Saxon Ward casework

I've been a bit trigger happy lately with my camera and have sent all sorts of issues to Breckland Council and others to address, a selection below....

Thetford Town Council objects to concentration of 5,000 homes

Radio Norfolk Interview Morning after Parish Poll results

Listen to the MTF Board Member on the morning after the Bus Station Parish Poll....

Thetford Bus Station; The MTF response

Last Thursday (22nd Sept) saw the delayed Moving Thetford Forward Board meeting take place - it was originally scheduled for early September, but was put back to consider the implications of the Thetford Parish Poll that occurred on the 9th August. I really wasn't sure what to expect from the meeting, would they eat humble pie after the poll and concede that the public wanted the bus station to stay where it is, or would they dismiss the poll entirely? What happened however surprised me. We first heard from a senior finance officer at Breckland Council who outlined the financial risks associated with changing the decision. I expected this to be quite doom and gloom - "we'd lose a fortune if we now didn't move the bus station" - but that was not the case. A lot of the costs incurred could be recouped, so from a financial sense, the MTF board could have changed their mind and kept the bus station where it is. What happened next though was fascinating; up got a senior transport officer from Norfolk County Council, and the architect employed to develop proposals for the Minstergate bus station and regeneration proposals for the current Bridge Street site. They flashed up the two proposals that the 'No' campaign developed in August prior to the Parish Poll taking place (which incidentally they received from third parties), then they proceeded to pick the proposals apart, explaining why they were "not deliverable" and then told the audience how their plan was the only viable option and the bus station should be moved. I was incensed. No-body from the MTF team had bothered to contact myself or other No campaigners prior to the Board meeting, no courtesy phone call to say that the plans would be "objectively assessed" at the meeting, no "let's have a coffee and you can talk us through the rationale behind your proposals", no professional courtesy of contacting the local architect who produced the proposals so that he could explain the background to them. They could have stood there and said whilst the plans have merit, they are not as far advanced as the MTF plans - (of course not, they're just initial proposals), but we cannot wait to develop them further and we want to go ahead with our developed and tested option - that would have had more credibility. What they did in that 15 minutes, really encapsulated what is wrong with the whole MTF process so far, they treated the local community,and local activists with contempt, in a quite nasty way they pulled apart a set of proposals, whilst claiming to do so objectively and impartially, and then ended with saying that their proposals were better - well, you're being paid an awful lot of money, so I should jolly well hope so! But it's the contempt for the local community, the lack of communication and understanding that is the real story of this whole situation.... all very sad indeed, I hope the Government inspector will see all of this! Oh, and by the way, as a Breckland Councillor, I was allowed to attend the meeting that was scheduled to start at 10am. So most of us mere 'observers' arrived from 9.30am - 9.55am or so - interesting then that on the official signing in sheet for the building, i.e. the one they use for the fire register, it had the vast majority of names listed as arriving from 8.20am... I wonder what was being discussed in advance of the rest of us attending? One word of praise however, the Chairman, William Nunn (also Breckland Council Leader) did allow us observers quite a bit of time to speak, which was quite courteous, now he probably knew how the vote would go, so had nothing to lose in allowing us to speak, but credit where it is due.

Parish Poll Campaign Almost Over

The past few weeks have been fascinating. For those looking in from outside, I am sure their overwhelming feeling is one of bemusement - 'people in Thetford are holding a referendum on where their bus station is located' - how very odd. What started with a couple of people asking for a 'Parish Poll' at a Town Council meeting soon became over 150 people attending a Public meeting just 7 days later at the Town's Guildhall - overwhelmingly demanding a vote on the bus station's location. The vote was called - and will be held tomorrow - Tuesday 9th August from 4pm - 9pm. The campaign has been fascinating to watch, and indeed to be a part of. Almost immediately, Breckland Council painted this issue as 'old Thetford, v.s new Thetford' - the Leader, William Nunn, appearing on Anglia News labelled those calling for the poll as 'stuck in the past', that stereotyping soon encompassed Dads Army, and if you did not support the bus station moving - you were branded as "old, boring and part of the Dads Army brigade" - that really set the theme for the 'Yes Campaign'. Quite nasty and really quite personal. For example, myself and others supporting 'No' have been quite regularly slated on Facebook - both the 'Yes' and 'No' campaigns established Facebook 'pages'. (Note the Royston Vasy image on the Thetford Parish Poll Facebok event page) Apparently if you did not want the bus station to be moved, you did not want a cinema, you did not want investment, you therefore want Thetford to die - odd, given that so many on the 'No' campaign have done so very much to promote Thetford, (think Dads Army, Leaping Hare, think Thetford Society, dare I say - think Thetford Community Association and Benjamin Foundation - two charities I have worked for supporting young people in Thetford) However, no-body could comment on the Yes campaign Facebook page unless they 'liked' it, (i.e. they signed up to say they supported it) and even if you did 'like' it, but the organisers did not like you - so to speak - you were removed, and your comments deleted; it very much presented one side of the argument. The 'No' page on the contrary, which I set-up, did not delete a single comment or member. Another interesting twist in the saga came at the July meeting of Thetford Town Council. Several members (at risk of being partisan - I will say that they were Conservative) argued in favour of the Town Council doing nothing at all, not even doing anything constructive to inform people that a vote was taking place and encourage participation. Odd you may think given that a few weeks before the Council voted with a majority to support the bus station staying where it was. Sitting on the fence was the preferred option - in my humble opinion, it is precisely because of such action over many years that organisations such as Breckland Council and Moving Thetford Forward feel they can do whatever they like to our town. We have several splinters from such fence sitting! I did not hear of those same Councillors arguing at their Breckland Council meeting for a similar stance - indeed, Breckland/MTF (forgive me, I fail to distinguish between them) rushed to have pictorials produced and displayed at both the Bridge Street site and the Cosy Carpets site within days of the Parish Poll being called - presenting it as a fait au complait and no doubt reinforcing the view amongst many that the decision has been made and "what's the point" - if I had a pound for every time I heard that I'd be a rich man - hey, I could fund a new bus station ;). The Town Council did vote and committed £400 and booked the front cover of the About Thetford magazine to inform residents that the poll would be taking place - some members voted against this - against informing the electorate of their right to vote in a democratic poll. In addition, those of us supporting the No campaign did organise ourselves quite well and enlisted the support of a friend of mine - Jon Chambers, who designed for us very quickly a simple Vote No campaign flyer and accompanying website - www.thetfordvotesno.com - that flyer was delivered to 10,000 houses in Thetford - much to the alarm of those supporting Yes, who probably had not envisaged the extent to which 'No' would go to in campaigning (the entire 'No' campaign incidentally has been funded by personal donations). The leaflet offered to take people to the polling station if they needed to (if people had transport, mobility, disability issues etc) which was again attacked by those on the Yes side - hardly democratic. The issue has really captured the attention of many in Thetford with a succession of letters appearing in the Thetford and Brandon Times, with some from No campaigners and some from Yes campaigners - The Times did itself credit by publishing so many of the letters. What a shame so many people in Thetford do not receive that newspaper so that they too could have had access to such information. However, I was disappointed that both the Thetford and Brandon and Bury Free Press published the article by Moving Thetford Forward/Breckland Council on both their front pages, depicting the saga as Thetford's battle to move forward - 'Let our town move forward' - cried Neil Stott and Kevin Ward - neither Thetford residents, both with vested interests. A really crucial element of the No campaign was demonstrating that the bus station could remain on its current site, access could be improved (the original reason for wanting to move it) and the site could support regeneration - we enlisted the support of local architect John Atkins, who came up with some fantastic proposals in a rapid period of time - they were not detailed, fully costed etc - but showed what was POSSIBLE. However, the press allowed Breckland Council/MTF to comment on the proposals - no such right was afforded the previous weeks with the councils plans were presented in the newspapers - understandably, the council rubbished the plans - "a visual depiction of a pipe dream" - Mark Robinson, Conservative District Councillor and MTF Board Member (Mark, we both know that you did not write that statement, but they attributed your name to it - I've never heard you talk in a way that resembles the quote they used). So, despite all of that, everyone in Thetford will have the opportunity to go to their local polling station tomorrow. Given that there were no formal poll cards issued, no ability to vote by post or by proxy, given that it is August and many people are away, giving that the hours of the poll are limited to 4pm - 9pm, I am not expecting a huge turnout - not least because democratic involvement in Thetford is low anyway - perhaps that has something to do with the view that the local Council/s' do not listen and we are combating 20 years of induced apathy. Personally, I would be pleased with a turnout of anything over 10%. Do I expect the No campaign to win? I do. But by how much will be the interesting factor. If the turnout is over 10%, and if the No vote wins by more than 60-70%, and IF more people participate than those that have so far participated in any Moving Thetford Forward consultations, I seriously hope Breckland Council and MTF are gracious enough to admit that they need to look at things again, and look at their approach to consultation - and the extent to which they listen (and act upon) feedback. If, after tomorrow, they continue to arrogantly charge ahead, I am not sure what will happen, but I do not think the people of Thetford will continue to take it laying down. Tomorrow for me represents a new dawn for Thetford, a day when collectively as a town it declares enough is enough, our destiny must be shaped with us, not for us.

