Lowestoft Town Council
On Wednesday 16th December at 6 pm, from your doorsteps why not sing along to the radio and get behind raising some much-needed Christmas cheer this year. Doorstep Carols was established in Shropshire and is expanding nationally as more local radio stations join in, including BBC Radio Essex, York, Oxford, and Bristol, to spread some festive cheer this Christmas in their neighbourhoods. Staying in household bubbles and following the government restrictions, everyone can join in with the carols that will be broadcast on local radio stations across the UK.
Tune in to BBC Radio Suffolk at:
Ipswich - 103.9 FM
West Suffolk - 104.6 FM
Lowestoft - 95.5 FM
Aldeburgh - 95.9 FM
This event is in support of Mind UK, with donations accepted on the Doorstep Carols Just Giving page on their website. Alternatively, neighbourhoods are invited to organise their own local collections for charities closer to home or donate to your local regions chosen charities, which are listed on the Doorstep Carols website.
For more information on how to get involved and to download your carol sheet, use the following link: https://www.doorstepcarols.co.uk/is-your-area-involved-/suffolk
Coastal Partnership East, part of East Suffolk Council (ESC) has appointed the Water Management Alliance (WMA) to carryout temporary protection work, which is likely to start from Monday 7th December 2020 onwards, the work taking approximately five days. All work is subject to safe working conditions, i.e. tide and weather condition dependent.
This maintenance work will provide temporary protection to the base of the cliffs and beach in the location of residential properties for this winter. It will spread along the beach from Rectory Road, Lowestoft to the beach south of Arbor Lane, Pakefield. There will be a temporary site set-up established at All Saints Road.
For further information, please contact Ali Bloomfield, Operations Manager (Suffolk) Tel: 07775 662806 Email: alastair.bloomfield@wlma.org.uk
Full factsheet on the works available in this PDF document.
Looking for a reason to get active? This winter why not set yourself a new challenge and join the campaign #KeepMovingSuffolk. Sport and physical activity deliver immediate mental health and social benefits and have a long-term positive impact on physical health.
Keep Moving Suffolk has gathered helpful tips and advice, and local activity challenges that can help you to stay active this winter. Including Winter Wheelers, with a chance to win great prizes for cycling 10 minutes each day of December, and 100 Miles for Suffolk Mind, a new challenge to cover the distance of 100 miles to help raise money for Suffolk Mind to support mental health in your community.
Winter Wheelers
From 1st – 25th December, you can unlock discounts and win cycling gear from Proviz, Beryl, and Loffi, plus a brand new e-bike on Christmas Day, through their cycling advent calendar, designed for grown-ups. Sign up for Winter Wheelers today, Tuesday 1st December for a chance to win a £750 local bike shop voucher.
Ride anytime, anywhere from 1st – 25th December. Log your ride by 3 pm the following day to enter the prize draw for the previous day (e.g. Enjoy a ride on 1 December; log it by 3 pm on 2 December, winner announced at 5 pm). Everyone who rides from 1-24 December will enter the draw for a brand new e-bike announced on Christmas Day! Keep an eye out on their social media platforms and website for prize-winner announcements.
Suffolk Mind
This January why not kick-start the New Year by challenging yourself and other to cover the distance of 100 miles, and help raise money for Suffolk Mind to support the mental health of your community.
The 100 Miles for Suffolk Mind challenge is to cover the distance of 100 miles, whether that is running, cycling, walking, rowing, swimming or in a more unique way. Suffolk is approximately 100 miles East to West and North to South, with the ambition to make Suffolk the best place in the world for talking about it and taking care of mental health.
How to join:
Suffolk Mind would like to hear about all the ways you have taken on this challenge – email: fundraising@suffolkmind.org.uk.
For more details on the Winter Wheelers challenge, use the following link to their website: https://www.lovetoride.net/suffolk/prizes
For more details on 100 miles for Suffolk Mind challenge, use the following link to their website: https://giving.suffolkmind.org.uk/…/100-miles-for-suffolk-m…
Or for more activities and tips on how to stay active this winter, go to the Keep Moving Suffolk website: https://www.keepmovingsuffolk.com/
Let's get crafty this Christmas! See full details on the document attached.
We are encouraging the community to create window displays, using recyclable household materials only. Send pictures of your recycled Christmas window displays with a chance to feature on our Facebook page for the twelve days of Christmas and win a festive British hamper! Councillor Alan Green, Mayor of Lowestoft, will judge the best window displays, deadline Sunday 20th December at 9.00 am. All ages can get involved with the Town Council's Green Christmas Competition.
Please send your image(s) of window displays to admin@lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk – Email entries accepted only. Receipt of email received will be confirmation of entry to the competition.
The essential maintenance work that is required at Bascule Bridge within Lowestoft has been postponed, with the plan for this work to be completed from Monday 4th January 2021 to Friday 15th January, between the hours of 8pm to 6am each night. This decision has been made by Highways England, with the consideration of the impact the maintenance work will have on local businesses and the wider community ahead of the Christmas period.
Whilst the A47 is closed, local traffic will be diverted via a well-signed route. Northbound traffic will be diverted via the A12, B1531, A1117, A1144 and A47. Southbound traffic will follow the same diversion in reverse.
There will be additional signs directing through traffic going northbound via the A12, A1117 Bloodmoor Road, Elm Tree Road, Cotmer Road, Bridge road, Saltwater Road, Bridge Road, Normanston Drive, Peto Way, and the Millennium Way. A47 southbound traffic will follow the same diversion in reverse.
