MARCH2013 At your service TheAngle ......Leader David Ellesmere (pictured with the students and UCS and Borough Council representatives) said: “This is positive action to help students

AngleThe

Twitter@IpswichGov facebook/IpswichGov Local news from IPSWICH BOROUGH COUNCIL

MARCH 2013www.ipswich.gov.ukAt your service

IPSWICH BOROUGHCOUNCIL

ALL IBC TOWN CENTRE CAR PARKSParking for £1 per hour

Entry after 8pm freeCrown, Regent, William Street, Upper Barclay Street and Bond Street

www.ipswich.gov.uk/parking

SHOPPING JUSTGOT CHEAPER IN IPSWICH

Council tax bills and benefit changesIt’s that time of year again ... when bills drop on the mat. This year, the Government’sbenefit changes could mean a big difference for you. So look at your bill and read theinformation that comes with it carefully.

Pages 2/3

Plans for a Cornhill design competition have beenunveiled as the Council and its partners seek torevolutionise Ipswich’s main square.

New town centre vision

Pages 6/7

Council paysLiving Wage Ipswich Borough Council isintroducing the living wagefrom 1st April to cut the gapfurther between highestand lowest earners, makingpay fairer.

This move will increase theincome of about 90 employees,as well as those who work on aflexible or seasonal basis andshould help to cut the Treasury’sbenefits bill.

The Living Wage rate is £7.45per hour (outside London) –

higher than the minimum wage. Councillors say it will enable allworkers to better provide fortheir families and reducefinancial hardship.

Councillor Martin Cook,Resources portfolio-holder, said:“This is a voluntary move by usand it is one we believe will notonly help lower paid staff toavoid hardship but will also raiseproductivity and motivation.This move reinforces ourposition as the fairest council inthe East of England when itcomes to the gap between the

highest and lowest paidemployees.”

The national minimum wage is£6.19 per hour for people aged21 and over. It is £4.98 per hourfor those aged between 18 and20.

More than 100 companies andorganisations pay a Living Wageto their employees, includingseveral councils across thecountry.

www.livingwage.org.uk/about-living-wage

The Mayor of Ipswich, Councillor Mary Blake, met up with membersof local band The Downsetters after they agreed to play at this year’sMayor’s Ball and donate their fee to charity. The band, who play amixture of interstellar ska, reggae and classic covers, will be helpingthe Mayor’s charities: Lighthouse (Women’s Aid), Town 102 Kids’Trust and Crisis UK. The Mayor and her consort, John Duffy, arepictured with the band in the Town Hall.

Photo by Andrew Beal

Band to play Mayor’s gig for charity

Under Government changes,the national council tax benefitscheme has been scrapped anda new local scheme brought in.

In Ipswich, this means thateveryone of working age willhave to pay at least 8.5% of theircouncil tax bill – regardless oftheir income or whether theirbills have been covered bycouncil tax benefit in the past.

In addition, after considering anumber of options, IpswichBorough Councillors decided tocut discounts for second andempty homes.

The changes come after allcouncils had to adopt a localscheme in order to set counciltax levels for 2013-2014.

Currently, 14,196 households inIpswich receive council taxbenefit, more than a third ofthem pensioners. TheGovernment said pensionersshould not be affected by anybenefit cuts.

These changes could affect you!So, please read carefully theinformation included with yourcouncil tax bill.

HOUSING BENEFITThere are other changesintroduced by the Governmentthat affect housing benefit.These mean that you will seeyour housing benefit cut if thereis someone aged 16 or over livingin your household for whom you do not claim benefit. Theminimum deduction increased from £9.40 a week to £11.45 lastApril and increases again to£13.60 a week from this April.

But perhaps the biggest changeis to do with the size of yourhome - you might have heardthis referred to in the media asthe “bedroom tax”.

Changes from next month meanHousing Benefit will berestricted for some people whoare living in a property largerthan their household size. Thiswill apply to working age peoplerenting from a social landlordsuch as the Borough Council ora housing association. It will notapply to pensioners but around1,600 residents will be affected.

The calculation is that a separatebedroom can be available for each couple or single adult over16, and then it will be assumedtwo children can share up to age

15 if they are of the same sex and up to age 10 if they are ofopposite sexes.

For example:1. A couple with a boy agedthree and a girl aged sevenwould qualify for a total of twobedrooms (i.e. the childrenwould have to share a room).

2. A lone parent with a boyaged three, a girl aged seven anda boy aged 12 would qualify for atotal of three bedrooms.

3. A couple with boys aged fiveand 13, and girls aged nine and16 would qualify for a total offour bedrooms.

The rent used to calculate yourhousing benefit entitlement willbe reduced by 14% if there is one

spare bedroom and by 25% if there are two.

In Ipswich, the averagereduction in housing benefit willbe £12.07 a week if you haveone too many bedrooms and£22.58 a week if you have two ormore too many bedrooms.

Anyone wanting informationabout social housing transfersand moves should go to gatewaytohomechoice.org.uk

HELP AND ADVICE If you are worried about howthese changes might affect youand your ability to pay your rentand council tax seek advice.

Please do not ignore your billand letters from the Council.

For more information aboutbenefits go towww.directgov.gov.uk

Contacts for independentfinancial advice: Citizens Advice Bureau freeadvice. Tel: 01473 219777

StepChange (CCCS) is a charitythat assists people who are infinancial difficulty.www.cccs.co.uk

National Debt Line is agovernment-funded servicewhich offers advice on finances.Tel: 0808 8084000www.stepchange.org

Shelter provides free housingadvice. Tel 0808 8004444www.england.shelter.org.uk

Ipswich Borough Council isputting up council tax by alower than inflation 1.98% -that’s 9p or less a week formost households.

