MID SUFFOLK DISTRICT COUNCIL PRESS RELEASE
£300k per year to revitalise rural communities
For immediate release: 30 July 2025
Revitalising rural high streets, improving infrastructure and protecting community assets is the aim of a new fund launched by Mid Suffolk District Council.
The Mid Suffolk Rural Support Fund has been created to support towns and villages outside of Stowmarket, with a variety of different funding opportunities available for local businesses and community organisations to benefit from.
£300,000 is available to be applied for each year, with the money allocated from the Mid Suffolk District Council Ambitions Programme.
Funding can be used for, but is not limited to, the following:
- Helping with the purchase of threatened community assets, such as shops, pubs and community cafes
- Making physical improvements to shopfronts
- Supporting local markets and food initiatives
- Improving the local environment
- Establishing art and culture events
- Encouraging the integration of sustainable travel services,
- Bolstering digital infrastructure
Cllr Teresa Davis, Mid Suffolk District Council cabinet member for thriving communities, said: "Rural communities are the lifeblood of our district and we are proud to have so many wonderful towns and villages to shout about.
"By introducing the Mid Suffolk Rural Support Fund, we are aiming to impact many different aspects of rural life – whether it's preserving much-loved community assets and bringing them into community ownership, or helping our businesses improve their look and offerings.
"I look forward to seeing the wide range of benefits that this funding will bring over the coming years and would encourage organisations to take full advantage of this far-reaching support."
As of Monday, 28 July, rural businesses can apply for grants to improve their shopfronts, while communities can apply for financial support to help with the purchase of their assets.
The remaining branches of the Mid Suffolk Rural Support Fund will then be rolled out over the coming months.
To submit an application or find out more information, businesses should visit the Heart of Suffolk website and community organisations should visit the Mid Suffolk District Council community funding page.
Landline phones are switching to digital, which could stop telecare alarms working.
This means that all landline providers need to know which of their customers use telecare, so they can keep them safe.
The switchover is already happening, so you need to act now. If you, a resident, or someone you know uses a telecare alarm, make sure to contact the landline provider for support. Visit the digital phone switchover website for more information.
Even if this doesn't affect you directly please think of friends, relatives and neighbours who it will affect and help them to understand the changes that are taking place.
The deadline for having your say in Suffolk County Council survey is 4th August.
Please make your feelings known using the link below:
http://www.onesuffolkcouncil.co.uk/residents-survey
Thanks
Read more on Suffolk County Council - Survey on Local Government Re-Organisation
Local government in Suffolk is changing. All county, district and borough councils are being replaced with 'unitary' councils, which will be responsible for delivering all services.
Suffolk’s district and borough councils are working together on an ambitious proposal for two or three unitary councils which will deliver services to different parts of the county.
We believe these will meet the differing needs of our diverse communities - councils that are big enough to deliver, local enough to care.
Please have your say by completing our survey.
https://midsuffolk.govocal.com/en-GB/projects/have-your-say-suffolk
The last day for making comments is Friday 25th July 2025MId
Read more on MSDC - Devolution and Local Government Re-Organistion
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete the recent survey. The full results are up on the parish council website. https://fressingfield-pc.gov.uk/parish-council/ndp-review/
The Survey indicates in (very brief) outline, that local people do not want large scale developments and are concerned about the lack of infrastructure in the parish particularly potential sewage overflow. Although most respondents are looking to own their own homes, there is a need for rental accommodation. An overall trend for downsizing seems to be happening with our aging population producing a need for 2-3 bed houses rather than bigger homes.
But what happens now?
The purpose of the survey is to give the parish council as much data as possible to put forward any support/objections to future housing development plans that will inevitably be proposed in our parish. It is part of the review process of our Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP).
But local wishes are only ONE piece of the jigsaw. The more data we can collate, the more 'informed' any responses will be and the more weight they will carry. A strong emotional objection is not enough to outweigh national policy.
We are currently collating data about infrastructure and amenities. The results of this work and the draft plan will be subject to a six-week public consultation period. Your responses to this consultation will give us even more hard data. The consultation period will be publicised in advance once the dates are known.
