A very merry Christmas to our readers!

This blog celebrates its first Christmas this year, and so it gives me great pleasure to wish our readers a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.

Good luck to you all, and I hope that the festive season brings you everything you could reasonably ask for...

We'll see you in the New Year, with more news and tales from the heart of mid-Suffolk (population 260... ish).

Will 'adequate' be the epitaph for Mid Suffolk District Council?

I have not always been entirely complimentary about Mid Suffolk District Council. However, until now, I haven't had anything to compare it with. Now, that has changed, courtesy of OnePlace, a new website which provides independent information on local issues in England, and brings together the views of six independent inspectorates.

So, how does Mid Suffolk rate? Not that well, I'm afraid. Graded 2 out of 4 for managing performance and use of resources, it achieves an overall rating of 'adequate', putting it on a par with Waveney (Lowestoft and surrounds) and Babergh (South Suffolk). Unfortunately, Forest Heath (West Suffolk), St Edmundsbury, Ipswich and Suffolk Coastal are all rated as performing well, scoring 3 out of 4 on both key measures, as does Suffolk County Council.

All well and good, I hear you say, but why does this matter? It matters because we are less well-served than most other residents of the county. We deserve something better than merely meeting the minimum requirements.

All this said, the news that proposals for a unitary authority covering the entire county are likely to be passed in time for a May general election means that the days of Mid Suffolk District Council are probably limited in any event. Here's hoping that local government reform means better services for Creeting St Peter...

Snow and trains - probably not a good combination...

Snow. Pretty, covers the fields with a blanket of white. Not so good for trains though, and with the forecast for heavy overnight snow, National Express East Anglia have declared an emergency timetable for tomorrow (Friday). For more news, click here...

If you're planning to travel, good luck!

There's cheese in them thar hills!

Bored with mass-produced cheese? Fancy something a little different? Well then, you'll be interested in the latest enterprise to make a splash in neighbouring Creeting St Mary, Suffolk Farmhouse Cheeses.

A family-run business, with award-winning pedigree Guernsey cows, their output is based on two main products, Suffolk Gold and Suffolk Blue, although they also sell milk, cream and home reared beef and pork. Best of all, they'll sell you their produce from their farm shop, although hours are a bit limited.

Goodbye National Express, hello... well who, exactly?

Thursday's announcement that the current franchise for the East Anglian region, held by National Express, will come to an end three years early, in 2011 instead of 2014, will probably come as no surprise to those who use their services frequently.

Increasingly worn out rolling stock, frequent use of bus replacement services, the reductions in the numbers of cleaners and customer service staff, the loss of the award-winning restaurant car, all of these have been have indicated a company that is short of money, short of ambition, and unlikely to provide the level of service that our increasingly prosperous region needs. Anyone who uses the Ipswich to Cambridge line, with its elderly carriage(s) and ever-present one-carriage services will share my view that we could have so much more.

We'll see what comes of any change, although it is hard to believe that National Express will regain the right to run our trains...

A bridge too far? Another delay for the new bridge in Stowmarket

Rumour has it that the new bridge over the railway at the southern end of Stowmarket station has been, once again, further delayed. My sources are now suggesting that the project will not be completed until June.

What does this mean? For one thing, taxi metering will potentially cause significant costs for those travelling to Stowupland, Creeting St Peter and points beyond, as the risk of being caught at the level crossing remains. Also, the disruption for those who live in Cedars Park near the point where the bridge joins up with the link road through the estate will be extended.

Taxi metering - a punishment for living in a village?

I don't know whether you've noticed the new meters that local taxi drivers now have, but I know that I have. The taxi drivers are certainly unhappy about them, especially as they're having to pay for the privilege of having one.

From a personal perspective, I've noticed that the fare from Stowmarket Station to the village is now nearly £7, a significant increase on what it was before metering, and so I questioned our District Councillor, Caroline Byles, on the subject, only to get an answer that I hadn't expected. She claims, as I understood it, that an amendment moved by the Green Party group and passed by the appropriate committee has added to the fare charged to those whose journey starts from somewhere other than the town.