Council Leader David Ellesmeresaid: “Government funding cuts,which are far greater thanoriginally expected, have forcedus to bring in this increase toprotect services for the residentswho rely on them.”

The majority of houses inIpswich will have an increase of9p a week or less.

Councillor Ellesmere added:“Two-thirds of Ipswich peopleresponding to the annualcouncil tax consultation surveybacked a small increase toprotect services.”

Councillor Ellesmere said hisadministration had saved £5 million in the past two years– including £500,000 from asenior management restructurenow nearing completion, andthat the new budget includesproposals to use the Council’sreserves as well as millions ofpounds of further savings. Thebudget protects frontline

services and funding for partnerorganisations, such as theCitizens’ Advice Bureau, whilemaintaining priority schemes tobring new jobs and growth toIpswich and to build the firstnew council houses for morethan 20 years.

Councillor Ellesmere added:“We shall continue to review allour operations since, even withthis small increase, we will needto make substantial further cutsin future years.”

The overall increase in counciltax bills will be just 0.38%

because the Borough Council’sportion of the total bill is 20%.

Council tax helps to pay for keyBorough Council services.These include:

l Refuse collectionl Recyclingl Planningl Housing servicesl Community safetyl Sports facilitiesl Economic developmentl Communities supportl Parks maintenancel Ipswich HEARS

Page 3www.ipswich.gov.uk

The Angle MARCH 2013

Page 2 www.ipswich.gov.uk


In this issue

Help for studentsStudents at UCS benefit frombursaries

Page 5

What’s onYour cut out and keep guide toentertainment in Ipswich

Page 8

Back to lifeIpswich’s park lodges get newtenants

Page 10

ContactsThe Angle is published byIpswich Borough Council anddelivered to households inIpswich. It is also published inthe Ipswich Star and is availableonline at www.ipswich.gov.uk

For distribution enquires please contact Ivan Hook on01473 [email protected]

Contact The Angle:[email protected] 432031

Want to get in touchwith a Councillor?

Telephone 01473 432000 oremail them directly. For example:[email protected]

Don’t ignore them! Counciltax changes may affect you

Council tax to go up by 9p a week for most

BoroughCouncillorresigns

Ipswich Borough CouncillorKen Bates has resigned fromthe Council, citing medicalconcerns.

Ken Bates representedAlexandra Ward for theLiberal Democrats sinceMay 2010.

Council tax bills will soon be dropping on to

mats all over Ipswich and this year some of

you might have to pay for the first time

because of benefit changes.

Loan sharks campaign gets biteThe week of action against loansharks in south-east Ipswichsaw residents alerted to thedangers of illegal moneylenders.

Ipswich Borough Council,Suffolk Trading Standards, thePolice and other organisationsjoined together to advise peopleto avoid loan sharks and insteadget in touch with the Ipswich &Suffolk Credit Union.

Reports of three illegal lendersin the area are being followedup. Similar campaigns areplanned elsewhere in the town.

The week of action waslaunched by Mayor Mary Blake(pictured).For more information on thecredit union:www.iscu.onesuffolk.net

Four University CampusSuffolk (UCS) students arethe first to be awarded abursary by IpswichBorough Council.

The scheme, being run inpartnership with UCS, offers theannual non-repayablebursary to support amaximum of fourstudents in the firstyear, eight in thesecond and 12 in the thirdand final year. This year’sstudents met Borough Councilleaders at the Waterfrontcampus and said they weredelighted by the bursaries.

Mark Quinton, studying SocialWork, said: “The bursary has

been a great help to us as it hasallowed me to invest in someimportant key texts and someother study aids that wereneeded. I would like to thankIpswich Borough Council forthis opportunity, as it has been agreat help to me.”

Andrew Robinson,studying Nutritionand Human Healthsaid: “The bursary

has enabled me to buya laptop, which is essential inmy learning on all my modules;being able to work from home inmy self- guided time is essentialfor me in being able to tackle myessays and lab reports.”

The other students winning bursaries are Ana Vicente

(studying Bioscience) and Lee Wilcox (studying Nutrition andHuman Health).

Ipswich Borough CouncilLeader David Ellesmere (pictured with the students and

UCS and Borough Councilrepresentatives) said: “This ispositive action to help studentswho might otherwise not beable to study because of worriesabout debts. It is a schemewhich will double next year and

then again to increase the helpwe can give.”

Sarah Tattersall, Head of StudentRecruitment at UCS, said: “Wehave been delighted to workwith Ipswich Borough Councilto select students for thisbursary. It is great to seestudents from the local areareceive extra help in fundingtheir studies. Alongside thesebursaries, there is a range offinancial support available tostudents thinking of starting acourse this year so please do getin touch if you would like to findout more.”

Students wishing to apply forthe next round of the schemeshould liaise with the StudentRecruitment Team at UCS.





The easyway to pay

Paying your regular councilbills such as council tax,housing rent and businessrates by Direct Debit willsave you time and make lifeeasier. You can even paysome regular invoices byDirect Debit, too.

All you have to do is give onesimple instruction to your Bankor Building Society and theythen ensure that the appropriateamount is transferredautomatically from youraccount to the council's when itis due.

You will be notified in advanceof the payments and their duedates, and you will be able toquery a payment should you feelit is wrong, or stop it altogether;plus you can obtain a refund ifan error is ever made on youraccount.

