East Suffolk Green party and Liberal Democrat party on coming to power cancelled the successful Pardon the weeds campaign introduced by Cllr Mallinder under the previous Conservative administration. This campaign was designed by Cllr Mallinder to allow agreed areas of East Suffolk land to be left uncut to allow nature to flourish, especially supporting many of our insects. Much praise was given by wildlife groups and residents in policy delivery and public engagement through the campaign heading ‘Pardon the weeds we are feeding the bees. ‘
The Green party on coming to power cancelled this campaign and had rebranded this to call the campaign ‘Nature at work ‘. This causes several issues that Cllr Mallinder is keen to highlight.
No matter what the Green party states, this is pointless rebranding that has cost East Suffolk residents nearly £50,000. With costs in daily lives increasing, East Suffolk council has made no effort to keep council costs to a minimum, spending taxpayers money with no concern of how increased council tax will impact on households. With this wasteful rebranding, new signage has been introduced which is a waste of resources, and the old signs will be scrapped and end up in landfill. ‘Nature at work’ is fast becoming a very anti-environment friendly project.
Cllr Mallinder stated ‘I really do not understand what is happening at East Suffolk now, there is blatant waste of resources, and a general lack of understanding of how to deliver environment policy. The administration continues to fail to appreciate how environmental issues fit into our daily lives, ‘Pardon the weeds’ campaign was a clear strong cross-party project which really delivered across the district, why try and rebrand it?
‘Rather than building on the legacy I left as the previous cabinet member of the environment, the Green party seem intent on just reversing and rebranding policy. What a waste of resources, something we should be reducing, this is fast becoming a vanity project. ‘
It is also sad to see the spring annual litter pick ‘Love East Suffolk ‘has been cancelled for a second year. This campaign had huge district wide support from town and village councils and local groups coming together to litter pick across our district. Many residents enjoyed the project where families and neighbours joined forces in removing litter from our countryside and living environments. Now this campaign has been cancelled there is now no longer a focus in giving back to our communities
Cllr Mallinder said ‘Never in a million years did I expect to see the ‘Love East Suffolk’ annual litter pick cancelled. I have tried to understand the reason why this strong community project should be cancelled, and I have come up with nothing. I am saddened and disappointed that the Green party is unable to see the importance of such a campaign ‘
Cllr Mallinder continued ‘we are the first generation to truly understand the environmental problems and we will be the last generation to reverse some of these negative treads. District councils have a big role to pay in delivering policy and we expect better from the Green party and Lib Dems in their delivery of environment policy. ‘
