Latest news with #IanFisher
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Council decision to sell HQ 'short-sighted'
A council has been criticised for putting its headquarters up for sale after revealing the building was not being fully used. Grafton House is on the market after Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) said that since more employees were working from home, it only needed 52% of the current space. Ian Fisher, Conservative group leader on the Labour-controlled council, said this was "short-sighted", given upcoming local government reorganisation, and that the authority should instead take a lead by getting staff back into the office. But council leader Neil MacDonald said all staff still worked from the office regularly, meaning "appropriately-sized and equipped office accommodation" was still needed. The block, in Russell Road, Ipswich, covers 65,681sq m (707,000 sq ft) across five storeys. A listing invites offers to either buy the building freehold or lease it, suggesting it could be used for businesses, homes, a hotel, senior living or student accommodation. The council, which bought the site in 2015, would vacate the building if sold. When it first announced in March 2024 that it intended to sell, the council said it hoped to move to a town centre location. However, an upcoming devolution deal could see all councils in Suffolk replaced. Fisher said: "It is disappointing to see IBC have put Grafton House up for sale. "I see it as a very short-sighted move, especially with local government re-organisation on the horizon. "Who knows what council buildings will be needed after the decision is taken on what the council structure will be like in Suffolk?" He said people working from home, including council employees, were having a negative impact on the town centre. "IBC should be taking the lead and getting staff back into the office. This will increase footfall in the town and would send a sign to other local businesses to do the same," he added. MacDonald said there had been a "significant transformation" over the last five years in the way people worked. "A proportion of council staff are working in a hybrid way, combining working from home and the office effectively, supported by digital methods of communication," he said. "The council's staff all continue to work from the office regularly, meaning there is a continued need for appropriately sized and equipped office accommodation and a continued need for a place that our residents can visit in-person if they desire." The council is proposing that new local government arrangements for Suffolk should include a Greater Ipswich unitary council at their heart. MacDonald said that with discussions ongoing, it was "prudent" to "continue... evaluating the feasibility of alternative uses for the Grafton House site". Currently two organisations lease part of the building: a cafe on the ground floor and Ipswich Town Foundation on an upper floor. Combined rent brings in £32,994 per year for the council. Lambert Smith Hampton, which is handling the sale, declined to give an indication of a price for the site to the BBC. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Council to downsize office as staff work from home Derelict waterfront warehouse to become restaurant Council to buy empty shops in £13m revival bid Ipswich Borough Council
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Drivers of larger cars could pay more for permits
Plans to charge the drivers of larger cars more for on-street parking permits have been backed by council leaders. Executive members of Ipswich Borough Council met on Tuesday to discuss the move, proposed by Labour's Jane Riley, the authority's lead for culture and customers. She said the change was needed because of the limited number of on-street parking spaces and the increase in traffic. But the leader of the opposition, Ian Fisher, a Conservative councillor, criticised the plans - and the categories which could be used to decide whether cars are large or medium-sized. Riley proposed raising charges for on-street parking permits across the borough's five street parking zones, already set to gradually increase over the next four years, based on a car's length, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service. It would mean residents who owned a car considered medium-sized by the council, or between 3.92m (12.8ft) and 4.45m (14.7ft), would pay £78 for the year instead of £62. Owners of larger cars, between 4.45m (14.7ft) and 6m (19.6ft), would pay £98 for the year. Cars over 6m (19.6ft) would not be allowed a permit. Separate prices have been drawn up for trade, visitors, business, carers, and places of worship permits, but all with similar increases. Blue badge holders would remain exempt. Fisher said it was "ridiculous" to consider some cars as medium-sized including, for instance, a Ford Fiesta. He said it was simply a "callous attempt to raise more income" as the council estimated it would generate £32,841 in extra funds. By law, the council is not allowed to deliberately make a surplus with on-street parking permits. If extra money was made, it would need to be reinvested. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Why is a council charging £15 for match parking? Parking permit fee hike approved by councillors Council to make cuts to try and balance books Ipswich Borough Council
BBC News
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Drivers of larger cars in Ipswich could pay more for permits
Plans to charge the drivers of larger cars more for on-street parking permits have been backed by council members of Ipswich Borough Council met on Tuesday to discuss the move, proposed by Labour's Jane Riley, the authority's lead for culture and said the change was needed because of the limited number of on-street parking spaces and the increase in the leader of the opposition, Ian Fisher, a Conservative councillor, criticised the plans - and the categories which could be used to decide whether cars are large or medium-sized. Riley proposed raising charges for on-street parking permits across the borough's five street parking zones, already set to gradually increase over the next four years, based on a car's length, reports the Local Democracy Reporting would mean residents who owned a car considered medium-sized by the council, or between 3.92m (12.8ft) and 4.45m (14.7ft), would pay £78 for the year instead of £ of larger cars, between 4.45m (14.7ft) and 6m (19.6ft), would pay £98 for the year. Cars over 6m (19.6ft) would not be allowed a prices have been drawn up for trade, visitors, business, carers, and places of worship permits, but all with similar badge holders would remain said it was "ridiculous" to consider some cars as medium-sized including, for instance, a Ford said it was simply a "callous attempt to raise more income" as the council estimated it would generate £32,841 in extra law, the council is not allowed to deliberately make a surplus with on-street parking permits. If extra money was made, it would need to be reinvested. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
07-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Public 'let down' by Ipswich garden waste bin collection charge
The public is "being let down" by the introduction of a £50 charge to have garden waste collected, a councillor Ipswich Borough Council has announced it will introduce the annual fee to have household brown bins emptied fortnightly - bringing it into line with other districts in Suffolk and something it previously said would help balance its some residents understand this others have shared concerns it could lead to an increase in Conservative leader of the opposition at the town hall, Ian Fisher, said he felt the council saw council taxpayers as having "deep pockets". "Just in the past couple of weeks they have announced a 3% rise in council tax, increased parking charges and now a charge to have your brown bin collected," he told the BBC."We all know finances are tough, but it really does not have to be like this."He said he believed Labour had "failed to find alternative income streams" and the public would pay the price."I would not be so angry about the new brown bin charge if they were being run on a cost-neutral basis, but they aren't. The council stands to make huge profits on this."The council said it expected to potentially make £1.6m over the next four years through the service, but figures ultimately depend on the numbers of residents that sign added he feared there could be a "detrimental effect" on the amount of garden waste being placed into black general waste bins that could be costly to deal also argued other councils were "rural in nature" with bin lorries travelling many more miles per year."It is far cheaper to operate this service in an urban setting such as Ipswich. Once again the public is being let down," he added. Residents have had mixed thoughts on the new said they felt "lucky" that they had not been charged up until now."Everywhere else around Ipswich pays, so why do Ipswich residents whine about it?" said Richard Garrard on social media."The implementation of the charge [in other districts] brought the same type of whiners out saying the same comments; it really has made zero difference to the usage."Some argued the service had never been free and the charge instead previously had come from their council tax. Some argued on the other hand it made sense to have the separate charge."If you don't have a garden you don't need to pay the potential alternative of a bigger increase in council tax," Sue Read said. Concerns were also raised that the move would lead to an increase in waste being dumped is the cheapest for garden waste, alongside West Suffolk Council that similarly charges £50 a Suffolk Council charges £52.50 while Mid Suffolk District Council charges £ District Council in the south of the county charges the highest at £ MacDonald, leader of Ipswich Borough Council, said it had "delayed" the change of policy for as long as possible. "We are the last council locally to implement these charges. We are keeping the charges as low as we can for our residents and by implementing these charges we are ensuring that this council is in a financially sustainable position for the future, protecting other services which our residents rely on." Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