Easier and quicker:• No cheques to write or lettersto post;• No queues;• Your Bank or Building Societydoes all the work - but you stayin control.If you would like to pay yourcouncil tax, housing rent orbusiness rates payments byDirect Debit, all you need to dois download and complete therelevant form below.

Business rates:If you pay your business rates byDirect Debit you will pay on the1st day of every month for 10months. Visit our websitewww.ipswich.gov.uk todownload, complete and returnthe Business Rates Direct Debitform.

Council Tax:If you pay your council tax byDirect Debit you can choosewhich date is best for you. Youcan select whether you want topay 10 payments on the 1st, 8th,15th or 22nd of the month, or 12payments on the 1st of everymonth.Visit www.ipswich.gov.uk todownload, complete and returnthe Council Tax Direct Debitform.

Rent Direct:If you choose to pay your rent byDirect Debit from April 2013 youwill now be able pay on eitherthe 1st or 15th of every month.

You can go towww.ipswich.gov.uk todownload, complete and returnthe Rent Direct Debit form.

Send your completed DirectDebit form to:Revenues and Benefits ServiceGrafton House, 15-17 RussellRoad, Ipswich, IP1 2DE

Direct Debit takes the hassle outof paying bills

Trees make you happy!Spring is in the air and Ipswich Borough Council is trying toraise everyone's spirits still further with a reminder that treescan make you happy!

Forestry Commission research says living next to trees makespeople happier – residents with nearby tree cover are said to bemore cheerful than those with few or no trees. In particular, theyare more likely to say they are feeling relaxed and thinkingclearly. This view was echoed by Ipswich Borough Council's treeexpert Andy Whalley: "Our town is blessed by beautiful parksand open spaces with some magnificent trees and we have anon-going planting policy to increase our tree cover. We also run asuccessful tree sponsorship scheme, so residents can get intouch and, who knows, it might lift their spirits next year and inthe future when they see the fruits of their labours.”

To find out more about the tree sponsorship scheme pleasecontact Steve Leech on 01473 433534.

Parking on verges can damage roots

Residents have been urged not to park on grass verges wheretree roots can be compacted. The Council says this is not onlybad for the health of the trees but has a negative impact on thecommunity.

nwww.ipswich.gov.uk/direct

Want to knowwhat's going on?

Ipswich Direct

If you want to knowwhat's going on inyour town fill in oursimple Ipswich Directform.

We can then tell youabout everything fromsport to events, fromhousing to health bytext, email or phone.

To register yourinterest please visit

Home

Emergency

Alarm

Response

Service

24 HOURS A DAY, 7DAYS A WEEK PERSONAL ALARM SERVICE WHAT IS THE HEARS ALARM SERVICE?It is a home emergency alarm responseservice, available 24 hours a day, 7 days aweek for people who live in Ipswich orsurrounding areas.

The HEARS service has been established formore than 20 years and all its experiencedresponding staff are qualified first aiders.

The service will allow for individuals toremain independent in their own home,knowing that if they need assistance in anemergency they can easily make contactwith our HEARS team by a touch of a button.

HOW DOES IT WORK?An alarm unit is connected to your hometelephone and electric socket.

You are also given a personal mobile button,which you wear as a pendant or wrist strap.

The alarm unit in your home is linked by thephone to our 24 hour HEARS control team.WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I PRESS THE BUTTON?The alarm will automatically dial our HEARS

24 hours control room. An operator will thenbe able to talk to you and hear you even ifyou cannot reach the phone. The pendantshould activate the alarm from anywhere inyour house or garden.

WHEN SHOULD I USE MY ALARM?You can use your alarm 24 hours a day if youhave an accident or emergency, such as afall. All you need to do is press either the redbutton on the alarm unit or the button onyour pendant/wrist-strap.

THERE ARE TWO OPTIONS AVAILABLEOPTION 1 Monitoring OnlyYou will provide the HEARS team with detailsof three people who would be prepared tohold a key to your home and willing to helpyou at all times. One of your nominated keyholders will be called as soon as the HEARSteam is alerted by your emergency call.

If we are unable to contact one of yournominated key holders we will call theemergency services.

One off installation fee: £25

Additional monthly cost: £10

OPTION 2 Monitoring & RespondingAll the services available in ‘Option One’ andthe additional benefit of access to our mobileResponding Team for customers whosefriends and family are not always able torespond to their needs.

When you press your button, our controlteam will be able to establish what action isrequired, which could result in one of ourMobile Responders attending.

One off installation fee: £25

Additional monthly cost: £20

PEACE OF MIND FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AT THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON

THERE ARE 3 EASY WAYS TO APPLYCall: 01473 433236

Email: [email protected]: www.ipswich.gov.uk/hears

Council bursaries help students

At your serviceIPSWICH BOROUGH

COUNCIL

Councilgrants helpcharitiesCommunity organisationsand charities havebenefitted to the tune of£337,000 thanks to IpswichBorough Council’s grants forthe coming year.

The 27 groups who benefitinclude the Citizens’ AdviceBureau, Ipswich & DistrictCouncil for VoluntaryService, LighthouseWomen’s Aid, IpswichUmbrella Trust and theIpswich & Suffolk Councilfor Racial Equality.

