Transforming Breckland Summer 2020

Transforming

Summer 2020

Breckland A Breckland Council publication for all residents

High streets are open for business!

Inside this issue: 15,000 meals delivered to vulnerable residents – p4 Thank you to our pandemic volunteers – p5 £28.5m grants released to businesses – p7 Council meetings launched online – p8 And much more inside!

www.breckland.gov.uk

First Words

Welcome to the latest edition of Transforming Breckland

T

he coronavirus pandemic has had a massive impact on all our lives, creating uncertainty around everybody’s health and wellbeing, limiting how much we can see our loved ones, and temporarily closing businesses and schools.

While restrictions have been easing more recently, it is likely that we will all need to continue to follow the latest guidance and avoid becoming complacent, which could put ourselves, our families, and members of our communities at risk. But while Covid-19 has undoubtedly brought challenges, it has also brought out the best in our communities and created opportunities to review how we do things.

For example, Breckland Council has been supporting some of our most vulnerable residents through the distribution of food and medicine packages and this has been bolstered by a range of volunteers who have given their time to support local people – see pages 4&5.

Our market towns are the beating heart of our communities and it has been a challenge to see them so quiet in recent months. However, our Confidence campaign is giving people the reassurance they need to safely return to the high streets and get local traders’ tills ringing again – see pages 6&7.

Most of our staff continue to work from home so we’ve started to offer extended telephone appointments to our most vulnerable residents. However, you can help us focus our limited resources on those who need the most help by choosing to submit applications and reports via our website, talking to us online, and finding the information you need via our brand new ‘chatbot’ – see page 11.

Stay safe and well.

Kind regards,

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Email contactus@ breckland.gov.uk or call 01362 656870. If you need this magazine in large print, or in an alternative version, please contact Breckland Council on 01362 656870.

Link-Up: Blind or partially sighted, or know someone who is? Transforming Breckland can be sent on a memory stick with the independently produced Link-Up, a free, fortnightly audio newsletter.

To subscribe, email: contact@linkup breckland.org.uk or call 01842 755131.

Delivery issues? If you know someone who has not received their copy of Transforming Breckland please contact us on 01362 656870.

We’ve had to find new ways of delivering services and carrying out day-to-day council business too. For example, our committee meetings have recently been held virtually (see page 8) and we’ve made it possible to do even more online so you don’t need to visit us in person (see back page).

Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen Breckland Council Leader

Transforming Breckland brings you news and information on the services and support provided by Breckland Council and its partners.

Your comments and ideas are very welcome.

Information correct at time of going to print. For latest information, go to www.breckland.gov.uk/coronavirus

Transforming Breckland is printed on chlorine-free paper from managed forests. www.breckland.gov.uk

Delivering for Breckland

Coronavirus:

our response in numbers Caring for our communities in Breckland

Supporting businesses in Breckland

Our Council

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Community Covid Response

Breckland Leader and volunteers celebrate reaching the 10,000 meals milestone in June

15,000 meals delivered T

hroughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Breckland Council has been working to ensure those most in-need had access to essentials like food and medicine.

Working alongside a group of dedicated volunteers, partner organisations, and local businesses, we established a community support hub to organise the delivery of hundreds of food parcels to some of the most vulnerable residents in Breckland.

We have distributed around 15,000 meals to local vulnerable residents who were shielding or suffering hardship due to the pandemic.

If you or someone you know is in isolation and needs help accessing food or medicines, please contact us on 0344 800 8020 or visit www.breckland.gov.uk/ community-support-hub

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Roll of honour To recognise and thank the groups and businesses who came forward to support our local communities, we have launched an online Roll of Honour.

You can see the list at: www.breckland.gov.uk/pandemicresponse-roll-of-honour While there are already a fantastic number of groups and businesses already on our list, we know that there were countless acts of kindness and support offered daily and so it can never be exhaustive.

However, if you’d like to nominate a local group or business to be added to the ever-growing list, please email communications@breckland.gov.uk, detailing the name of the group, what they did, and the area of the district in which they’ve been operating.

Thank you TO OUR VOLUNTEERS!

all recently been living through unprecedented times, W e’ve with the pandemic bringing challenges for everybody.

However, we have fantastically strong communities in Breckland and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from local volunteers and businesses who have stepped up to support some of the district’s most vulnerable residents.

More than 3,600 people in Breckland were classed as ‘extremely vulnerable’ by the NHS, with many unable to shop for their own food or collect vital medication.

So Breckland Council organised a community support hub, run by more than 40 redeployed officers to organise food parcels, deliveries of medication, and make welfare calls. This response was hugely bolstered by a range of individual volunteers and local businesses who generously donated supplies, lent delivery vehicles, and whose furloughed staff volunteered to help with the relief effort.

