The Saxmundham and District Community Development Partnership Ltd

On October 1 st , Suffolk County Council divested the management of the old Saxmundham Community Resource Centre to the social enterprise SADCIC (The Saxmundham & District Community Interest Company). SADCIC are tasked with reducing the running cost of the building while stimulating greater use of the facilities by local community groups. SADCIC intend to source some initial funding to revamp the décor and introduce some more new furniture to make the building space more attractive to potential hirers and users. To underline these changes, and its wider targetted audience, the building will be renamed the Fromus Centre.

More changes will follow as the SADCIC volunteer directors start to implement their Business Plan. They will be looking to collaborate with other local enterprises to create a vibrant centre for the local community to enjoy leisure, social, health and training activities.

The building is sited in a quiet cul-de-sac with its own grounds and free car parking, close to the A12 and Saxmundham rail station and, in recent years, has been greatly underutilised.

“We’re about to draw up a Marketing Plan and we hope to do this working in conjunction with Leiston High School and their Business Study students. We want the community, including the youth of the area, to get involved in adopting this building and its facilities, as their own, for leisure use.” Don Tricker, Volunteer SADCIC Director

“This is the embodiment of Suffolk County Council’s idea of the “Our Place” initiative, building local community capacity to deliver the “Big Society” on the ground.” Cllr. Rae Leighton

“I think it’s wonderful that Saxmundham has risen to the challenge. I think these are exciting times and I wish everyone well with this project” Therese Coffey MP

The Saxmundham and District Community Interest Company (SADCIC) are expecting to take over management of the Saxmundham Resource Centre in Seaman Avenue on 1 October 2011 . The new arrangements follow advanced discussions with Suffolk County Council (SCC) who will retain ownership of the building. The Adult Community Services operations run by SCC will continue unaffected by the change in buildings management.

SADCIC, a leading community interest company in Suffolk will be one of the first organisations in the county to grasp the opportunities presented by the SCC divestment programme. The main aims of the project are to significantly ramp up the level of community use of the building whilst reducing overall running costs.

The proposed handover date is 1 st October 2011 . If any community groups are interested in using the building please contact SADCIC - see "contact us" page.

In due course, the plan is to enhance the facilities and rename the building as the Fromus Centre.

A meeting of interested parties is planned for mid September where individual groups will be able to register their interest. Details will be posted on the website.

Other exciting plans for SADCIC include converting the Saxmundham Middle School - becoming redundant in 2012 - to the proposed Saxmundham Community Enterprise Centre, with commercial office space and community areas, opening in 2013.

At the end of March (2011) there was another in a series of public consultion exercises in the Saxmundham Markert Hall. This one covered Suffolk County Council's "New Strategic Direction", the "Big Society" and the opportunities for Saxmundham, The Saxmundham & District Community Interest Company (SADCIC) it's history and vision for the future, the proposed SADCIC Community Enterprise Centre and the future of Saxmundham Library.

There were over 120 attendees and plenty of opprtunity to browse the exhibition displays and talk to senior representatives from Suffolk County Council and The Saxmundham & District Community Interest Company (SADCIC).

6.30pm – 7.00pm View Exhibition Registration and Refreshments

7.00pm – 7.05pm Welcome and Introduction -
Col. (Retd) Ron Warren MBE, Volunteer Chair, SADCIC

7.05pm – 7.20pm SCC New Strategic Direction
Councillor Jane Storey, Deputy Leader, SCC

7.20pm – 7.30pm The ‘Big Society’ and the opprtunity for social enterprise for Saxmundham and District
Councillor Rae Leighton, Blything Division

7.30pm – 7.40pm Questions from audience
Councillor Ken Howe, Saxmundham Town Council

7.40pm – 7.50pm The SADCIC Model - history and plans
Robin Potter, SADCIC Volunteer Director

7.50pm – 8.00pm The SADCIC Community Enterprise Centre proposition and programme
Steve Palmer SADCIC Volunteer Director

8.00pm – 8.10pm Questions from audience
Councillor Ken Howe, Saxmundham Town Council

8.10pm – 8.20pm Library Services – SCC consultation and options for future delivery
Cllr. Judy Terry, SCC Cabinet Lead on the Libraries Consultation.

