Have you seen this vehicle, Madam?

This is the recently introduced mobile police station for Mid Suffolk, intended to serve the villages of the area, pictured at Barking, I believe. Now I freely admit that I didn't know that such a thing existed until I spotted it leaving Creeting St Peter a week or so ago, so thought that some investigation was worthwhile.

The intention is that the vehicle will visit the various villages from time to time, parking for an hour or so, providing security tips and selling items such as counterfeit note detecting pens, shed alarms and ultra violet pens. There will also be an opportunity to discuss any concerns you may have on subjects such as speeding and anti-social behaviour.

If I can find out when it is due to return to the village, I'll publish the information here...

Mobile Library - July dates

Just a brief reminder that the Mobile Library Service comes to The Lane, here in the village, on two dates next month;

Friday, 9th July

Friday, 23rd July

The Mobile Library will be present between 12.05 p.m. and 12.20 p.m.

Making Cross Keys Cottage safe

Having had the builders in for a few months now, I've picked up a few things about how things are done. Health and safety is hugely important to a good builder, as is ensuring that the job is done well. Unfortunately, the work that has been done at the behest of the new owner of Cross Keys Cottage doesn't seem, at this stage, to reflect those drivers.

So, as a Parish Councillor, I called in Mid Suffolk District Council's Building Regulations team, given the unsafe way the building was left yesterday lunchtime, open to any passer-by (including children). Neil Stallard was on the scene within an hour, having done some research already, and has made the site as safe as he can, leaving his card pinned to the door.

The area in front of the tarpaulin used to be a porch, and was demolished on Thursday in a way that horrified a professional builder I spoke to. The fact that a young man with a lump hammer was demolishing the two outside walls whilst under the flat roof was bad enough, but yesterday saw another young man jumping up and down on what was now an unsupported flat roof.

However, an inspection this morning revelaed that Neil Stallard's card had been removed, and I hope that this means that action will be taken to regularise the position as soon as possible. I, and my fellow Parish Councillor, Sue Lawson, will be monitoring progress just to make sure though...

Mobile Library - June dates

Just a brief reminder that the Mobile Library Service comes to The Lane, here in the village, on two dates next month;

Friday, 11th June

Friday, 25th June

The Mobile Library will be present between 12.05 p.m. and 12.20 p.m.

National Express East Anglia - your chance to 'Ask the Managers'

As part of a policy of 'meet and greet', National Express East Anglia are offering us, the long-suffering passengers, a chance to meet their managers at Stowmarket station on Tuesday, June 1st, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.

This is your chance to ask them why the Mainline service is so unreliable (only 87.8% of trains met the performance criteria). Just so that you know, these are the reasons why a train might be a 'public performance measure' failure.

• arrived at its final destination greater than 4 minutes later than the advertised arrival time (or greater than 9 minutes for Intercity services)
• did not run at all
• did not complete its booked journey
• did not call at all its booked stations

I'm intending to be there, if only to ask them how they plan to deliver upon their promises when they're going to lose the franchise anyway...

Needham Market FC - Ridgeons League champions 2009/10

It has to be admitted that Creeting St Peter is not exactly a hotbed of sporting endeavour. Too small to have a team of our own, for competitive sport, one needs to fish at Creeting Lakes or visit a neighbouring town or village.

In recent years, Needham Market FC has become a bit of a big fish in the lower tiers of English football. FA Vase semi-finalists two seasons ago, they reached the quarter-finals last year and this, whilst challenging for the Ridgeons League title in 2007/08. This season, the title race went to the last week of the season, as Leiston, CRC (Cambridge Regional College) and Needham Market tussled for supremacy.

It all ended happily, with a win over Kirkley and Pakefield clinching the title, and with it promotion to the next level. And that's where the fun starts. Tier 4 of the National League Pyramid takes in the Unibond Northern League, the Zamaretto League (ex-Southern League) and the Ryman League (ex-Isthmian League). Either of the latter two could have been Needham Market's destination but, following some geographical juggling, they'll be playing their football in the Ryman League Division 1 North next season, alongside such teams as Harlow Town, AFC Sudbury and Ilford.

As a transplanted North Londoner, some of these teams used to play my local teams in the seventies and eighties, and I might even find time to catch the odd away game next season. So the best of luck to the Marketmen next season - one more promotion and their results will be broadcast on Sky Sports News!

Is it a year already? Yes, it's time for another Annual General Meeting!

Doesn't time fly when you're having fun? It's hard to believe, but it's more than a year since the last AGM, and our ever-watchful Parish Clerk, Rosemary, has decided that we ought to have another one.

And so, if you live in Creeting St Peter, you are cordially invited to join the Parish Council in the Church Hall at the end of The Lane at 7 p.m. on Monday week, May 24th. I'll be there, as will Rosemary, our Chair, Steven Ashcroft and Vice Chair, Sue Lawson.

Hopefully, you'll find time to join us!