25/12 New year £2.3 million refurbishment for A12 Bascule Bridge, Lowestoft,

New year £2.3 million refurbishment for A12 Bascule Bridge, Lowestoft,
Suffolk


A £2.3 million major refurbishment of the A12 Bascule Bridge in
Lowestoft will start in January 2007 with planned completion in January 2008.
Between mid-January and Easter 2007, there will be a single lane
closure in each direction across the bridge which will affect vehicle,
pedestrian, cycle and shipping traffic.

Without work at this time there would be an increasing number of delays
to those who use the bridge.

The scheme involves the maintenance and refurbishment of mechanical and
electrical components of the lifting bridge. This work will also ensure
the bridge remains operational for many years to come.

Roger Chenery, Highways Agency project manager, said:

"We have been working closely with key partners in the area to ensure
our work is co-ordinated with other work in the area and, wherever
possible be limited to off-peak traffic periods and to avoid major works
during the summer months. Measures will also be in place to monitor and
react to any major congestion issues.

"We apologise for any delays that this essential maintenance work will
cause and drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journey."

Full closures of the Bascule Bridge, both overnight and during weekends
may be needed later in 2007.

Alternative travel arrangements and diversion routes will be in place
when the bridge is closed.

Most work will take place during daylight hours, but some night work
may be necessary from time to time. Full details of the dates and times
will be available prior to work taking place.

06/11 12 new parish plans funded in Suffolk

12 new parish plans funded in Suffolk

Rural communities across Suffolk have received grants to help create
parish plans thanks to Defra funding.

In 2005-06 Defra made £1 million available nationally for parish plans,
a tool which can help local voices be heard by decision makers and give
local communities more control over their own affairs. Now 12 new
parish plans have been funded in Suffolk.

Parish plans involve a whole village in identifying their priorities
and setting out an action plan to tackle them. This process has already
led to direct action by rural residents in Suffolk that has improved the
way their local area and services are managed.

Parish plans are tangible evidence of local priorities for local
planners, service providers, grant-giving organisations, and local
authorities.

A parish plan is not just a wish list: it sets out specific action
points, and identifies who is responsible for acting on them. Although a
plan can take a year or even two to complete, and needs a dedicated,
committed team of volunteers in a parish plan steering group, planners
agree that this is time well spent.

The potential benefits can include:
* highway safety improvements;
* village hall refurbishment;
* planning permission and grants for health facilities;
* installation of IT facilities; and
* grants for sheltered housing to enable the elderly to remain in their
village.

These plans can generate new community spirit, with everybody pulling
together as volunteers, all trying to create a better life for local
people. Unexpected local talents are discovered and parish councils can be
revitalised.

In 2006-07 support for rural communities continues to be available
through Defra's new Rural Social and Community programme, which supports a
range of activities including parish planning.

Decisions on activities are made by those best placed to decide: local
people. Each Rural Community Council played a key role in defining the
Rural Social and Community programme in their local area, and can be
contacted for information about funding for parish plans.

19/09 Ukranian National Farmers Union visits Suffolk

Ukranian National Farmers Union visits Suffolk

Educational access scheme broadens horizons for Stowmarket farmer

A Suffolk farm that has been accredited under a scheme to develop
farmer skills in hosting educational visits to the countryside recently
welcomed a delegation from the Ukranian National Farmers Union.

Chris Knock, of Manor Farm, Battisford, Stowmarket, was awarded the
certificate under the Countryside Educational Visits Accreditation Scheme
(CEVAS). The scheme is designed primarily to ensure farmers have the
necessary skills to be able to communicate with children, and to ensure
that the farm offers a safe, and valuable farm experience for school
visits. Manor Farm is not equipped with the necessary facilities for
schools, however the skills learned have been adapted to support structured
visits for adults. Visits are available through the educational access
option of the Countryside Stewardship scheme, which together with the
newer Environmental Stewardship Scheme allows farmers to receive
payments to provide educational visits, free of charge, for schools and other
interest groups. Details of this farm and others in England providing
educational visits can be found in the educational access section of the
website at http://countrywalks.defra.gov.uk/

Chris Knock said:

"The Ukranians have had no new money spent on their farms for decades,
but now they can move ahead. In the UK, we went through a similar phase
of development 40 years ago. We have reaped the commercial benefits
from the adoption of technical expertise and now we're making sure that
fits neatly beside the protection of the environment. The Ukrainian NFU
were fascinated to learn how our hedges shape the way we farm, because
they don't have any."

Manor Farm also hosts workshops for farmers wanting to learn about
issues including cross-compliance. Experts are invited to take workshops to
explain how farmers can crop successfully and within the criteria.

To get the CEVAS accreditation Chris Knock attended a three-day
workshop where farmers were asked to develop plans for how they would handle
groups and tie schools' visits in to the national curriculum.

Chris Knock said:

"I offer a walking tour of the farm, with an explanation of how we
integrate looking after the pigs with the arable fields in conservation
schemes. So many farm visitors are interested in the environmental
enhancement side of farming as well as the heritage aspect. We have 1,000
years of documented history on this site.

"We find that even with groups of adult visitors we have to explode
lots of myths, for example, we have been asked if hares eat rabbits. We
realise a lot of the public have not been taught much about farming. I'm
very happy to play my small part in increasing people's knowledge, and
accreditation through CEVAS has helped facilitate that."

Farming Minister, Jeff Rooker, said:

"Defra actively encourages farmers who provide educational visits under
the Environmental Stewardship and Countryside Stewardship Schemes to
participate in the CEVAS accreditation.

"It is important that children have access to the countryside and have
the opportunity to experience farming at first hand. Farm visits allow
children to learn about where their food comes from, as well as wider
farming and countryside matters, in a fun and stimulating environment.

"CEVAS accreditation ensures a safe and educationally worthwhile farm
visits and gives peace of mind to teachers who are able to choose farms
safe in the knowledge that the farmers have the right skills to give
the children an interesting educational experience in a secure
environment."

CEVAS was developed by Farming and Countryside Education (FACE), in
partnership with Defra, the Countryside Agency, and DfES, and is
administered by the Access to Farms partnership. CEVAS is a voluntary scheme
which has been designed to help farmers have a better understanding of how
to provide safe facilities for children to visit, information that fits
with curricular studies, and to give them confidence in dealing with
school visits.

Chris Knock welcomes applications from adult groups wishing to visit
the farm. Please contact him on 01449 770932 or email him at
chris.knock@ader.org.uk