Transforming Breckland - Autumn 2016

Transforming

Autumn 2016

Breckland A Breckland Council publication for all residents

£8m leisure complex to open!

Inside this issue: Faster broadband for residents and businesses – p3 £195,000 to improve sport and play areas – p5 Dementia-friendly project expands – p11 More online training for businesses now available – p15

www.breckland.gov.uk

First Words

Welcome to the autumn-winter edition of Transforming Breckland We may be approaching the end of 2016, but the progress being made within the district continues apace.

I’m delighted that the phased opening of Thetford’s brand new multi-million pound leisure complex is now getting underway (pages 8 & 9). The project on the town’s riverside is a striking testament to our commitment to developing the local economy. It will help to kick-start the regeneration of the town, which will play a key role in driving growth across the entire district.

But we recognise that we can’t deliver and manage growth alone. To support Breckland to develop and thrive we must continue to work in partnership with local people, businesses and other organisations. You can read about the establishment of partnership boards in Thetford and Attleborough on page 10.

We are also committed to enabling stronger communities, which is why I’m thrilled that we recently allocated almost £200k to enhance local sport and play facilities (page 5).

Sports clubs and play areas bring people of all ages together and our Outdoor Sport and Play Fund will encourage even more people to get active in our beautiful district.

We’re always looking to provide the right services, at the right time and in the right way and one of our innovative projects, for people with dementia and their carers, has been recognised as making a real difference to people’s lives. Our Day Out has been selected to receive almost a quarter-of-a-million pounds of national funding so it can expand (page 11).

One of the ways we’re improving the lives of our youngest residents is through our ‘smokefree’ initiative (page 6). The scheme, backed by parish councils and schools, asks smokers not to light up at play areas and school entrances, to lessen the chance of children taking up the habit.

We’re also making big strides with our digital agenda (page 3). This will make the council more efficient and more effective, so you can contact us whenever you need to. It includes making more big changes to www.breckland. gov.uk, so please visit the site regularly for the latest developments.

Best wishes,

Cllr William Nunn, Leader

Contact us...

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.

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.

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www.breckland.gov.uk 2

Digital

Superfast broadband for 8-in-10 More people in Breckland can now make use of a superfast broadband connection thanks to an ongoing programme to improve connectivity.

Figures show that 80% of homes and businesses can now access broadband which is at least 24mb per second, a vast increase from just 30% in 2013. The significant increase in superfast connections in the district means the average download speed is now five times faster than in 2011. A fast and reliable internet connection enables businesses to communicate with customers and suppliers and for residents to stay in touch with their loved ones.

That’s why Breckland Council recently contributed £950k to support the local delivery of the Better Broadband for Norfolk project, which is in addition to £12m from central government, the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership and Norfolk County Council. The investment will further improve broadband connections in Breckland and across the county.

Not sure whether you can access superfast broadband?

BT internet customers can check using their phone number, while customers not with BT can check using their address at www. btwholesale.com/includes/ adsl/adsl.htm If ‘VDSL’ is shown in the results, you can access a superfast fibre connections.

Residents who cannot access superfast broadband can check when it will be coming to their area at www.betterbroadband norfolk.co.uk/map.aspx

More to see and do online People visiting Breckland Council’s website (www. breckland.gov.uk) will be able to enjoy a new design, better layout and increased functionality from this autumn as we continue to make improvements.

Our new site will boast a brand new look and feel which will make it easier to find the information you need – and quicker than ever before.

Among the other new functions will be the ability to apply for licenses online, including those needed for one-off events you may be holding.

Previously, you’d need to print off hard copies of forms, complete them, and bring them into the council’s offices.

We’ll also be offering more flexible payment options, for instance

making it possible to pay for your Garden Waste Collection Service subscription using a credit card. This is in addition to the debit card option we launched earlier this year.

To ensure you get the most from the site as possible, you’ll also soon be able to register a user profile in order to see content which is localised to your area and pre-populate forms with your contact details. That means if you have to get in touch, report an issue, or check who your councillor is, the pre-completed forms and information will be right at your fingertips and save you time.

The improvements to our website will enable us to offer you the right service at a time that’s convenient to you. Keep an eye on www. breckland.gov.uk for the latest developments from this autumn.

Congratulations!

In the previous edition of Transforming Breckland we offered you the chance to win a number of great prizes, which were all provided by our partners.

Congratulations go to all our winners! They are all listed at www.breckland.gov.uk/transformingbreckland We’re now offering three new chances to win, so look out for the competitions in this edition!

Providing the right services, at the right time and in the right way

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Grant Funding

Grant funding to benefit communities Photo: Dick Bartlett

One of Breckland Council’s priorities is making sure we’re supporting communities to become stronger and more independent. That’s why we’re running a series of grant schemes aimed at benefitting a range of community groups and individuals. These are managed on our behalf by Norfolk Community Foundation. To find out whether one of our funding schemes could help you, or your community, visit www.norfolkfoundation.com/?s=breckland

The signs are good for villages

If you were swept up by the excitement of the Olympics in Rio over the summer, make sure you remember the name Jack Spall, an athlete from Attleborough who hopes to represent Great Britain at the 2020 Olympics.

