Bury St Edmunds residents bring concerns to Suffolk County Council at a Cornhill pop-up stand
The cost of living crisis, parking woes, and the environment were some of the issues raised with a council at a pop-up stand in Bury St Edmunds.
Representatives from Suffolk County Council set up in Cornhill today to speak to the community about topics close to their hearts.
Residents were offered a chance to talk about anything with councillors and officers, who relayed their concerns to the correct authorities.
The council has been setting up these pop-up stands in town centres since July, and has a few more planned before the end of November.
It forms a part of the 'We Are Listening' campaign, in which it sets up stands in 13 towns across the county between July and November.
Councillor Matthew Hicks, the leader of Suffolk County Council, said residents' concerns addressed several key issues.
They had a chance to chat with their representatives about what worked, didn't work, or needed improvement in their towns.
Cllr Hicks added: "Our aim is to work out what the main issues in a town are.
"Things we've discussed include off-road parking, the cost of living, potholes, or fading white lines on roads."
Cllr Hicks revealed that some items discussed fall outside the jurisdiction of Suffolk County Council.
In these cases, they are passed onto district councils or bodies involved in addressing the particular issue.
Since July, the authority set up stands in many towns in the county, including Ipswich, Newmarket, Haverhill and even at the Suffolk Show.
Cllr Hicks highlighted there are a handful of locations left to visit for this year.
One resident who brought her concerns to the council had several things to discuss with the councillors.
The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, recently moved to the area from London, and cycling was a topic close to her heart.
She said: "I feel less safe cycling here than I did in London. I'd like to see more cycling lanes set up in the town."
She agreed with the town centre being set up as a 20 mile per hour driving zone, and believed they should be applied to most residential areas.
Cars were also a major point of discussion, as she wished to see fewer on the roads.
Increasing bus services and more investment in public transport could help accomplish this, she added.
Cllr Richard Rout, the deputy leader of the council, said balancing environmental concerns and the wishes of local businesses remains a key concern for them.
Business said that discouraging driving in the town centre means people are less likely to visit and buy from their shops, he added.
He said: "You get a real variation of opinions speaking to the public in this way, but our overall experience has been positive.
"People love this town and they want to improve it. On the one hand we get people who want to reduce car parking in the town centre and encourage sustainable travel.
"Conversely, we have people who worry about the retail town centre and hope that we continue to support business."
The cost of living was hot topic, he noted, and the council offered advice to people who attended the stand by giving them a leaflet with a few tips to cut costs.
This includes pointing them to council schemes that provide certain benefits to those struggling with rising bills.
Topics brought up in other towns range from weeds in roads, to making streets more pedestrian-friendly, and electric vehicle charging.
Cllr Beccy Hopfensperger, cabinet member for adult care, said the key issues tend to be the same in every town.
Parking and highways remain a key concern among residents, who feel there should be more short-term options when parking, to encourage them to visit the town centre.
She added: "People also worry about how the town looks - it's cosmetics - from cracked pavements to worn-out buildings. It's an issue they care about.
"Highway issues remain a hot topics, and in Bury specifically, the number of road works due to them being dug up for fibre broadband.
"People also feel the roads are being poorly repaired afterwards."
