In May 2011 Norfolk County Council was successful in its bid to secure Government funding to help provide improved broadband speeds and access across Norfolk. The Council wants to keep people informed and updated about the project and the work that is underway to provide better broadband services in the County. This is particularly important for the many small villages in the Clavering Division. Many small businesses are run from rural areas, farmers are getting more information from the internet and using it for their business, single traders can work from home in our villages much more easily if the broadband service is speeded up. Lastly, many villages across Norfolk lack even a basic broadband service.

So, the County Council has launched a “Say YES to Better Broadband” campaign, which means you can register your interest in receiving the broadband services provided by the Better Broadband for Norfolk Project.

When you register there is no obligation to buy a broadband service – you will simply be helping to demonstrate to potential private sector partners that demand for better broadband exists.

HOW DO I REGISTER MY INTEREST? 

In the villages of the Clavering Division, you can fill in a form on the internet, there is one for businesses and one for residents, the online website is to be found at www.norfolk.gov.uk/sayyesnorfolk,  where you can also find out a lot more information about the campaign.

The County Council Mineral Extraction Plans are moving forward towards final agreement and submission to the Secretary of State. However, as residents of Haddiscoe will know, the current planning application for approval of the Haddiscoe Pit will be considered by the Planning Committee before the Plan is adopted by all parties. At a recent Cabinet meeting the following was reported to Cabinet:-

The apportionment figures in Policy CS1 run for 17 years from the beginning of 2010 until the end of 2026, but as the sand and gravel landbank as at 31/12/2010 is now known, the apportionment figure can be updated to take this into account. In addition, there have been several new planning permissions granted, and the expiration of two planning permissions. As a result, the total minimum sand and gravel to be allocated is 27,305,000 tonnes, covering the years 2011-2026.

The Pre-submission Minerals Site Specific Allocations DPD (Appendix 3) allocates 26 sites for sand and gravel extraction, totalling approximately 27,700,000 tonnes. Whilst it is acknowledged that this is a slight ‘over-allocation’ of about 395,000 tonnes, this is equivalent to less than two months’ expected extraction. In addition there is the safeguard in Policy CS1 of a sand and gravel landbank ceiling of 10 years’ supply (25,700,000 tonnes), so there is no question of an excessive number of quarries being permitted and able to operate at any one time.

There are six sites proposed for allocation in the DPD, within South Norfolk, These six do not include Haddiscoe!

Recently Glebeland School had a visit from the OFSTED Inspectors, their report will be available shortly, you may view it through the Ofsted Website, go to http:www.ofsted.gov.uk/school/for-school-inspection-report.

As we move into the new year it is right that we reflect on the delivery achievements of  the council in this period of financial difficulty. It is by no means a sad story, and I am proud to be associated with much of list below.

During the financial year 2011/12 the Council has secured savings of some £60,000,000. We are undergoing an incredible transformation of services, with about 111 change programmes underway. In April last year we did not increase our share of the Council Tax, we will not be increasing it this year 2012, and are not proposing to increase it in 2013. Three years running without any increase in the County Council’s share of the Council Tax.

Even with all of this money being saved we have found our selves able to invest £58 million of Capital Grants into Norfolk’s economy.

We have been successful in our Broadband bid, one of the first councils to be successful, and our £15 million has been matched by central Government. In due course this should lead to 99% of the County having a much faster broadband service.

We led a successful “Make it Marham” campaign, to keep the RAF with an active base in the County.

We have been successful in attracting a grant of £89.5 million towards the cost of the Northern Distributor Road, making journeys easier for commuters and commercial companies.

We have invested £10 million into new fire appliances, some lighter weight four wheel drive vehicles, which will be of considerable help in accessing rural and farm fires. We now have some of the best fire appliances in the country.

Unlike many other County Councils, we in Norfolk have been closed or were even threatened with closure.

So far we have collected over 14,000 signatures for our Fair Fares Campaign, a campaign that has been adopted by several other Counties. This campaign, if successful, will mean that we will not have to fund the “Bus Pass” for the over 60′s from Council Tax income. If you have not heard of this campaign, look it up on the NCC web site and sign the petition please.

The final part of the A11 is to be duelled, work has already started on site, in no small part the 16,000 signatures on our petition helped.

With all of this success last year we start 2012 with some innovative ideas to support our young people and provide extra funding for highway repairs. We will continue our positive endeavours for the residents of Norfolk, and this Administration will never be afraid to “Do Different”.

Very best wishes to all of the residents of the Clavering Division of Norfolk from me, your County Councillor.

 

To the residents of Haddiscoe and all those who love living in the countryside, Good Morning, I hope you enjoyed your Christmas. Today is Boxing Day, an appropriate day you may think for writing this Blog Post, not that I’m looking for a fight but there may be one facing us later this year.

Everyone in the village should be aware of my own feelings about the Pit proposals, I have ruled myself out of any possibility of sitting on the Planning Committee by publicly stating my opposition to the proposals now to go before the Planning Committee. Norfolk County Council recently consulted on a future waste and mineral strategy. This has not formally been accepted at this stage by the County Council but every intermediate stage we have gone through recommends that this site should not be considered acceptable. to me this indicates that there will not be an officer recommendation. However, we should remain vigilant and do all that we can to make sure this is not approved.

The STOPIT campaign has written, as have many of the residents of the village, to the County Council indicating their opposition to the planning application. I do not know when this will come before the Committee, except to say that it will not be on the agenda for the next meeting on January 6th, the dates of the next two meetings are February 10th and March 2nd. I will post the information on this Blog as soon as I know the agenda.