The 'Vote No' campaign flyer

Thetford Bus Station Poll; Vote No!

Dear Editor, On Tuesday 9th August, I will be voting NO to the moving of the Thetford Bus Station in the Parish Poll. Does that make me part of the “old, boring, Dads Army brigade”? I really don’t think so. And it is quite wrong to label those fighting against this proposal in such a way. Am I then not wanting to protect Thetford’s historical assets? Far from it. Of course, that would mean that I would be against investment in our town, against a cinema and other improvements? How utterly ridiculous! I want all these things! I will be voting No for two main reasons. Primarily because I would prefer to see the bus station kept where it is – the current site is much more accessible, it is much larger than the proposed site at St Nicholas Street and it has much greater potential to be turned into the sort of bus station that I would like to see in our town – something on a par with Mildenhall and Bury St Edmunds. What is being proposed for St Nicholas Street is woefully inadequate. It seems as if we are going to get a nice new tarmac surface, with a few shelters for people to wait. What’s different to what we have now? Apart from it looking all nice and shiny and new. I am also very concerned about the safety of the new site and the amount of buses that will be charging down St Nicholas Street past Minstergate Street. The second reason for my decision to vote NO is because I am sick of organisations like Moving Thetford Forward and Breckland Council taking our town for granted. How dare they claim to be listening to the people of this town. Their consultation exercises have been ridiculous. If more people participate in this poll, than have participated in the MTF official consultations, then perhaps they might actually realise that people have not participated previously as they felt that Breckland and others had already made their minds up and the views of local people did not count. We’re told that this poll may result in investment in this town being lost and the Grade II Cosy Carpets building not getting the investment it needs. Well, as has been said before, Breckland Council have the power as a local authority to force the owners of historic buildings to protect them, but it chooses not to – perhaps this has something to do with its budget for heritage being absolutely Zero. Think no further than Abbey Barns, St Mary the Less and others. No support for them hey! As for investment, if Breckland did more to keep Thetford clean and tidy, develop a sense of community pride, invested in tourism and listened to the people of Thetford that would go a very long way towards making Thetford more prosperous, instead they charge ahead, sucking the lifeblood from our community and trampling anyone that gets in their way or who dares to propose an alternative. I urge every resident of Thetford, VOTE NO on Tuesday 9th August 2011! Terry Jermy Thetford Town and Breckland District Councillor, Saxon Ward Elm Road, Thetford (Aged 25!)

Thetford and Brandon Letters Page 09.02.11

My letter to Thetford and Brandon re: Sweyn Close

Dear Editor, Following the article last week regarding the housing scheme at Sweyn Close on Barnham Cross, I should like to comment further and clarify some points. Particularly considering there has been much misinformation in this debate. A group of organisations have been working to improve the Barnham Cross community for several years, its loose title has been Barnham Cross Regeneration Steering Group. It has achieved some notable accomplishments, not least the redevelopment of redundant garage sites at Fir Road and Ash Close. Further improvements will take place this year in the form of increased parking and landscaping and further dwellings constructed at Mingay Road in the shape of much needed bungalows. The primary focus was always on the regeneration of Sweyn Close given the deterioration of those houses. Much consultation took place across the Barnham Cross community regarding Sweyn Close, many meetings were held and plans were drawn up – I was involved with this process and devoted many, many hours to it. At every step along the way, the regeneration at Sweyn Close was going to consist of a ‘mixed tenure’ – in other words, there would be a significant number of social housing units (what many people will know as ‘council houses’) and there would be several privately sold and some for shared ownership. For me, and others – this mixed tenure was crucial, for several reasons. 1. Primarily because all national guidelines state that a mixed tenure development is the right choice. Not compacting as many of one type together. 2) There were people that owned their house at Sweyn Close that had to move out for this scheme to go ahead, and expressed an interest in returning to the area if they could, and we do need more homes for sale in general towards the South-West of Thetford. 3) Shared ownership – I have had several people contact me, desperate to get onto the housing ladder and were keen for shared ownership properties to be incorporated into this development. I know from personal experience having just bought my own house (on the Barnham Cross Estate!) that it is incredibly difficult to get onto the housing ladder. Furthermore, the community consultation and the planning application to the Town Council and Breckland Planning Committee stated there would be a mixed tenure development. The planning application does not have to be looked at again because of this change. In many ways, this application was viewed under false pretences. Last Wednesday, I requested that Thetford Town Council put onto its Agenda a motion that, if agreed, would call for a letter to be sent to the Homes and Communities Agency (the national organisation that awards money for social housing, and the ones we were told that were insisting for entirely social housing in this development) I explained my reasoning for this at the council meeting, and explained that I thought it was unfair for a national organisation to be dictating to Thetford how this should proceed. We were told it was this way, or there would be no money, effectively scuppering the whole thing. I was delighted that 6 councillors supported me (2 did not, and 3 abstained). However, since then, the council and councillors have come under considerable pressure. Senior Breckland Council officers have told us that our actions may cost this entire re-development and the investment of £10 million pounds into Thetford. I have spoken with the HCA, they respect that Thetford Town Councillors have a democratic right to express the views of the people they represent. What sort of world do we live in where councillors cannot do this, in fear of national organisations acting like small children and taking away their toys? I am disappointed that 7 Thetford Councillors have now called for our original decision to be re-tracted. A special meeting of Thetford Town Council has been called, on Wednesday 9th February 2011 at 7pm in the Town Council Chambers. I thought on this issue Thetford Town Council may put the people of this town first. I hope after Wednesday night this remains to be the case. Yours sincerely, Terry Jermy Thetford Town Councillor – Saxon Ward Elm Road, Thetford

Thetford and Brandon Times - 2nd February

My letter to the Thetford and Brandon Times, 31.01.11

Dear Editor Following the correspondence recently concerning the ability of the Town Council to instigate change in Thetford, as someone who has now served as a Town Councillor for 3 years, I would make the following points. The Town Council has a yearly expenditure of nearly ¾ of a million pounds, it spends £750,000 per year, the majority of which (£500,000) comes from council tax payers in Thetford, with the remainder coming from different sources of income – particularly rental income from Town Council owned buildings. I do not think this level of expenditure is insignificant – if spent wisely and with due regard to value for money, that level of yearly expenditure could achieve a significant amount in our town – bear in mind of course that the Town Council is able to reclaim VAT, so that yearly expenditure is already worth more than many regard. Furthermore, the Town Council does own considerable assets; The Guildhall, Carnegie Room, Red Lion, Royal British Legion building, Rudlings and Wakelam building, the Shambles, London Road cemetery chapel and cottage and others. In addition, The Town Council has significant financial reserves – several hundreds of thousands of pounds in fact. And of course, all Town Councillors are Trustees of the Staniforth Trust, responsible for Kings House and Kings House gardens and with other financial reserves as well. The Town Council is also responsible for land, not least our Common Land – Barnham Common, Melford Common, plus all of the allotment land in Thetford, and it is responsible for Castle Park and the surrounding land – including Castle Hill. The Town Council has significant resources, not least our staff team with a whole range of skills at its disposal. So, far from being remote and irrelevant, the Town Council has a significant role to play in the life of our town. It does not have to sit back and moan about the shortcomings of Breckland Council (numerous as they are), but could work towards improving our town and the quality of life for residents – putting Thetford first. This all of course is what is possible. Despite some notable accomplishments, there remains so much more that the Town Council could be doing, not least providing a strong and passionate collective voice for our town. I have often felt in the past that our Town Council has ‘mumbled itself into insignificance’. Alas, all is not lost. Elections to Thetford Town Council are taking place on the 5th May 2011, and I urge everyone in Thetford not to disregard this, take an active interest and participate in your democratic right to vote. The Town Council could achieve so much more, and I sincerely hope that it does. Terry Jermy Elm Road, Thetford Thetford Town Council – Saxon Ward

St Mary the Less Church Letter

Dear Editor, Anybody who has travelled along the Bury Road in Thetford recently surely would not have failed to spot the now gaping hole in the roof of St Mary the Less Church. I suspect many people in Thetford feel as disgusted as me that this has been allowed to happen. A much smaller hole first appeared at the start of 2009, and the photograph above shows the extent of damage on the 4th May 2009. The other photo above shows the damage as of this week. In the not too distant future I suspect it will get worse, particularly with the wet and cold weather we will no doubt have over the coming weeks and months. Myself and many others have made Breckland Council aware of this issue on numerous occasions over the past year in the hope that they will take action, it would appear they have done nothing. They have a statutory obligation to protect historically significant buildings. St Mary the Less is a Grade 2 listed building, and on the Buildings at Risk Register. Its churchyard contains notable Thetford figures including Sir Richard Fulmerston. Neither the owner, or Breckland Council have done anything to safeguard this important building. What exactly is required to occur before something is done? Maybe they are waiting for it to completely fall to the ground?

Thetford Meet-up Cafe Project Update 2

Today was my 7th working day at the new project… time flies hey! A lot has happened since that very cold first day on the 4th January!! We (myself and Tina Westgarth – Cafe Development Worker) spent the first week pretty much engaged in cleaning what we could and putting initial things into place. Once the heating was sorted, there was a whole list of other contractors / suppliers we needed to speak to. The carpets need to be cleaned, the curtains in the hall as well, need to get the whole place painted and decorated, electricians quotes, new windows etc etc etc It is all being hampered by the fact the hole in the roof remains and we have been unable to obtain quotes as companies could not get onto the roof and assess what is needed while it was covered with snow. Now that it has all gone, we are hoping to make some quick progress with this. The downside of having a non-frozen roof of course is that all of the water is now coming through again and we have a wet carpet! Today I got all of the window shutters up and attacked the very thick cobwebs and some mean looking spiders with a big broom!! Windows need to be cleaned, and frames repainted. We’ve been very fortunate to have a number of people pop-in and offer to volunteer, probably about 7 people have now completed volunteer application forms and a number of others have said they will pop-in at some point. Much work to do in terms of processing these, completing CRB checks, arranging for inductions and sourcing the necessary training, getting name badges sorted etc. Tomorrow will be a very good day as we should be having our new computers delivered and getting connected to the internet and email!! that should help us get things underway. Been having lots of conversations about the sorts of activities that can take place in the building, hope to involve as many people as possible in due course to get ideas and get many people involved in supporting the project. I’ve now created a Thetford Meet-up Cafe user on Facebook, so feel free to ‘Add as a friend’ if you use Facebook!! Also, click here to see a great article about the project in last Thursdays EDP:- http://www.edp24.co.uk/content/edp24/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=NOED13%20Jan%202010%2017:44:28:480