The grants were approved bythe Council’s Executive. For a full list go to:www.ipswich.gov.uk/communitycashgrants

Holi festivalin the parkThe Ipswich and Suffolk IndianAssociation (ISIA) and IpswichHindu Samaj will be hosting thefirst Holi Festival to take place inSuffolk in Holywells Park onSunday 24th March from2.30pm to 5.30pm. Holi is theHindu “festival of colours” thatwelcomes the spring andcelebrates the new life andenergy of the season. PoliMohan, ISIA chair, said: “Holi isabout the whole communitycoming together and enjoyingthe Holi festival atmosphere. Weare bringing a real taste of Indiato Holywells Park, with Indianmusic, dance and food. It’sgoing to be a great opportunityfor a family day out.”The event is being supported byIpswich Borough Council.





Ipswich Borough Council hasset up five Area Committees –in the North East, South East,Central, North West and SouthWest areas of the town soresidents can have a say aboutwhat happens in theircommunities.

Next areaCommitteemeetings

North-West:Wednesday 6th March, 7pm,Castle Hill CommunityCentre, Highfield Road IP1 6DG.

South-East:Thursday 21st March, 7pm, All Hallows Church Hall,Landseer Road IP3 0JH.

Central:Thursday 7th March, 7pm,Reg Driver Visitor Centre,Christchurch Park IP4 2BX.

North-East:Thursday 21st March, 7pm, St John's Church Hall,Cauldwell Hall Road IP4 4QE.

Become avolunteer atthe Town Hall“Being an Event Steward isvery rewarding,” said LisaNorris, a regular volunteer atthe Town Hall.

“I provide the connectionbetween the public and thefacility to inform andencourage them to visit theirTown Hall. You can see thedelight on their faces whenthey realise that the doors areopen to everyone. Mostpeople tell me that eventhough they have lived inIpswich all their lives theynever knew they could visitthe Town Hall.”

If you are interested inbecoming a Town Hallvolunteer, please contact EvieDunbavin on 01473 [email protected]

Access All Areas event: Page 11

Suffolk CraftSociety Exhibitions in Gallery 2, TownHall Galleries, Town Hall

Until 16th March: Susan Bruceand her eccentric and beautifulrange of porcelain pieces, alongwith her latest vibrantcollagraph prints.

23rd March to 20th April: YoungCraft Winners on Display. TheSuffolk Craft Society is pleasedto announce the finalists in theirMaking It initiative, whichsupports young talented craftgraduates with a Suffolkconnection. They are textilegraduates Anna Bird and Ruth Holt.www.suffolkcraftsociety.com

Future of the towncentre in the spotlightPartners unveil Cornhill design project ... a town centre market is ‘vital’

A personalview ...

Ipswich MP Ben Gummer, Ipswich Borough Council Leader DavidEllesmere and Ipswich Central Managing Director Paul Clement

Commenting on the quality ofthe town centre is a tricky issuefor the Council. We have achallenge not to be either sopositive that most people thinkwe’re being unrealistic, or sonegative that we put people offvisiting or investing in Ipswich.

This challenge is made moredifficult by the changes that arehappening to town centresnationally:

• On-line retailing is becomingmuch more popular;• The national and localeconomic position is not asstrong as it once was;• Over the past couple ofdecades the proportion of

retailing taking place out oftown has increased.

It is also important tounderstand what the Council isand is not responsible for.We ARE responsible for:

• Keeping the town centre clean;• Organising and helpingorganise events such asSkyride, Ipswich Music Dayand the Christmas Market;

We are NOT responsible for:

• Setting rent levels for retailers;• Setting business rates - that isthe responsibility ofGovernment.

Understandably, peoplecompare Ipswich to other placesthey know. Sometimes thosecomparisons flatter Ipswich andother times they don’t. We haveoften been criticised for car parkcosts but the Council hasrecently reduced its prices in itsshort-stay town centre car parks.We now charge just £1 an hour,which is less than many carparks in other towns. Towncentres have always had a mix ofuses but it is clear that in futurethey will need to adapt tochanges in people’s lifestyles.

Ipswich town centre has longbenefitted from having manykey Council venues within it,such as the Regent Theatre andCrown Pools. In addition,Cardinal Park and the NewWolsey Theatre help to attractpeople into the centre of town.The Council remainsdetermined to protect these keyvenues because we recognisethe role they play in attractingpeople to the town centre andsupporting the wider Ipswicheconomy.

But we need moreentertainment and leisure usesto help attract people. The bestexample is the plan for a newVue Cinema in the ButtermarketShopping Centre.

Town centres will always havesome advantages over out oftown areas or even the internet.A variety of different things canhappen in close proximity toeach other. These should helpattract people to them, to seethings, try things out and tomeet other people. The role ofthe Council is to help create anenvironment that attractspeople – making the place feelsafe and cared for, introducingthings that excite and stimulate,and making it easy andcost-effective to get to the towncentre and to stay for a decentperiod of time.

The Council and its partners willcontinue to invest in the towncentre, building on the trackrecord of investment in facilitiessuch as Crown Pools, the Regentand the Town Hall/CornExchange. And we will continueto work to improve places andprovide interesting things forpeople to see (for example GilesCircus and the Cardinal Wolseystatue to name but two).

We all want to see a better towncentre ... it’s just that it might bea very different place in thefuture. But we should rememberthat change can be for thebetter!

Ipswich Borough CouncilChief Executive RussellWilliams looks at thechallenges faced by towncentres

A new partnership has beenset up to bring the “wowfactor” to the Cornhill.

The group, which includesIpswich Borough Council, willappoint design experts totransform this key town centreopen space and will call uponthe expertise of Sir Stuart Rose,former head of Marks &Spencer, to guide them. SirStuart called for changes to theCornhill during the BeaconIpswich conference last year.