In addition to people and businesses who helped with the council’s response, a number of people and groups also organised their own support for people in their local communities. To each and every one of you, we’d like to say ‘Thank you’!

n The Ball City!

City Football Club N orwich and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation hit the back of the net with a tremendous boost to our community response effort.

They donated 120 parcels to be distributed to our most vulnerable residents. The boxes included food, hand sanitiser, toilet roll, sweet treats, a Norwich City FC gift and a note from celebrity chef and Canaries shareholder Delia Smith.

The support is part of the foundation’s £200k fund donated by the football club’s players, staff and directors.

The donation is part of the first phase of the Canaries’ COVID19 Community Support Project,

which in the short-term is focused on issues such as helping vulnerable people access essential items.

As time progresses, the project will refocus on potential longer-term issues brought about by the pandemic, such as inactivity, poor

mental health, or a loss of employment.

To find out more, go to www.communitysports foundation.org.uk/ canaries-covid-19community-project

Your Health & Wellbeing

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Shop in B Council is running a campaign across B reckland each of our district’s five market towns to help local businesses bounce back from the coronavirus pandemic and give people confidence to return to the high streets.

Our Confidence campaign has seen the installation of hand sanitising stations, social distancing signage, floor stickers and branded lampposts to remind people to follow the latest guidance to keep themselves and each other safe while going about their shopping.

In addition, we’ve been reviewing car parking arrangements and have provided extra seating and decorations to promote our market town high streets as a vibrant, safe destinations for local shoppers.

The changes have been made in liaison with town councils, local traders and business groups and the campaign is run in partnership with South Norfolk and Broadland councils. You can show your support for our high streets and help protect jobs by shopping locally, but please remember the importance of following the latest guidance on keeping a safe distance when shopping and queuing, regular hand washing, and staying home if you have coronavirus symptoms.

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Breckland with Supporting businesses to bounce back Council and its partners have been B reckland working with local businesses to help them recover from the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. This includes distributing around ÂŁ30m in grants to help businesses weather the storm of Covid-19.

Around ÂŁ27m came from central government and a further ÂŁ1.5m was from our own Local Discretionary Fund for businesses and charities which did not meet the national funding criteria. The grants have proven a vital lifeline for our shops, hospitality and leisure businesses who were hit hard by a drop in trade during lockdown.

We also offered local businesses free packs of social distancing posters and floor stickers, an online course in business safety, and our Environmental Health and Licencing officers are making regular trips to all market towns to speak to businesses and provide advice on how they can operate safely. If you run a Breckland business and would like to discuss support available to you, please get in touch by emailing regeneration@breckland.gov.uk or visiting www.breckland.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-guidance

Your Opportunity

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Community

Silver SILVER Social goes online T HE

S O CIAL

Council’s The B reckland Silver Social programme

See democracy in action Y

ou can now observe Breckland Council’s committee meetings from the comfort of your own home.

The coronavirus pandemic has meant our councillors have recently been meeting remotely, via videoconference, with a live video feed of the meetings made accessible to members of the public on our Youtube channel. This means you can observe the meeting’s debates and the decisions being made by local elected officials. If you’ve never attended a council meeting before, or there is a hot topic or planning application that is important to you and due for discussion soon, make sure you log on to see democracy in action.

How do I watch?

has moved online, to stay connected with local residents.

Over the last few years, our initiative has brought highly-acclaimed professional artists to Breckland, hosting art workshops, singers and theatre troupes for local residents to enjoy, try something a bit different and socialise.

The pandemic has meant we’ve had to change our approach though, so we’ve recently been getting together with residents for a cuppa and a chat online instead. We’ll be keeping a close eye on national guidance as to when we can all get together again in person, so please keep an eye out for our latest events and sign up to our newsletter www.thesilver social.com/events

You can see which committee meetings are due to be held soon and download the agenda from our website. A live video feed of each meeting will be made available online shortly before the meeting begins.

To access the video, go to www.youtube.com and search for Breckland Council. In the event of a technical issue, the feed may instead be streamed to the council’s Facebook page. To find out more and check the calendar of upcoming meetings, go to www.breckland. gov.uk/virtual-committee-meetings

Breckland Council

busy buzzing

Breckland’s

bees are

leaving areas of verges and land in the district to grow wild W e’re to create habitats which support our bee and insect populations,

which nationally are in decline. Allowing flowers to grow creates a beautiful floral display for our residents while helping pollinators like hoverflies and bees work their magic. We’ll still be cutting verges where necessary to ensure resident safety and to prevent road drainage damage.

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Your Health & Wellbeing

£250k boost for domestic abuse groups T

wo Breckland organisations which help support people experiencing domestic abuse and sexual violence are to receive a share of a £250,000 Ministry of Justice funding pot.

