This year the chosen charities are EACH (East Anglian children’s Hospice) and the Diss First Responders of the Eastern England Ambulance Trust.

This is a ticketed event, but at £5 each which includes a glass of wine and snacks, I can’t think that you could find better value entertainment!

In addition there will be lots of fabulous items to bid for including a round of golf with ME, at Diss Golf Club.

Another which has most generously donated by the Lord-Lieutenant of Norfolk is a 150cl bottle of a well-regarded French red wine Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Reserve de la Comtesse, 1994.

I understand that Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande is a famous second-growth and this should make an excellent bid too!

Tickets are available from the Town Council Office. Gazes have kindly agreed to be auctioneers. Bids are also accepted by email or I suppose even by phone on the night if REALLY keen.

7.for 7.30 at the Corn Hall in Diss.  Look at the Mayors Charity Website for further information about the lots on offer……

Norfolk County Council will have to save money.  Mainly this will be done by sharing services.  For instance why have two members of staff working half a day each doing similar work when one member of staff working a whole day will cost less.  Do we need different buildings for the Fire station, Police station, Ambulance station etc and why not have a library in your local school?  A job club in the Job Centre?!  Should schools/parents (or the general taxpayer) pay for the Crossing Patrol staff?

Goodness only knows why the back office organisation was not simplified as we went along but it wasnt and has now become very complicated and therefore expensive to run.  The upshot is that we no longer have the money to carry on as before.

Business Rates (Non Domestic Rates) are levied by Central Government but collected on their behalf by the local authority. Quoting the text promoted by NCC……

QUOTE:                  How much of a burden on Norfolk’s businesses is the current system of business rates?

That is the question that Norfolk County Councillors want local businesses to help answer at a Business Rates summit being held at County Hall, Norwich, on Tuesday 14 January (10am, Council Chamber).

The meeting is a special session of the council’s Environment, Transport and Development Overview and Scrutiny Panel, and Panel Chairman Bev Spratt said it was important that members heard from businesses and representative organisations.

“Many businesses, especially smaller ones, have struggled over the last five years after the credit crunch and during the recession. Keeping costs low has been critical, but during that time business rates have risen by over 22%. It’s not surprising that it’s become a big issue for business, especially for shops who are facing increasing competition from online shopping.

“Businesses do have to contribute to the services that they and the wider community rely upon, but the questions are whether the business rates are the right way to do it, and if the business rate relief on offer is properly targeted. A number of organisations have already confirmed attendance at the January meeting, and I hope that individual businesses will also register to attend, so that Panel members can hear from people who are on the receiving end of business rate bills.”

Anyone wishing to attend should register their interest by emailing Keith Cogdell, scrutiny support manager, at keith.cogdell@norfolk.gov.uk. There is limited parking available at County Hall, which will be allocated on a first come first served basis.  : UNQUOTE

Typically, not enough people will have registered I suspect, so despite being a late advice from me – if you’ve picked it up I’m sure you will get in in if you wish to.   NCC have a statutory duty to consult with local business but often it seems to me that this is not wide enough, e.g. it mught just be an advert in the local papers, so it is good a public meeting has been arranged this year.

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•Ensure your events in 2014 are a success

Lucy Kaynes photos

‘On The Eve Of’ is a year-long photographic project, focusing on objects which people discard. Photographing outside at night at TW Gaze auction rooms in Diss, Lucy has gone in search of everyday items which await a new life. These photographs are devoid of human life or activity, yet Lucy aims to bring a sense of humanity to each object, as if they are sitting there calmly and patiently in the dark, while the town sleeps, waiting for their new lives to begin.

The exhibition is accompanied by work from two poets – Laura Fernandez-Kayne and Sheila Smith, who have written in response to the photographs, adding extra depth to the work and bringing personal viewpoints to the exhibition.

The work aims to be introspective and reflective, looking at ways in which we emotionally attach ourselves to inanimate objects, and how one person’s junk is another’s treasure.

The exhibition is being held at the Corn Hall Gallery, St Nicholas Street, Diss, from 4th – 28th February. There is an evening viewing event on 5th February, from 6.30-7.45pm, at which you can view the work and meet Lucy in person.

I’m sure it will prove a success.

Diss Lights 30th Nov 2013 Poster

Use it or lose it! Your opportunity to stay active and happy in our Healthy Town

Earlier today I was asked by someone what had happened to the poppy sellers……”we used to have someone come to the door every year”…….I suggested it might be that there are less volunteers to do that work nowadays. The retort was that the word “volunteer” was not in their personal lexicon, however, they did know that “one volunteer is better than three pressed men”. I’ve not heard that saying before, but rather good I thought.

For most of my time on the Authority, Norfolk has been the safest county in the country, that is true again this year.

The results achieved this year, some of which are highlighted below, ensure that Norfolk remains amongst the highest performing Constabulary.

