County Council votes to explore Suffolk asylum referendum

Suffolk County Council has backed a motion to explore holding a countywide referendum on housing asylum seekers, with 60% of councillors voting in favour. The decision followed a heated debate which exposed sharp divisions over cost, legality and motive.

Live: Suffolk County Council meets to consider asylum housing referendum and A14 resilience motions

Suffolk County Council’s full council meeting begins at 14:00 today at Endeavour House in Ipswich, with councillors due to consider four motions, including a proposed referendum on housing asylum seekers in Suffolk and a call for a costed package of resilience measures for Ipswich and the A14.

Ipswich Market stalls switch sides of the Cornhill

Market stalls in Ipswich town centre have moved a few yards to face Westgate Street and Lloyds Avenue - and have a fresh blue-and-white striped look.

New facility tackles gap in eating disorder aftercare

Bramacare has opened a new facility on Princes Street designed to bridge specialist eating disorder treatment and independent living, offering residents their own space alongside ongoing therapeutic and dietetic support.

Weeds, broken glass and a legal power left on the shelf

Ipswich Borough Council has the legal powers to force owners to clean up neglected buildings in our town, but it hasn't used them on a single commercial property in at least five years. Ipswich.co.uk asks why.

West Ipswich smoking rate double the county average

Stoptober is well underway, and Feel Good Suffolk is urging Ipswich smokers to use its free services to quit smoking this month, as figures show the smoking rate in West Ipswich is double the Suffolk average.

Suffolk delays crunch devolution decision by a month

Suffolk County Council has pushed back its make-or-break vote on devolution from 15 October to 12 November, after "rumours" that ministers may bring the date of mayoral elections forward one year.

Can Ipswich cope with 7,500 new homes?

Ipswich is entering one of its biggest periods of physical change in decades, with developers pressing ahead on thousands of new homes around the town. The real test over the next decade may be whether roads, schools and GP surgeries can keep up.

Police appeal for witnesses after cyclist in his 70s seriously injured on Felixstowe Road

Police are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a cyclist in his 70s suffered potentially life-threatening injuries in a collision with a car on the outskirts of Ipswich.

Ipswich to 'follow the stars' with new Christmas lights

Ipswich's Christmas lights will be switched on from the Cornhill on Sunday, 15 November, as Ipswich Central launches its 2026 festive campaign, Follow the Stars.

Thirteen minutes from tragedy

A mother needs an emergency C-section, immediately. When the lifts serving Ipswich Hospital's maternity block aren't working – which, according to midwives, they often aren't – it could take 13 minutes to carry her to theatre. It could be too late. Ipswich.co.uk investigates.

Can Andy Burnham really end rough sleeping in Ipswich by Christmas?

The Prime Minister's £442m pledge to clear England's streets by 24 December is being put to the test in Ipswich, where one local charity's outreach team found 11 people sleeping rough on a single morning in late September.

Ipswich paedophile jailed for 12 years over online abuse

A man who posed as a schoolgirl online to groom young boys has been handed an extended 12-year sentence at Ipswich Crown Court, after admitting 28 offences.

Pride in Place fund recipients announced for Ipswich

Twenty-five community organisations, charities and local groups across Ipswich are set to share £1.5m after Ipswich Borough Council allocated grants through the Government's Pride in Place Impact Fund.

New nature-themed play area opens at Ellenbrook Park

A new bug and nature-inspired play area opened at Ellenbrook Park, with eight new pieces of equipment for children aged two to 10.

Buttermarket reopens after glass panel closure

The Buttermarket has reopened from 15:00 today, Friday, 2 October, after a tempered glass panel failure in the north mall forced the shopping centre to shut on Tuesday, 22 September 2026.

Inside 4YP's new Waterfront hub for young people

Private counselling rooms, a café, an arcade machine and a cosy snug are among the features of 4YP's new home at Regatta Quay, which supports children and young people aged seven to 25.

Brave young performers steal the show at Ipswich hospice hoedown

Children receiving care at The Treehouse in Ipswich took centre stage at a western-themed evening of music and laughter, with organisers saying their performances "stole the show."

Suffolk woman raises £4k for Breast Cancer Now just months after her diagnosis

A 26-year-old from Freston has raised more than £4,000 for Breast Cancer Now by organising a rounders fun day just months after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

Businesses urged to sign up for Suffolk skills fair

With 45 businesses already on board, organisers of the FutureSkills Fair are appealing for more local companies to join them in front of over 3,000 young people on 22 October.

Council's reorganisation legal challenge process to be scrutinised

Suffolk County Council’s Scrutiny Committee will examine how the authority decided to take the Government to court over reorganisation. The Chair’s casting vote sent just one question to a cross-party task and finish group, which will take place in February.

Wolsey 550 gets new chair as focus turns to Wolsey's Gate

Professor Jenny Higham, vice chancellor of the University of Suffolk, has taken over as chair of the Wolsey 550 project from former East Anglian Daily Times editor Terry Hunt as it prepares for its second phase.

Just five people a year fined for littering in Ipswich

Data obtained by Ipswich.co.uk reveals that fewer than 20 littering fines have been issued in Ipswich in any of the past six years. The council insists it has not stopped enforcing, but its own evidence suggests it never started.

Ipswich to host first-ever Speedway Grand Prix in 2027

Foxhall Stadium will stage two nights of FIM Speedway World Championship action next August, as Ipswich Witches confirm the biggest event in the club's 75-year history.