The Daisy Programme will receive around £18,270 for additional staffing and kit, including thirty new tablets which domestic abuse survivors can use to access 1-2-1 counselling via video call, as well as Daisy’s ‘Live Chat’ online facility.

Meanwhile, Leeway, which operates in Breckland and across the county, will receive just over £31k to buy masks for face-to-face support sessions plus new laptops and phones so staff can provide services to clients remotely.

These two organisations will also each receive a share of a £3,000 donation after being selected by Breckland Council’s Chairman as her charity beneficiaries for 2019/20. To find out more go to www.leewaysupport.org or www.facebook.com/daisyprogramme.org.uk.

Central heating system grants or advice for anyone struggling to heat their home Call us on 01603 430103 to find out if you qualify or visit norfolkwarmhomes.org.uk for more information

The Warm Homes Fund is provided by National Grid CIC and administered by Affordable Warmth Solutions across England, Scotland and Wales

Your Place

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Environment

Boost for Breckland’s biodiversity Council is to provide planning developers with advice and B reckland guidance which will help them create sustainable habitats for wildlife.

It is part of our renewed focus on climate change and the environment.

We will issue advice to developers and residents who submit planning applications to suggest ways in which bird boxes and bee or swift bricks can be included in housing plans. Since 1994, figures from the British Trust for Ornithology show that the number of house martins and swifts has declined by almost 40%. By creating new nesting sites, we hope we can curb and reverse this trend.

This policy will contribute to the council’s overall climate change strategy, which will help guide the Council, local residents and businesses to reduce their impact on the local environment.

Flytipper crackdown continues Seen a flytip? Report it at www.breckland.gov.uk/flytip

Council is continuing to take action against those who B reckland choose to flytip their waste in the district. We are proud of our beautiful district and are doing all we can to discourage the minority of people who think it’s okay to selfishly dump their waste.

Speedy response It took just three hours for our officers to locate, interview and fine a man who was seen flytipping at Beetley Village Hall. Our skilled Enforcement officers reviewed CCTV evidence to locate the person suspected of flytipping, who then admitted the incident and immediately paid the Fixed Penalty Notice of £300.

Fine for forest f lytip

d Forest A Thetford man who was responsible for dumping car parts in Thetfor ation with the has been fined £600 by Breckland Council. Through a joint investig claimed he had Forestry Commission, we linked the items to the car owner who the sale and ented docum not had he as er, sold the car parts for scrap. Howev responsible legally found was owner car was not able to identify the buyers, the also man The waste. his of al for failing to appropriately manage the dispos carrier. waste admitted to transporting scrap waste without a

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, World s most expensive coffee break?

A group of workmen who were caught throwing their takeaway coffee cups from their van may have had the world’s most expensive coffee break.

The trio were fined £80 each after a member of the public reported the incident to Breckland Council along with the work vehicle’s details and registration. The fine surpasses the cost of the most expensive cup of coffee in the world, the Panamanian-grown Elida Geisha Natural, which is around £79 per cup.

The incident also landed the workmen in hot water with their employer, who took internal disciplinary measures.

Attleborough’s £34 million infrastructure investment primary schools, N ew park space, a community

Helping to keep firstresponders on the move

centre and a link road are all expected to be built in Attleborough as part of a £34m investment package.

Council has released a grant of £5,000 to B reckland support Norfolk Accident Rescue Service (NARS). The money will help them continue their vital work in supporting the emergency services and saving lives in the community.

The Dereham based charity, now celebrating its 50th year serving the community, is provided by a group of highly trained volunteer advanced clinicians. It was originally formed to support ambulance crews dealing with serious road traffic accidents but that has grown to now include providing first-response expertise to people with serious injuries, cardiac arrests and strokes. This year alone, NARS has responded to over 500 emergency cases a big rise on last year’s demand.

Breckland Council reached the multi-million-pound agreement with the developer behind the plans to build 4,000 new homes on the edge of the town. The money will fund the construction of new primary schools and invest in the existing Attleborough Academy.

A new linear park, allotments, and open green spaces will be created, a community centre constructed, and contributions made to support indoor sport, libraries and public transport provision in the town.

Improvements will be made to existing road junctions, public transport, cycle and pedestrian routes and a new link road built to connect Buckenham Road and London Road, while a new footbridge will be built over the railway at Leys Lane crossing.

Both the link road and railway crossing will be in place by the time the 1,200 home is built.

The money will be used to help pay for vital medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), training for volunteers and maintenance for three first-responder vehicles.

Have you met our chatbot?

V

isitors to our website can now find the information they need by asking Breckland Council’s first virtual member of staff. Our ‘chatbot’ automatically responds to questions or directs users to the webpage they need.

