When I became Leader of Suffolk County Council, in my inaugural speech at the Council’s AGM on Thursday 21 May 2015, I pledged to visit the high streets and markets of towns across the county. This formed part of my administration’s commitment to listening to the people of Suffolk.

During the visits we heard first-hand the issues and topics of interest for local council tax payers, their concerns, the things they value, how much they enjoy living in our great county and what they want the council to do better.

On these visits, fellow Councillors joined me and officers of the council have stepped up, support us and together we engaged with Suffolk’s residents and my thanks to them all for their commitment to this programme. I also think it good for the senior officer team to hear what people say.

Over my years as Leader I was out and about Ipswich, Giles Circus, Lowestoft outside and in the Brittan Centre, Bury St. Edmunds outside the Apex, Haverhill in the Market square and outside the Arts Centre, Felixstowe on the seafront and in the triangle, Stowmarket in the Market, Sudbury in the Market, Beccles in the Tesco Car Park, Newmarket in the Market Square and Woodbridge in the Hamblin Road Car Park, not to mention having a spot in the SCC Tent at the Suffolk Show. My last ones before stepping down as Leader of the Council were in Sudbury on market day, Mildenhall in the Market and the Halesworth Thoroughfare. Of all the initiatives and programmes dropped by my successor it was good to see this one has sort of been kept going, that was until the Pandemic hit. Since then its not returned and I ponder if it will. But it was a really worthwhile programme of getting out there and listening to our residents.