This raises two questions. Firstly, Mid Suffolk is a Conservative-run council, so why are the Greens winning votes? Second, where was the consultation, or even the announcement? As a Parish Council, we might well have had something to say on the subject. In any event, I'm keen to find out what really happened. We haven't heard the last of this, I suspect...

Parish Council meets again tomorrow evening

Yes, it's time once again for the Parish Council to meet - Monday, November 16th at 7.30 p.m., at the Church Hall at the end of The Lane.

We'll be, amongst other things, considering our budget for 2010/11, a planning application and the grass cutting contract for next year, so why not come and join us?

Christmas services on the Anglian Main Line

Just in case you were planning to travel by train over the Christmas/New Year period, you'll be interested to know that the service will run as follows;

Thursday 24 December

The last trains wil be departing from London at about 22:00 for most destinations except Stansted Airport.

Friday 25 December and Saturday 26 December

No services.

Sunday 27 December

No services north of Stowmarket or south of Ingatestone. Bus replacements will run.

Monday 28 December

No services south of Ingatestone, with a bus replacement service to London Liverpool Street.

Tuesday 29 December to Thursday 31 December

Services will terminate at Stratford, with onward connections via the Central Line. There will be a reduced service during peak hours.

Friday 1 January to Sunday 3 January

No services south of Ingatestone, with a bus replacement service to London Liverpool Street.

My advice would be to stay at home...

Lest we forget...

This year, the Parish Council has decided to place a wreath at the War Memorial at St Peter's Church to mark the anniversary of the end of the Great War.

It appears that we hadn't done in recent years, and our Parish Clerk, Rosemary Cochrane, pointed out the omission. The three Parish Councillors were all keen to ensure that we do so, as a mark of respect to those who gave so freely to preserve our nation in its darkest days and those who do so today, in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Whilst there are those who wonder why we were in Iraq, and why we are still in Afghanistan, it is important to differentiate between those who serve, and those who send them. We are blessed with armed forces who serve their nation and their Government, as opposed to those countries where the armed forces run the country. It is for our leaders to decide where and why they serve, and for us to tell the Government whether or not those decisions are good ones.

The River Gipping - mentioned in dispatches...

Alright, the River Gipping will probably never be spoken of in the same breath as the Amazon, the Nile or the Yangtze, but last week it was mentioned in a debate in the House of Lords.

Baroness Scott of Needham Market commented during a discussion on water management;

"Across East Anglia there are small local organisations, such as the East Anglian Waterways Association, which work tirelessly to clear riverbanks, clean ponds, inspect canals and so on. In the north of the county, the Otter Trust in Bungay was so successful in reintroducing the otter that it has now disbanded, although I accept that the health of otters may not be too beloved of the noble Lord, Lord Dear, and fellow anglers. I am patron of the Pickerel Project in Stowmarket, in which volunteers look after the River Gipping on a regular basis. It is with the help of such organisations that East Anglians are trying to conserve their rivers; without them we would be in a far worse situation. However, it will require a lot more than local action by volunteers, however welcome that might be."

If any of our readers are interested in getting involved, more information about the Pickerel Project can be found here.

And shall these green and pleasant lands?

Whilst Cllr Caroline Byles is of the view that we should be grateful that the proposals for the site between the railway and the A14 on the Stowmarket side of Mill Lane and Clamp Farm are not as bad as the original version, here in Creeting St Peter, we're not so certain.

As a result, this evening's Parish Meeting, held to allow villagers to find out more about the plans that Mid Suffolk District Council has put together, was well attended. Stephen Andrews and his colleague David McHardy placed the proposals within a much wider context and, whilst there is much distrust and suspicion, their enthusiasm in seeking an outcome that would be as unintrusive as possible whilst bringing maximum benefits to the area was, to say the least, disarming.

Yes, there will be some big distribution 'boxes', but there will be an area of protected wetland available for public access, as well as an all-weather football pitch, improved cycle routes and footpaths and even a regular bus service for the village - every half hour was mooted as a potential frequency. Stephen was keen to emphasise the environmental protection, with 40m wide bands of tree planting to soften the outline, reduce noise and protect the views that we now enjoy.

