If Suffolk is truly special, how about treating us as such?

 

When a person passes a comment that so-and-so is ‘special’, usually accompanied by a wink or knowing eyeroll, it’s rarely an unalloyed compliment. Trust me on this.

It can strongly hint in certain social contexts that the intended target is, well, a bit odd, difficult maybe, or just downright dodgy. In spite of the neutrality in its use in the education sector, ‘special needs’ frequently conjures up an emphasis on difference and not, alas, one on similarities. 

Yet there are advantages to being thought ‘special’. In fact, I rather think it’s about time that Suffolk was given that designation – the equivalent of a very large Post-It note slapped across our collective forehead. Less for our own benefit, you understand (after all we don’t need reminding), but as a useful prompt for the dim-witted and lazy Civil Service, cozily ensconced in Whitehall or more likely clocking up 15-hour weeks from their gardens, living rooms, their local boozers, or perhaps even a foreign beach. 

More on that suggestion later. 

But what has got my libertarian senses twitching are the industrial level (39) of Government Bills included in the King’s Speech. Sir Keir Starmer’s party is clearly going to legislate its way to growing the economy, making us better people and igniting the funeral pyre of tobacco products. No hint of removing legislation already on the statue books, please note. Just another sedimentary layer of rules and regulations that our society is already struggling under. Same old Labour. 

Yet, you may be surprised or disenchanted depending on your worldview, to read that some of the proposed new laws do meet with my approval – or, at least, fail to trigger a need for wailing and a gnashing of teeth (mine). 

I’m not normally in favour of dogmatic re-nationalisation (or privatisation for that matter) but the new Government’s intention to gradually snaffle up the train operating companies, like a legislative Pac-Man, as their franchises expire, might be quite a good idea. 

Especially if the gradual return to public ownership of the rail network means that we’ll get tables and First Class seating on all intercity services between Norwich and London Liverpool Street? 

I know that this is trivial to most people, but my increasingly ancient frame does require both something to lean on and a decent width of seat. Just saying. 

More seriously, it will be fascinating to see how quickly the new Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh, and Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, will take to give the go-ahead for the Ely/Haughley Junctions works. This is something I’ve been rattling on about for ages – not least in the face of years of Conservative dithering and delays. 

These are two projects that would greatly benefit both the local AND national economy – plus contributing to cleaning-up the environment, with fewer container lorries on the A14. 

Talking of the environment, I note there was no mention of farming in the King’s Speech last month. For the rural economies of the Eastern region, with many constituencies voting in a Labour MP for the first time since the Peasants’ Revolt, this is a kick in the turnips, and a blatant indication of the new Government’s metropolitan focus and woke obsessions. 

I’m not sure whether it was bold or reckless for Ed Miliband, secretary of state for energy security and net zero, to disregard the Planning Inspectorate’s objections to the vast Sunnica solar farm without demur. 

Whilst being a strong advocate for an energy mix that boosts our national security and ability to ride out prices hikes elsewhere, the Sunnica decision undermined another security priority – that of food production, as it will involve the loss of good agricultural land for decades to come. 

Surely, it is not beyond the ability of Mr Miliband and Steven Reed OBE, secretary of state for the environment, food and rural affairs, to ensure that both imperatives are balanced wherever possible? 

Suffolk, of course, is host to a growing network of energy infrastructure, not only associated with Sizewell C and the offshore windfarms, but further inland as the electricity transmission system adapts to the geographical shifts as to where the power is generated. 

National Grid is looking to build a transmission line between Norwich and Tilbury.

Furthermore, Ofgem has just announced that it will start consultation for the Nautilus Interconnector to land at Friston, the very place at which the infrastructure needed for the Scottish Power Renewables wind farms, the Sea Link subsea HVDC link, the LionLink interconnector is scheduled to land. 

And all of this explains why Suffolk is indeed ‘special’. So much of the infrastructure needed to secure the country’s future energy needs is either located within Suffolk (or will be) or it passes through swathes of the county (or it will do). 

Yet there is no coordinated grand plan. Everything seems very fragmented and confused. Individual planning applications seem to take no account of others – or what has gone before. 

And it is our communities which are shouldering disproportionate and vast burdens and impacts from these nationally vital schemes – with only minimal compensation or benefits. 

Equally, whilst I applaud the Government’s intentions in boosting housebuilding numbers, not least as we need as a county to attract more workers to fill roles in our growing sectors, I’m doubtful this can be achieved without a fundamental change. 

And that is to address the ‘landbanking’ by the oligopoly operated by the main developers who are sitting on up to 1m housing approvals but are only building out a fraction at a time to maximise prices and their profit margins. 

Perhaps it’s time the Government looked at referring the whole sector to the Competition & Markets Authority and busted open their control? 

Here in Suffolk there certainly needs to be a greater emphasis on building on brownfield sites, not least as they are less hobbled by Byzantine environmental rules. 

Which is why the new Government should recognise the need for a ‘Suffolk minister’ for the remainder of this Parliament. The role needs to tasked with ensuring that a proper balance is maintained between delivering better joined-up key schemes, and ensuring that local communities are speedily given funds for hosting the new infrastructure. 

After all, Suffolk is ‘special’ and needs to be treated as such.

First published www.suffolkfreepress.co.uk & www.dissexpress.co.uk on Thursday, August 01, 2024.