The new partnership consists ofIpswich Central, IpswichBorough Council, SuffolkCounty Council and UniversityCampus Suffolk. The brief forurban design consultantsincludes the physicalappearance of the Cornhill,proposals for flexible space forevents, an improved entrance tothe Town Hall and the future ofthe market. All users of theCornhill will be involved in theproject, including retailers,market traders, the IpswichSociety and other interestedgroups. The partners stress thata town centre market is vital.

Councillor David Ellesmere, theLeader of Ipswich BoroughCouncil, said: “It is vital thatIpswich creates an attractiveand thriving Cornhill as thestrong core of the town. We canthen extend this strength to therest of the town centre. I ampleased that all our partners

have got behind this vision andback my pledge, made at theBeacon Ipswich conference, toset aside substantial fundingtowards this key project. It isimportant that everyone with aninterest in the future of the towncentre gives their views on theseplans.”

InvestorsIpswich Central Chief ExecutivePaul Clement said: “We have theopportunity now to create acontemporary and flexible spacein the middle of town whereshoppers, businesses,customers, staff and visitors willwant to increasingly spend moretime. We know that investors,landlords and occupiers like tosee town centre spaces activeand vibrant and if they do, theyare likely to invest more.”

Ipswich MP Ben Gummeradded: “If Ipswich is going torealise its full potential, we needto be ambitious about our town.The Cornhill is the historiccentre of one of the country’smost historic towns, yet it lets usdown. It is surrounded bymagnificent buildings andshould be a centre of the town’slife from morning until night.That is why I am pleased thatthe local retailers and theBorough Council have declaredtheir intent to do somethingexciting with this wonderfulspace. All I would do is to urgethem to be brave: we cannotafford timidity now.”

The next meeting of IpswichBorough Council is onWednesday 20th March at 6pmin the Grand Hall of the CornExchange.

The public is invited to attend tolisten to questions and debatesabout business that affects youand your town.

11th MarchREGENT THEATREThe Osmonds join GarethGates and others for “BoogieNights” - musicals in theSeventies.7.30pm£35.50, £32.50, £29.50Tel: 01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

12th and 13th MarchNEW WOLSEY THEATRE at theNew Wolsey Studio presents“Whole”. What happens whenyou're in a hole? What happenswhen that hole's inside you?Recommended for ages13-plus. £10www.wolseytheatre.co.uk 01473 295900

12th to 16th MarchNEW WOLSEY THEATRE“I Was A Rat!”Philip Pullman’s gloriously dark and gripping story is brought tolife on the professional stage forthe first time in the UK. Full ofmusic, comedy and fantasticphysical performances, “I WasA Rat!” will surprise, delightand move audiences of all ages.www.wolseytheatre.co.uk 01473 295900www.IWasARat.co.uk

14th MarchIPSWICH ARTSTOWN LECTURE“Cowells Printers” by AlisonMorrisMuseum Street MethodistChurch, 1pm to 1.50pmHow did a printing companythat started in 1818 find itselfprinting bingo tickets for theNavy during the War and then

producing Trivial Pursuitgames? Admission free but aretiring collection of £2. www.ipswich-arts.org.uk

15th MarchREGENT THEATRE“Jimmy Carr: Gagging Order” sees the return to Ipswich ofthis comic favourite. Nounder-16s. £25.Tel: 01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

15th MarchTHE REP, TOWER STREET9pm. Bluetones lead singerMark Morris. £5.01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

16th MarchST JOHN’S CHURCH,CAULDWELL HALL ROAD7.30pm. “A Concert of LightClassics and Music from theStars” by the Community LightOrchestra. Tickets £8. In aid ofex-services charity SSAFA. 01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

16th MarchDANCEEAST at the JerwoodDanceHouse“Boys in Babergh - YourFather's Son”. 4.30pm and 7pmNow in its 12th year, “Boys inBabergh”, led by localchoreographer Tom Hobden,introduces dance in an excitingand accessible performance.Tickets £7, concessions £5.Box Office: 01473 295230www.danceeast.co.uk

17th and 18th MarchNEW WOLSEY THEATREA unique opportunity to seeKerry Ellis perform an acousticset. 17th March performancesold out.£25, £20, £15, £18.50www.wolseytheatre.co.uk01473 295900

19th and 20th MarchDANCEEAST at the JerwoodDanceHouseBTEC Dance Students -Ipswich Academy Showcase7.30pm. An exciting range ofdance styles as students are

joined by other dance groupsfrom around Suffolk.Tickets £8Box Office: 01473 295230www.danceeast.co.uk

20th MarchCORN EXCHANGE7.30pm. “Tommy Emmanueland Martin Taylor - the Colonel& the Governor Tour”. See theseacoustic guitar heroes. £20 inadvance, £22 on the door.01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

21st MarchDANCEEAST at the JerwoodDanceHouse“Altered Skin - Power Games”(Rough Cut performance)7pm. Deepak is a wealthybanker whose life is spirallingout of control. Influence theoutcome of his story using a TVgame show-style voting system,and try to save Deepak beforehe hits rock bottom.£7. Age guidance 14 years +Box Office: 01473 295230www.danceeast.co.uk

22nd MarchREGENT CIRCLE LOUNGE7.30pm. “Agent BurliequeBurlesque”. Suffolk’s finestvaudeville entertainers.Over-16s only. Tickets: £10