In truth, there is still much unhappiness over the threat to the relative piece and quiet that we currently enjoy. Concerns over the quality of the architecture, the additional traffic (some of it wholly inappropriate for the local road network) and of light pollution were all addressed with a welcome degree of frankness.

However, if this is the quality of the consultation we can expect, at least we are likely to get a fair hearing. Perhaps we need to start thinking about a Parish Plan?... And perhaps, just perhaps, Cllr Byles might like to turn up next time?

Want a business park to swallow up part of Creeting St Peter?

It seems that, like Ipswich Town's struggles in front of goal this season, the proposal for a multi modal site is always with us. Having, as we thought, seen off the first bid, with its railway siding and lorry park, the proponents of the scheme are back with a variation.

The new proposal would swallow up all of the farmland between the A1120 link road and Clamps Farm between the railway and the A14, leaving the homes at Clamp Farm surrounded on three sides. Yes, there would be playing fields and a new park to preserve and allow access to the water meadows but, as a fellow Parish Councillor said, we're a countryside village, where parks and playing fields have limited value.

However, residents of Creeting St Peter will have a chance to find out more on Wednesday evening, when a meeting will take place, attended by Stephen Andrews from Mid Suffolk District Council, where the proposals will be available to view and discuss.

Remember, it's your village, and sometimes you have to fight to preserve it...

Just in case you didn't read the note on your wheelie bin...

Yes, just when you thought that you'd got used to putting your green and black bins out on alternate weeks, Mid Suffolk have announced that they are switching weeks. So, if you live in Creeting St Peter, they emptied your black bin this morning. Next week, they'll do it again. The week after, they'll come for your recycling bin, which means that it won't be emptied for three weeks.

Now for some residents, that might be problematic, but Mid Suffolk District Council suggest that, if you have too much to fit in your recycling bin, you can place the excess in a clear sack and leave it next to the recycling bin.

Easier access to parking at Stowmarket Station

Without much fanfare, the new parking area on the London bound side has opened, which means that travellers from Creeting St Peter and Stowupland won't need to use the level crossing to reach a car park. Combined with the recently reopened access at the footbridge, using the station will be slightly easier from now on.

Meanwhile, work on the B1115 relief road and, in particular, the bridge over the railway, is progressing well. The bridge supports and banking are mostly in place, and I understand that all is on schedule.

A useful bus - if only on a Thursday...

Whilst the Taxibus isn't entirely optimal, we do have a weekly service that runs into Stowmarket and back, on a Thursday, travelling via Stowupland and the Tesco at Cedars Park.

Just in case you didn't know, it runs as follows:

09:35 dep. Creeting St Peter, Pound Road
09:47 arr. Cedars Park, Tesco
09:53 arr. Stowmarket, Bury Street

12:55 dep. Stowmarket, Bury Street
12:56 dep. Cedars Park, Tesco
13:08 arr. Creeting St Peter, Pound Road

The afternoon bus returns to Stowmarket via Creeting St Mary and the A140.

A (missing) sign of the times

At last month's Parish Council meeting, it was reported that there has been a rash of thefts of road signs across Mid Suffolk. Apparently, they are stolen to be sold for recycling. Given that we've just had signs put up marking the parish boundaries, it would be particularly annoying if one or more were stolen, so if you do see that one is missing, please report it to the police as soon as possible.

On the subject of signs, the Parish Council has sought a new sign for The Lane, sited for those approaching from the south. The current one is rather faded, and the wooden supports have see better days.

Advance notice - the next meeting of the Parish Council...

...will take place on Thursday, September 24th, usual time, usual place (7.30 p.m., Church Hall, The Lane).

Why not let us know what you're thinking?

A wasted opportunity - why can't there be a morning bus to Stowmarket?

Suffolk County Council have published the new bus timetable for the Stowmarket area, and there is no change to the Taxibus service that runs through the village twice a day towards Little Stonham.