It is just one of the ways to digitally interact with us, alongside online forms, chatting with staff online, and emailing queries.

Choosing these options means staff can focus on helping people with complex or urgent cases.

A limited number of face-to-face appointments, which are strictly prebooked, are also available for our most vulnerable customers. Our normal hours are Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm, but our digital options are available 24/7. To get in touch go to www.breckland.gov.uk/ contactus

Your Place

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Directory of online services Quick Reference Directory You can find out about our services, submit applications, make payments and report problems at: www.breckland.gov.uk

Apply for it!

You can apply for lots of things via our website at www.breckland.gov.uk/applyforit Direct links to some of the most commonly used application forms are below: Housing and council tax £ Benefits Apply, manage or pay for Breckland Council benefits and services: www.angliarevenues.gov.uk/ breckland Building Control Inspection:

Request a site inspection from our Building Control department: www.breckland.gov.uk/ building-control-inspectionbooking Bus Pass: The free passes are available to residents who meet the age or disability requirements: www.norfolk.gov.uk/ roads-and-transport/ public-transport/ buses/concessionary-travel-pass Garden Waste Collection Service Create or renew a subscription to have your garden waste collected every fortnight: www.breckland.gov.uk/ gardenwaste Library Service: Find your

nearest library, search for a good read, and more! www.norfolk.gov. uk/libraries-local-historyand-archives Register for E-billing: View your account and receive council tax bills online: www.angliarevenues.gov. uk/breckland Postal Vote request: If you

can’t get to your polling station on election day, you can still vote by post: www.breckland.gov.uk/ postalvoterequest Register to vote: To vote in future elections you must be on the electoral register: www.breckland.gov.uk/ individual-electoral-registration

Report it!

Come across an issue? Let us know using our Report It tool: www.breckland.gov.uk/reportit A number of key issues are listed below for ease of reference, but you can do more on our website.

Abandoned Vehicles: Let us

know about a vehicle that has been abandoned on public land without lawful authority: www.breckland. gov.uk/article/3080/Report-anabandoned-vehicle Anti-Social Behaviour Affected by it? Don’t tolerate it, report it: www.breckland.gov.uk/ noise-or-nuisance

£

Benefit Fraud: Suspect a resident of Benefit or council tax fraud? www.breckland.gov.uk/ report-suspected-fraud Change of Address: For when

you are moving and staying in the district or moving out of Breckland: www.breckland.gov.uk/ tell-us-youre-moving Change of Circumstances: Let us know if something changes eg. you get married, have a child, your partner moves in, your pension is different: www.angliarevenues.gov.uk/ breckland Compliments, Complaints, Comments: Let us know what’s working well and how we can improve further: www.breckland.gov.uk/ compliments-complaintscomments Damaged Wheelie Bin: We’ll repair or replace your wheelie bin ASAP: www.breckland.gov.uk/ damaged-wheeled-bin Dog fouling: Let us know of any

incidents of dog fouling in public areas: www.breckland.gov.uk/ litter-and-dog-fouling

Faulty Street Light: Pass on

details about street lights which are damaged or not working: www. breckland.gov.uk/article/3089/ report-a-faulty-street-light

Pay for it!

Visit our website to pay invoices, council tax, business rates or benefits overpayments online. You can also set up a direct debit to pay your council tax on a monthly date that suits you. You’ll be able to pay for more things online soon, reducing the need to call during office hours or visit us in person. www.breckland.gov.uk/payforit

Fly Tipping: Let us know if you see

fly tipped waste or saw somebody dumping rubbish: www.breckland.gov. uk/flytip Full Public Litter Bin: Has a litter

bin near you been filled but not emptied yet? www.breckland.gov.uk/ full-public-litter-bin Highway Problem: Report problems with roads, pavements, cycle paths and Public Rights of Way: https://apps. norfolk.gov.uk/highwaysdefect Litter: Seen piles of dropped litter?

Let us know: www.breckland.gov. uk/litter-and-dog-fouling Missing Wheelie Bin: Has your

wheelie bin been lost or stolen? www.breckland.gov.uk/ missing-wheeled-bin Noise or Nuisance: Report loud music, barking dogs, industrial noise, bad smell, artificial light, smoke or bonfires, and more: www.breckland.gov.uk/ noise-or-nuisance Street Name Plates: Tell us if you’ve seen a street name sign that is unreadable, missing letters, missing the name plate, or damaged: www.breckland.gov.uk/ street-name-plate-problem

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Keep in Touch!

If you need help or advice, contact our expert Customer Contact Centre staff at: contactus@breckland.gov.uk Breckland Council @BreckCouncil @Breckland Council breckcouncil Post: Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE Local centres: www.breckland.gov.uk/visit-us