December County Report
County Report for the parishes of Hoxne & Eye - December 2024
Locality Budget
A reminder that you can still submit bids for locality budget funding for the next few weeks. My apologies in advance if I have not gotten back to your email yet with any specifics, but rest assured it will be dealt with as soon as possible.
You can fill out the form here.
Have your say on council budget
The council has launched an online consultation to explain its current financial position and give Suffolk residents an opportunity to share their views on proposed Council Tax changes and spending priorities.
The consultation offers an opportunity to understand how the council manages its finances, the cost-saving measures already in place, and how the council might generate more money to support essential services.
The council can increase its budget in two main ways: by receiving more funding from the government or by increasing Council Tax.
The consultation asks residents for feedback on which council services they have used recently, whether they support increasing Council Tax contributions, and which areas they would like to see prioritised in the council’s budget-setting process.
Responses to the consultation will be considered alongside feedback from businesses, public sector partners and elected members, as well as advice from council officers, as it prepares next year’s budget.
Cllr Richard Smith MVO, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Economic Development and Skills, said:
“The demand for council services, particularly adult and children’s care, is rising every year, and while Suffolk County Council has managed its finances well for many years, public funding has not kept pace. Despite these challenges, we are committed to prioritising support for our most vulnerable residents, but this does mean that we continue to face difficult decisions about the other services we deliver.
“Councils across the country are facing critical funding issues. Whilst the Chancellor has announced some extra money for local government, we will not be told how much will come to Suffolk until later in the year. In the meantime, we must prepare to navigate another challenging budget, which will require new approaches and tough choices.
“That is why it’s important that we hear from residents, businesses and other community groups in Suffolk. Your feedback will help us to plan for the future and ensure we make informed decisions on service priorities and Council Tax."
The consultation opens today, Friday 1st November, and closes on Monday 16th December 2024. To participate, visit www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/2025_26_budget
The results of the consultation will be included in a final report when the budget is set in February 2025.
Stronger Families Partnership keeps children out of care for the equivalent of 1,000 years
The Stronger Families Partnership which delivers innovative family therapy has as of 30th September supported 584 children at risk of being taken into care, or who have returned to their families from care, to remain safely with their families.
The Partnership – made up of Bridges Outcomes Partnerships, Norfolk County Council, Suffolk County Council, and Family Psychology Mutual – has cumulatively saved the equivalent of 1,000 years of days in care.
With over 105,000 children in care across the UK, and about one child in care in every 140 in England, too many children are being separated from their family. Research suggests that looked-after children tend to experience significantly poorer life outcomes than other children, affecting areas including mental and physical health, education and socioeconomic circumstance.
As well as limiting life chances, the growing population of children in care is putting local authority resources under increasing pressure; nationally all 151 councils with children’s services responsibility overspent on their budgets following growing demand to remove children to care.
Since 2019, 584 families have completed Stronger Families’ evidence-based clinical interventions, Functional Family Therapy (FFT) and FFT Child Welfare (FFT CW), remaining out of care for over 365,000 cumulative days as of 30th September 2024.
Stronger Families’ approach enables families to address challenging patterns of behaviour and communication in order to build their capacity for sustainable, positive change. The delivery works to prevent family breakdown and give families the tools to cope, so that children can remain safely with their families and experience reduced involvement with children’s services.
The programme’s tracking process monitors number of care days saved alongside other measurable impacts that go beyond at-risk children to benefit whole families: the 365,000-day milestone saw 93% of children not entering/re-entering care during the tracking period, and a majority reporting improved family functioning.
Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils have taken bold steps to support this innovative and collaborative outcomes-based approach, which champions a more flexible, tailored, data-driven delivery model, and better value for money.
Keeping these families together is directly linked to cost reductions for the local authorities in both care costs avoided (where children are on a trajectory to care) and immediate cost savings (where children have been reunified with their families). During the initial 18-month tracking period, the delivery saves between £39,000 and £88,000 per family that successfully completes the intervention, in relation to the estimated cost of supporting a child in care – amounting to a total net savings to date of at least £29.4m. When compared to pay-for-inputs approaches, outcomes-based family therapy delivers an average 25% better outcomes for 80% more families at 20%-50% lower cost per family, keeping more children safely out of care.
Of the service, one young person reflected: “The therapist helped us understand each other. Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it millions. [I] don't know what we'd [have] done without you.”