Two villages in the district have received grants from Breckland Council to update their village signs. The signs are a key focal point for residents and visitors, so we’re pleased to help ensure they remain a good reflection of our beautiful rural villages.

Jack has already achieved the title of Great Britain’s Heavyweight Taekwondo Champion and we’ve given his journey to Tokyo 2020 a boost by providing him with £500 from our Gifted and Talented fund. The money has bought Jack a much needed Photo: Archant new Taekwondo suit and body protection so he can continue to train safely as part of Team GB.

South Lopham received a £450 grant from us to help pay for the cleaning, oiling, painting and sign-writing of its village sign, while Griston received a £1,000 Pride grant to help pay for a new sign as the old one was beyond repair.

Jack Spall (right), in action

Olympic hopeful packs a punch

Playdays boost Getting active is a walk in the park for youngsters in Dereham thanks to a brand new play area, part funded by Dereham Town Council and Breckland Council.

The Neatherd Play Area features 12 new pieces of play equipment and cost £100,000 – £20,000 of which was funded through a grant from Breckland Council. The Dereham Town Council project opened over the summer and includes a climbing frame with slide, rope wall and bridge, a zip line, swings, maze, play house and picnic benches.

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£195k to improve sport and play areas Grant funding totalling just over £195,000 is helping to enhance and create local sport and play facilities for use by people of all ages.

Grants from Breckland Council’s Outdoor Sport and Play Fund will help pay for new play equipment, refurbished changing rooms, the installation of outdoor gym apparatus, and much more.

Where the money will be spent Funding is set to be used to benefit communities in many locations across the district. Projects have been approved in: • Attleborough £39,960 • Banham £2,430 • Beeston £2,050 • Bridgham £1,680 • Garboldisham (2 projects) £10,360 • Great Ellingham (2 projects) £5,700 • Gressenhall £2,030 • Kenninghall £9,120 • Longham £4,643 • Mattishall £9,396 • Narborough £1,200 • Necton £2,680 • Shropham £7,320 • Sporle £4,090 • Swaffham (2 projects) £43,400 • Thetford (3 projects) £31,960 • Thuxton £700 • Tittleshall £2,900 • Watton (3 projects) £10,093 • Weeting £332

A total of 27 projects have been given the green light, worth a combined £195,000 of funding.

This includes £100,500 for sports-related schemes and £94,500 for play area initiatives.

As reported in our April edition of Transforming Breckland, we invited town and parish councils, community groups, sports clubs, charities and schools to bid for a share of the funding pot. The Outdoor Sport and Play Fund money is collected by the council from housing developers who, as part of their planning permission, are often required to make funding available to help improve local play and sports facilities.

And there’s still time to apply!

Although the grant scheme is currently closed, around £114k is still available. Groups can apply when the scheme reopens in January 2017.

To check whether there are funds still available in your parish group cluster, and for any advice and guidance on projects and how to apply, please call the Norfolk Community Foundation on 01603 623958 or visit www.norfolk foundation.com/funds/ breckland-outdoor-sport-andplay-fund

Tittleshall £2,900 Longham £4,643 Gressenhall £2,030

Beeston £2,050

Narborough £1,200

Sporle £4,090

Mattishall £9,396

Necton £2,680

Thuxton £700

Swaffham £43,400

Watton £10,093 Gt Ellingham £5,700 Attleborough £39,960 Shropham £7,320 Weeting £332

Banham £2,430 Bridgham £1,680 Thetford £31,960

Kenninghall £9,120 Garboldisham £10,360

Enabling stronger, more independent communities

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Stay Safe

Strong support for smoke-free signs Schools, pre-school nurseries, and town and parish councils are being urged to show their support for a project which aims to keep children’s play areas smokefree.

We are protecting the health of children in the district by encouraging the introduction of a voluntary smoke-free code – promoted through a range of eye-catching signs – in public play areas and entrances to schools and nurseries.

More than 20 schools, nurseries, and local councils are already taking part – but there’s still time to join our scheme. Speak to your local town or parish council, or school, if you’d like to see them adopt the signs too. The first sign at a school went up at Parker’s Primary School in Saham Toney. The picture was drawn by five-yearold competition winner Ruby Brown, from Ovington.

A design by seven-year-old Freya Gallant, from Attleborough, was used on the first sign installed at a play area, at Thetford’s Castle Play Area. You can view the designs, created by our young competition winners and find out about signing up to support the project at www.breckland.gov.uk

Stay safe & avoid the scammers Scams are schemes which aim to con you out of your money. They can be from someone coming to your home or arrive by post – and in this digital age they can be via a phone call, text message or email.

Working in partnership with Citizen’s Advice, Breckland Council is reminding residents to make sure they are on the lookout for digital scams to avoid becoming a victim.

These include sending you emails which contain computer viruses to gain access to your details and steal your money and identity. They can also direct you to websites that appear legitimate but which trick you into buying something bogus

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or handing over personal details.