Thetford Meet-up Cafe Project Update 1

Well, today was the first day of my new job managing the Inspiring Communities project in Thetford with the Benjamin Foundation. (Website: www.benjaminfoundation.co.uk) I’ve left the world of Keystone behind, and am now managing this new project in Thetford which will see the redundant community centre on the Redcastle Estate transformed into a community centre, cafe, and learning hub for young people. I intend to record as much about the journey of this project as possible, and day 1 seems a good bit to record! What is the project? In August, the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) awarded 15 lots of funding to projects around the UK. See here – http://www.lgcplus.com/children-and-education/latest-childrens-services-and-education-news/inspiring-communities-projects-named/5004789.article The project submitted by the Benjamin Foundation was successful and over £400,000 was allocated. A major achievement! The only project in the whole of East Anglia, and to a town the size of Thetford on top of the other sums of money given to the town (Growth Point, Healthy Towns, SRB, European Objective 2 and others). The project in Thetford will “include running a community café as a social enterprise that will act as a vibrant community focal point and provide training opportunities, voluntary and work experience placements and information and signposting services. Intergenerational gardening programme, a school and community radio station, and skills swaps are some of the other activities on offer”. In short, it is about creating a hub for the community, a vibrant community centre for all sorts of community activities but a specific focus on children and young people and a specific focus on training and skills improvement. The building will host a community cafe which will act as a regular drop-in for young people where they can go to complete their homework, seek advice and support, or just chill-out with friends. Other elements of the project will develop over time including media related activities and community gardening. The project will no doubt benefit the whole of Thetford, but a specific focus will be placed on the three West Thetford Estates – Abbey, Redcastle and Barnham Cross, for it is because of these areas that the funding was awarded. Many of the activities for this project will be located away from the building as well to ensure that as many young people as possible benefit from what it on offer. Today was day one, and the challenge we face was clear. The building was very cold, the heating did not work and much of the plaster-board to the roof inside had collapsed due to the leaky roof, it smelt of damp, and the buckets strategically positioned around the building were full of smelly rain water. Week 1 will see us cleaning as much of the building as possible, and getting to grips with what we need to do. Getting the heating working again is the number 1 priority, getting the roof fixed is also clearly a priority – it is however dependent on the weather as the roof is covered in snow so we are unable to get it sorted. Other tasks will include; Getting the oven working, electrical sockets checked, ordering all new equipment, cleaning – or replacing the carpets in some areas, re-painting the whole building, setting up our office, ordering or, sourcing all kitchen equipment – cutlery, pots, pans, dining tables and chairs, cleaning the windows etc etc The next few weeks, and probably the whole of January and into February will be focused on getting the building fit for purpose.

EDP 31.12.09

hmmmmm, just a thought, has anyone (other than Breckland Council) actually spoken to these individuals?

Inquiry requested following death

Taken from EDP website on 27/12/09. Article written by Ian Clarke. Norfolk's chief constable has been asked to order an urgent inquiry after a Polish man froze to death in a tent in Thetford. The body of Mariusz Fidos, 33, was found at Barnham Common five days before Christmas and he had been sleeping rough in the area with other men, including his twin brother Piotr. It remains unclear how long they had been staying in the area, but there are reports they had been there for several weeks. Peter Smith, Labour parliamentary candidate for South West Norfolk, said he was “extremely concerned” about the events surrounding Mr Fidos's death, especially what had been done to help him and other men . Breckland Council said four men were found sleeping in the area in October, but the Fidos brothers were not among them. Mr Smith said: “I am alarmed that a situation, which was known about for some weeks, was not acted upon in sufficient time to prevent this completely avoidable death.” In a letter to Norfolk police chiefs, Mr Smith said: “What we now see is a concerted effort by Breckland Council to promote the idea that officers and councillors had done everything possible for Mariusz and his fellow 'campers'. This is so evidently not the case.” Mr Smith added: “I am therefore asking you to initiate an urgent police inquiry into all the circumstances surrounding this tragedy, including the roles of all the agencies involved. It is indeed an irony that the Safer Thetford Action Group, knowing in advance of this developing situation, was unable to ensure the safety of this unfortunate man.” A post-mortem examination revealed early indications are that Mr Fidos died from hypothermia. The case has now been passed to the coroner. Police said the man's death remains “unexplained” but a spokesman said there were no suspicious circumstances. Police did not want to comment on Mr Smith's letter. Thetford town councillor Terry Jermy said: “I think we owe it to Mr Fidos to properly examine what happened and learn lessons so that this cannot happen again. I cannot believe that in this country today, someone can be allowed to die from the cold in a tent.” A Breckland Council spokesman said: “In early October, the housing advice and homelessness service visited Barnham Cross Common to offer advice to four men who had been reported as sleeping in a tent. Mariusz and Piotr Fidos were not among the men who were occupying the tent at that time.” A statement said the men were offered help to travel to their home countries, but they declined and expressed a wish to continue living in the tent on the Common. The council has not said how long it though the Fidos brothers had been on the Common.

Homeless man dies on Barnham Cross Common from hypothermia

Taken from the EDP website, story printed on 22nd December 2009.The body of a man who had been sleeping rough in sub-zero temperatures has been found on the outskirts of Thetford. The dead man, who was from Poland and was found in a tent on Barnham Cross Common has been named as 33-year-old Mariusz Fidos. Yesterday team rector of Thetford, Canon Bob Baker and Thetford mayor, Pam Spencer, both spoke on behalf of the town of their sadness over the tragedy. "The people of Thetford are shocked and saddened. We don't know what the circumstances are surrounding this man's death but clearly, if there are lessons to learned, we must learn from them and ensure that this does not happen again," said Canon Baker. Mrs Spencer said: "My thoughts are with the relatives and friends of the deceased at was must be a particularly difficult time." It is understood that Mr Fidos was sharing the tent with his twin brother and a friend, all three being Polish nationals. A fourth man, also believed to be Eastern European, was in a tent on his own by the dead man's tent. The three other men have since been provided with emergency accommodation in Norwich. Mr Fidos was found dead on Sunday. A post-mortem examination carried out later that evening revealed early indications are that he died from hypothermia. The case has now been passed to the coroner. Police said the man's death remains "unexplained" but police said there were no suspicious circumstances. John Walker, of Breckland Council's housing advice and home-lessness service, described Mr Fidos' death as an "appalling tragedy". He said that the authority was not aware that Mr Fidos was sleeping rough on the Common and had not had any direct contact with him. He said Breckland Council was working hard with the police and other agencies in the Thetford area to ensure that everyone was aware when people were sleeping rough and then provide what help they could. Council officials, had, however, been aware in October of three men sleeping rough on Barnham Common. The group were advised of their housing options and also offered assistance to travel to their home countries but they declined such help. "We can't force people to return to their home countries if they do not want to go," said Mr Walker. Thetford town councillor Terry Jermy, whose ward covers the Barnham Common area, said that although housing officers were aware of people sleeping rough on the Common, he did not feel it was a priority to them. He was angry at the situation and suggested that a caravan could have been provided on the town's travel-lers' site which had not yet been used. "At least on that site they could have been free from harm," he said. He is calling for a serious look at the homelessness issue in Thetford. There is a facility for the homeless in Thetford at John Room House but it is currently closed for major refurbishment. Breckland Cabinet member with responsibility for housing, Paul Claussen said the authority took the homelessness issue very seriously and would be working with partner agencies to ensure that such a tragedy did not happen again. Mr Claussen stressed he was not aware of all the details of the case, but Mr Walker and his team did their utmost to find accommodation for people in difficulties. "We do encourage people to be our eyes and ears and let us know when they are aware of people facing difficulties with accommodation," he said