A little research has discovered that the Taxibus actually runs empty from Little Stonham to Stowmarket, leaving Little Stonham at approximately 9.15 a.m., with its next run scheduled at 10.30 a.m. to run from Stowmarket towards Rattlesden. Indeed, if a passenger was to ring Optua, who operate the service, he or she could arrange for it to collect them in Creeting St Peter on the way back to Stowmarket. However, the timetable doesn't mention that...

It isn't much to ask, so I'll be contacting the County Council to see if they can change the contract...

A diversion around Creeting Hall

Mid Suffolk District Council have advised that Public Footpath 15, which runs from just south of 'Flint Hall', on Mill Lane, southwards to Creeting Hall and then westwards, will be diverted following the granting of planning permission for works at Paddock Barn.

What this means is that the path will be diverted around the outside of the Creeting Hall area, adding no significant distance to the route. The costs will be borne by the owners of the property.

Your chance to decide how (some) public money is spent!

The Wider Stowmarket Community Board is a pilot scheme, intended to test the idea of participatory budgeting in mid-Suffolk, and consists of elected representatives from Stowmarket, Stowupland and Creeting St Peter, as well as community representatives. The idea is that a pot of money, in this instance £60,000, is made available to be allocated according to the wishes of the local community, exercised by a 'citizens jury' of one hundred people.

Given the imbalance in populations, Creeting St Peter provides one of the twenty members of the Board, and as a newly co-opted member of the Parish Council, I've stepped into the breach.

At its recent meeting, the Board decided that each member should be allocated five votes on the citizen jury, to be distributed within the community they represent, the proviso being that those on the Board will not vote themselves except as substitutes in the event that a jury member doesn't appear on the day.

The Board met recently, and it was decided that proposals as to how the money might be spent should be sought from across the community. So, if you have an idea, and want to draft a proposal, get in touch. Whether you are part of an existing community group, or want to form one for the purposes of this pilot scheme, this is a real opportunity to change things.

The proposals will be considered by the Community Board and a shortlist put before the citizen jury, who will watch a series of presentations, before voting on the ones they like most.

Ipswich Hospital - the route to Foundation Trust status

All of the recent controversy over comparisons between the NHS and healthcare in the United States has mostly emphasised heat over light. Meanwhile, change is afoot for our local hospital.

Foundation Trusts are, according to a brochure I've received, a new type of healthcare organisation. The idea is that patients, members of the public, representatives of community organisations, staff and other healthcare and academic colleagues will help to set the future direction of Ipswich Hospital, by being involved as members of the organisation.

However, this is not something they intend to do to you, they want your feedback and suggestions by 11 September. So, to find out more, go to their website, where there is more information.

Parish Council - getting serious about process

Tomorrow sees another meeting of the Parish Council, and an agenda with twenty-two items on it. Of course, we are electing a new Chair as part of a process of formalising our arrangements, but the most intriguing thing is that we are adopting the latest standards in terms of how we, as a Parish Council, operate.

Now I have to admit that, as a newly elected Councillor, what happened before is a bit of a mystery. But with a new Parish Clerk full of new ideas, and with a degree of expertise that we may not have experienced before, the residents of Creeting St Peter can sleep soundly in their beds in the knowledge that we will be fully accountable for our actions as Parish Councillors.

So, if you want to know what we're up to, come along tomorrow, 7.30 p.m., at the Church Hall at the end of The Lane.

The day the lights went out

A typical Sunday morning. Wake up at about 8, go downstairs, make tea. Drink tea, go downstairs again to make more tea. Turn on kettle, nothing happens. Turn off kettle, turn on kettle again. Still nothing. Hmmmm... try a few other electrical items. No, mone of them work either. I know, ring electricity company...

And that's when I found out that there was a high voltage cable fault, apparently affecting an area from Great Bricett in the west, through Needham Market and the southern end of Stowmarket, to Mickfield and Stonham Aspal in the east. Engineers were on the job though, and it was expected that power would be restored as soon as possible.