• Priority Crime down by 8% (or 932 fewer offences than last year
• 20% reduction in Burglary Dwelling (or 367 fewer offences than last year)
• 11% reduction in Robbery ( or 25 fewer offences than last year)
• 12% reduction in Vehicle Theft (or 384 fewer offences than last year)
• 30% reduction in ASB.

In addition the Home Office measure shows Norfolk has the lowest crime rate per 1,000 population in  the country. The County also has the sixth highest detection rate in the country.

2,223 priority crimes were reported in the fourth quarter of 2011/12, this represents an 18.4% (500 crimes) reduction from the same period last year.

Norfolk Police Motorcyclist

RAF Marham, Return from Afghanistan

During the latter part of the year a Local Enterprise Partnership was established between Norfolk and Suffolk. This LEP is designed to assist in the economic prosperity of both Counties. We need to look forward with confidence to a reversal of the current economic doldrums and this LEP is designed to assist. The Economic Development Department is our local contact with  the LEP, and if anyone has any proposals that they wish to have considered, please let me know and I will do my best to point them in the right direction.

Recently I have been assisting a working group which has been looking at the problems experienced by Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SME) in obtaining loan capital. This has been a very interesting exercise and has help me to learn of some of the current problems faced by SME’s. We have interviewed banks, and other lenders to business as well as talking to some of our SME’s. The final report on this work is likely to be published in early June, and I hope it will assist business start-ups and small rural businesses in need of loan capital.

The County Fire Service has been fortunate in obtaining a grant of £10 million, for the purchase of some new fire appliances. The new appliances are to be four wheel drive machines and are primarily intended for rural areas such as ours. They will be very useful in attending remote farm locations to deal with machinery fires and other emergencies on our farms.

£190,000 has been allocated into our road`safety work, this money is for investment in road safety speed activated signs.  I can think of several locations in the Clavering Division which would benefit from this type of equipment. If you feel it would benefit your village please contact the Road Safety Team at County Hall.

In my annual report I mention the Military Covenant that we have signed with the Armed Forces, I should also have told you of the success of the “Make it Marham” campaign that we ran in the beginning of last year. But, believe me we are not complacent about that success, we know that we need to get on with the next campaign for Marham, which is to persuade the Government that Marham is the right place to locate the new Joint Strike Aircraft. The County is very appreciative of the contribution that Marham makes to a wider economy.

I think that completes a report on my own activities on your behalf, but it does not mention the work that I have been doing with the Police Authority. Please see my next Blog.

My year as Chairman of  the County Council came to an end about 12 months ago, it seems like five minutes. On my return to day-to-day work as a councillor, I have been appointed to two Overview and Scrutiny Panels; Childrens’ Services and Corporate Resources.

In general terms, this must be one of the best years for the County Council (CC) since I first became a member in 2001. At the start of this four-year term it was clear that we would have to save a considerable amount of money. The economic situation in the country was dire and that reflected right down to local authorities. The Council set about looking for efficiencies, and with a business which produces nothing if is clear that efficiencies meant reducing our labour force and cutting out bureaucracy. In including schools the CC employs about 27,000 full time equivalent posts. Nobody can enjoy making people redundant, but there was no alternative if Council Tax were not to increase year on year.

Last year we reduced our expenditure by some £60 million; this is on top of the £44 million savings last year, last year April 2011) and this year (April 2012) we have not increased our share of the Council Tax you pay. We have streamlined services, obtained grants from central Government and kept our Council Tax promise; and I can confirm that we are on track for another year on no Council Tax increase next year (April 2013) and hopefully the year after that, however, that is not a promise at present.

I will quote from the application.

Under 2. Constraints
2.1 The site has no specific allocation within the King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Core Strategy proposals map (South area). The Norfolk Minerals and Waste LDF Specific Allocations DPD Revised Issues and Options Report (May 2011) does not identify the site as one of those likely to be allocated for additional minerals extraction. The site is within the Breckland Forest Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) and the Breclland Special Protection Area (SPA).
The Officer’s Recommendation started with these words:-
It is recommended that the Director of Environment, Transport and Development be authorised to refuse planning permission for the following reason;

“In the opinion of the County Planning Authority, there are more appropriate potential sand and gravel sites available to meet the County’s needs (as have been identified through the pre-submission stage of the Norfolk Minerals and Site Specific Allocations Development Plan Document)……………..”

Everyone must get behind the work of “Stopit” to get the application for a Gravel Extraction Site at Haddiscoe refused.
As soon as I am aware of the hearing dates I will let you all know.

• £3.5 million investment in road maintenance to allow in  the region of 100km more of Norfolk’s roads to be surface treated next year. This sum will boost both the road suface dressing and resurfacing programmes – and help reduce the number of potholes suffered by motorists.
• £5.4 million to provide an extra 40 places for “looked after’ Children in Norfolk, so only those for whom it is in their best interests will have to live outside of the county, and provide additional support for children and young people at risk of coming into care.
• £3.0 million to provide apprenticeships for young people who are struggling to get a foot on the employment ladder.
• £0.5 million to support work placements for young people, to help break the cycle of no-experience, no job.
• £0.51 million for 24/7 free travel for eligible blind pass holders and free travel for companion pass holders.
• £0.51 million saving from increased County Farm rental income, to support the above.
• £0.123 million for public rights of way. Last year we reduced spending on public rights of way, and introduced a new approach which focuses on Norfolk Trails and enforcement. Recognising the vital role that public rights of way have to play in tourism, recreation and mobility for Norfolk, we do not propose to go forward with the planned saving, instead use the funding to support our strategy and enhance our work with landowners.

