Melton Messenger
Currently there will be no paper copies delivered and this may not resume until the current Covid-19 crisis has been resolved one way or another.
At Melton Parish Council we are very aware that people don’t really like reading magazines online and that assumes that they have internet access which many do not. It suddenly struck me that we have a few magazines delivered locally to almost every house so I thought I would contact them. Well I got a very quick response from the Editor of Woodbridge In Touch and my articles will also appear in that magazine. So please look out for them.
Defibrillator Batteries
The batteries 
in the defibrillator are kept charged up by a mains connection. The battery powers the light and also a small heater that keeps condensation out when the temperature drops below a certain level. I think it is useful to reassure local people that the unit is maintained and ready to go at a moment’s notice. A good friend of mine had a cardiac arrest at Cretingham Golf Club and they used a defibrillator to save his life. He is still playing golf and is eternally grateful that there was a defibrillator nearby. We are going to be given another unit by Bloor Homes when the building work is complete in Woods Lane. We shall be looking for a 2nd location in Melton to fit it. The new pavilion would be a logical place to put it.
Free Parking at East Suffolk Car Parks – Ringo App
I see that parking in the Hamlin Road car park in Woodbridge is free for 30 minutes and you can park anywhere not just in those few spaces by Elmhurst Park. There are often queues of people lining up at the machines as it takes a while to get a ticket now you have to enter the registration number.
There is an option to use the Ringo App so I thought I would have a go at that. Before you can use the App you have to associate a debit or credit card with the App but you won’t be charged unless you select a period of more than 30 minutes.
If you enter the number 4401 and make sure you set the option not to receive either of the text messages then the Ringo parking is free. Otherwise you pay 20p for the text messages.
The App is really useful as you will save time not having to queue up and also you can avoid touching the keypad which is good when we are living with Covid-19.
Now you have to enter your registration number onto the machine, you can only have one free 30 minute parking slot per day per location. You can always use your partner’s car or park at another location on the same day. For example if you park at 4401 Hamblin Road then you can park at 4403 Oak Lane later on.
Grants from Melton Parish Council
This year the pot for grant giving is not big but local Melton organisations can apply. You can contact the office for an application form or find out more and apply online at www.melton-suffolk-pc.gov.uk/grants
New Plaques on the Beacon
Simon Benton has produced for us two new roun
dels to commemorate the men and women of Melton who served their country in World War II. These plaques commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VE day (Victory in Europe) & VJ Day (Victory in Japan). They and were paid for with the help of a grant from our District Councillor Rachel Smith-Lyte and a private donation from Colin Birkbeck. The roundels have been fitted onto the pole that holds the beacon in the Recreation ground. There is now a cover to protect the beacon and it also prevents it being used as a basketball net as has happened in the summer.
Remembrance Day
I laid a wreath on behalf of Melton Parish Council but I was only at the memorial for a short while as Covid-19 restrictions are obviously in place. All the names are now easily readable as some restoration work has been done. The WW2 memorial will be restored soon I am told.
Budget & Large projects 2020/2021
Currently we are having our council meetings online. Despite the pandemic, we still have plans to get a lot of things done in the next financial year.
We have a few large projects on the go.
- The first one is the Speed Indicator Device (SID) which hit some teething troubles. It is now in Yarmouth Road and appears to be working. There are 6 locations around the village that we can use.
- We have an architect doing a new design for the Pavilion and good progress is being made. This has been on the go since I joined the council in 2011 so it will be good to finally get it replaced with something useful. The original Pavilion was erected in 1949 and came into full use during 1952 so it has certainly served its time. Toilets that are accessible are a part of the design.
- We also have Suffolk Highways doing a design for two island crossing points in Melton Road. There will be double yellow lines as a part of the scheme to create visibility, so some street parking will be lost. However this road is now so busy some safe crossing points are desperately needed.
All these projects are now in the advanced stages of planning and we will be holding focused public consultations about the Pavilion and crossing points.
Behind the Name: Melton in the Great War 1914-1919 Book
We were involved with the Melton Heritage Group in the production of this great book. Of the 300 copies printed, one sample of the book was sent to the British Library, but the Melton Heritage Group held back 5 copies in case the British Library wanted more. Recently the authors received a request from the Legal Deposit Libraries for the five copies. They are for The Bodleian Library, Cambridge University Library, The National Library of Scotland, the National Library of Wales and the Library of Trinity College, Dublin. Not every author receives these requests and clearly demonstrates that the book is of great value to researchers. There is also a new website to accompany the book – http://www.meltonww1.co.uk which includes additional material not contained in the book.
Census 2021 will provide a snapshot of modern society
Households across Melton will soon be asked to take part in Census 2021. The census is a once-in-a-decade survey that gives us the most accurate estimate of all the people and households in England and Wales. It has been carried out every decade since 1801, with the exception of 1941.
It will be the first run predominantly online, with households receiving a letter with a unique access code, allowing them to complete the questionnaire on their computers, phones or tablets.
“A successful census will ensure everyone from local government to charities can put services and funding in the places where they are most needed,” Iain Bell, deputy national statistician at the Office for National Statistics, said.
“This could mean things like doctors’ surgeries, schools and new transport routes. That’s why it is so important everyone takes part and we have made it easier for people to do so online on any device, with help and paper questionnaires for those that need them.”
Census day will be on March 21, but households across the country will receive letters with online codes allowing them to take part from early March.
The census will include questions about your sex, age, work, health, education, household size and ethnicity. And, for the first time, there will be a question asking people whether they have served in the armed forces, as well as voluntary questions for those aged 16 and over on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Results will be available within 12 months, although personal records will be locked away for 100 years, kept safe for future generations.
For more information, visit census.gov.uk
Sizewell C (SZC)
On 18 November, EDF launched a 30-day public consultation on proposed changes to its recently submitted planning application for Sizewell C. These proposals are available to download online at www.sizewell.co.uk.
EDF says it has identified opportunities to deliver improvements to the Sizewell C project and to reduce some impacts. Of key interest is the proposed reduction in the transport of bulk material by road by:
- Increasing the frequency of freight train movements (at night)
- Enhancement of the permanent beach landing facility and options for a new temporary beach landing facility to facilitate material imports by sea.
As always, we at MPC will assess what the impact of these proposals is on Melton and the surrounding area and respond to the consultation.
Melton Primary School
The children are settling back at Melton Primary school with great enthusiasm even though they now have to fit their day around “bubbles” and a lot of building work. This year Christmas will be different but should still be a very special time for everyone. The school is having a lot of building work done including a new roof and new doors and windows. With the builders on site, parking is more difficult. As visitors are not allowed into school to look around, there is a video on the web-site https://www.melton.suffolk.sch.uk/ which is a great way to see what the school is really like.
Christmas & New Year
This is the festive edition so I would like to take this opportunity to wish all readers a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year. Let’s hope we can make the most of this important time of the year, be kind to people and wish for a better 2021.