As it turned out, power wasn't restored until about 7, although it was a bit intermittent after that. It is a reminder that modern life is a bit dependent on the utilities of gas, electricity and water - not that we have gas here...

A good deed in a sometimes depressing world

Creeting St Peter resident, Sam Cobbold, is raising money to go to Tanzania to take part in a World Challenge expedition, part of which involves an extreme seven day climb of Mount Kilimanjaro. Residents of the village may have seen him around and about, doing odd jobs to raise the £3,760 he needs to be able to go.

Here at the Creeting St Peter blog, we're very supportive of his efforts, and he mows our lawn once a week and does the odd gardening job for us. However, he needs all of the support he can get, so if there are any odd jobs that you need doing, drop a note through the door at 15 Peterhouse, and hopefully, he'll be able to fit you in. Otherwise, you can donate through his blog.

Circuit training, the Creeting St Peter way

I am that rare creature amongst village residents, in that I don't drive. Indeed, I can't, having never taken driving lessons. Fortunately, my wife does, so when she is around, I can get around easily enough.

However, she is away on business today, and I really did need to do some shopping, so some lateral thinking was needed. How do I get to Tesco, do the shopping I need to do, and get back? Of course, I could use a taxi, but that does seem to be awfully expensive so, having done my research, I set off via the footpath just the other side of the bridge over the A14, towards the track that leads to the Creeting Lakes fishery, along Mill Lane, through Cedars Park to Tesco, leaving myself about fifty minutes to get everything I needed.

At 11.15, I made my way to the bus shelter opposite the petrol station, and waited. At 11.21, the scheduled taxibus arrived, picked me up and brought me, and my shopping, back to the village. The whole outing took just an hour and forty minutes, not bad really, and cost just £1.20.

So, a big thank you to driver Philip, and a job done...

Use taxis to get about? Taxi meters coming to you soon...

Apparently, Mid Suffolk District Council have decided to make fare meters mandatory for licenced taxis in the area, with introduction scheduled for the Autumn.

My source tells me that the likely impact is to make journeys that don't include Stowmarket potentially unviable, as the meter can only be switched on when a passenger is picked up. After all, will a taxi driver want to pick me up here in Creeting St Peter to take me to Earl Stonham if all they get is a £3 fare?

My taxi driver this evening told me that his licence fee has increased from £16 to £60 per annum, and the cost of the mandatory badge on the rear of the car from £35 to £170, a genuine disincentive for those drivers who might only work part time. Throw in the cost of petrol, and getting a taxi may become quite difficult in the years to come.

For those of us who live in small villages, where public transport is sparse, and especially for those who don't or can't drive, this is another blow, and I am surprised that a District Council which serves so many small villages hasn't worked out the implications. Perhaps they all live in Stowmarket...

Just so that you know what you're looking out for...

The lady in the picture is Cathy, and the vehicle behind her is the 'Club 88' Taxibus, which serves Creeting St Peter twice a day during the week on a scheduled run, and on demand otherwise.

The fare is an astonishingly reasonable £1.20 for the journey to Stowmarket, and the telephone number to call if you want to use the service is 01449 616000. The telephone line is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the service can be booked up to a week in advance.

A bus stop for Creeting St Peter?

Whilst our twice a day, six days a week bus service might not be very well known, I was moved to wonder whether a bus stop might raise its profile. So, as the Parish Council will be discussing the matter next month, does anyone have any views on whether we need one, where it should be placed, and whether there is demand for other services?

The Parish Council co-opts its newest member

The Parish Council have been laboured at something below full strength for some time, putting out repeated requests for new blood, so to speak.

Here at Creeting St Peter Blog, we are always willing to step into the breach if required, and I am delighted to announce that Mark Valladares, editor of this blog, has been newly co-opted to fill a vacancy for the remainder of the Council's term, i.e. until scheduled elections in 2011.

So, as the Code of Conduct has been signed, this blog will no longer report on Parish Council meetings, except to post a link to the calling notices, agendas and minutes of meetings as posted on the official Parish Council website. However, if there is anything that you'd like to contribute by way of ideas or suggestions for things that the Parish Council might do, use the comments section, or contact any of the Parish Councillors, whose details can be found on the, you guessed it, Parish Council website...

