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Before
2001 | Please click here to look back into Haverhill's history before the year 2001. | | 2001 | In the new year the weather started frosty and these conditions continued. It remained cold and wet for weeks when the frosts ended.
February continued to be extremely wet all over the country and in some places which were flooded last year, the same floods came again and again. Suffolk had some localised house floods, but nothing as bad as elsewhere.
The country was really hit badly from a completely unexpected quarter, when a case of Foot and Mouth disease was recorded on February 24th. What followed was to become a nightmare for the rural economy. Cases were reported in Essex and from many widely scattered locations, but it was to become worst in Cumbria. Infected animals were culled and their carcasses burnt in giant pyres in the open fields.
During March, the Foot and Mouth outbreaks escalated alarmingly. Footpaths were closed across the country, and at first, the public were urged to stay out of the countryside. Rural areas lost their normal traffic and it soon became clear that other industries than farming were being hard hit, as well. Country Parks like East Town Park in Haverhill were shut down. It was feared that visiting wild deer would spread the disease. All the Nature Reserves of the Suffolk Wildlife Trust were shut. The National Trust shut all its rural sites. All farms and farm attractions closed.
The slaughter policy was extended to healthy animals which might have had contact with the disease and there was difficulty in keeping the disposal of the dead animals up with the culls.
To add to the country's troubles, the price of road fuel began to rise again, despite the Chancellor's cut of 2p a litre in fuel duty on Ultra Low Sulphur diesel oil.
The giant meat processing plant at Little Wratting went on to emergency measures as the ban on livestock movements came into force.
By now it was widely recognised that the rural economy was in deep trouble, and the government now had to sell the message that the countryside was open for business. Suffolk County Council allowed most of its footpath closures to lapse on midnight of 31st March, but re-imposed closure where there was a likely proximity to livestock. By Easter, many rural attractions had re-opened with government blessing, including all the St Edmundsbury parks except for West Stow, where there remained pigs and sheep which need to be kept isolated. Suffolk Wildlife Trust reserves stayed closed.
Some good news was very welcome when the Genzyme factory announced a massive new investment programme at its Haverhill plant, together with many new jobs. | | 2002 | In 2002 the wet weather continued and local flooding almost became normal in the first few months of the year.
In May, the St Edmundsbury Borough Council brought in its modernised decision making structure following the Local Government Act of 2000. Decisions could no longer be taken by committees as had been the case for many years. The council now has to appoint an executive or Cabinet, to take decisions, which are then scrutinised by one or more Overview and Scrutiny committees.
At the first meeting under the new constitution, there was a surprise when the leader of the main opposition party was elected to be Leader of the Council. This was done by a coalition of 17 Labour, 2 Liberal Democrats, 2 Independents and 2 Independent Conservatives. Under the new constitution, the Leader then appointed his Cabinet with 6 other members from the coalition. The Conservative Party with 21 seats had no representation except for chairing the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Policy Development Committee.
On JUne 24th, following the tenants ballot in September 2001, all 5,949 council houses with garages and associated land, were transferred to the Havebury Housing Partnership, a Company set up by the council to own and run its houses. The company became a Registered Social Landlord, and was independent of the council, becoming also a Registered Charity. The aim was to raise private finance to bring the houses up to the fullest modern standards, while keeping the expenditure outside the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement.
Havebury Housing Partnership started up by taking over the top floor of the Council Offices in Lower Down Slade as its Haverhill office. Rents could still be paid to the Council cashiers, who passed the money to Havebury.
| | 2003 | In May, the four yearly elections to St Edmundsbury Borough Council took place. At the same time the Haverhill Town Council came up for election. This time there was a new party formed, known as Haverhill Representative Alliance, Owing to a technicality they could not field candidates for the Borough election, but they took control of Haverhill Town Council
By July, the Haverhill Representative Alliance had disbanded, and its members became Independents. Some of the Independents made an alliance with the Labour Party to form a controlling group on the Town Council. | | 2004 | In 2004, St Edmundsbury is due to host the 3 - yearly celebrations of the Magna Carta Trust.
| | 2005 | By 2005 the Government have said that 100% of public services should be available electronically. | | 2006 | In 2006 it is the .... | Have
Your
Say | Please help to write the story of Haverhill in the Twenty First century, and the Third Millenium. If you have spotted any mistakes or notable omissions, why not let us Know? Or if you know the date that your church, school, club or organisation has been built or founded, or has had any important happenings which you feel should be included in this history, please email us. Also let us know of any big events which are coming in the next few years. |
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