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Build a Bee Hotel

6 April 2021

Bees are facing an unprecedented crisis having lost much of their natural habitat in the past 60 years, due to harmful pesticides, intensive farming and climate change. Build a bee hotel/house this spring for our bees.
 
Friends of the Earth suggest that there are many ways to make a bee hotel, by building it up with nesting materials such as holes in drilled untreated wood, lengths of bamboo, hollow plants stems and bunches of dried twigs and grasses. Once made, locate your bee hotel at least a metre off the ground and secure it firmly to a wall, fence or freestanding post and see a new generation of solitary bees emerge and inhabit these homes. By creating bee-friendly environments where we live, we can start to replace and restore some of this lost habitat, as well as help reconnect with nature.
 
For further details on how to create these hotels with simple easy-to-follow instructions available on the Friends of the Earth Website
Bees

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Disposal of waste from Lateral Flow Testing at home

1 April 2021

Suffolk Recycles advises to safely dispose of the test kit, place all of the items from the test and the plastic packaging into the bag provided and then put this bag with your general waste into your kerbside bin for disposal. This applies whether the test result is positive or negative. 

None of the plastic items or plastic packaging should be put into the recycling bin. They are not recyclable in your kerbside recycling bin.

If there are disposable gloves and disposable masks in the kit, these are also not recyclable and should be put in the general waste bin. 

The outer cardboard packaging and paper leaflets from the test kits can be recycled in your kerbside recycling bin.

See the full leaflet here. 

Suffolk Recycles inforgraphic

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Dazzling Daffodils in our parks and open spaces

31 March 2021

Have you spotted the dazzling daffodils around our parks and open spaces? The blooming daffodils are certainly putting a spring in our step with their sweet scents and heartening hues. These can be found throughout Lowestoft, including Normanston Park, Sparrow’s Nest, Arnold’s Bequest and Daffodil Walk.

Normanston Park 001   Daffodils 001Spring 003

Need a bit of guidance to find these wonderful spaces? All our parks and open spaces are catalogued on the website, with a brief history and directions on how to find them.

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Reopening safely - Keeping Suffolk’s retail, hospitality and leisure sector covid-19 secure

29 March 2021

Suffolk Growth Partnership is working with Park City Consulting and Suffolk local authority environmental health officers to deliver four free webinars to support local businesses within the retail, hospitality & leisure sector prepare for safe reopening. The four webinars will focus on how you can be ready to re-open, protect your employees and customers, and prevent the spread of Covid-19 in your establishments. This helpful guide for re-opening businesses will include:

>Environmental health expectations

>Covid-19 secure workplace Risk Assessment

>Social distancing, signage, staff bubbles, and cleaning regime(s)

>Testing staff (What kits are available? How often to test?)

>How you can support your employees through HR guidance

>Guidance on how and when to report positive cases

>An opportunity to ask any questions you have to our health & safety and HR experts and more.

Covid 19 Secure Pubs

Visit Suffolk Growth Partnerships website to find out more and book your space. Please note spaces are limited, so be sure to book quickly.

Webinars are taking place:

>Thursday, 8 April 2021: 10am – 11:30am

>Thursday, 15 April 2021: 10am – 11:30am

>Tuesday, 4 May 2021: 2pm – 3:30pm

>Tuesday, 11 May 2021: 2pm – 3:30pm

 

www.suffolkgrowth.co.uk/events

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UK Roadmap Restrictions - 29 March 2021

29 March 2021

From today, 29 March 2021, the ‘stay at home’ rule ends, however many restrictions remain in place to continue to keep the community safe, including:

>Work from home if you can.

>Outdoor sports facilities will reopen (such as tennis courts and basketball courts)

>Outdoor gatherings of either 6 people or 2 households are allowed, including in private gardens.

Please continue to wash your hands regularly, wear a facemask where required and keep a safe distance from those who are not from your household.

Full details about the current restrictions.

2021.03.18 1x1 29March OutdoorSport Ball

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Essential Works to The Ness

26 March 2021

From Monday 29 March 2021, Blakedown Landscapes will carry out essential works at The Ness Park. As a guide, the works that will be carried out over the next two weeks will be as follows:

  • Any repairs and cleaning to play equipment and furniture
  • Paint historical buoys
  • Treat works to trees flooded with salt water (cleaning and any repairs to tree bags)
  • Review signage around the site
  • General review and repairs post-flooding to the site

Due to the nature of these works, at certain times it will be crucial for the play area and other parts concerned to be fenced off. The Town Council appreciate the local community’s patience while these works will be carried out.