Taxibus: getting bigger and better

I was planning my trip back to the village for this evening's Parish Council meeting when it dawned on me that I could actually use the Taxibus. So I rang Optua to find out whether or not it was available to pick me up off of the 16:32 service from Liverpool Street and, to my pleasant surprise, it was.

So I made my booking and noted that I would look out for the London cab that they use, only to be told that this was not the case any more. The Taxibus is now a people carrier, converted to carry passengers in wheelchairs or with mobility issues. Good news for anyone in the villages surrounding Stowmarket, I think, or for anyone wanting to visit our village...

A more civilised journey from Stowmarket to London

For those of us who regularly travel to London, one of the consolations of having to make the journey was that the restaurant car was probably the best in the country, and there was much distress when National Express East Anglia cut it during the winter.

Clearly, the muttering from regular users of the service has been heeded, as today sees the introduction of an at-seat menu on the 19:30 service from Liverpool Street to Norwich. Choices include steak and merlot pie, lamb shank, a vegetarian tartlet, chicken salad, crayfish salad, pasta dishes, cheese and biscuits plus a range of desserts.

Alright, it won't be the award-winning service there once was, but it's a start...

Election Result: Stowmarket North and Stowupland

So, no change at County Council level here in Creeting St Peter. The result;

• Gary Green (Conservative) - 1211 votes
• Nicky Turner (Liberal Democrat) - 586 votes
• Nigel Rozier (Green) - 575 votes
• Suzanne Britton (Labour) - 261 votes

The turnout, a slightly disppointing 31.9%, somewhat less than that in Creeting St Peter itself.

Across the county, with two seats still to declare, the result is;

• Conservatives - 54 seats
• Liberal Democrats - 11 seats
• Labour - 3 seats
• Greens - 2 seats
• Independents - 2 seats
• UK Independence Party - 1 seat

Election frenzy: the state of the poll thus far

I wandered over to our polling station this evening, just to see how things are going at the Church Hall. The presiding officer and his assistant have probably drawn one of the easier polling station, as the parish has an electorate of 215, but they have stoically awaited voters all day, since 7 a.m. in fact. As at 7.45 this evening, the turnout was 65, or 30.2%. Add postal voters, and the turnout will probably be close to 40%.

Now that equates to approximately one voter every twelve minutes, which might not sound very impressive, but the presiding officer asked me to note their view that voters here are really polite and friendly, and that they've enjoyed being here. Violet has made sure that their day is comfortable by sweeping the hall, making sure that the toilet is properly supplied and that the kitchen is spotless, and they are very grateful.

So, well done Creeting St Peter voters, and thank you for turning out today!

It"s Polling Day in Creeting St Peter - you know what to do...

Polls opened just over an hour ago for the European and County elections.

Regardless of your political beliefs, this blog urges you to use your vote. After all, you can hardly be upset about the outcome if you don't try to influence it!

Beware of the non-snake!

I came across this slow worm (angius fragilis) basking in the sun on the path from Pound Road to the church. It isn't actually a snake, although easily confused for one, but is actually a legless lizard. The test? Lizards have eyelids, snakes don't. Of course, they aren't dangerous, but at this time of year, they are a bit sluggish and vulnerable to birds and, to be honest, being trodden on.

So, do watch out for our reptilian friends, as they play an essential role in our rural ecosystem. And remember, it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to kill, injure or sell them...

Summer arrives in mid-Suffolk

The advantage of a bank holiday weekend is that it gives you the opportunity to do things that you might not otherwise do, like take a walk. Given that the village is the hub of a network of footpaths, Ros and I thought that we would walk to Creeting St Peter Church, using the path along the A14 from Pound Road.

The yellow flowers of oilseed rape are now fading, to be replaced by the seeds (pictured)which make cultivation worthwhile. And, whilst it isn't necessarily the most popular crop, it does cover a good portion of the parish. It forms part of a sensible crop rotation policy and is known as a 'break crop' - one that helps improve the yield of cereal crops in future years (for more information, click here).