To stay informed about all the latest major roadworks happening near you, visit www.gov.uk/government/organisations/highways-england to register for the latest alerts. If you have any enquiries please contact the Highways England Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000, or by e-mail to info@highwaysengland.co.uk
Read more on Important Roadworks Information - A47 Bascule Bridge Update
The Tree Council has started a programme of cultural events for this very unusual national tree week (28 November - 6 December). Despite the Town Council being unable to progress a Tree Council funded planting scheme until next year, you are encouraged to enjoy some of the events the Tree Council are running, as well as getting out and about within our tree laden parks as you take your daily exercise. There are many events that you can enjoy from home, perfect for the last few days of the current lockdown.
National Tree Week is the UK's largest annual tree celebration, marking the start of the winter tree planting season (November to March each year). The Tree Council, one of the UK’s leading charities for trees, first established National Tree Week in March 1975 in response to the national replanting required after the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease.
For more details on how to be #TreelyConnected, visit:
https://treecouncil.org.uk/…/join-our-free-national-tree-w…/
Due to the resignation of Councillor Peter Collecott, a vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Town Council, within the ward of St. Margaret's West. A by-election to fill the vacancy will be held if ten electors for the ward give notice in writing claiming such an election to the Returning Officer not later than Thursday 17th December 2020.
Where ten valid requests for a by-election are received then under the provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 and The Local Government and Police and Crime Commissioner (Coronavirus) (Postponement of Elections and Referendums) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 the by-election will not currently take place, and the vacancy will be held open until the by-election takes place. The 2020 regulations provide for the by-election to take place on the date for the Ordinary Election of Councillors due to be held on Thursday 6 May 2021. However, this date may be brought forward or deferred by the Government depending upon the circumstances. Any Election that is in due course called will be duly publicised as required by law.
The Addresses of the Returning Officer is:
First Floor 2 Canning Road Lowestoft NR33 0EQ
Age UK Veterans at Home service has collaborated with the Royal British Legion and the Armed Forces Community Covenant Trust Fund, seeking to tackle isolation during the pandemic. This scheme includes Suffolk Veterans. Supplying tailored activity packs to assist with cognitive stimulation, providing puzzle books, magazines, jigsaws, and more.
To access this service, refer someone you know, or for more information, please contact: 07872 839605 or email activeveteransservice@ageukknotts.org.uk
East of England, including Suffolk and Norfolk, have been placed under Tier 2 (High Alert) following the Government regional tier announcement today, Thursday 26th November. These new rules will come into effect from the beginning of Wednesday 2nd December 2020.
Decisions on which area goes into which tier are primarily based on 5 key epidemiological indicators:
1. Case detection rates in all age groups
2. Case detection rates in the over-60s
3. The rate at which cases are rising or falling
4. Positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)
5. Pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy
For the full list of local restriction tiers by area, use the following link: https://www.gov.uk/…/full-list-of-local-restriction-tiers-b…
In Tier 2:
> You must not socialise with anyone you do not live with or who is not in your support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
>You must not socialise in a group of more than 6 people outside, including in a garden or a public space – this is called the ‘rule of 6’
>Pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants.
>Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals. Hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:
-Provide table service only, in premises which sell alcohol
-Close between 11pm and 5am (hospitality venues in airports, ports, transport services and motorway service areas are exempt)
-Stop taking orders after 10pm
>Early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls.
>Public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to 50% capacity, or either 2,00 people outdoors or 1,00 people indoors.
> Organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue
>Organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes will only be permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing with people they do not live with (or share a support bubble with). There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, which can take place with larger groups mixing
>If you live in a tier 2 area, you must continue to follow tier 2 rules when you travel to a tier 1 area. Avoid travel to or overnight stays in tier 3 areas other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities. You can travel through a tier 3 area as a part of a longer journey
For the full list of rules and restrictions, use the following link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know#high-alert
Greater Anglia Railway have announced their proposed timetable changes which will be in full operation by December 2021. With proposed extra services between key areas and routes, with the Norwich to London in 90-minutes services on the horizon.
Journeys to/from London and Norwich will have a direct 30-minute frequency from early morning to mid-evening Monday to Saturday. Most journey times between 1 hour 45 minutes and 1 hour 50 minutes. The weekday Norwich in 90 minutes services will all be scheduled at times that suit day trips to London and back with two morning services at 08.00 and 09.00 from Norwich, and two return services – one between 17.00 and 17.15 and another between 19.00 and 19.15 from London. All trains operated with new longer, higher capacity trains, with hourly Sunday frequency, plus a couple of extra services at key times of day.
Norwich to Lowestoft will see extra services at peak times on Mondays and Fridays, to and from the city to the town. Hourly Sunday service, similar to current service. With all trains continuing to operate with new, higher capacity trains. Ipswich to Lowestoft will continue to have core hourly service frequency on Monday to Saturdays. Hourly Sunday service, similar to current service, with trains continuing to operate with new, higher capacity trains.
Access to the full proposal is available on the Greater Anglia website for further proposed service alterations.
Greater Anglia are welcoming comments from customers and stakeholders with a specific interest in these particular services on their views on these proposals. The consultation will run for 12 weeks and close on Friday 12th February 2021. All responses will be recorded and carefully considered to help shape the final timetable submission to Network Rail. Timetables are due to be loaded into the industry systems, 12 weeks in advance of the timetable coming into operation in December 2021. You can contact Great Anglia through the following ways:
Website: greateranglia.co.uk/december21tt
Email: december21tt@greateranglia.co.uk
Address: December 2021 Timetable Consultation, c/o Norwich station, Station Approach, Thorpe Road, Norwich, NR1 1EF
Read more on Greater Anglia Railway – Proposed Timetable Dec. 2021