23rd MarchREGENT THEATREReggae legend Maxi Priest.Doors open at 7pm. Under-14swith an adult. £23.50, £21,£18.50, boxes £30. Meet theman himself back stage - £10extra (ring to check).01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

25th to 30th MarchNEW WOLSEY THEATREpresents “Birdsong”, amesmerising story of love,courage and sacrifice broughtto the stage in this acclaimedversion of Sebastian Faulks'snovel. An epic tale of love andwar set before and during theGreat War. £25, £20, £15, £8.50www.wolseytheatre.co.uk 01473 295900

2nd AprilNOVOTEL“Ipswich Gig for Mayor’sCharities”, featuring acousticbands Silbury Hill, Back Porchand MC2. All proceeds toMayor Mary Blake’s charities.Tickets £5 from the TouristInformation Centre, St Stephen’s Lane, Ipswich, tel: 01473 258070 email: [email protected]

11th MayCORN EXCHANGEWolsey OrchestraConductor: Alexander WalkerSoloists: Rachel Helleur - Cello,Anna Helleur - ViolinBeethoven - Overture: LeonoraNo 3. Brahms - Double Concerto in AMinor Op. 102 Dvorak - Symphony No 7 in D£12, £9 concession, £5student/child.01473 433100www.wolseyorchestra.org





That’s entertainment cut out& keep

!All tickets forperformances at theRegent Theatre nowinclude a booking fee.

Best car parksfor the RegentTheatreRegent car park, WoodbridgeRoad (IBC) 62 spaces*

Crown car park, off CrownStreet (IBC) 236 spaces*William Street car park, nextto Crown Pools (IBC) 77spaces*

Upper Barclay Street (IBC) 30spaces** Ipswich Borough Council(IBC) short-stay town centrecar parks charging £1 allevening from 7pm

Cox Lane NCP) 182 spaces Tacket Street (NCP) 260spacesFoundation Street (NCP) 513spaces

Best car parksfor the CornExchangeCrown car park, off CrownStreet (IBC) 236 spaces ** Ipswich Borough Council(IBC) short-stay town centrecar parks charging £1 allevening from 7pm

Cromwell Square 64 spacesSpiral car park, Civic Drive(Britannia) 350 spacesButtermarket ShoppingCentre, Falcon Street 420spaces Buttermarket: daytime only420 spacesTower Ramparts (NCP) 103spaces

There are also a number of carparks around the Waterfront.www.ipswich.gov.uk/carparks

The fabulous Wolsey Orchestra ... don’t miss them on 11th May

The Warm Homes HealthyPeople project is designedto support those most inneed of additional helpthrough the colder months.

The project has been awardedfunding from the Governmentand offers support to anyresidents who are struggling tokeep warm or are worried aboutheating their home. Supportincludes emergency boilerrepairs, insulation, draught

-proofing, assistance withpaying bills and the loan of atemporary heater. People couldalso qualify for a free homeenergy survey.

Find out by calling 08456 037686 or attending a specialroadshow. These are onMonday 25th March,10am-2pm, GainsboroughLibrary, Clapgate Lane, and onWednesday 3rd April,10am-2pm, Castle HillCommunity Centre.

Energy switch scheme

Meanwhile, residents could nowsave as much as £200 a year ontheir energy bills by linking upwith their council to join one ofthe UK’s largest collectiveenergy switching schemes.

The energy switch schemeencourages householders to joinup with others across thecountry to negotiate cheaperenergy bills. Registration is easyand there is no obligation to

actually sign up to any deal.

Registration to the scheme willremain open until Monday 8thApril.

You will need a copy of yourmost recent energy bill to handin order to register.

To find out more visitwww.ipswich.gov.uk/bigcommunityswitch or call 0800 02 88 938.

Help to keep warm

The Ipswich HEARS personalalarm service provided by theBorough Council now providesAssistive Technology to theresidents of Ipswich andsurrounding areas, such asFelixstowe and Woodbridge.Ipswich HEARS allows forresidents to live safely andremain independent in theirown homes, giving them andtheir family peace of mind,knowing help is at hand at thetouch of a button.

The service is now offering FallDetectors and smoke detectors,which will allow for individualsto tailor their needs to theservice they require. The Fall

Detector is worn as a wrist strapand activated by a velocity of afall. The detector recognises thatsomeone has fallen andactivates the alarm unit in theproperty and a call is putthrough to the 24-hour control room, which allows the HEARSteam to have voice contact withthe customer and assess thesituation. A smoke detector isfitted in the customer’s property.If it is activated a call is putthrough to the room, whichallows the HEARS service torespond appropriately.

To find out more please call01473 433236 (24-hour) or visitwww.ipswich.gov.uk/hears

Hi-tech help with Ipswich HEARS

Ipswich cremation plot leasesThe lease on the following cremation plots has expired and IpswichBorough Council has been unable to contact the owners. Anyone whohas any information on the plots or owners should contact on 01473433580.

Plot No Deceased Owner/ Expiry Contact Date

JJ-20-20 HAVERON, J S HAVERON, A 18-02-2013

JJ-20-54 GLADING, EI & AG GLADING, B 23-02-2013

JJ-20-40 GRIMES D & BAKER G GRIMES, Y 02-09-2012

JJ-20-7 KEEBLE, CE & JM KEEBLE, M 08-09-2012

JJ-20-10 MAPLE, E S MAPLE, J M 28-10-2012

TR-02-506 DEVEREAUX S & S PHILLIPS, P 12-01-2013

TR-02-453 BENSLEY, A & R FARTHING, N 13-10-2012

TR-02-482 ROBINSON, T & M BERLIN, E 26-04-2012

TR-02-481 SPALL, A, F & J DYE, B A 18-07-2012

DYE, M

TR-03-2911 LONG, E R LONG, L 29-04-2012

TR-02-360 SHILLING, J & D SHILLING, D 12-08-2012

JJ-20-35 STOKES, A & A STOKES, M A 28-05-2012

TR-03-2891 HUGHES, G & G HUGHES, T K 19-02-2012

TR-03-2234CHAPMAN, C & F THOMPSON, S 31-01-2012

The Friends of IpswichMuseum are a lively bunch… certainly if you jointhem you will never bebored! But they also have aserious side.

