January 2018 breakfast – Welcoming old friends and the proposed Babergh and Mid-Suffolk District Councils’ merger options
Lovely to see some old friends for our first breakfast meeting of the year Sammy Teather, of Be Your Own Graphic Designer and Teather Creative Design, and Adi Baldry, of Priority Driver Training, among the 18 stalwarts who turned out for the first breakfast of the New Year at The Mix! Not to mention a flying visit from Portugal by our expat member Kim Morrison of Morr Marketing.
Our lovely secretary, Keely Taylor, of KTSS now has another string to her bow with Taylor-Made Trees, researching your family history and so does Sean Billings, who has now completed NLP training and launched a new venture in coaching people out of bad habits …hmmm. We can think of a couple of potential candidates!
Canvassing opinion on the way forward for Babergh and Mid-Suffolk District Councils
Arthur Charvonia, CEO of Mid-Suffolk and Babergh District Council took us through the thinking behind the proposed option for the two councils’ future together.
The choices considered were:
A. Broader Partnership
B. Dissolve and form new Council
C. Unitary Council
D. Combined Authority
E. Mutual Company Structure
He said the preferred option was for B, which was a natural extension of the current position. It would give the two authorities a louder voice and parity of influence in Central Suffolk, as the ‘Meat in the Sandwich’ rather than the Squeezed Middle.
There were financial benefits too, which included savings of £1 million per annum. Clearly important, when faced with ever-growing shortfalls each year until 2022.
This option would also give greater flexibility on future ways forward, he said, and better reflect the various communities in the combined area.
However, this was not to say there were no counter-arguments, not least the different mandates from local polls on 2011, a sense that Babergh, with fewer councillors, as well as some policy differences between the two.
At the moment there is extensive consultation with residents and people can take part online at www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/OneCouncil or email or write with views. But there are only a few days left to do so.
Tell us what you want
Allan is happy to receive any suggestions for what members want to see the Chamber doing in the future. Please send your ideas (and your want lists) to [email protected].
Dates for your diary:
If you haven’t already done it put March 21 in your diary
Our first ever business exhibition (MSBE) at The Mix, Stowmarket, starting at 9am!
| February Coffee Morning | February Breakfast |
| Needham Market Community Centre | The Mix, Stowmarket |
| Friday, February 2 | Friday, February 16 |
| 10am-noon | Starting at 6.45am |
For more information contact Keely Taylor
phone: 01449 770965
e-mail: [email protected]
Anyone who has a story to publicise should contact marketing officer Alison Withers:
