September: Log of activities undertaken as a Thetford Councillor

Councillor Terry Jermy; Log of activities undertaken

A round-up of activities undertaken as the Norfolk County Councillor

for the Thetford-West Division and Thetford Town and District Councillor for the Thetford Saxon Ward

Telephone: 01842 750722 (Home) / 07742157967 (Mobile)

E-mail: terry.jermy@googlemail.com Website: www.jermysjournal.blogspot.com

Twitter: @CllrTerryJermy

September 2013

Monday 2^nd September: Attended Norfolk County Council Cabinet meeting at 9.30am, and attended Croxton Road Residents Group at 7.30pm.Updated the group on the situation with play areas in Thetford and presented my Councillors report for August.

Tuesday 3^rd September: Catching up with various casework issues and responding to emails and telephone messages. Undertook preparation for Full Council at Breckland on Thursday.

Thursday 5^th September: Breckland Council meeting in Dereham this morning. I spoke on the Agenda item concerning the loss of the Council’s Chief Executive (Trevor Holden) and Deputy Chief Executive (Mark Stokes):

I said: “There are some here today who, upon learning that several senior officers are leaving an authority branded that authority “rudderless”. I speak of course of recent Conservative comments regarding Norfolk County Council. However, if we were to compare the percentage of Breckland officers leaving, or already left, versus that of the county, perhaps we should be mulling the loss here of not just our rudder, but also our steering wheel and sails.

Mr Chairman, I find it troubling that this authority has been left in a position where it is making what are ultimately rushed decisions, due to the fact that another authority now, understandably, wants its Chief Executive back. For a temporary arrangement, this has gone on for quite some time with no apparent progress made in the interim. And if progress has been made, we’re certainly not being told about it as a Full Council and I am left to make my own assumptions. But, Mr Chairman, we’re not just facing the loss our Chief Exec on this occasion, we faced the loss of the previous one not so long ago, and we’ve got the added complication of the second in command going as well. A rather significant loss to this Council given that individuals immense knowledge and experience. But Mr Chairman, further to these two positions, I’m aware of the loss of several very good members of staff during my time on this council in the past two years. Which leaves me to conclude, isn’t it time Mr Chairman that we undertook as a Council to review the reasons for Brecklands staff turnover? Something’s clearly not right, and if indeed the new Leader wants to move forward on a solid footing, we need to ascertain this information. So I’d like to propose that as an amendment to this recommendation.

Proposed: For the Council to carry-out a review of the senior staff turnover over the past three years to see what lessons can be learned”.

The proposal was rejected by Councillors, with Conservatives voting against.

Sunday 8^th September: I attended the Norfolk County Labour Group meeting at 10am to discuss County matters and the forthcoming Full Council meeting.

Monday 9^th September: I attended the Town Council Amenities Committee at 6pm, and spoke in relation to play areas – I urged the Council to now take on the play areas from Breckland Council or we would never see them improved. I then attended the monthly meeting of the Thetford Community Association.

Tuesday 10^th September: Attended Norfolk County Council Community Services Overview & Review Panel meeting at 10am, discussed adult social services in Norfolk and museums. Attended Breckland Youth Advisory Board (YAB) in Dereham at 5.30pm, new funding will be made available to groups in Breckland to tackle bullying, sexual health matters, drugs and alcohol and diversity matters. Went to Thetford Town Council Planning Committee at 7pm – spoke regarding proposals for electoral ward boundaries in the Town. Very pleased that the Town Council supported my recommendation which was to merge the proposed Abbey and Redcastle Wards into one, two member ward (rather than two, single member wards).

Thursday 12^th September: Attended Safer Thetford Action Group meeting at 10am.Spoke regarding concern for Flagship garage blocks – empty garage blocks will continue to be boarded up by chip-board! Fire Service expressed concern at the state of the garage blocks and the risk that they pose to their fire-fighters. A tour would be undertaken prior to bonfire night to clear as much debris from the garage blocks as possible. Discussion also regarding motorbikes and excessive usage, particularly around Barnham Common.

Friday 13^th September: Attended Moving Thetford Forward Programme Delivery Panel (PDP). Spoke against the proposals for the temporary arrangements for the bus station when the current site becomes unavailable and the Minstergate site becomes operational. No shelter / waiting facilities, no parking, no arrangements for dropping off / picking up, no arrangements to limit unauthorised parking in areas such as the Chase car park or around Newtown, no alterations to traffic lights along London Road - (I suggested the installation of a button to control the lights to make it safer for pedestrians) – and all this was costing a minimum of £50,000. I said that it would make much more sense to move the bus station straight from its current site to the Minstergate one, saving a lot of money and preventing considerable disruption and preventing a potential health and safety nightmare.

Sunday 15^th September: Attended the annual Battle of Britain parade and ceremony.

Monday 16^th September: Full Council at Norfolk County Council. Group meeting from 9-10am and then Full Council from 10am – 3pm. I was formally welcomed to my first County meeting by the Chairman – Hilary Cox. At 6.30pm I attended the monthly meeting of the Barnham Action Group and presented my August Councillors report.

Thursday 19^th September: Visited a resident in St Johns Way to discuss concerns about parking and visited a resident in Williamson Crescent to talk about a possible house exchange and concerns about repairs to their Flagship property.

Saturday 21^st September – Wednesday 25^th September: I attend the annual Labour Party conference in Brighton. I have written a full account of my visit to conference – this can be viewed here; http://www.jermysjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/labour-party-annual-conference-2013.html

Whilst I was at conference I was very saddened to hear of yet another attack on a girl in the wooded area between the Redcastle and Abbey Estates. I was contacted by the press for my reaction to this incident and I commented as follows;

“I am Very concerned at yet another attack so soon after the previous one. Thetford is not an unsafe place, but people have got to consider their personal safety to deny people the opportunity to undertake these attacks”.

I followed this up with a discussion with the local police and asked what action they would be undertaking, they responded as follows:

“As an update, we have put the woods as one of our taskings which means it will be patrolled every evening and we have to log our results on our daily briefings. We are stopping and accounting a number of people when we do this. I also have some posters I will be putting up in the next couple of days. Also we have delivered letters to a number of addresses in the area to make them aware there is a problem and assure them we are dealing.If you would still like to meet I’m happy to try for another date that suits”.

Thursday 26^th September 2013; I attended the Thetford Community Association’s Annual General Meeting this evening in my capacity as their self-employed project co-ordinator. The press release that was sent out following the meeting can be viewed on my blog; http://www.jermysjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/thetfords-young-people-recognised-at.html

It was fantastic to see so many young people attending and being recognized for their commitment to this project and their commitment to their own personal development. The evening was particularly poignant as we launched the Teresa Judge Award, in memory of Teresa, one of our founding members of the charity who sadly passed away this year.

Friday 27^th September – Sunday 29^th September: I visited Les Ulis in France (near to Paris) to help represent Thetford Town Council at an official twinned town visit – I’ve written a report on the trip that can be viewed here; http://www.jermysjournal.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/my-visit-to-les-ulis-in-france-one-of.html