The Friends raise money toenhance the collections andservices provided in Ipswich byColchester & Ipswich Museums.Over the past 20 or so years theyhave raised £250,000 and thathas been boosted to more than£1 million by external funding.Some of that help was given tothe purchase and developmentof the Ipswich Art SchoolGallery, next to the Museum inHigh Street.

There are almost 400 Friendsand as some are familymembers around 500 peoplehelp out. They come from allwalks of life, says currentchairman Alan Swerdlow, whohas held the reins for the pasttwo years, having also been inthe chair from 1996 to 1999. Hehas been a Friend for 18 years.“Yes, we raise funds foracquisitions and conservationbut there is a lot more to us thanthat,” he told The Angle. “We filla gap, supplying volunteerguides, meeters and greeters,organising talks, lunches andeven short breaks and holidays.”

Alan is standing down aschairman at the AGM nextmonth and his successor will beErica Burrows. With just fouryears membership behind her,Erica jokes that she has been“fast-tracked”. She said: “We arevery sociable and joining theFriends is a great way to meet like-minded people of all ages

while undertaking an importantrole in supporting ourmuseums. I am looking forwardto the next stage of my ‘career’;Alan is very supportive, has a lotof expertise and connections.”

TreasuresIpswich Museum andChristchurch Mansion areclearly close to the hearts of Alanand Erica. “We have so manytreasures in the town. We wantmore people to see them. Only afraction of the collection can beshown at any one time but wewould like to help ensure that asmuch as possible can beenjoyed by visitors,” said Alan.

The Friends of the Museumsstarted life in the 1930s. and youcan see why it’s a popular andgrowing organisation. There isso much to do and membershipcosts just £12 a year (£15 forjoint or family membership, £3for under-25s). There are also a growing number of corporate

members. Firms can support the museums for £100 annuallyand enjoy discounts on meetingrooms in a fantastic session.

That our museums are realtreasures is in no doubt. Boththe Mansion and the High StreetMuseum have caught theimagination of visitors forgenerations.

One is Jonathan Betts MBE, asenior horologist at the RoyalObservatory in Greenwich. Hetold The Angle: “As the son of aretail watchmaker, I suppose Iwas born with the horologicalbug. But what really capturedmy imagination, as animpressionable 10 year-old, wasencountering the wonderfulcollection of antique clocks on avisit to Christchurch Mansion.

They seemed so special – apiece of antique furniture with amachine in it! In the (almost)half a century since, I have never

looked back, though I have beenback to Christchurch Mansion many times.”

So, if you want to find out moreabout our treasures, why notbecome a Friend yourself? Have a look at the website orpick up a booklet atChristchurch Mansion, theMuseum or Art School Gallery.www.foim.org.uk

Friends: List of corporatemembers:

Arlingtons Brasserie, BarnesConstruction, BelvedereReproductions, WD Coe Ltd,Dove Street Inn, DummettCopp, JM Finn & Co, Jimmy’sFarm, Ipswich Building Society,Ipswich School, Ipswich HighSchool, Linden School of Music,NFU Mutual, Ryan InsuranceGroup, Sharman Caravans Ltd,Suffolk New College,Titchmarsh & Goodwin, Watson& Hillhouse Ltd.





They’re a friendly lot!

Ipswich Borough Council is nowable to offer grants to helpimprove privately ownedhomes. The grants onoffer arerenovation grantsto provideassistance toowner-occupiers for repairssuch as rewiring and providinghelp to ensure efficient heatingthroughout the property.

Empty homes renovation grantshelp bring empty properties

back into use. Disabled FacilityGrants are available to elderlyand disabled people to help

them keep theirindependence intheir own home.

Councillor JohnMowles, the Borough

Council’s Housingportfolio-holder, said: “We arecommitted to doing what wecan to help stopprivately-owned houses fromfalling into serious disrepair and

we are prioritising bringingempty properties back intoresidential use. We have madesome funding available for thesepurposes by way of renovation(improvement) grants. Wewould welcome applications forsuch grants.”

Each grant has certainconditions that must be met. For more information on youreligibility please visitwww.ipswich.gov.uk or phone01473 433003.

Apply now for housing grants

At your serviceIPSWICH BOROUGH

COUNCIL

New life for parklodges

Vintagemarket A range of family activities andworkshops have beenorganised at the Town Hall andCorn Exchange for Sunday 17thMarch (noon to 4pm). “AccessAll Arts” will showcase localtalent and provideopportunities for thecommunity to participate inthe arts. “Imakefunstuff” willbe hosting a vintage and craftmarket and will highlight localvintage traders. Other freeactivities include poetryreadings, art exhibitions and abusiness music workshop.Resident café Snobs Coffee andthe Suffolk Craft Society shopwill also be open. Jenny WrensYarns is also inviting visitors tosew a blanket in support ofBreakthrough Breast Cancer.Last autumn, a 12-hourworkshop was held at localbusiness Loveone, wherecrocheted squares wereknitted. The completed blanketwill then be auctioned to helpraise funds for the charity.Limited sewing equipment willbe available on the day, so ifyou have your own please bringit along.

www.ipswich.gov.uk/AAA or call Evie Dunbavin on 01473433517. All activities and toursare limited and will need to bebooked in person on the day.Doors open at noon.

