301
01394 617558
Overhanging Branches
Please could we ask that if you have any overhanging trees/hedges/trailing foliage that goes over a public footpath, that it is maintained and cut back.
Having these covering a footpath can make it very difficult for those with mobility issues, and those with pushchairs etc. With the colder weather it could also cause a trip hazard. The Parish Council thank you for your help with this.
The Parish Council have been made aware that during the recent spell of cold weather, the footbridge over the A14 became incredibly slippery. There have been requests for grit bins to be installed at either end of the bridge.
For this to become a reality, Suffolk County Council require that a list of volunteers is held by the Parish Council of those who have read and signed the Health and Safety Information and therefore would be covered by Suffolk County Councils insurance. Only these individuals would be approved to use the grit bins.
If anyone is willing to become a volunteer, please contact the Clerk. Unfortunately, if we do not have anyone come forward we will not be able to install a grit bin.
eries, there is a dedicated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on the Suffolk County Council website at LED Streetlighting upgrade project | Suffolk County Council
Councillor Vacancies!
Are you 18 or over? Would you like to make a contribution to your village and add something a bit different to your CV at the same time? We currently have vacancies for three parish councillors. To find out more about eligibility and how you could contribute in this interesting and varied role please email the parish clerk: parishclerk@trimley-st-martin.org.uk
Temporary Bus Timetable
A shortage of bus drivers has resulted in changes to the bus timetable. The temporary timetable was put into place from 25 October. You can access this via the following link:
Quiet Lanes
Following a public consultation, Trimley St Martin Parish Council support Suffolk County
Council’s proposals to designate certain roads as Quiet Lanes.These are Grimston Lane (part) Thorpe Lane and Capel Hall Lane. The notice of proposal to designate, including details of how to make representations, and a map of the proposed Quiet Lanes in Trimley St Martin can be viewed on the Quiet Lanes page of this website:
http://trimleystmartin.onesuffolk.net/home/quiet-lanes/
Concerned About Anti-Social Behaviour?
Bonfires
For advice on safe and considerate use of bonfires please refer to this leaflet Bonfires
A Message from our Web Hosts
As you may be aware, website accessibility for those people with differing forms of visual impairment is becoming an ever more important feature of modern websites. Indeed for local government websites, there is a requirement to meet the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guideline) 2.1 Website Accessibility Standard by September 23rd 2020.
Here at One Suffolk we make all our websites accessible and I'm pleased to be able to update you on some additional works, to help in the area of accessibility, we have completed and launched in the last couple of days. On all One Suffolk websites you will now notice a small "disability icon" on the left hand side of all pages on your site. This provides in-built facilities for users with forms of visual impairment to change the colour contrast of the page and change the text size.
Spread the Word – Save Our Birds
Unfortunately, we have seen many of the wild bird populations decrease dramatically over the past 15 years. While our estuaries provide a fantastic place to walk with our families and dogs, the area is also a valuable habitat for birds in the winter. To find out more about how you can help protect birds on the Orwell estuary please click on this AONB link http://www.suffolkcoastandheaths.org/news-and-blogs/spread-the-word-save-our-birds/
The Village Recorder's Blog
Go to the blog page to learn more about the role of the Recorder and read her blog.