8.20pm – 8.30pm Local Research & Consultation – Results and tonight’s feedback
Don Tricker, SADCIC Volunteer Director

8.30pm – 8.40.pm General Questions from audience
Councillor Ken Howe, Saxmundham Town Council

8.40pm – 8.45pm Close of Session
Col. (Retd) Ron Warren MBE, Volunteer Chair, SADCIC

8.45pm – 9.30pm View Exhibition, informal discussion and refreshments

9.30pm Close

10am - 1pm the following Saturday morning the exhibition continued for viewing

Also in attendance were Cllr. Rae Leighton and Therese Coffey MP for Suffolk Coastal.

Volunteer director of SADCIC, Don Tricker was interviewed by BBC Radio Suffolk to talk about working with Suffolk County Council on a Feasability Study to look at transforming the soon-to-be redundant Saxmundham Middle School into the proposed Saxmundham Community Enterprise Centre for the whole community of Saxmundham and the surrounding parishes.

Following a number of local public meetings and discussions with Suffolk County Council, The Saxmundham & Disctrict Community Interest Company (SADCIC)) has formed a Joint Project Board with Suffolk County Council. This Joint Project Board will now work to produce a Feasability Study for transforming the soon-to-be redundant Saxmundham Middle School into a Community Enterprise Centre, for 2012-2013. In particular the group will be looking at balancing revenue-earninfg commercial uses eg offices and a conference / traing centre subsidising potential community uses eg new enlarged library, community cafe, sports hall, community radio station and assorted meeting rooms.

The possible conference / training centre could also be doubled up to provide an area for civic functions, such an weddings and anniversary parties.Thus the building and facilities would be opened up and developed for all the local community.The Board would also have representation from Suffolk Coastal District Council and Saxmundham Town Council, both of whom have activily encouraged and supported SADCIC.

The inaugural meeting of the Joint Project Board took place on September 16th.and will now meet bi-monthly.

Volunteer director of SADCIC, Robn Potter was invited by BBC Radio Suffolk to join a discussion about supermarkets in Suffolk - and, in particular, the imminent arrival of Tesco in Saxmundham, who will be sited opposite Waitrose who are already here...

Suffolk County Council and The Evening Star sponsor the Stars of Suffolk Awards to find and recognise "people of inspiration, bravery and compassion...shining lights in the lives of others because of their extraordinary achievements."

There were over 200 nominations for the 2010 Stars of Suffolk Awards and the founder director of SADCIC, Don Tricker was one of three finalists in the "Community Group or Champion of the Year" category. This placing was in recognition for volunteered services to the community, which apart from volunteer work as a founder/director of SADCIC also covered being a founder/director of PASTEL and founder of the Brook Farm Residents Association - the largest residents' association in Suffolk.

The Queen's Birthday Honours List awards those who have " gone the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of people around them".Community Voluntary and Local Services make up 43% of the awards.

Lt Colonel Ron Warren, Saxmundham Town councillor and SADCIC director, receives the MBE in recognition for the work he undertakes in the community of Saxmundham.

Following a presentation to, and discussion with, the Saxmundham Town Council, at a special meeting, the council has formally endorsed the plan and the integral Action Plan.And as a measure of their support, a delegation of four councillors (including the council's Chairman), has pledged to work closely with SADCIC to develop the Action Plan and SADCIC's flagship project of a Community Enterprises Centre.

Following the March public meeting, twenty volunteers had come forward to offer their help. Following two meetings in may, the volunteers have been grouped into four working paties:

1.) Steering Group
2.) User Group – negotiate / liase with community and commercial users
3.) Building Design Group – negotiate site options, plan/design building (planning permission, environmental features)
4.) Business group – Business Plan, Grant applications, Contracts

Despite some requests for more sustained publicity, over 100 interested parties managed to pop into the Saxmundham Market Hall, on Saturday morning of March 21 st , to inspect, and discuss, the drawings for the proposed new Community Enterprise Centre for Saxmundham. Local town and county councillors were present, along with local MP John Gummer.

