Time to have your say on budget ideas

Questionnaires will be dropping on to the doormats of 2000 residents throughout St Edmundsbury this week asking people to help the borough council save £3.5 million through changing services or raising more income. And all residents in the borough can take part through the online consultation at: www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk

Cllr John Griffiths, St Edmundsbury Borough Council Leader, said: “We will have £3.5 million less to spend over the next couple of years so there are some very tough decisions to be made. We are consulting on a number of ideas before – not after – any decisions are made and and I stress that these are only ideas for possible consideration in the future. This is your money we are talking about, whether it comes from taxes paid to Government or through Council Tax, so I encourage anyone who lives in the borough to let us know your views, and your own ideas, through the online consultation. You will be helping councillors to decide how we can deal with our £3.5 million budget gap.”

The consultation asks some very specific questions, usually with indications of the potential money saved, or new income generated (such as raising £20,000 through charging to use the Abbey Gardens toilets, for example, or saving £50,000 by moving the Tourist Information Centre to Moyse’s Hall Museum). It doesn’t cover every council service, because savings may already have been made, or because the timing is wrong. The apex is an example – it was scheduled to be looked at two years after it opened, so will be reviewed in late 2012.  The consultation closing date is 4 October and the council will take consultation responses into account during the autumn budget-setting process, with the final budget set in February 2012.

If people do not have internet access at home they can complete the online consultation at libraries, the Lower Downs Slade council offices in Haverhill, or at West Suffolk House or Tourist Information centre in Bury St Edmunds. Replies can be anonymous, but if people give their contact details they will be entered in a draw with three prizes of £50.

Road closures in Bury St Edmunds this weekend

The Angel Hill area of Bury St Edmunds will be affected by road closures for three events this weekend. 

The seventh stage of the Tour of Britain will be held on Saturday morning, (17 September), followed by the Girl’s Night Out St Nicholas Hospice fundraising walk on Saturday night and the Battle of Britain observance on Sunday 18 September. 

Abbeygate Street will be closed between 4 pm Friday 16 September and 3 pm Saturday 17 September 2011, from its junction with the Buttermarket to its junction with Angel Hill. 

Angel Hill car park area will be closed in its entirety, between 6 pm Friday 16 September and 2.30 pm Sunday 18 September 2011 

Angel Hill road from its junction with Northgate Street / Mustow Street to its junction with Crown Street, and Crown Street from its junction with Angel Hill to its junction with Churchgate Street, will both be closed to traffic between 8 pm Friday 16 September and 2 pm Sunday 18 September 2011 

Crown Street on-street parking bay will be closed between 4pm Saturday 17 September and 2.30 pm Sunday 18 September 2011 

Crown Street will be closed from its junction with Angel Hill to its junction with Honey Hill between 10 am and 2 pm on Sunday 18 September 2011

Read the September 2011 issue online

Open publication - Free publishing - More family

Bury joins in the Tour of Britain

Bury St Edmunds will be turning out in force on Saturday 17 September to enjoy the thrills of the seventh stage of the Tour of Britain 2011, returning to the town for a second year. As well as welcoming the world’s top cyclists, there is a chance to join in a fundraising cycle challenge on Angel Hill.

Cllr Sara Mildmay-White, St Edmundsbury Cabinet member for Culture and Sport said,

“Bury St Edmunds is proud to welcome this prestigious event for a second year. The borough takes great pride in fostering the highest aspirations of our own residents, be it in sport or any other sphere. The Tour complements the broad Olympic legacy that we are creating and I hope that both events will inspire people to go for gold, whatever that represents in their lives”.

Over a hundred community riders will lead the race off from Angel Hill at 10.15am, before turning into Honey Hill allowing the 96 strong peloton to head south. The lead off pack will include members of the three-man Cycle to Rwanda team, who begin a 6000 mile 70 day fundraising trek in May 2012.

St Edmundsbury will be hosting the Rwandan Olympic and Paralympic teams for London 2012 and have set up the Sport for Rwanda appeal, to raise £80,000 to leave a lasting legacy in the country. Sport is not taught in Rwandan schools and the appeal aims to give more than 100,000 schoolchildren the ability to take part in sport, giving them sports equipment, a place to store it and educational materials to help teachers. www.sportforrwanda.org/cycle-to-rwanda

Local businesses will be hosting displays on Angel Hill as part of the Bury St Edmunds Business Festival and after the race has departed, donning lycra for a Business Challenge cycle event. Local organisations are being invited to enter teams of four riders to race against one another on a short route around Angel Hill. Bikes are available to borrow. To enter and to reserve a bike, please complete a form, downloadable from www.stedmundsbury.gov.uk . The participation fee of £30 per team includes insurance and a donation to Sport for Rwanda.

There are also free entry races for young people. The events are being organised by the West Suffolk Wheelers and Triathalon Club, using bikes provided by Cycle Suffolk. Riders are asked to bring their own helmets and some form of team t-shirt. Bikes can be borrowed by prior arrangement. To register and to reserve a bike, please send your details and a cheque payable to West Suffolk Wheelers care of Barry Denny, Denny Bros Ltd, Kempson Way, Bury St Edmunds IP32 7AR.

The Self Centre - Supporting the community

The Self Centre is holding its 2nd Charity Market Place Open Day on Friday 16th September from 1pm until 6pm.
 

"All proceeds from the event will go towards the self sanctuary foundation being set up to provide free and subsidised classes and workshops. These events are an opportunity for small entrepreneurs to showcase their wares to a wider local audience" said Carole Baker, director.

"Please pop in for a free cup of tea and to find out all about the de-stressing classes, workshops and therapies that are on offer at the self centre. On sale on the day will be Phoenix Cards, Ugandan Beads, Children’s accessories/jewellery and ladies jewellery; not forgetting the Herb & Spice Café’s famous Organic Chocolate Brownies and Flapjacks!"

The event is open to all and if you would like to be involved by having a stall – please call 01284 769090 for details or email carole@the-self-centre.co.uk

For more information about the self centre, visit their website at: www.the-self-centre.co.uk