 

There are rules for speaking at the County Council Planning meetings, briefly they are as follows. it is essential that you give written notice of your intention to speak. This should be addressed to Head of Democratic Services, Norfolk County Council, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH. There is limited speaking time allowed for members of the public, A total of 15 minutes is provided for objectors, in exceptional circumstances the Chairman can use their discretion to allow more time. This is followed by District and/or Parish Council representatives. and those from any other public body. The County Councillor representing the Division speaks last, he/she is allowed 5 minutes, please be assured it is my intention to use up all of my allowed speaking time. 5 minutes is allowed for each group, so it is extremely helpful to nominate one person from each group to speak on your behalf.

Myself and District Councillor William Kemp

Cabinet has agreed to the implementation of a new approach to day services for older people and disabled people based on the introduction of Self Directed Support through Personal Budgets.

Personal Budgets give people who are eligible for social services more choice and flexibility over the care they receive. The future of Day Services will be largely determined by the people who decide to use them through a personal budget. If there is enough demand to sustain a day service there will be the opportunity for it to continue in a similar form, provided by the staff themselves, the voluntary sector, or the independent sector.

It is proposed to roll out Personal Budgets to all people using day services between September and December 2011, ensuring that everybody receives a support plan, and a choice of either a direct cash payment or a managed care service arranged on their behalf. In every case the County Council Social Services department will take steps to ensure that people’s interests are safeguarded and protected. The CC will work with local user-led and voluntary groups to roll out this new initiative.

If you require any additional information about this new service, please contact me in the usual way.

The latest stage of the consultation has now been released and comments should be returned to the County Council by 1st August. Late responses will not be accepted. In my division (Clavering) there have not been any changes since the last issue for consultation; and I am not expecting any this time.

The only extraction pits that are likely to be approved are the existing quarries in Heckingham and Norton Subcourse, these two quarries did not receive any objections from the respective Parish Councils.

At the County Council Cabinet Meeting on Monday April 4th 2011 the Cabinet will consider the conclusions on the future minerals and waste sites for the county.

In the Clavering Division there are some changed conclusions which readers may be interested in.

These are:-

1.  MIN 7 & WAS 27 (Earsham). This site was previously concluded as being acceptable. However, on a further review, it is now concluded that landscape, amenity and geodiversity are such that the site should not be allocated.

2.  WAS 35 ( Aldeby and Burgh St Peter).  This site, the current landfill, was previously regarded as acceptable only for composting on a temporary basis. However, due to the short remaining lifetime of the landfill (filling must end in 2012), it is now concluded that the site should not be allocated for any waste uses.

3.  WAS 28 (Haddiscoe). This site is also proposed for Mineral Extraction ( MIN 25); and this is still being promoted by a developer, (notwithstanding that it remains unacceptable for allocation on a range of grounds). The potential waste uses (inert waste recycling and inert landfill) have now been withdrawn from consideration by the site promoter.

All of the other sites in the Clavering Division remain unchanged since 2009.

Really good news this week, that the Engineering Centre has won an award at the LGC 2011 Awards held at London’s Grosvenor Hotel in the Economic development and Regeneration category. This is especially good news for me as I was responsible for getting this project up and running in 2004, when I was Cabinet Member for Economic Development. This year I was delighted to be asked to open 10 new units at the Centre in my capacity as Chairman of Norfolk County Council. Very happy to share this good news with everyone.

It is some months since I updated this Blog with current information. I have used my busy life as Chairman of the County Council as my excuse. But, residents are entitled to know what 2011 holds for all of us. We (the County Council) have engaged in “The Big Conversation”. This was a consultation exercise to find out where, you, the residents, would prefer not to see the inevitable cuts that we face due to the recession. We were overwhelmed by the responses, which resulted in over 130 separate proposals.

Over 9,000 people responded to the consultation. Many of these people responded on behalf of others whom they represebtated.  For example, responses were received from College Principals who represent thousands of Norfolk students, and from District Council Leaders who represent then of thousands of Norfolk residents in both urban and rural areas.   The Councty Council is very grateful to all those who have responded, either as individuals or on behalf of individuals, as a truly representative response from Norfolk as a whole has been achieved.

And Conservatives on the County Council have listened!  We are greatly concerned with the lack of public interest in politics, so our Big Conversation was designed to re-engage with the public, and to genuinely represent their concerns and wishes.

That is why Conservatives are delighted to announce a number of changes to our original proposals due to the sheer weight of public opinion.  And we have not cut other services in their place.

• The budget proposal to change the eligibility criteria for individuals needing care will now not be changed, as this single proposal received more responses than any other.
• Instead of withdrawing all funding from sensory support services.  Conservatives have found efficiencies which allow us to continue providing support to deaf and blind people
• Preventative Services will now be funded as they save money that would otherwise be spent further down the line.
• Instead of withdrawing the subsidy for post-16 college students.  Conservatives have negotiated with college principles and agreed to share the cost so that the skills of young people can be fully developed.
• School crossing patrols will continue as they currently do.

There are also a series of other changes.  Again, since the Big Conversation was started back in October,  Conservatives have worked ttirelessluy to uncover further efficiencies in back office functions so that each of the proposals we have saved will NOT result in another frontline service being cut.  And remember, we did not even consult on issues like closing libraries for example, knowing full well that the people of Norfolk would never accept such a proposal.  Up and down the country library closures are being proposed, but in Norfolk not a single closure will occur.

Just because the Big Conversation has now finished (due to the necessity of agreeing a budget) does not mean that your Conservative County Councillor will stop listening.  The Big Conversation marks the beginning of the process to bring local government back to the people, where it belongs.  As your representative for Clavering I welcome your comments, feedback and ideas that your can give me.