Christ Church Moreton Hall

As we begin a New Year many of us will be setting together some new resolutions. One of the reasons why they don’t last very long is, we often don’t think out the consequences of our resolutions before we commit ourselves to doing them. So at the beginning of 2008 I don’t so much propose a resolution but a revolution and a political one at that.

It is obvious to all that the Bury Town Council is deeply unpopular. Whether we retain it or not and what it is for, remains a very unhappy issue for us all. It is a vestige of a political system, which has proved to be stillborn for our region. Regional government will not go ahead as it was initially planned and therefore there is less reason for Town Councils than there was before.

However, the problem remains that people feel disengaged from the political process. Voting patterns are in decline and getting people to stand for elected posts is becoming more and more difficult. So at the beginning of this year I would like to start a balanced and well-reasoned debate about what sort of political structures we want for our town.

At the national level I would obviously like to retain our MPs and their constituencies more or less as they are. At a county level I think it would be better if we could have larger unitary authorities, perhaps one for west Suffolk based on Bury St. Edmunds and one east Suffolk based on Ipswich. Or perhaps three authorities, one based around Ipswich, one centred on Lowestoft and one based around Bury St. Edmunds.

For our town itself why can’t we have Parish Councils for the distinct residential areas of the town? One for the south covering the Nowton estate, one for the east, one for the north encompassing the Mildenhall estate and one for the west for Moreton Hall. There is already a Town Centre Management Committee. Why can’t that be expanded to be a political body for the historic town and the new centre?

Membership of the Parish Council would not necessarily have to be just elected people there could be representatives from the business community, the caring services and heritage groups as well as politicians. Town and Borough wide things, like refuse collection, would still be done by the Borough Council. The Parish Councils could deal with more local concerns, like dog fowling, graffiti, and access to services. Maybe a small budget could be given to each one, clearly defined areas of responsibility outlined under the aegis of the Borough Council. This budget would not need to be large. One official paid on a part-time basis to do the paperwork would be adequate.

For in my experience keeping things as local as possible works well. By getting the community leaders together on a regular basis to discuss truly local issues but leaving the larger decisions to those with serious budgets and experience, might be a way forward to invigorating our community life and our political process.

I offer this article as a first step to a wide-ranging debate, which is designed to help people think about how they live. This is not a veiled attack on existing institutions or people and it is certainly not a cost-cutting exercise or a moan about local taxes and services. It is my hope that at the beginning of 2008 we can start of have discussions and create structures which enhance community life not just for the Moreton Hall estate but for the other areas of our town as a whole.

With every good wish