The Ness Temp Closure

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Election of Parish Councillors 2021

25 March 2021

The Notice of Election for the Parish by-elections scheduled for Thursday 6 May 2021. This Notice is displayed on East Suffolk Council's website.

1. An election is to be held for Councillors for the following Parishes.

2. The number of Councillors to be elected for each Parish is: 

Beccles Common - 1 Councillor 

Beccles Darby - 2 Councillors 

Beccles Rigbourne - 1 Councillor 

Framlingham - 2 Councillors 

Lowestoft Elmtree - 1 Councillor 

Lowestoft Gunton - 1 Councillor 

Lowestoft St. Margarets West - 1 Councillor 

Nacton - 1 Councillor 

Oulton West - 1 Councillor 

Oulton Broad North - 1 Councillor 

Southwold - 2 Councillors

Woodbridge Riverside - 1 Councillor 

Woodbridge Seckford - 1 Councillor 

3. Forms of nomination may be obtained, during normal office hours, from the Returning Officer at the addresses shown below.

4. Completed nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer at the addresses shown below, on any day after the date of this notice, during normal office hours but not later than 4pm on Thursday 8 April 2021.

5. If the election is contested the poll will take place on Thursday 6 May 2021, between the hours of 7am and 10pm.

6. Applications to register to vote must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by midnight on Monday 19 April 2021.

7. Applications, amendments or cancellations of postal and postal proxy votes must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Tuesday, 20 April 2021.

8. Applications to vote by proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Tuesday 27 April 2021.

9. Applications to vote by emergency proxy at this election must reach the Electoral Registration Officer by 5pm on Thursday 6 May 2021.

Electoral Registration Officer & Returning Officer Addresses

Electoral Services, East Suffolk Council, Riverside 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft, NR33 0EQ

Electoral Services, East Suffolk Council, East Suffolk House, Riduna Park Station Road, Melton, Woodbridge, IP12 1RT

 

Notice of Election - Parish PDF 

Notice of Vacancy Elmtree PDF 

Notice of Vacancy St. Margarets West PDF 

Notice of Vacancy Gunton PDF 

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Start of Construction of Lowestoft's Gull Wing

24 March 2021

The start of construction work on Lowestoft’s Gull Wing has been formally marked this week. Despite officials not being able to host a traditional observance at the site, due to lockdown restrictions, a video featuring a range of individuals involved with the scheme has been released, including Jack and Hayden, former Somerleyton Primary School pupils who won the schools competition to give the Gull Wing its name. In the video, a number of facts about the Gull Wing are revealed, such as how long it will take to open when ships need to pass underneath, and how many tonnes of concrete will be used during construction.
Gull Wing Lowestoft
Photo Credit: Gull Wing Lowestoft

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Fly Tipping and Reckless Littering

23 March 2021

There have been numerous reports throughout our community that many areas have been subject to fly tipping and reckless littering. Please ensure that when you visit our parks and open spaces or anywhere throughout the town, you dispose of your litter responsibly in the bins provided, or take your rubbish home with you. Fly tipping poses a real danger to the environment and local wildlife, if you witness fly tipping or come across hazardous or possibly poisonous waste, report it to the Environment Agency on its 24-hour hotline on 0800 80 70 60. Alternatively, fill out East Suffolk Council's online fly tipping and reporting form, which can be found on the District Council Website.

Keep Britain Tidy

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National Day of Reflection 2021

23 March 2021

Today, Tuesday 23 March 2021 marks a full year since the UK’s first national lockdown – Marie Curie, the end of life charity wishes for everyone to come together today to reflect on our collective loss, support those who have been bereaved, and hope for a brighter future.

This annual day will give us all time to pause and think about this unprecedented loss we are facing, and support each other through grief in the years to come. Today at 12 noon join Marie Curie, for this moment of reflection, take some time and space to think about the last year and reflect on you or your loved ones’ loss. At 8pm Marie Curie will also hold a minute’s silence, for everyone to come together to light up the night out of darkness. Alternatively, take a moment today to connect to your loved ones, call and check in with a friend, or send flowers to someone who is grieving and may need some extra support today.

More information about National Day of Reflection is available on the Marie Curie website, including talks and conversations that you can attend, a message from Marie Curie Patron, HRH The Prince of Wales, and how you can show your support today. 

23.03.21 National Day of Reflection

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