27 February 2020
North Norfolk Light Railway
The plans put forward to link north Norfolk's towns and villages via a £500 million light rail system running from Peterborough to Great Yarmouth are an interesting idea.
There is a massive opportunity for fast, transformational, private sector financed connectivity across places like East Anglia.
Government doesn’t have to fund it. It just has to enable it.
You can find out more about the proposals in the EDP article here.
25 February 2020
The High Street is the beating heart of our local market towns and, in light of the increasing challenges they face from supermarkets and online shopping, it’s important that we do everything we can to ensure their long-term prosperity. Not only do they bring vital employment and revenue, but they are key meeting places for the local community.
That’s why I am pleased to see that energy is being put into looking at the current situation affecting parking in Attleborough. Being able to park in the town has become a growing source of concern for many shoppers and local businesses, and a consultation has now been launched to seek the public’s views on a set of proposals.
If you are a local resident or business, then do have your say on the proposals to ensure that your views are considered as part of the consultation.
You can view details of the proposals in the EDP here.
12 February 2020
New Buckenham Neighbourhood Plan
Rural constituencies such as Mid Norfolk are facing unprecedented pressure from aggressive ‘out of town’ developers intent on using the Five Year Land Supply Rule (which was designed to prevent ‘Nimby’ Councils from ignoring the housing requirements in their own Local Plans) to railroad inappropriate development through – against the wishes of the local councils and communities. As we know, so often these unsustainable developments are to the detriment of local infrastructure and services, and the people who depend upon them.
That’s why I have long had an interest in this matter – raising it regularly in Parliament and supporting our towns and villages as they look to put together Neighbourhood Plans. Communities that have such Plans have a stronger voice in determining how they develop over the next two decades and I have worked with the likes of Attleborough, Dereham, Watton, Yaxham, Saham Toney, Swanton Morley and Mattishall as they work on theirs.
The consultation for the New Buckenham Neighbourhood Plan comes to an end THIS Friday (14th February), so if you are resident in New Buckenham, please make sure you make your views heard.
A Neighbourhood Plan is only as good as the content of it. To make sure it accurately reflects the views of the local community, it must contain the comments and suggestions of those that live there.
To have your say, please visit the Neighbourhood Plan for New Buckenham website here.
11 February 2020
East Anglia Infrastructure
It isn’t just the North that needs levelling-up. Marginalised areas of rural and coastal poverty in the East need investment too. To achieve this, the East will need to speak with one voice.
That’s why, following last week’s highly productive East Anglian Infrastructure Summit in Westminster (see more here), I was delighted to join fellow Norfolk parliamentary colleagues in meeting with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sajid Javid, ahead of the forthcoming Budget on March 11th.
Together, we discussed with the Chancellor our region’s infrastructure priorities – emphasising the huge economic benefits that could be generated if these priorities are delivered. We have since written a joint letter to him to reiterate those points and, rest assured, I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that Norfolk’s voice is heard.
To learn more about our meeting with the Chancellor, as well as our subsequent letter, please do have a look at the recent EDP article here.
11 February 2020
Everyone deserves the opportunity to get on and thrive in the world of work – especially our youngsters as they look to step out of education and into employment.
That’s why I have always been so keen to support initiatives that look to bring local businesses and the community together to give our youngsters the chance to explore the opportunities available to them.
Apprenticeships are one such avenue for our youngsters when they are leaving school – but one that is so often overlooked! In our part of the world, there are a wealth of employers (at businesses and organisations small, medium and large) with an interest in recruiting local youngsters to their ranks. However, many of our youngsters know nothing about them!
Litcham School are looking to change that.
On Wednesday 26th February between 6-8pm, they are welcoming students from all year groups to an event at which they can talk to employers and training providers from our region – including Palm Paper, Cranswick Foods, RAF, NHS, Norfolk County Council and many others.
The school would like to involve even more local employers though – and are encouraging any in the region to get in touch to discuss becoming involved. If you are interested, please contact the school via email at office@litcham.norfolk.sch.uk (putting ‘Apprenticeship Event’ in the subject) or via telephone at 01328 701265.
Whether you are a one man band looking to take on and train up a second pair of hands or an enterprise of 50-100 looking to bring more local youth into your workforce, this could be a fantastic opportunity to meet your employees of tomorrow!
10 February 2020
A47 Rat-running
I have long argued that to fulfil Norfolk’s true economic potential, we must fully dual the A47 and ensure the Western Link from the NDR to A47 is delivered. The East needs investment and prosperity too!
It is vital, however, that we ensure the rat-running issues plaguing the villages to the north-west of Norwich are not moved and dumped elsewhere. A proper plan must be put in place to prevent rat-running through communities to the west and south-west of Norwich – not just while the improvements are being constructed, but for the years to come! We cannot sacrifice some of our most picturesque villages simply because we have not thought to look at the likely challenges ahead.
That’s why I was delighted to see the A47 Rat-running Taskforce that I helped convened in the autumn meet again on Friday. Together, with representatives of Norfolk County Council’s Highways Department and of Highways End, the Taskforce discussed possible means of preventing such rat-running in the likes of Honingham, East Tuddenham, Barnham Broom, Kimberley and Carleton Forehoe going forward. They also discussed how best to work with other neighbouring parishes ahead of the impending consultation periods for both the North Tuddenham-Easton A47 dualling works and the Norwich Western Link.
I remain committed to working with the Taskforce and others in the months and years to come – and will provide further updates as they arise.
(To read more on my work in this area, please click here)
10 February 2020
When I became an MP ten years ago, I was struck by just how miserable a place the Dereham Jobcentre really was. It certainly didn’t feel welcoming – or like somewhere doing positive work.
But that’s now all long in the past!
On Friday, I was delighted to visit Kat and her team once again – seeing first-hand the fantastic advice and support they provide benefit recipients and jobseekers. Those that use the services on offer are treated like ‘clients’ and form positive rapports with their advisors as they are helped back into work or to access the benefits they are eligible for. It truly is inspiring stuff!
It was also a pleasure to chat to Stephen Lankester, the DWP District Operations Leader for Norfolk, about the great work being done right across our region – and I look forward to supporting their work on a number of campaigns, including the highly successful Breckland 4 Jobs!
10 February 2020
Carbrooke School Bus
Rural areas are different – often requiring innovative solutions to very tricky challenges.
But is it really okay for primary school children to walk three miles to school via muddy footpaths and a white line on the road?
That’s why I was delighted to swing by Carbrooke on Friday to catch up with Cllr Claire Bowes and Cllr Helen Crane about this issue. I look forward to working with them on this – and to meeting with the Parish Council later in the month to discuss the situation in even greater depth.
