The main protagonists in the battle to save the Trimley Villages from housing blight are our District Councillors and Parish Councils. Ray Herring, Lerader of Suffolk Coastal District Council and John Goodwin, our representative on Suffolk County Council have also played walk-on roles. Below is STAG’s assessment of their performances and - where they have bothered - their replies.

District Councillors
Our District Councillors - Sherrie Green, Graham Harding and Richard Kerry - should have been at the forefront of the Trimley Villages’ battle against the LDF Task Group. All three gave us grounds for hope when we heard their promises prior to the May 2007 elections - “Trimleys First, Tories Second”, and “We Will Represent The Interests Of The People Who Voted For Us”. Sadly, the reality has been very different. The most useful way to influence the decision making process is to attend and speak at LDF Task Group Meetings. Councillors from villages with much less at stake have attended - and spoken at - every single meeting. Sherrie and Graham have attended only a couple of times. Sherrie has made two weak interjections on behalf of the Trimley Villages, both of which were dismissed, without protest, by Andy Smith. Graham has sat in silence and made a contribution of absolutely zero. Richard is a member of the LDF Task Group and is entitled to vote as well as speak. He has, in fact, said very little and nothing of any importance or relevance to the fight. In fact, when the Settlement Hierarchy was discussed he neither spoke nor voted! The last meeting of the LDF Task Group - on 17 January 2008 - was the most important of the series, since its purpose was to ratify the blobs on maps where large numbers of houses would be built on greenfield land.

Trimley St Martin Parish Council were so concerned about the outcome of this meeting that they urged all three District Councillors to attend and speak on behalf of the Villages. Sadly, none of them went to the meeting, nor did they bother to communicate the concerns raised by Trimley St Martin Parish Council or ask anyone else to speak on their behalf to air the serious concerns raised.

Tracey Hunter, the Parish Clerk, subsequently wrote to Ray Herring, SCDC Leader “It was extremely disappointing to note that the three District Councillors, who were elected to represent the Trimleys, were not at the meeting. At our Parish Council Meeting of 9 January they were left in no doubt that we expected them to put our views across at the LDF meeting.”

Significantly, Ray Herring, in his reply to Tracey, made no attempt to defend his colleagues.

Any success that has been achieved in minimising the impact of large scale housing developments on the Trimley Villages is down to the efforts of Trimley St Martin Parish Council and STAG. Sadly, the only conclusion that can be reached about our District Councillors is that they have been completely ineffective, they have failed to state our case adequately, they have let down the people who voted for them and they are therefore unfit for purpose.

If our District Councillors disagree with our criticisms and believe they have made a significant contribution we shall gladly publish any comments they care to make.

Richard Kerry : “I acknowledge the receipt of your email, the contents were noted.”
Graham Harding : “Comments noted. Working hard to keep development from centre of existing villages thereby eliminating extra traffic on High Road. I have, outside Trimley St Mary school, on leaving the assembly hall, put money in a bucket of which there were many. No doubt you will be able to forward accounts over the last 3 years for STAG.”
Sherrie Green : “Please would you include these comments. I have been to 2 meetings this is true, and this is due to work or meetings for the council. I am constantly debating the LDF with Richard and Graham and also more fervently with Andy Smith and will continue to do so. When at meetings I raise an issue I cannot beat a submission out of the Chairman but continue to voice my disapproval most vehemently and it is a shame that STAG members do not feel this was the case. It is funny that they have only decided to say this now, as on a few earlier occasions Ian and Carl have stated that I had contributed to the debate forcibly. I was at the LDF meeting tonight and listened and made contributions, and at the moment the paper is out for consultation. The battle will really start when the actual sites are being discussed and I will be arguing for what I have always believed in. I am annoyed as it is not true when STAG accuse me of not doing what I stated when I was electioneering as far as major development goes in the Trimleys, and in Kirton and Falkenham also. Anyone who has known me for a long time knows that I will stand by what I believe and say and never mind the consequences. If STAG want to take me on then fine but be sure of your accusations, and be ready for my rebuttal. I am reminded of a quote from one American President to another, I think it was Lincoln who stated "If you keep telling lies about me, then I will start telling the truth about you".

Trimley St Mary Parish Council
As the larger of the two villages, Trimley St Mary will suffer more than Trimley St Martin from any large scale housing developments. Two of their councillors - Graham Harding and Richard Kerry - are also District Councillors, and their Vice Chair - Mary Dixon - is a former District Councillor. With the influence and knowledge possessed by these councillors, plus the presence of a STAG councillor, you would therefore expect Trimley St Mary Parish Council to be leading the battle against the Local Development Framework Task Group.