A new challenge....

On Thursday I had a job interview with the Benjamin Foundation, for the post of Project Co-ordinator for an exciting new project in Thetford. I am delighted to have been offered to post, which I will start at the beginning of January. The project, has been funded by the Government (Over £400,000!)and is the only one of its kind in the whole of East Anglia. There were 15 projects in total funded across the UK. It aims to address the fact that many children in Thetford have such low aspirations and leave school at 16 going straight into employment with few remaining in education post-16, and less still going on to University after that. The project will take over the empty Community Centre on Redcastle Estate and turn it into a Youth Cafe, and Community hub for learning, and education. It is very exciting!!! I would welcome anyones ideas and thoughts about what sort of activities could take place to help children while at school (e.g. home-work clubs) and what can be done to get more children staying in education post-16.

What happened to democracy?

Thie piece in today's Eastern Daily Press is wholly unfair. - http://www.edp24.co.uk/content/edp24/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=xDefault&itemid=NOED17%20Nov%202009%2017%3A54%3A10%3A823 I agree entirely with the comments laid out here by Peter Smith. "I always read the Inside Politics column with interest. For the most part the analysis is both perceptive and balanced. Today's piece, though, is worrying in its assertion that 'Elizabeth Truss will go on to win the seat very comfortably in the general election'. This is, I believe, an assertion based, not on current evidence, but on past outcomes. The selection controversy which engulfed the SW Norfolk conservatives reflected tha anger of local people fed up with being taken for granted, resentful of what they perceived, rightly or wrongly, as a metropolitan elite deciding what was right for country bumpkins. The old certainties about elections and their outcomes have changed dramatically, even since the last general election. The techniques employed so effectively by Obama in the USA are now with us. It is very foolish indeed to assume that because a particular constituency has been one colour for many years, that this will never change. It is equally foolish to assume that national politics will always be reflected in the way people in a particular community will vote. A constituency is made up of many smaller communities and interest groups. I believe that, more than ever before, localism will matter at the next general election. I agree with Terence Blacker when he writes, 'communities are different from one another, whether they are in towns or the country. The local connection that you have to those who live and work in your neighbourhood or region matters more than ever in a changing, impersonal world'. (Independent 18/11/09) I believe my local connection will play a significant part in the coming election. But other factors in SW Norfolk will challenge the cosy, and deeply anti-democratic media-reinforced consensus on the inevitable outcome in SW Norfolk: Major boundary changes, which have seen Attleborough and Watton transfered to Mid-Norfolk and reduced the notional majority to around 6000. Significant demographic changes, including a major influx of population, especially in Thetford and Downham Market. The role that UKIP will play in taking predominantly Tory votes. The strong Labour base. The choice of yet another outsider as Tory candidate. Mr.Fraser's trees. Major questions about the financial behaviour of Breckland District Council. The latest Tory selection rumpus. The electorate may well vote the way that Chris Fisher says they will. But it is a much more competitive contest this time round and I believe strongly that the huge media coverage of the antics of one political party in SW Norfolk, without any attempt by the EDP, or indeed any other newspaper, to engage in a balanced political debate, treats the electorate with contempt and further re-inforces the view that there is no point in voting because the outcome is a foregone conclusion. And that's even before the election campaign, which will, I hope, focus on issues and policies, has even begun in earnest. Yours faithfully" Peter Smith Labour's Prospective Parliamentary Candidate, SW Norfolk

Fireworks event press coverage

Thetford Fireworks Spectacular, November 2009

I've just sent the text below to the Editor of the Thetford and Brandon Newspaper. Dear Editor, I would like to give a massive thank-you to the thousands of people from Thetford who turned up on Sunday night to support the first organised fireworks display in this town for many years. It was an absolutely fantastic success. The fireworks were amazing, everyone enjoyed themselves and the people of this town got the chance to come together and meet friends and show what fantastic community spirit this town has. I would like to particularly thank the two main organisers, Larry Gray and Susan Glossop. Without them, this event simply would not have happened. Many people got involved with this event and many donated their time and provided support. I would especially like to thank the small group of peopled who helped me with raising funds for Help for Heroes, they were; Sheron Rourke, Barbara Bysouth, Jaime Smith, Gavin Leach, Fiona Drew, Mark and Sarah Lynam, Roxanne Laws, Robert Waple, Kevin, Gina, Rebecca, Zoe and Jade, Andy Hradsky. A total of £1900 was raised for Help For Heroes. Well done Thetford, you have done us all proud!! Best wishes Terry Jermy Thetford Town Councillor for the Saxon Ward (Photo credits to Bernie O'Connor)

One of the not so good bits about being a councillor...

On a fairly regular basis, I randomly get stopped by people wanting to speak to me as a 'councillor'. Whether it be in the street, at the local Supermarket, walking through the town centre, or wherever. I have no problems talking to people, it is part of the job, even if I am in a rush, I make time to talk and answer questions. I make myself very 'available' - I have no issues giving out my home telephone number, and my mobile number, people can email me, message me on facebook, read and comment on my blog. However, what I really object to, is people being rude. Just because I am a councillor, it seems like some people think they can shout at you, or blame you for whatever it is they have an issue with. I'm a Thetford Town Councillor, I can hardly be held responsible for decisions taken by Norfolk County Council, Breckland Council, the Government, the police. Am I accountable for decisions taken by Thetford Town Council? to an extent yes, but not entirely. People often don't think to ask your views about something before wading in and giving you their two-penneth worth and 'holding you accountable' - which is often not the case, its 'let's have a pop at a councillor' moment. Yesterday, at 11.30am (on a Saturday), a guy stopped me in the street and was literally shouting at me and was very aggressive. It was something part work related, and something part town council related. For starters, I think it is very sad if someone feels it is Ok to talk to a fellow human being in that way, it is totally unncessary. But worse, I was working on a session for work with young people, and I am sure they would have been scared by this guy. On another occasion, at 12.30 at night, I was walking out of the front door of a friends when a half drunk guy walking along spotted me and started shouting about something council related. I've learnt to be very clear with people, I will talk as much as they want, I will not shy away from a discussion or a debate, but under no circumstances, will I allow someone to be rude to me.