It is used to make vegetable oil (the United Kingdom is now 90% self-sufficient), and now forms a potentially key part of an alternative energy strategy - it is a component in biofuels. So, in our small way, Creeting St Peter is helping to reduce our dependence on foreign energy supplies...

Parish Council AGM - Wednesday, May 27th.

After the excitement of the Annual Parish Meeting comes the Parish Council's Annual Meeting (yes, I admit that I was a bit confused too, but I've had the difference explained to me). The former is where those who represent us to the outside world report back, the latter is where the Parish Council report back to the villagers.

So, if you're keen to find out what the Parish Council have done for you in the past twelve months, why not come along to the Church Hall at the end of The Lane, tomorrow night at 7.30 p.m.?

Election fever sweeps Creeting St Peter!

You might have been fooled into believing that politics is happening elsewhere. But no, voters in Creeting St Peter get their third opportunity in three years to vote for a county councillor. By-elections in 2007 and 2008 are the background to this year's all-out county council elections and, as at the close of nominations, four candidates have been nominated as follows:

• Suzanne Britton (Labour)
• Gary Green (Conservative)
• Nigel Rozier (Green)
• Nicky Turner (Liberal Democrat)

This blog will be looking to get some comments from each of the candidates, and we'll publish the answers as we get them.

Voters will also have the opportunity to vote for seven members of the European Parliament. There are an amazing fourteen Party lists to choose from, plus an independent. So, make sure that you use your vote. There will be more information about how to vote as the campaign progresses.

Did you know about the taxibus?

As I mentioned in the climactic ending to a posting on my own blog, our village noticeboard contained some exciting information. Yes, there is public transport out of Creeting St Peter!

I'm a Londoner, transplanted to mid-Suffolk on a part-time basis since I married Ros, and as a non-driver, I am occasionally twitchy about my reliance on Ros to get around. Needham Market and Stowmarket are both reachable in an hour on foot, but I'm an old(ish) man, and not as fit as I might be. I was aware that we have a bus every Thursday morning - route 453 from Stowmarket to the Creetings and back the same afternoon - part of a network of bus routes designed to convey people from outlying villages to a market town whose market is a mere shadow of what it once was.

So the news that we indeed have a regular service was the cause of great excitement and then confusion. Confusion because the timetable referred to a taxibus, whatever that might be. Best of all, the bus appeared to run from Stowmarket to Little Stonham, but not back... Luckily, the Internet came to my salvation, and I came across this useful explanation and allied leaflet . Yes, the bus does run to Little Stonham, where it connects with buses to Diss and Ipswich. Also, you can pre-book it to take you to Needham Market or Stowmarket, all for the cost of a regular bus fare. The only unexpected element is that it actually is a taxi, although you won't hear me complain.

And so, the world is my oyster. I can get to Sudbury, Diss, Bury St Edmunds or Ipswich by bus, or go to lunch in one of the various gastropubs in the area, and all without having to rely on Ros. A man should retain some degree of independence, after all...

Parish Meeting report (part 3)

The final report to the Parish Meeting was that of the Neighbourhood Watch. Sadly, Georgina Sheldrake is the only member left, after the other two members either moved or withdrew. Luckily, crime levels are low in the village, but volunteers would be welcome. If you're interested, the role of Neighbourhood Watch members is to pass on police warnings and to keep a weather eye out for unusual activity.

The Chair of the Parish Council then gave the Council's annual report. Chris Wright paid tribute to the retiring members, as well as the retiring Parish Clerk, Elsie Rivers. The village falls within the area covered by the new Community Board for Stowmarket and its environs, and Cllr Wright noted the consultation exercise which took place. He felt that the results were somewhat skewed towards the wishes of younger members of the community. This might be linked to the disproprtionate participation of students at Stowupland High School, who were keen to have more fast food outlets in the town.