There is to be additional money for libraries, money to support the changes that were agreed last year for the day care of older people. We are determined that Norfolk will continue to be a leading Council for the care of all of our citizens from the youngest, the most vulnerable, to the eldest and help them to stay independent for longer.

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 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!

I would like to thank all those residents who have shared their thoughts with me about the proposals above, I have now received about 100 letters and these will go with me to the Planning Meeting when this site comes before the Committee. MANY THANKS.

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.

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

            When the Channel Tunnel was first mooted I remember the experts telling us that we should be able to get on a train in Norwich or Birmingham or Bristol and get off in Bologna or Barcelona or Berlin and although I’ve made a trip on Eurostar to Brussels, the pleasures of long distance rail travel are not at the top of my list. Nevertheless I have done a bit of research and what comes across is the relative cheapness of continental rail travel. For example: London to Rome or Florence or Venice is £111 return as is London to Athens. You can get high-speed access to Zurich for £95 return or London to Nice or Marseille for £87 return. And these are fairly standard advanced booking charges. C-Red would approve I think.

The trouble is even if I add in my carbon offset charge I can still fly to Cyprus using Easyjet for about £150 return in July: and I wouldn’t have to think about changing stations in London and Paris or feeding myself en route.

Oh dear, Where are Easytrain or Ryanrail when you want them?

C-Red is at http://www.cred-uk.org/

Although January is supposed to be the most depressing month in the year what with dark evenings, drizzle, high levels of debt, relationship breakdown and TV programmes showing what we watched in the 1950s (how depressing can that be!), It does presage February. By this time the bank has been sorted (hopefully), your spouse is talking to you again and it could be snowing soon. I don’t know why but white fields and lanes look good, at least for a short time. Of course, if your lane or road hasn’t been gritted then it’s a different matter. Still things are usually on the up.

I know that if I’ve managed to set off to County Hall in good time I can stop at Caister Roman Fort and have a stroll along the ancient walls. The view across the valley can be magical and some of the different meander patterns give a lift to the spirit.

However, time for bed.

Just to kick off – a little bit about me and my life – inside and outside of politics.

It helps a lot to live in my Division as I experience at first hand the pluses and minuses of life in a very rural part of Norfolk. I don’t have one of the major market towns but the adjoining large villages of Melton Constable and Briston (where I live) are large and ear-marked for growth in the Local Development framework. Holt and Fakenham aren’t far away but both needs either public transport or my aged little car to get me there.

I live with my daughter and four grandchildren – as of June this year – and suddenly the issue of the bus network and the performance of schools has real relevance for me. I already knew, through discussions with the Parish Councils, about the difficulties that families face in getting their older teenagers to school and college, but there’s nothing quite like real experience. My purse is raided for change most morning – bus fares and lunch money usually – and it’s amazing how much it’s depleted in a week.

I also have real experience at the other end of the age spectrum as my 83 year old mother lives nearby and needs additional support to enable her to continue to live her independent life – of great importance to her!

My particular roles on the Council – apart from representing my electorate – are as Liberal Democrat Spokesman on Adult Social Services and on the Health Scrutiny and Overview Committee. I was also lucky (I think!!) to be elected as Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group at County Hall. This last took me to Westminster to make representations to Ministers about the Unitary issues for Norfolk.

Well – my purse is under attack now so I must go – do get in contact – I need to know that somebody out there reads these things!!!

So there is no truth in the rumour that Councillors are immune to slings and arrows – far from it. However, I’m cautiously optimistic today and will try to update you, gentle reader, on what I have managed so far this year.

On the 2nd January, I staggered in to County Hall and had a meeting with staff who are involved in a major up-grade of care provision for the elderly residents of the County. As I felt about 110, the subject was very close to my heart. I also had a meeting with the Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Paul Morse who, like me, has been fighting off the ‘flu. Our meeting had an element of the “halt and the lame” about it but we soldiered on and made good preparations for the Health Overview and Scrutiny meeting to be held on the 10th.

I’m afraid I succumbed for a while, and had to cancel several meetings, including some Parish Council meetings for which I have to apologise.

The Health Scrutiny meeting was a full agenda and covered a range of subjects, including bed blocking at the N&N hospital, access to NHS Dentists and mental health services for the elderly population. Papers giving more details on this are available on Norfolk County Council’s website. It’s good to have a forum in which senior managers from the NHS come along to talk to the Council about changes to their service in Norfolk.

Next week is also a full week and I will report to you all about the meetings I get involved in.

Best wishes