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Lee Walker appointed CEO of Ipswich Central

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Attwells Solicitors

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Ipswich Central has announced the appointment of Lee Walker as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective 1 July 2024.

Walker, an Ipswich resident, brings a decade of experience in the place-making industry to his new role and plans to enhance the town's safety and community pride.

Photo of Lee Walker
Lee Walker was appointed as CEO of Ipswich Central on 01 July, 2024Ipswich Central

Walker joins Ipswich Central  following his tenure as Director of The Nottingham Project, where he collaborated with renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick on the Broad Marsh redevelopment, the largest city centre development space in Europe.

Ipswich Central hopes his background in harnessing culture and creativity for urban regeneration will give the BID a fresh perspective.

“I am proud to be from Ipswich and to call it home,” Walker stated. “It’s a home for me and my family but also home to an amazing community and businesses that range from small independents to a Premier League football team. I want to play a part in making sure that we seize the opportunity to shout loudly and proudly about Ipswich to the global audience we now have and celebrate everything that is great about our town.”

Walker emphasised his commitment to increasing the town’s cleanliness and safety, highlighting the implementation of a dedicated on-street security presence to enhance the town’s appeal to visitors. He also stressed the importance of a vibrant cultural, creative, and heritage sector, referencing the successful Thomas Wolsey 550 project as a foundation for future initiatives.

Terry Baxter, Chair of Ipswich Central, expressed confidence in Walker's appointment: “Following a rigorous search and recruitment process, I am delighted that Lee is joining us. With the recent high-profile success of our football team and the strong work delivered through the Wolsey 550 project, we are keen that the town looks and feels a safe place. We want to play our part in this, which is why we are committing additional resources straight to the front line of the town.”

You can find more information about Ipswich Central and its initiatives here .

Attwells staff outside their Ipswich office

An award-winning local law firm

Rated as "Excellent" on Review Solicitors with an impressive 4.8/5 on Feefo.

Attwells staff outside their Ipswich office

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Farage more trusted than Starmer in East of England, latest poll finds

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Attwells Solicitors

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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is more trusted to represent the UK internationally than PM Keir Starmer among East of England voters, new polling reveals.

Why it matters: The findings highlight a significant decline in trust for the main party leaders in the region less than a year after the general election.

The poll, conducted by communications agency PLMR and Electoral Calculus, shows Farage ranked highest among named leaders at 19% in the East of England, ahead of Sir Keir Starmer (13%), Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch (6%) and Liberal Democrat Leader Sir Ed Davey (5%).

Nigel Farage
Nigel FarageAlamy

The bigger picture: One in three voters (33%) in the region responded "none of the above" when asked which political figure they would trust most, suggesting a broader decline in overall trust in UK political leaders.

By the numbers: The same poll indicates Reform UK would become the largest party in the region if an election were held tomorrow:

  • Reform: 21 seats

  • Conservatives: 10 seats

  • Labour: 4 seats

  • Liberal Democrats: 2 seats

  • Greens: 1 seat

In contrast: Nationally, Farage and Starmer are tied at 16% among those who named a preference, highlighting a more polarised national picture, with the Reform UK leader building more trust with voters in the East of England specifically.

What they're saying: "This polling highlights a significant decline in trust for the two main party leaders among East of England voters when it comes to representing the UK on the international stage," said Tim Miller , Managing Director of PLMR Genesis , the East of England branch of PLMR.

Reform and Nigel Farage have seemingly been able to capitalise on this and it's now translating into voting intentions, with the Party set to overtake Labour and the Conservatives in the region with the largest number of seats – a seismic political shift.

Between the lines: The poll suggests Reform would make strong gains across the region, potentially taking seats from both major parties:

  • Suffolk: Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket from Labour

  • Essex: Braintree from the Conservatives and Thurrock from Labour

  • Cambridgeshire: North East from the Conservatives and North West from Labour

  • Norfolk: North West from the Conservatives and South West from Labour

Tim Miller on a backdrop of Ipswich from above and political party colour overlays
Tim Miller of PLMR GenesisOliver Rouane-WilliamsIpswich.co.uk

The national outlook: The survey of 5,180 adults showed Reform securing 25% of the vote share nationally, compared to 23% each for Labour and the Conservatives. This would translate to 227 seats for Reform, 180 for Labour and 130 for the Conservatives.

The bottom line: "If Labour wants to keep Reform at bay, hold onto the gains they made in the East of England and remain in government in four year's time, the Party needs to focus on getting their message across more clearly to voters and instil confidence in their domestic agenda," Miller concluded.

Attwells staff outside their Ipswich office

An award-winning local law firm

Rated as "Excellent" on Review Solicitors with an impressive 4.8/5 on Feefo.

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