Sadly, this has not been the case. The fact is that in the past year Trimley St Mary Parish Council have done nothing of any significance. There have been no ideas or initiatives from them, and when the subject briefly comes up at Parish Council Meetings it is swiftly dropped like a hot potato.

Trimley St Mary Parish Council have therefore let down their own villagers and their colleagues on Trimley St Martin Parish Council who have been at the forefront of the battle. If, in years to come, we see bulldozers in the fields and someone asks “What did Trimley St Mary Parish Council do to stop large scale housing developments?”, the only answer will be “This is something that would be more appropriate to discuss at our next Parish Council Meeting.”

If Trimley St Mary Parish Council thinks we have been unjustly critical we shall be delighted to publish details of their efforts to save the Trimley Villages from large scale housing blight.

Trimley St Martin Parish Council
Trimley St Martin Parish Council, along with STAG, has been at the forefront of the battle to preserve the greenfields around the Trimley Villages from large scale housing developments. Parish Councillors regularly attend LDF Task Group meetings and the subject is discussed in depth - and even argued about - at every Parish Council Meeting. From special editions of the Parish Pump, through lobbying of LDF Task Group committee members to a plea for help to Ray Herring, DCDC leader, there have been regular initiatives from Trimley St Martin Parish Council. They have even been fearless in their justified criticism of our three District Councillors. The efforts of Trimley St Martin Parish Council have been well out of proportion to their size and influence, and they can be justifiably proud.

Ray Herring
Ray Herring is Leader of Suffolk Coastal District Council, and as such you would expect him to be familiar with, and devote time to, the major issues affecting Suffolk Coastal District. He also has a responsibility to be supportive of his councillor colleagues. Ray Herring has attended two LDF Task Group Meetings - the first discussing gypsies, travellers, new agers and travelling showmen, and the second which discussed the same groups of people plus blobs on maps.

Has he got his priorities right? We don’t think so. Ray Herring found time to attend meetings where the policies discussed would affect no more than 31 gypsy and traveller families but could not find time to attend any of the previous meetings where the policies discussed would have a major impact on the environment and economy of the whole District - and thus many more families - for years to come.

Is he familiar with the major issues affecting the District? No he is not, and by his own written admission. In a letter to him, Trimley St Martin Parish Council requested that he ask certain listed questions at the January 2008 LDF Task Group Meeting on the very important topic of traffic congestion on the A14. In a patronising and condescending e-mail reply, which was also an insult to the intelligence of Trimley St Martin Parish Councillors, he turned down this simple and very reasonable request on the basis that he did not know enough about the subject.

Does he support his councillor colleagues? Not on the evidence we have seen. In a second letter from Trimley St Martin Parish Council the three District Councillors - Sherrie Green, Graham Harding and Richard Kerry - were severely criticised for failing to attend or speak at the January LDF Task Group Meeting. In his reply Ray Herring very pointedly failed to defend his colleagues, or even mention them for that matter.

If Ray Herring thinks we have been unjustly critical we will gladly publish any comments he cares to make.

John Goodwin
John Goodwin is a member of both Felixstowe Town Council and Suffolk County Council, representing Felixstowe North and the Trimley Villages. In this latter capacity John attends both Parish Council Meetings where he has received well deserved praise for his stance on Operation Stack.

In September 2006 he had a meeting with various STAG members to discuss the workings of the LDF Task Group, following which he wrote an article in the Felixstowe Flyer conaining the following : “One of the more vociferous and agitated members of STAG asked the question ‘Are these people stupid or just corrupt?’ A question I dare not even try to answer.”

On 11 March 2008 as a Felixstowe Town Councillor John voted for Blob 4 (Up to 1620 houses on greenfield land on the Felixstowe Peninsula) and SuperBlob 6 (Up to 4000 houses on greenfield land on the Felixstowe Peninsula).

The following e-mail exchange then took place.

STAG - Ian Cowan : You will remember a conversation we had a couple of years ago regarding the absurdity of large scale housebuilding on greenfield land in the vicinity of the Trimley villages, when we both asked the question - me verbally and you in writing - "Are these people stupid or corrupt?" Last night you voted in favour of large scale housebuilding on greenfield land in the vicinity of the Trimley villages. In addition, you voted for Superblob 6 to be put on the table for consideration - a blob on greenfield land between Trimley St Marrtin and Kirton with, as Mike Nimney claimed, potential for a staggering 4000 houses! In view of your voting record could the same "stupid or corrupt" question be asked of you? If so, what would your answer be?

John Goodwin : Have just read article and I think you will have to agree that I was reporting what had been stated by a STAG member

STAG - Ian Cowan : Read it again. It also states : "A question I dare not even venture to try and answer." How about trying to answer it now? I dare you.

John Goodwin : I have finished with you on this subject, suggest you publish and be damned if that is your wish.