Annual Parish Report

I was elected on 10 October 2025, following the deeply saddening passing of Cllr Peter Gould in July. It naturally took a short while to get fully up to speed, but I am pleased to say that we are now firmly underway. So rather than giving you a full annual report, I just like to go over the things that I’ve been able to do in the seven months that I’ve been your county councillor for.

Locality Funding

I have used my locality funding to support a wide range of projects across our local villages.

Total Funding Allocated: £7,824.10

Projects Supported Include:

• Community defibrillator

• Memorial bench

• Fencing for the Scouts Hut

• VE Day flags

• Venue hire for Fressingfield Sounds

• Royal British Legion church bench

• Speed Indicator Devices

• Pre-school gazebo

• New school playground

• Village hall exterior renovations

Villages Benefitting:

• Denham

• Fressingfield

• Hoxne

• Laxfield

• Mendham

• Metfield

My Work at Endeavour House

At County level, I have:

• Voted to protect Suffolk’s libraries from any proposals for partial closure

• Spoken in the chamber on issues including violence against women, and in support of Suffolk’s businesses

• Advocated for a One Suffolk unitary model – one that is representative, efficient, and provides value for money to council tax payers

As a council, we are also addressing ongoing challenges in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). While we’re not where we need to be yet, progress is being made, starting with a commitment to increased investment in provision over the coming years.

Highways and Infrastructure

Highways remain a persistent concern across our area – from overdue resurfacing works to the replacement of fallen or rusting signposts. I am fully committed to making real progress here. A vital part of that is bringing together the right people to move matters forward.

To that end, I am pleased to report that we now have a new Community Liaison Engineer, Andy Moore. Alongside him, I have access to a currently untapped Local Highways Budget, and we will be working closely to ensure those funds are used wisely and to local benefit.

To The Next 12 Months

Finally, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. While I do not hold executive powers, I am here to listen, to raise your concerns, and to be a voice for our communities – a role I will continue to carry out with diligence and commitment.

My locality budget has also been newly replenished. If the parish or any local community groups have funding proposals, I would be delighted to hear them.

Do get in touch with me at henry.lloyd@suffolk.gov.uk