Moreton Hall March 2019 issue

the estate

DOG FOUL

I have had a complaint from a lady that someone is using her black bin to dispose of their dog litter, it’s nice that whoever picks up after their dog does so, but perhaps they should use their own black bin, while we are on the subject of dog foul, dog walkers who use Ten Acre field have been wrongly accused of their dogs fouling on the football field, having checked a few droppings it appears that it belongs to the pair of foxes that live in the woods up there, you can easily tell by the red berries in it and the very nasty smell.

UNDERPASS The underpass is looking a mess, the residents association and councillors have been trying to find out who takes ownership of it, so we can get it repainted and after a long battle of it’s not county council, nor borough, nor highways, we have now been informed it does in fact belong to Suffolk County Council, we can now get together and decide what we want on the walls, watch this space, if anyone has ideas on what could be there let any of your association and councillors know.

In general the estate is in good shape with the exception of the potholes which county council promised would be repaired by the end of February, nothing yet!!! Perhaps a strong email might get them moving, who knows?.

petty vandalism Over a few weeks there have been a spate of petty vandalism around the community centre, bottles smashed on the car park and against the youth club walls, this is even more annoying as our children walk across there on the way to school and the youth football teams play on the field, I know it’s a minority but it’s dangerous so whoever you are, if you can’t hold your drink, either don’t drink or think before you act so stupidly! Rant over.

FINALLY The youth club, it’s onwards and upwards, numbers are increasing thanks mainly to a class at Abbots Green, it appears one class all want to come to the club, they meet, have fun and chat about school, good on them.

That’s me for now, remember, take care, until next time. Frank Warby MARCH 2019 | 11

LOCAL NEWS

Moreton Hall News...

from Cllr Peter Thompson

Email: peter.thompson@stedsbc.gov.uk Mobile: 07810 868986

Art. In a Roundabout Sort of Way...

Travellers using Orttewell Road will have seen some works to the roundabout where it joins Mount Road (pictured). For clarity, there has been a project headed

by Bury in Bloom to enhance what was quite a dull piece of road with some public art. This won’t be of the scale of the tribute on nearby Lady Miriam Way/Mount Road and is funded indirectly from the public purse via grants and locality budgets. These projects are very divisive and I’d love to hear feedback before I report back once it’s completed on peter. thompson@stedsbc.gov.uk or on 07810 868986.

Very Cross I have been inundated this month with reports of bad driving around our area. Speeding will always be on the agenda, however it is the lack of attention around out pelican and zebra crossings most mentioned. I had my own near miss on the Symonds Road zebra this week whilst with my son as a car failed to stop and I know we have had issues on Mount Road near the crossing used to access Abbots Green school. So, this is a small appeal for care.

SPONSORSHIP OP There are some opportunities to sponsor one of our youth football teams at the moment.

If you run a small business or hold an advertising budget, you can become a shirt sponsor with Sebert Wood FC by getting in touch with Ross Goodfellow (send me a message and I’ll get you in touch).

Peter.thompson@stedsbc.gov.uk - 07810 868986 14 | MARCH 2019

LOCAL NEWS

from

MHRA in conjunction with local Councillors are lobbying for a large lock down waste bin for the Heldhaw Road play park.

We are told it is hoped the play park will be open in time for the Easter Holiday and are making further enquiries as to why it was not properly drained in the first place and had to close.

A waste bin is to be provided on Skyliner Way near Kendall Close.

Following on from a meeting between the Councillors for Moreton Hall and the Residents Association regarding the Underpass, all are meeting with the Families and Communities Team at West Suffolk Council to see how the underpass can be improved as it does look the worse for wear. There a number of issues to be considered and various views have been expressed.

Anglian Water are due to start major work on Compiegne Way in April to upgrade the water main. The installation involves 2 kilometres of pipework and will run from the junction of Barton Road with Orttewell

Road along the A143 and end just off Barton Hill. Traffic management issues are being considered including temporary traffic signals and will involve the temporary closure of Orttewell Road from its junction with Barton Road under the railway bridge to the A143 roundabout. for two weeks over the Easter Holidays.