The social enterprise, The Saxmundham & District Community Interest Company (SADCIC), presented its research report, the Saxmundham Community Plan and illustrative architectural drawings of the Community Enterprise Centre. Visitors were interested in the likely sites of the Community Enterprise Centre and seeking reassurance that local taxes weren’t part of the funding requirements. The mood of the day was very buoyant with many “bouquets” for the volunteer directors of SADCIC and the hard work they’ve put in to date. Many commented on the thorough and professional approach taken and the exciting possibilities that were being proposed.

Overall there was widespread support and strong encouragement for the proposal given that many thought that Saxmundham had suffered a loss of amenities and facilities in recent years and a corresponding growth of housing stretching the existing infrastructure. .

The illustrated Community Enterprise Centre could contain a new library with an internet café, a large hall for indoor sports such as basketball, badminton and 5-a-side football which could also double as an entertainment/conference centre seating 400 people, a dedicated youth club base and innovative facilities such as a recording studio and a community radio station, to reflect local wishes.

Calls for another public meeting later in the year to review progress will be taken up by SADCIC and, meanwhile, SADCIC directors invigorated by the enthusiastic public feedback will continue to develop the concept.

SADCIC will now be sitting down with other bodies such as Saxmundham Town Council, Suffolk Coastal District Council and Suffolk County Council to discuss their role in moving the whole Community Plan forward.


As soon as the doors opened local residents filed in to find out more about possible potential improvements to local amenities and facilities.	They were able to see the mass survey results, the newly compiled Saxmundham Community Plan and illustrative drawings of the proposed Community Enterprise Centre	All visitors were encouraged to study the displays and reports, ask questions of the SADCIC (volunteer) directors and write down their comments, queries and suggestions.

Phil Peling, one of the SADCIC volunteer directors explains to Rendham residents how these developments are designed to address the needs of surrounding parishes too.	Thora Taylor, Police Community Support Officer, discusses support for the formation of a new youth group with Town Cllr. Cheleigh Trotter-Langlois, leading the new venture.	Richard Broom (left), the Area Youth Work Manager with Suffolk County Council also discusses the need for more local partnership working on youth issues with John Fisher, Leader of Saxmundham Town Council.

Phil gets a grilling from District Cllr. Marian Andrews and is happy to oblige by explaing the scope of SADCIC's plans and discussing the role for local authorities to join in the partnership to accelerate positive change.	Suffolk County Councillor, Rae Leighton (right) explores the various potential involvements for the County Council to further its support of this exciting local initiative.He requests further information for his fellow councillors.	Local MP,John Gummer, is enthused by the sheer vision and scale of the work of the 6 volunteer SADCIC directors and pledges his whole-hearted support.

During July and August 2008 the volunteer directors of the Saxmundham & District Community Interest Company (SADCIC) organised a mass postal survey of households in Saxmundham and the surrounding area - to help build a picture of local needs and wants, prior to initiating discussions with Suffolk County Council and preparing major funding bids to the Lottery and other funding bodies.

The survey, involving the mailing of over 5,500 questionnaires, covered the parishes of Benhall & Sternfield, Farnham and Stratford St Andrew, Friston, Gt.Glemham, Kelsale cum Carlton, Peasenhall, Rendham, Saxmundham, Sibton, Snape, Sweffling and Yoxford - most of IP17. The mailing took place between June 10th and June 20th.

The SADCIC consultations with residents and local community and voluntary groups, social enterprises, local businesses and other local agencies and bodies has pointed to the possibility of a multi-agency, multi-use "Community Enterprise Centre" being designed and built in 2011-2012.

It was important that as many local people as possible express their feeling by responding to the survey, which included a pre-paid envelope to post back completed questionnaires. These findings formed a key part of the evidence required for the Business Plan (to be completed in the latter half of 2009) and the subsequent funding bids, which will start in 2010. The bidding/funding process is complex in its self and will probably take the best part of a year to process.