The first of four empty parklodges are now occupiedafter being brought backinto use by the BoroughCouncil.

Soane Street Lodge, whichadjoins Christchurch Park, andThe Gatehouse, Chantry Park,have both been empty as homessince 2006 until the Counciltook action.

And work is nearing completionon the repair and refurbishment

of North Lodge at the OldCemetery in Belvedere Roadand the Lodge in Bourne Park.

The properties have been let atmarket rents to pay for theirrefurbishment.

One of the new tenants is anemployee of a local church.The Leader of the Council,Councillor David Ellesmere,said: “It’s great to see theseproperties back in use afterbeing left empty for years and

allowed to fall into disrepair. It isa symbol of our determinationto bring empty homes back intouse across the Borough."

Both Soane Street Lodge andThe Gatehouse are Grade 2Listed houses. The Councilowns a total of 13 lodges – nineare currently occupied by staff.

The Chantry Park Gatehousehas been restored to its formergrandeur

Women’s trailThe Ipswich Women’s HistoryTrail, which celebrates thecontribution of women to townlife over the centuries, is beinghighlighted at the TouristInformation Centre.

The Women’s Festival Group areplanning a special walk of thetrail with tea at ArlingtonsBrasserie on 23rd June. Detailswill follow nearer the event.

Dementiasupport groupIpswich’s Bucklesham Grangecare home is offering monthlysupport groups for peopleaffected by dementia. Thehome, on Bucklesham Road,hosts the event run by theAlzheimer’s Society on the firstTuesday of every month. Thegroup has been set up to offermuch needed help and adviceand to give people a place tomeet others going through thesame situation. Carers and thecared for will have theopportunity to chat about theirexperiences and talk to aprofessional DementiaSupport Worker. The nextgroup will be held on Tuesday2nd April from 10am until12pm.

For further information: JonLee on 01473 237301 or visitwww.alzheimers.org.ukwww.hallmarkcarehomes.co.uk

Town’s tributeto Robert CrossA plaque paying tribute toformer Borough Council ChiefExecutive Robert Cross has beenunveiled by the Mayor ofIpswich, Councillor Mary Blake.Mr Cross was the driving forcebehind the transformation ofthe Corn Exchange into apremier entertainment andcultural venue.

The Mayor said: “Robert had adeep association with Ipswichand spent many many yearsserving its people. This buildingis perhaps his true municipallegacy. Robert Cross wasresponsible for transforming theCorn Exchange into a premierarts and cultural venue and thatlegacy is as important today as itwas all those years ago. We haveseen many changes to thebuilding in recent times butnone as radical as those inspiredby the vision of Robert Cross.”

Thank you to everyone who took part in our competition last month. Nearly 230 of you entered andall correctly “guessed” that Mick McCarthy is the current Ipswich Town Manager. The winner isGerald Strike, so we offer our congratulations. He selected a three-month car park season ticket ashis prize. The three runners-up winning a family photo-shoot are Chris Collings, Alan Cutting andJenny Wright.

We welcome your comments about The Angle. Please email [email protected] or write to:The Angle, Fourth Floor East, Grafton House, Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2DE.

Angle winners!

“Come and join us” ... some of the Friends at Ipswich Museum



TICKETS

PLEASE!Your bus ticket could be

worth over £500!*Collect one month’s worth of Ipswich Buses tickets

and be in with a chance of winning an iPad!We’ve got 6 to giveaway - check out

www.ipswichbuses.co.ukfor more details!

*Terms and conditions apply. See www.ipswichbuses.co.uk or call 0800 919390 for more details. Prize draw ends 31st July 2013. Purchase necessary.

Your bus ticket could be



Your bus ticket could be worth over £500!*

s worth of Ipswich Buses tickets Collect one month’and be in with a chance of winning an iPad!

e’ve got 6 to giveaway - check out WWe’ve got 6 to giveaway - check out .ipswichbuses.co.ukwwwfor more details!

Your bus ticket could be worth over £500!*

s worth of Ipswich Buses tickets and be in with a chance of winning an iPad!

e’ve got 6 to giveaway - check out .ipswichbuses.co.ukfor more details!


s worth of Ipswich Buses tickets and be in with a chance of winning an iPad!

erms and conditions apply*T

See wwwPrize draw ends 31st July 2013. Purchase necessary

ms and conditions apply www d

Make music with TrianonIt is Benjamin Britten’scentenary year and TrianonMusic Group will be performingone of his works in their SpringConcert at the Corn Exchangeon 13th April. Trianon is looking for new choirmembers and instrumentalists,especially tenors, basses andstring players. If you areinterested, please [email protected](01473 626736) [email protected](01384 460500).www.tmg.org.uk

Concert tickets: 01473 433100www.ipswichregent.com

Are you a charity or voluntaryorganisation in need of officespace?Ipswich Borough Council and the Ipswich Council for VoluntaryServices can offer you help and advice and, depending onavailability, a solution to your accommodation needs.

Please email [email protected]

Documents

MARCH2013 At your service TheAngle ......Leader David Ellesmere (pictured with the students and UCS and Borough Council representatives) said: “This is positive action to help students