Robbie Smyth, Director at Stronger Families said:
“We are absolutely delighted to have kept young people we supported out of care for an enormous one thousand years’ worth of days since 2019, strengthening the relationships of so many young people and families.
"The milestone goes to show just how effective outcomes partnership can be – not only in supporting individuals and families to create long-term, positive change, but in providing a clear partnership blueprint for the entire system to support families in personalised, sensitive, and effective ways. Thanks to our partners Family Psychology Mutual, Family Functional Therapy LLC and to Norfolk and Suffolk County Councils, for embracing innovation.”
Cllr Bobby Bennett, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services at Suffolk County Council, said:
“Families tell us that the work the Stronger Families Partnership is doing alongside wider children’s services in Suffolk, provides help that really, really matters.
“Working with families that are facing a wide range of pressures and that have the potential to result in family breakdown and young people potentially needing to become Looked After, the partnership is supporting more families to safely stay together.
"It’s an achievement that Suffolk County Council is proud to be a part of.”
For more information on the Stronger Families Partnership, visit Stronger Families | Bridges Outcomes Partnerships
East Anglian counties partner with US city of Virginia Beach for mutual business and economic growth
The counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex are partnering with Virginia Beach, a US city with booming technology and renewables sectors, to boost transatlantic trade and cooperation through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Virginia Beach is the largest city in Virginia, about the size of Bristol, halfway down the US East Coast.
The MOU was signed yesterday (Tuesday 12 November 2024) at the US Embassy in London by the three County Council Leaders: Norfolk’s Kay Mason Billig, Suffolk’s Matthew Hicks, and Essex’s Kevin Bentley. Signing for Virginia Beach was the City’s Deputy City Manager, Amanda Jarratt.
Amanda said:
“There is a huge amount of common ground between East Anglia and Virginia Beach. Our city is one of the main hubs for the US offshore wind industry, as well as technology sectors like software and cybersecurity – and companies from East Anglia are already doing well there”.
Cllr Matthew Hicks, Leader of Suffolk County Council, said:
“The success of companies like Chorus Intelligence in the US market shows what is possible through international collaboration. With Suffolk’s delivery in clean energy, advanced manufacturing and tech innovation, supported by hubs like OrbisEnergy and Innovation Martlesham, we look forward to working with Virginia Beach to share knowledge and drive growth in both regions.”
One of the companies present at the event was Suffolk-based IT firm Chorus Intelligence, whose Chief Executive Neil Chivers said:
“We set up our US operation in Virginia Beach in 2021 and it couldn’t have gone better.”
The three counties see the partnership extending across business, research, academia and training. It supersedes a 2021 MOU between the now defunct New Anglia LEP and the US city, which included a joint presence at conferences and trade shows, business webinars, and advice on offshore wind training from East Coast College in Lowestoft.
Several offshore wind farms are under construction along the US East Coast, including the largest, Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind off Virginia Beach. This attracted the UK subsidiary of Cadelar, formerly Seajacks based in Great Yarmouth, which provides jack-up vessels for their construction, to also establish a US presence there.
Several initiatives are under discussion for 2025 and beyond, including assistance for US investors and exporters interested in East Anglia.
Department for Education welcomes SEND improvements and evidence of impact, but recognises challenges
The Department for Education (DfE) met with senior leaders from Suffolk County Council and the NHS to review the impact of wide-ranging improvement plans for special educational needs and disabilities services (SEND).
Following the meeting, a letter was sent from the DfE outlining the extent of progress made within SEND services across Suffolk over the past six months.
In summary, it ‘welcomes the improvements and the evidence of impact’ and recognises ‘the considerable challenges that remain to reach the required targets’.
SEND services in Suffolk are delivered by the Local Area Partnership, made up of Suffolk County Council, the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board and the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board, with the support of schools and colleges.
Key achievements listed within the letter include improvements in the timeliness and quality of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs); outstanding academic progress for children participating in the Raising Achievement – Delivering Better Value academic interventions; better coproduction between partners; and a significant reduction of permanent exclusions in primary schools and for children with EHCPs.
The Department for Education also outlined key areas for development including governance and use of data; ensuring that improvement work continues at pace, specifically with regard to timeliness and quality of EHCPs; achieving consistency across all families so that improvement is felt by all; and that the voice of children and young families continue to be heard at the heart of decision making.
The letter recognised that the Local Area Partnership was ‘very open about the areas it felt still needed considerable further improvement to meet the needs of all children and families more effectively and has clear plans in place for driving this’.
