Page 8 - Town & Around - April 2025

8 Town & Around April 2025 Tel: 01485 540620 email: editor@townandaround.net
Campaigns

County Councillor Alexandra Kemp
County Division: Clenchwarton and King’s Lynn South
Landline: 01553 630329 Mobile: 07920 286636

Norfolk and Suffolk Devolution Consultation
Please fill in the Govt Consultation about having an Elected Mayor
for Norfolk and Suffolk with a new Mayoral Authority made up of the
Mayor and just 4 other voting members. Govt is also planning to
abolish Borough Councils for much bigger council areas, that won't
be as local or accountable. The Elected Mayor would have powers
over transport, planning and regeneration. But Govt has not announced West Lynn Ferry
what the funding settlement would be. Sixty residents attended the protest about the Ferry being closed.
The consultation is on www.gov.uk under Norfolk and Suffolk My Motion to the Borough Council Budget, to replace the West
Devolution. The consultation closes on 11 April. Lynn Ferry Landing Stage was passed unanimously. I am in regular
There is nowhere for residents to send a letter to if they do not have contact with both Councils and the Ferry Operator about the short-term
the internet. How democratic is that? repairs, so the Ferry can reopen as soon as possible.
Borough Council news

Cllr Terry Parish, Heacham Ward which includes Sedgeford and Fring
ocally not a lot has April. In which case, it will be at authorities (County and District)
changed since last month. planning committee on 7th April. into unitary models.
LInvestigations continue Look out for notices. A project group, across all of
into the matter of the trees that Within the Borough, devolution Norfolk, has worked with
have been felled close to the A149 and, more especially, local consultants to work up plans for
beyond Norfolk Lavender. The government reorganisation is a reorganisation which can be
Forestry Commission have key topic, not the only topic for, submitted to government. This
investigated, I still await their as I said last month, the business work has been done
conclusion. Trees further back of now with existing and extraordinarily quickly as it has to unitary(s) won’t start functioning
have had ash dieback controls emerging projects is continuing be sent in by 21st March. There until April 2028, may also be
implemented but clearance seems, apace. are three alternative proposals: A retained for another year. The
to some, drastic. Again, a report is Devolution is a path the single unitary for all of Norfolk; shadow councillors who may or
awaited. Work beyond Lidl’s government is determined to two unitarys; three unitarys. Each may not be some of the existing
where potatoes and gas bottles follow through and this will lead was awarded points by the county and borough councillors
used to be sold, is, apparently, an to a strategic authority of Norfolk consultants and a single unitary will, presumably, shadow the
unknown. Officers have asked the and Suffolk combined which will scored very low. The three unitary latter groups. Should be cosy.
owners what is going on. I await have an elected mayor. I say, ‘will model was a tad better than two Please be aware that other
the officers’ report. The new lead’ though there is public and is likely the one to find favour interpretations of this electoral
Heacham farming business has consultation in which you can say with councillors of BCKLWN (a process are available.
been allowed access along ‘no’. decision will be made before you What does all this mean for
Fenway. Everyone is awaiting the The Norfolk Suffolk beast is on read this). you? Not a lot. What councils do
conversion of caravans into the Priority Programme and there In both the two and three will still be done. You will only
chicken coups. are now some dates attached to unitary models, Kings Lynn and have one ‘local’ council to moan
The reserved matters Local Government West Norfolk is amalgamated at though your councillor may be
application for the Cheney Hill reorganisation. The latter is the with Breckland and part of North a more distant person (not so
development didn’t happen in second government requirement Norfolk distant as some can be now
March, perhaps it will occur in to move any two-tier local NCC seems to favour a single though). There will be a new tier,
unitary model and all models will the strategic authority which will
likely go forward in the interim do strategic things and you might
plan for consideration. By the have to write strong letters to the
26th September final proposals mayor of that. Why is it being
with business case(s) have to be done? To potentially save money
submitted and the government – make up your own minds about
will weigh them up and decide that - and to devolve power from
what model they prefer between government to others down the
January and April 2026. line or not.
In May 2027 there are elections On balance I think a decent, not
to the shadow unitary authority. excessively large, unitary would
This presumably means you will be a better deal for people but that
also have current county the rush to do it may contain
councillors (who should have pitfalls and the best solutions may
gone to election this May but be afterthoughts. In the short to
elections were postponed for ‘a medium term, it is likely to cost
year’), and current Borough more money and opportunities for
councillors whose elections are development could be lost. In the
due May 2027 but, as the new long term, yes, bring it on.