A huge thank you to residents who have ‘answered the call’ expressing an interest in joining or contributing to one of the Plan Working Groups in the Coddenham Parish Community Plan

If you haven’t said so already, there is still an opportunity to be involved, be it as a member of a Working Group or as someone from whom a Working Group might seek input periodically. We’re keen to hear from anyone, especially those who have an interest in Housing and a Future Pub, & Hubs, as currently we don’t have sufficient interest to progress with these two Working Groups.

Housing which was born out of responses to the Parish Survey to deliver starter homes primarily for the children of residents and to encourage families into the wider Parish, to maintain a vibrant mix of ages, is a Working Group we’d like to initiate this year. Two members of the Parish Council are prepared to join the group, but we need others from the wider community. Please think about it, especially if you are part of a family looking to buy, or have a family member who wants to remain in the Parish and to step on the housing ladder, but is finding it difficult.

The three Working Groups we have ready to go are:

Energy Conservation and Recycling: This group starts with eight members, including 3 from the Parish Council. The Energy Conservation (Renewable Energy) part already has the backing of Suffolk County Council (SCC) and Mid-Suffolk District Council (MSDC) via the Suffolk Climate Change Partnership (SCCP) and the involvement of Community Energy South (CES), which has been assigned by SCCP to work with Coddenham and 6 other Renewable Energy Groups in the county. We are being encouraged to build a Coddenham initiative out to include other communities in the local area and this is something that has already commenced. CES’s involvement includes training, advice and support for obtaining grants etc. Recycling is partly dependent on the government confirming new rules, but we expect MSDC to be strong supporters of increasing recycling locally. It maybe that this working group splits into two clearly defined sub-groups.

Roads (and Traffic): Four residents have stepped forward to be members and join the current parish councillor responsible for Roads, Rob Denning. During 2023, Rob, with the help of other residents has reengaged with Suffolk Highways, Trading Standards and the Police and with the backing of the Leader of SCC, Matthew Hicks and the Police and Crime Commissioner, Tim Passmore, to reinvigorate trying to find a better (least worst) option for traffic in the Parish. Unless we decide to adopt a different (practical and cost-effective) solution we will be left with what we have, which is likely to deteriorate further. Although the Sizewell C Project, should it proceed, has taken comprehensive steps to dissuade additional traffic from the Parish’s roads, there are risks that non-Project traffic will be displaced from the A12/A14, there will be times when the A14 is closed and some contractors, will ignore the conditions set. This group is ready to proceed.

Green Spaces and Footpaths: As residents know there are eight Green Spaces owned by Parish organisations: The Burial Ground and the Churchyard (Parochial Church Council), the Recreation Ground and the wildflower grassland adjoining The Coddenham Centre (The Coddenham Centre CIO), the Nucleus Plantation (The Day Foundation) and Broom Hill, Mill Hill and Three Cocked Hat (Parish Council). Added to this are nine stretches of the Parish’s footpaths, which are the responsibility of the Parish Council. To an extent these are already managed with some sharing between the various organisations. The Working Group will bring a degree of formality to this and seek ways to extend the Parish’s green spaces footprint. We already have three members and another long-standing resident who will provide significant love of nature, experience and wise counsel to the group. We’re pretty certain that others will step forward, so again we can move forward.

More updates will follow, including representative details, once approvals and final details have been agreed.

Meanwhile, if you can contribute in any way, do get in touch with support@coddenham-parish.uk, comment below or via the ‘Have your Say’ link on the home page.

The Coddenham Community Response Group;
An established collaboration between The Coddenham Centre, the Coddenham Community Shop, The Coddenham Country Club, the Day Foundation, The Gardemau Trusts, The Coddenham History Club, St Mary’s Church and Coddenham Parish Council.