Cllr Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Education and SEND at Suffolk County Council, said:
“We are working closely with the Department for Education, which continues to offer support and expertise, while carrying out the important job of monitoring our progress.
“It is good news that they recognise the scale of our improvement and the impact we are having on children and young people across Suffolk. Improving how we deliver SEND provision is our number one priority and we continue to invest millions into getting it right.
“We acknowledge we still have work to do, and the Department for Education recognises that we have clear plans in place to drive this.”
The progress meeting with the Department for Education was held on November 4 and reviewed work over six months since the publication of the Priority Action Plan, which was agreed following the Ofsted and CQC inspection in November 2023.
This was the most formal review since the inspection. The next progress meeting will take place in May 2025.
EPIC new strategy positions Suffolk at cutting edge of UK economy
Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet is set to review ambitious new plans which will position Suffolk as a national leader in sustainable growth and innovation.
Suffolk’s Economic Strategy, also known as a Local Growth Plan, has been developed by the Suffolk Business Board in collaboration with businesses, partners and stakeholders across the county.
It seeks to harness Suffolk’s unique strengths, including its thriving renewable energy sector and innovative, collaborative business environment, to transform the region into a hub for clean technology, long-term economic prosperity and competitiveness.
By 2045, the strategy sets out to achieve:
An additional £14billion contribution to the economy, surpassing the average growth rate in England
45,000 more people qualified to Level 3 or higher
35,000 more people participating in the workforce
A significant increase in average wages across the region.
At its core is EPIC Suffolk, a framework to guide investments and funding priorities built on four key pillars: Economic wellbeing, Productivity, Inclusivity, and Clean growth.
Mark Pendlington, Chair of the Suffolk Business Board, said:
“This strategy is all about boosting opportunity and growth as we plan a massive collaborative effort to secure a prosperous and sustainable economic future for Suffolk.
“It reflects the views of many hundreds of leaders from across business, local authorities, education, health and the voluntary sector, all of whom have shared their ideas and expertise, and have been very clear about the challenges and opportunities we face.
“We all recognise Suffolk’s role as a key driver of the UK economy and are determined to promote Suffolk as one of the best places in the country to live, work, learn and invest.”
The strategy identifies several key areas for economic growth:
High Growth sectors: Suffolk is already a national leader in clean energy, with offshore wind and nuclear projects at the forefront. The county’s agri-food and drink sector is set to grow through sustainable practices and agri-tech innovation, while the county’s ports and logistics sector is a critical gateway for UK trade.
Emerging and Value Growth sectors: Suffolk’s technology sector also shows strong potential for growth, in areas such as ICT, digital creative industries, life sciences and financial services. Elsewhere, there are opportunities to further improve productivity and job quality in advanced manufacturing, construction, health and social care, and the visitor economy.
Tech Convergence: Suffolk has the potential to become a leader in Tech Convergence, where technologies such as digital, AI, clean tech, robotics and satellite applications intersect and integrate with existing industries, creating an environment ripe for innovation and growth.
To support Suffolk’s continued growth, the strategy places a strong emphasis on workforce development and infrastructure. Investments in skills, housing, digital connectivity, and road and rail networks will be critical to meeting the demands of a growing economy and ensuring that the region remains competitive in the global marketplace.
The strategy is underpinned by a comprehensive investment plan which aims to attract £4 of private investment for every £1 of public funding, including a multimillion-pound pipeline of projects to boost productivity, create jobs and attract new companies to Suffolk.
Cllr Richard Smith MVO, Suffolk County Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Economic Development and Skills, said:
“This new strategy represents a bold vision for Suffolk’s future – a county in which, by proving its competitiveness and levels of productivity, we can all be proud.
“For residents, it means better jobs, improved infrastructure and greater access to skills training, creating opportunities for everyone. For businesses, it fosters a dynamic environment driven by innovation, sustainability and cutting-edge technologies like AI and clean technology.
“Together, these efforts ensure Suffolk isn’t just a leader in growth but an exceptional place to live, work, learn and invest.”
The Suffolk Business Board was mobilised in May 2024, following the government guidance that the work of the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership should be brought to a close. The Business Board comprises 17 members representing business, education, voluntary sector and local government and is responsible for the economic strategy for Suffolk and steering of former LEP-led functions.
The Economic Strategy will be discussed at the meeting of Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 3 December 2024. Papers for the meeting can be viewed at
https://www.committeeminutes.suffolk.gov.uk