A Note from your Clerk: Seasons Greetings!

Thank you everyone for all your support in 2025, we’ve got a lot done!

The referendum poll on Wickhambrook’s Neighbourhood Plan took place on Thursday 13^th November.  The turnout was just over 33% and just over 82% voted yes.  West Suffolk Council adopted the Plan on 16^th December. Neighbourhood Plans guide future development in villages and are used by local authorities and Government planning inspectors when making decisions on planning applications. Preparing the Neighourhood Plan has been a huge undertaking and wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and hard work of Cllr Tracey Turner and the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group, made up of parish residents including:

Richard Byers – Secretary, Diana Carroll, Emily Bayman, Jamie Green, Penny Bayman, Sandra Law, Roger Merry, Sue Sternberg and Tara Hayden.

After many years of commitment to our village hosting and updating the wickhambrook.org website and supporting the parish council, society and villagers to share their news, Maria has stepped down from providing the Wickhambrook website as the Parish Council has decided to move to a new .gov.uk domain in line with many other parish councils across the country.  The parish council and clerk would like to extend their thanks and appreciation for all Maria’s advice and support over the past twenty years – we couldn’t have done it without you!

We’ve set up a Community Speedwatch Group, led by Cllr Mel Karunaratne, which is now active in the parish, and suported by Cllr Kevin Grimes, who looks after the Vehicle Activated Signs.

With thanks to our volunteers, we’ve held regular parish tidy mornings looking after the cemetery, led by Cllr Andrea Grimes and Mary Jolland, who also lead on the litter picks.

Cllr Linda Smith leads our engagement with the parish and town forums and West Suffolk Council, and Cllr Mike Lavelle, our Chair, looks after Emergency Planning.

We still have two vacancies on the parish council – if you would like to get involved, please do contact me to find out more – clerk@wickhambrook-pc.gov.uk

Once again, with all good wishes for Christmas and the New Year

Hilary