EDP Page 2 on Monday 14th September 2009

EDP mistake... oak?

Apparently we are erecting an oak obelisk! Burrell memorial obelisk plan approved 09 September 2009 A three sided oak obelisk dedicated to Thetford steam engine builder Charles Burrell will provide the centre piece for a new community garden in the town. Planning permission for the sculpture, which has already been commissioned and will be paid for using lottery money, was granted by Breckland Council's Development Control Committee. When finished the 1.8m memorial will sit in the new Charles Burrell Garden on land next to 54 Staniforth Road. The derelict site, which is near to the Charles Burrell High School, is currently being transformed into a community garden by the Keystone Development Trust. When finished it is hoped it will provide a tranquil place for townsfolk to go and be a haven for wildlife. Along with the famous author Thomas Paine, and Britain's first black mayor, Dr Allan Glaisyer Minns, Charles Burrell is one of Thetford's most prominent historical figures. From 1740 to 1930 Burrell and Sons produced custom made steam engines and at one point the company was Thetford's largest employer with an international reputation for manufacturing traction engines and road locomotives. Charles Burrell was also a Thetford town councillor for 55 consecutive years and held the office of town mayor on seven separate occasions.

Charles Burrell Coverage in EDP

Excellent article, very pleased with this.

Boost for dentists in Thetford

Dentists get £3m cash injection 14 August 2009 By Lindsey Newton More people in Thetford will be able to access an NHS dentist thanks to a cash injection of £3 million for dentistry across the county. Currently, there is only one NHS dental surgery in the town, serving more than 15,000 patients, and the funding means up to 4,500 more patients per year will be able to see an NHS dentist in Thetford from early 2010. The news, which was announced by NHS Norfolk last week, has been welcomed by health bosses and residents and a tendering process for additional dental services in Thetford has been launched. Ann Piper, 68, of Elm Road, said: "This is brilliant news as there is a real shortage of NHS dental services in the town and many people have to travel to Brandon or Bury St Edmunds to see a dentist. "Private treatment is very expensive, and many people who have paid their taxes for years are not getting the treatment they deserve, so it's good to see that Thetford will benefit from more NHS dental services." William Simper, 61, of Durham Way, said: "This extra money is a really good thing for Thetford, especially as there is only one NHS dentist in the town. "There should definitely be better access to services, especially as the NHS is funded through public money, so hopefully this will go some way to improving the situation." The extra money will be spent on improving dental services by increasing access to NHS dentists, providing more orthodontic services and improving dentistry provision in elderly care homes. Fiona Reynolds, NHS Norfolk's assistant director for primary care, said: "This additional investment will go a long way to helping us to further improve the NHS dental services in our area. "While we have already made significant investments and improvements in recent years and months, having extra money in the budget means we can do even more. "This is part of NHS Norfolk's on-going commitment to improve services in the Thetford area and we will continue to evaluate the need

£400,000 from the Government for Saxon and Abbey Wards

Community radio planned for Thetford 13 August 2009 PLANS for a youth drop-in centre and a community radio station were unveiled last week as part of a £400,000 project to help raise the aspirations of young people in Thetford. North Norfolk charity The Benjamin Foundation is set to expand its reach after successfully getting a share of a government 'inspiring communities' fund. The organisation, which provides a range of services for young people, will team up with the Thetford Education Partnership to try and improve the ambitions of the town's youth. The Benjamin Foundation received £400,000 from a £10m pot of money from the Department for Communities and Local Government to help encourage youngsters in deprived areas to “think big.” A drop-in youth centre and café, a training base, a community horticulture scheme, and a youth community radio station are being proposed in Thetford over the next two years. Sharon Matthews, operational manager at The Benjamin Foundation said Thetford was the only place in Norfolk to benefit from an Inspiring Communities partnership. She added that the long-term goal was to establish self sustaining social enterprises run by the town's young people. “This funding represents a wonderful opportunity for the young people in Thetford. The Benjamin Foundation is incredibly excited about being able to meet and work with people in these vibrant communities. We look forward to forging some long lasting partnerships with both individuals and groups living and working in the area,” she said. The charity is set to work with local schools, Fulmerston Family and Community Project, Keystone Development Trust, Connexions Norfolk, Moving Thetford Forward, and Norfolk County Council Children's Services. Christine Davies, manager of the Thetford Education Partnership, added: “We are thrilled and very excited at the prospect of what this grant will bring to the community. We know that in Thetford there is already a great deal of positive activity and that our young people, their families and the wider community have a great deal to offer. This grant gives us the opportunity to build on what is already here.”

That August feeling....

Everything seems to be moving at a very slow pace at the moment. Not a lot happens in the political and community work world in August. Although there is some news to note; I got into hot water for my recent criticisms of different agencies regarding Redcastle Community Centre. I was quoted in the press articles at saying Peddars Way Housing Association had under-invested in West Thetford. This is not the case, and they took exception to my comments, but are hopefully now aware that they were not my views anyway. Some fairly major news - a funding bid which I supported and assisted with has been approved, £400,000! I will post the press article seperately but it is a major piece of good news for the Saxon and Abbey Wards. We had an interesting Town Council planning committee meeting last night, 12th August. Approximately 20 residents turned up to complain about an application to fill-in and build over a rather nice pond area along Nightingale Way. I had already been alerted that this was being proposed so I was aware of the implications so put my points across at the meeting. We cannot keep allowing developers to cram in housing into every nook and cranny in this town, particularly building on attractive green areas, when so many brown-field, disused eyesores, and unused buildings remain in this town. The planning application for the Charles Burrell sculpture also came up for discussion last night and thankfully, my fellow town councillors rather liked it so I gather.

Thetford and Brandon Letters 29th July 2009

Eastern Daily Press, Letters Section, Friday 31st July 2009

Redcastle Community Centre Article....

