Here’s some of what your representatives across the county have been up to since Monday.
The decision to scrap free parking was reached earlier this month but was ‘called in’ by a cross-party group led by Cllr Simon Dowling.
The group’s proposals focused on calling for at least one hour of free parking to remain with charges being introduced for longer stays, an option abandoned by cabinet in an informal meeting.
Cllr Dowling said: “We believe that the concession of a shorter free period would satisfy many of the objectors to the proposals as they currently stand.”
Acting leader, Cllr John Ward, said council followed the usual procedure.
He added: “This matter has received extensive consideration and thought even if we don’t all agree with the result.”
Matt Hancock’s bill for widespread screening of neurodivergent has taken its first official step.
The bill got its first reading on Wednesday — a formality to introduce it to Parliament — and, if put into law, could see neurodivergent children diagnosed as early as their first year in education and teacher training strengthened,
Mr Hancock said: “I stand here in this Parliament to represent all those who need a different type of support because their brains work differently.”
The West Suffolk MP also said the bill had been informed by his own experience in hiding his dyslexia.
Ipswich councillor, Sam Murray, who is on the waiting list for diagnosis herself, welcomed the bill’s introduction.
She said: “On a personal level if I understood why I’m the way I am as a child, it maybe would’ve meant that I would’ve liked myself a bit more than I did.”
The closure was part of an experimental scheme which would’ve seen the north end of the car park closed to boost footfall and welcome events.
Cllrs John Ward and Jessie Carter both submitted a complaint to the monitoring officer.
Cllr Ward said: “So much had been planned for this space for the decision to be done at the last minute — quite absurd.
“It ruined the summer for Sudbury.”
Cllr Carter added: “The decision was made in secrecy without seeking input from us.”
Although the costs of setting it up over the past few years remained unclear, several councillors have suggested it was in the tens of thousands.
Cllr Richard Smith MVO was approached for comment.
The plans were presented by the East Of England Ambulance Trust and approved by the council on Wednesday.
They will see a new state-of-the-art ambulance hub to support 97 staff in the delivery of medical services.
Alan Adams, a senior paramedic, said the hub was essential in allowing the trust to deliver its services across the wider region.
He added that a new hub would help the trust retain its staff as several of its buildings were no longer up to standard, some of which date back to the 1950s.
Although the new hub would also include space for the storage of medical and other supplies, it would not be a base for emergency response.
Ipswich councillors discussed the reserved matters applications for 96 new homes, a local centre, parking, landscaping, earthworks, and other works.
The application was submitted by Crest Nicholson Eastern and represented phase 3a of the larger 1,100-home Henley Gate project — the latter also being part of the larger 3,500-home Ipswich Garden Suburb plans.
There were several concerns raised due to one of the plots overshadowing the proposed early years play area and the school.
Cllr Adam Rae added: “The experience and wellbeing of the youngest children in school is priority number one, it takes precedence over any commercial and residential needs.”
Despite this, the plans went through after Cllr Peter Gardiner, the committee’s chairman, broke a tied vote.