Our committee meeting dates for the rest of the year are at 7.30 pm in the Community Centre on:Thursday 7th March Thursday 9th May Thursday 4th July Thursday 5th September Thursday 7th November The Residents Association Annual General Meeting is at the Community Centre on Wednesday the 9th October at 7 pm. We have invited the Police and Crime Commissioner to speak and await his reply.

Robert Houlton-Hart Secretary, MHRA E Mail secretarymhra@gmail.com Web https://moretonhallresidents. wordpress.com/ MARCH 2019 | 15

HOME + LIFESTYLE

DOWN IN THE DUMPS

BY ANDREW SOUTHWOOD

At the time of writing, this

country is on the brink of one of the biggest tragedies it has faced since the war. I am of course talking about Ipswich Town’s impending relegation. They are now facing, the prospect of a no deal exit from the Championship, playing in the third tier of English football for the first time in over 60 years.

I have a lot of time for teams playing at this level. It’s a dirty, dog eat dog style of football. Size and muscle out trump skill and flare in this world. Preparations are clearly already afoot as Ipswich bolster their squad with some no nonsense players with plenty of experience.

No disrespect to the other clubs down here, but lets face it, clashes with the likes of Mansfield, Rochdale and dare I say Accrington, are not the stuff of dreams. More likely, reoccurring nightmares.

It’s a nightmare that I am struggling to wake up from,

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and like so many loyal supporters countrywide, I will refuse to fully accept our fate until the maths doesn’t add up.

How it came to this is a long and complicated story of poor business, difficult characters, fickle supporters and of course luck (or lack there of).

However, the terrifying reality is that many other ‘big’ clubs have faced this fate in recent times. A few recovered, but many more have not. Remember when Charlton, Portsmouth and Coventry were Premier League regulars?

Some optimistic/illinformed supporters say “it’ll do us good - we will bounce back stronger like Leeds, Wolves and Norwich did”. What they fail to appreciate is our bassline has been on a downward trend for many years, decades even. This is not merely a ‘blip’. Our squad has depleted in strength at a similar rate to

our attendances. The afore mentioned clubs kept full stadiums throughout their lower league seasons. We I’m afraid, baring some radical pricing restructure, will not. The lack of bodies through the turnstiles perpetuates the spiral of decline.

Without trying to sound too dramatic, this is the end of an era for our club, of that I am sure. If it lasts 5 or 25 years I cannot predict. But what I can say with certainty is that I will be there to see it through.

I have no choice. The strict marriage between a supporter and their club.

My biggest sadness is for my children’s generation. In all likelihood they will never know the pride and joy that comes with success of your local club in your school years. In the meantime, if anyone wants me I’ll be watching re-runs of the 2000 play-off final and sobbing quietly into my 1994 Fisons Ipswich shirt.

WHAT’S ON

FILM REVIEWS

INSTANT FAMILY

12A

Reviewed by Sally Walters

I do like I good old family comedy, and this one is definitely up there as a nice, feel good film which could be enjoyed by all the family.

There are funny bits and sad bits, I cry at anything these days! But this time my husband did not have to endure the tears, as I took my mum along to watch it, another one who likes a good comedy.

Mark Walberg (Pete) did not disappoint as the father who takes on 3 foster children with his wife Ellie. Rose Byrne who played her, I recognised for her role in the film Bridesmaids, another favourite comedy of mine! I don’t think it will win any oscars, but if you just want a nice easy watch, this is for you, a good storyline with the usual happy ending, and lots of ups and downs inbetween. Not sure if I can class this as a ‘chick flick’ but definitely would say leave the men at home.

6/10

Call for information & phone bookings on

0330 333 4444 6/10

or visit the website www.cineworld.co.uk (calls are charged at the standard national rate and are included within mobile network minutes).

86 | MARCH 2019