Thetford and Brandon Newspaper, Wednesday 29th July 2009 - Page 3. Here's the link to the story; http://www.thetfordandbrandontimes.co.uk/content/tbtimes/news/story.aspx?brand=TBOnline&category=news&tBrand=TBonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED31%20Jul%202009%2009%3A49%3A56%3A540

How to involve the community?

At this weeks planning committee meeting of the Town Council, the matter of the London Road bridge came up for discussion. I took the opportunity to comment on the fact that very few people in the town knew that the bridge was going to be removed. As a councillor, I get to hear about all sorts of things planned to happen - e.g. planning application proposals, and generally I am kept informed about matters of interest in the town. As a community worker, my instincts are to involve, engage and inform people. But yet with my town council hat, I have no capacity or resouces to share this information with the wider public and it is thoroughly frustrating. This blog is one avenue I use to share information, the other main one is facebook - I find it incredibly useful for informing people about matters which may be of interest or canvassing views on a given subject. For example, I think around 20 people used it to contact me initially asking what was happening with the bridge, and then to pass comment on what they thought of the idea. At the meeting on Wednesday, I explained that councils - County, District and Town and other agencies, such as the police, needed to put more effort into involving communities, and using a variety of methods to do so. Otherwise, can we really wonder why apathy rules in so many quarters? I would welcome any views from readers on methods of sharing information.

Sticking to an election pledge

When I stood for the Town Council by-election in July 2008, I listed three priorities on my main election leaflet. One of which was to campaign for more facilities and activities for children and young people in this town. We have a higher percentage of children under the age of 16 than any other place in Norfolk. 25% of Thetford is under 16, the national average is 17%. Imagine my horror therefore when I read the latest edition of Breckland Voice (the propaganda newspaper produced by Breckland Council, affectionately known as the 'bin-rag' by some, and worse names by others). I digress. Breckland Voice detailed two pages of activities for children taking place across the district, all free! great! Errrm. No. Not a single one taking place in Thetford. (Although, not many in Dereham either to be fair). I contacted Breckland Council and asked why. Because deadlines were missed. OK. What is happening? Activities at the Sports Centre provided by Parkwood? Hold on, Parkwood are a private company, they are charging for all their activities, one was £18 per child per day! Can parents across the Saxon Ward, and Thetford afford that? No. Furthermore, they are a sports centre, activities are sports related. Not all kids like sport. The activities detailed in 'Voice' were a mix, including arts and crafts related. So the bottom line is, it is not like for like. Once again, Thetford is being missed out. Don't children and young people in Thetford deserve something to do over the summer holidays? It would be worth mentioning Norfolk Youth Service at this point, part of Norfolk County Council, whom it would appear are also inadequately serving the needs of young people in this town. I contacted the Bury Free Press and shared my frustrations. They picked up on the story, and initially wanted a photograph of me to accompany the story, I suggested they speak to the parents who had contacted me initially asking about activities for children and hence the above lovely photo of bored children, has ended up on this weeks front page. Providing more activities for children and young people is of paramount important in this town and I will continue to do whatever I can to chip away at the issue. Here is the link to the story; http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/thetford/Nowhere-to-go.5468253.jp UPDATE: From a parent who contacted me about the lack of childrens activities who's child I invited to be in the photo for the newspaper: "I couldn't believe it when I saw it, I went to buy it and noticed they got front page! I was really pleased because people will have to pay attention now :) if it gets the message through then its all worth it because our children are the future an they will determine what happens next; if Thetford is going to be a respectable place with many opportunites or whether it will be known for crime and anti social behaviour !! thanx mate for giving me the opportunity to play a part in what happens to my childs future :) xx

Pine Close ASB / Crime Roadshow - 13th July 2009

On Monday, we had an anti-social behaviour and crime related roadshow at the front of Pine Close shops. The idea being to encourage more people from the community to report crime and asb that occurs to ensure the figures represent the reality of what goes on in the area. A good number of people went along to it, could have been more, but the opportunity was there. Change does not happen overnight but you have to chip away at it. Click here to view our latest Barnham Action Group newsletter which was delivered around the estate prior to the event; http://www.terryjermy.btik.com/documents/2624576209.ikml

Abbey Centre wins regional award!

Last week I attended the 'What we are proud of awards' organised by the National Housing Federation. The Abbey Estate, and Abbey Neighbourhood Centre had been nominated in recognition for the huge amount of work that has taken place to improve the community, and for the way which the estate has changed over the years. We work closely with Peddars Way and other agencies on the Abbey Estate. I went with four volunteers from the Abbey community, and the PCSO for the Estate - Gavin Tampin. We were all delighted to have been shortlisted in the top 3 out of the 24 projects submitted. We had to give a 15 minute presentation outlining 'what we are proud of' and focus on what examples of partnership work had taken place and how the project helps housing association tenants. All of us attending gave short speeches as part of our presentation, followed by a brief video of some of the activities taking place. Giving a speech in front of so many people is no easy undertaking, luckily I have a little bit of experience of it now, but I was still very nervous, but those not used to doing it were very brave, and did a fantastic job and were clearly determined to make sure they got their good news story across. Despite the other two projects being of a very high standard, I am delighted to say that our project won, and will now represent the whole Eastern Region at the national awards ceremony in London. The victory was even more poignant given that the winner was chosen by votes cast from those attending on the evening, including attendees for the other projects. Here is the text from my speech on the night: Good evening, my name is Terry Jermy and I am a Community Worker with Keystone Development Trust and Manager of the Abbey Neighbourhood Centre. A community workers’ role is to work with, engage and empower local residents to address issues themselves and work together to improve their community. Therefore, you need a community, to have a community worker. And ultimately, the reason why the Abbey Estate has improved is not because of the money spent on it, or the greater attention from whichever agency, it is because the community, the people that live there, have wanted it to improve, and improve it has. The community centre now boasts a fantastic community café, open from Tuesday – Saturday, it really has become the hub for the community, the café is providing employment for people from the local area, and is providing training and support to a whole number of volunteers. We have a weekly youth group on a Tuesday, providing an activity for 5-9 years and then 10-15 years, over 60 children walk through the door every Tuesday for this. We have at least 6 volunteers assisting this project and all are completing child protection and first aid courses, and will soon complete basic youth work training, this will hopefully get them a foot in the door to paid youth work. We have two weekly bingo sessions, Wednesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. This is greatly appreciated by the older members of our community – for some it is the only thing they do each week. We’ve just launched weekly senior citizen lunches on Fridays, a home-cooked meal such as shepeherds pie, for just £2.50 per person. We also have a table tennis club on a Monday night for those aged 16-24 years and this is helping us to develop links with this age group, many of which have a chequered past having been in prison and experienced drug and alcohol misuse. Hopefully through something as simple as table tennis, we can start to help improve the lives of these young people as well. It is truly a community centre for the whole community, and I think symbolizes that this community has improved. For me, the most striking thing about the people you see here tonight, and others involved with activities in this community, is their commitment and dedication through adversity. They all have a whole variety of issues going on in their own lives, they could easily let these issues consume them, and have resentment against society, but they do not, they all muck in, do their bit, and through it, support each other, and are stronger for it. Brenda touched upon an issue sensitive to her just now, and many of the people involved with activities at the Abbey have their own personal situations which they strive to overcome. But they don’t let that prevent them from doing their bit in their community, and I like to think in return, they support each other, and I like to think that their community supports them. So to summarise, We know our community has improved, the people on the Abbey Estate know their community has improved, YOU here, have the power this evening, to help us send a message to everyone else that this community has improved. Vote for the Abbey.Here's the link to an article about it in the Bury Free Press; http://www.buryfreepress.co.uk/thetford/Neighbourhood-centre-wins-community-award.5445820.jp

