April 2024 Update

The Help Hub team have a new outreach vehicle, specifically built to take into communities to deliver support services across South Norfolk and Broadland. The van is entirely mobile and converts into an open space where a range of support services can be delivered.

‘District Direct’ is a service provided across the entire catchment area of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. This focuses on accelerating discharge from hospital and preventing unnecessary admissions. The team deals with around 340 referrals a month. The hospital believes that a referral to District Direct reduces admission by seven days. In this financial year District Direct will have dealt with 3,600 referrals saving 25,200 bed days.

Demand for money from ‘Pride in Place’ far exceeded available funds. In the three rounds of application, the Council have been able to give out 86 grants totaling over £700,000. In the last round, funding was approved for the Harleston Leisure Centre Feasibility Study and Wortwell Community Centre solar installation. Also, the River Waveney Trust to facilitate increased engagement with the Waveney Valley community, the river, and its catchment.

South Norfolk Council’s ‘Big Litter Pick 2024’ will run until 31 May. This asks local schools, Parish councils and community groups to help keep the district looking tidy. The Council will provide posters to help publicise community litter picks and provide advice and equipment. When the event is finished, the Council will arrange to collect the litter if required. There are twenty £200 prizes up for grabs across South Norfolk and every group that takes part will be given a £20 voucher to spend on their group, charity or local community.

South Norfolk Council are promoting ‘Play Street Grants’. Play streets (or ‘playing out’ sessions) are resident-led and organised, short road closures, creating a safe space for children to play freely together on their doorstep. Any street is eligible provided it is not on an active bus route. Play streets typically allow children to play freely, without organised games or activities. In practice, this means children cycle, scoot, skate, chalk, skip, hopscotch, kick a ball around and make up games. This model was first developed by parents on one street in Bristol in 2009 and has now been taken up by hundreds of street communities all over the UK.

The Government awarded South Norfolk Council £1,363,766 in capital funding as a ‘Food Waste Collection Grant’. This is part of the government’s ‘Simpler Recycling’ plans. A central pillar of these reforms will see weekly collections of food waste rolled out for most households across England by 2026, cutting food waste heading to landfill while also ensuring smelly waste no longer sits for weeks in people’s bins.

James and I took part in a Question Time style event at the Secondary Phase of the Sancroft Academy. There were wide ranging questions from ending the war in Gaza, censorship on social media, and funding university education to trust in politicians, legalising cannabis, and whether GCSEs assess intelligence. We were not aware of the questions in advance and put us all under some pressure. While there was a wide spectrum of political allegiance, it was reassuring that on many topics there was a general consensus. A panelist, who was not party aligned said that in his experience most people in Councils and MPs are decent people who are generally trying to help their communities. That is a sentiment that will hopefully resonate.

I will hold my next surgery on 11 May at Harleston Information Plus on Exchange Street in Harleston between 10:00 and 11:00. I hope to see you there.

Cllr Trevor Graham

South Norfolk Council

Member for Harleston