It was felt to be vital to link the Community Board to the village. Hosting a meeting in the village was felt to be essential and it was proposed that we host a meeting on the site of the village playground. There was a brief discussion of the proposed multi modal container depot at the northern end of the parish, with concerns aired over the length of time taken to determine what might happen. However, it was decided to have a separate Parish Meeting to discuss this hugely disruptive imposition on our village.

Parish Meeting report (part 2)...

On behalf of the Parochial Church Council, Alice Mathewson thanked the Parish Meeting for inviting them. She noted that regular services take place in the various churches in the 'rotation', including St Peter's, and it was agreed that details of services should be added to the website.

There was carol singing in the run-up to Christmas, and a dozen singers hit the streets of Creeting St Peter to raise funds for the church, with mince pies and mulled wine partaken of afterwards, all of which which sounded pretty jolly (and other things ending with 'olly').

Most of the PCC's non-service activity revolves around the need to raise funds to maintain the church buildings, as aging buildings require significant maintenance. It's a pretty church though, if a bit isolated.

My neighbour, Ian Harwood, presented the report of the Community Council. Their main project is the regeneration of the village's playground, and there is an application for funding through the landfill tax arrangements. £2,500 has been forthcoming from the County Council, plus £1,000 from the Parish Council. They have raised additional funds through a Fun Day, plus a bonus ball scheme, linked to the bonus ball drawn in National Lottery draws. Interested? Why not join in?

Finally, Ian noted improved co-operation between the Parish, Community and Parochial Church Councils which, given the size of the village, seems ridiculous. I look forward to reading a piece he will write for the village newsletter.

Parish Meeting report (part 1)

My first Annual Parish Meeting, attended by a crowd far larger than that which attended last year's event, took place yesterday evening. The Church Hall echoed to the voices of eleven attendees.

The minutes of the previous meeting were approved before moving onto reports. First up was the report from Suffolk Police, who advised that we had suffered from four crimes in the past year, two of which affected the same business premises.

Next, our recently-elected County Councillor, Gary Green, talked about the review of unitary status and the steps that the County Council is taking with regard to the economic crisis. He confirmed that the Chief Executive is working part-time for another local authority, but that she is doing this in her spare time.

Cllr. Caroline Byles presented the Mid Suffolk District Council report, which included news that free swimming for the under-16's and over-60's has been introduced in Stowmarket. In addition, the fencing on Footpath 25 to the church requires repair. Neither the District or County Councils are accepting responsibility, and it was felt likely that either the landowner or the Highways Agency would need to act. There will also be a diversion of Footpath 15, and the Parish Council were keen to ensure that it was properly signposted.

Cllr Byles raised the spectre of lightning squatters on unoccupied land. An incident of this kind happened in Essex recently, and she gave us the lowdown on who to contact if such a thing were to happen in our lovely village.

Parish Council meeting - 27 April

In the absence of the international news media, it falls upon me to report on happenings on the Parish Council.

Whilst the start of the meeting was delayed due to the late arrival of one of the councillors, the meeting was called to order by Cllr. Chris Wright, and the sole item on the agenda, consideration of a planning application to add a conservatory to one of the outlying properties, was taken. There being no objections from council members or from the public present (that would be me...), the council decided to support the application.

With that, and there being no items of 'Any Other Business', the meeting was brought to a close.

A new dawn in Creeting St Peter!

Welcome to this new medium of communication! My name is Mark, and I've lived in the village for nearly two years, and I'll be your guide through the small but perfectly formed world that is Creeting St Peter. I may not be alone, but...

So, what is the purpose of this blog? Indeed, for those of you who don't know what a blog is, what is a blog? In reverse order, a blog (short for web log) is a kind of diary. They come in many varieties, some specialise in a particular topic, some espouse opinions or provide information, others are just a personal record for friends and family. However, they are primarily a means of providing information.

This blog will provide a running commentary on life in the Parish of Creeting St Peter. It won't be intrusive - no tabloid type scandal here - and it won't be party political either. There will doubtless be politics, after all, there are people who want your vote, and I hope to cover them too.

So, welcome to Creeting St Peter - the blog. Your comments, suggestions and, should you feel so inclined, contributions, are most welcome.