Go Further Trips; Autumn / Winter 2009

Please click the link above to view the list of coach trips that I am running between now and Christmas 2009.

24% of people in Breckland think they can influence how things are run

I found the last statistic given in this article on the EDP website very interesting. "On the outskirts of Norwich, 82pc of people under Breckland Council, were happy with their area as a place to live; half were satisfied with the way the council runs things; 42pc felt the council provided value for money and less than a quarter, 24pc felt they could influence the way things were run". Indeed, I think we have a democratic defecit in Breckland.

Abbey Barns - success!

Have just heard, the Abbey Barns issue WILL be called in by the Secretary of State. Fantastic news.

KAVO Membership Form

My new role at Keystone is supporting voluntary and community groups in the Keystone area, called K.A.V.O - Keystone Area Voluntary Organisations. It provides advice to groups, help with funding applications, training services, networking opportunities etc. Click the link above to download and complete the KAVO Membership Form if you are put of a group and would like to join.

Community Football Project going very well!

Here is a picture from what I think is probably one of my favourite projects at the moment. Last year, a funding application submitted to the Football Foundation was approved and the Thetford Community Association was awarded £8,000 plus £2,000 from Norfolk Community Foundation to run football coaching sessions at the Ballpark on the Redcastle Estate for two years. We launched the project in March of this year, having first recruited three coaches - all of which live local. We worked through risk assessments, produced session registers, membership forms and we registered as an 'employer' for payroll and everything that goes with that. The sessions now take place every Tuesday and Thursday. There are regularly 25-30 youngsters aged 10-15 years attending - mainly boys. Tonight, there were 36 youngsters - too many in fact! This project has been achieved by a committee of about 5 people, absolutely amazing. Credit also to the three coaches, who are working hard to make this project a success. £10,000 for this project is peanuts in the world of funding, but look how far it can go - 180 sessions, 25-30 youngsters engaged for 2 hours at every session, new skills taught, addressing behaviour, providing suitable role models, improving confidence and self esteem, encouraging healthier lifestyles etc etc etc, this sort of activity is not rocket science, it should be happening all the time in a community like Thetford where 25% of the population is under 16. Let's hope for more successes in the future

Abbey Barns; Richard Howitt visit in Bury Free Press

Click title to read the article.

Thetford-West Result

Well, I was unsuccesful in my attempt to become the next Norfolk County Councillor for Thetford-West. Initially I was very disappointed, it is afterall something I have put a lot of time and effort into for a long while, but then given the national situation, and loss of 19 Labour seats in Norfolk, in hindsight it was rather inevitable! I may sound very anti-Conservative when I say this, but I was delighted that the seat was at least won by the Liberal Democrats. I do not think councils work well when they are hugely controlled by one political party, there is no room for debate or discussion, refining policy or ideas, just look at Breckland Council - 48 Tories out of 54 councillors. And now, Norfolk has 60 tories out of 84 councillors. However, I polled a respectable 706 votes on a turnout of 28% - I suspect out of the 72% of people that didn't vote there would be a large number of labour voters there sitting on their hands refusing to go and support the Government, and numerous voters around my age (18-30) who are just oblivious to the democratic process. I lost count in this campaign how many people I had to sit down and explain how to vote, i.e. simply how to walk into a polling station, what to do etc. As with the by-election last year, and again this year, I am very pleased to have managed to motivate people to vote who do not normally, or have never voted! I think at least 30 people voted for me last Thursday who rarely, or more realistically, never vote. I was pleased that I seemed to do far better on the Saxon Ward half of the Thetford-West seat. I assume anyway, can't know for sure. But the Labour vote was particularly poor for the Abbey Ward by-election, just 256 votes, so if people voted the same for the county election, it meant I got roughly 450 votes for the Saxon Ward half of Thetford-West and 256 on the Abbey half (Mike Brindle, Lib Dem, also won that seat so is now on the Town Council and Norfolk Council all in one go!). I live to fight another day, I'm still on Thetford Town Council, I am still employed as a community worker in Thetford, and I am as determined as ever to work to improve Thetford, and this will probably mean standing in future elections! It goes without saying, but I wish the two new Thetford County Councillors all the best, and our two new town councillors! Interesting times ahead :) All results here - http://www.breckland.gov.uk/news_declaration_of_poll_county_elections

Photography competition for children in Thetford

About the competition: You need to submit two photographs about where you live, one photograph should show what you like most about where you live, and the other about what you like least about where you live. Each photograph should also have a small amount of text explaining why you have chosen each picture. Competition for young people aged 5 - 11 years and 11 - 18 years. How to submit your photograph: You can email them to terry.j@keystonetrust.org.uk or you can post them to; Photography Competition, Keystone Development Trust, The Limes, 32 Bridge Street, Thetford, Norfolk, IP24 3AG Deadline for all entries; Wednesday 10th June 2009 For more information, contact 01842 821643

Leaflets, phone calls and unhappy residents

I've been spending a lot of time out and about recently, mainly due to the need to deliver literally thousands of leaflets - (trust me to be standing in the second biggest seat out of all 84 in Norfolk!) Although, ever the optimist, it is really good exercise, it gets me out and about in the fresh air and sunshine and I can speak to people as I'm going around. Plus, I pick up lots of things to report to either Breckland Council or Peddars Way, never any shortage of this, as these two latest photos demonstrate - both now sent off to Breckland. Furthermore, have just finished working my way through the 11 voicemails on my landline, mainly from residents, oh joy. Some happy customers, some very rude - politics really isn't for the faint hearted.