What to look out for • t he call, letter, email or text comes out of the blue • y ou’ve not heard of the competition they say you’ve won • y ou are asked to send money in advance • y ou are told to respond quickly • y ou are told to keep it a secret How to stay safe There are ways you can protect yourself, including: •c reating long passwords which are unique and use numbers and lower and upper case letters •u sing up-to-date antivirus software •p aying online via secure sites – these have web addresses beginning with https not http

(the ‘s’ stands for secure) • updating your web browser, such as Internet Explorer • not opening suspicious or unknown emails, attachments, texts or pop up messages • not responding to companies which ask for your log-in details Been scammed?

It’s very distressing to be caught out by a scam, but it’s important to report it to try and stop the scammer striking again. If you’ve lost money because of a scam report it to Action Fraud, the national fraud reporting centre.

You can report the scam by calling 0300 123 2040 or at www.actionfraud.police.uk More information and advice at www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Enabling stronger, more independent communities

Growth access roundabout at the junction of Mundford Road and Wyatt Way. As one of the district’s key future employment sites, we are working hard to get the TEP ready for potential employers, particularly technology-based companies focused on engineering and manufacturing.

Photo: Archant

Jobs and growth boost Plans which could see the creation of up to 3,700 jobs at two key employment sites in Breckland have moved a step closer to reality, thanks to funding totalling £4.1m.

Both schemes – at Snetterton and Thetford – aim to maximise the benefits brought by the dualling of the A11 to create a Cambridge Norwich A11 Technology Corridor.

Thetford Enterprise Park Working with our partners, Breckland Council’s aim is to unlock the potential of the Thetford Enterprise Park (TEP) site, creating up to 2,000 new jobs and supporting the town’s planned population growth.

The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has allocated £1.8m to help fund a new TEP

Snetterton Heath Major expansion of industrial activity at Snetterton Heath, which could create over 1,700 new jobs, can now go ahead after being allocated £2.3m funding.

The New Anglia LEP funding, alongside further private and public sector investment, means the £3m scheme to upgrade the electricity power supply can go ahead. It will help unlock growth and attract new businesses – and new jobs – to the area.

Shaping our district Digging for victory Work has begun to bring part of one of East Anglia’s largest construction companies to Attleborough.

RG Carter Group is currently developing a site off London Road, known informally as Victory Park, which will soon accommodate its engineering division. The land was formally owned by Breckland Council and was sold to the building specialists in order to help create jobs in the town and provide opportunities to benefit local businesses which could form part of the supply chain.

Thank you to everyone who recently gave their views on our draft Local Plan – your feedback will help shape the future of the district. Once adopted in 2017, the new Local Plan will influence development in Breckland over the next 20 years.

It will help us plan for growth and ensure we have allocated enough land for new homes and employment where it is needed most. Many residents came to our consultation drop-in sessions to look at detailed maps outlining the preferred sites for development and discuss proposals with council officers.

We also had a good response to our online consultation.Your comments will help to refine the next version of the Local Plan. This will go out to

public consultation in Spring 2017 before being submitted to the Government Planning Inspectorate for approval. Find out more at www.breckland.gov.uk/ Emerging-Local-Plan

Supporting Breckland to develop and thrive

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Leisure

The wait is finally over!

After months of anticipation, the wait is now over!

Excitement has been growing during its 17 month construction and Thetford Riverside is now ready to open its doors.

The complex, on Bridge Street, will bring brand new leisure facilities much closer to the doorsteps of people living in Thetford, as well as the wider district and surrounding area. It will also create new jobs and provide a catalyst for further business growth in our area.

The regeneration of the Riverside site represents an £8m investment

by Breckland Council and forms part of our vision for the future of the town. The phased opening of the complex will see the 62-bed Travelodge hotel open its

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doors by mid-November and the cinema, run by The Light, will open around the end of November.

Negotiations are continuing with tenants interested in opening within the five restaurant/retail units, so keep an eye on www.breckland. gov.uk and local press over the coming months for the latest announcements.

Thetford Riverside was delivered on time and on budget by Breckland Bridge, the innovative joint venture between Breckland Council and The Land Group.

We continue to work with a range of partners on a number of other town centre schemes, to further enhance the town’s facilities and make it easier for residents and visitors to access them.

Thetford Riverside in numbers £8 million investment

by Breckland Council

75 new jobs to be created

17 month

construction period

5 food and retail units 62 hotel bedrooms 3 cinema screens 100 seats per screen

Photo: Travelodge Images

Construction began in June 2015 and was finished on time and on budget

Captain Mainwaring was removed while the landscaped gardens were created, but he’s now back in his rightful place

A typical Travelodge room offering comfort and convenience

You can now watch construction of the complex in a sped-up film at wwww.breckland.gov.uk/Thetford-Riverside

The cinema will have a cafe and bar similar to the one pictured here

Lights, Camera, Action!

When the cinema at Thetford Riverside opens around late November it will offer a unique entertainment experience in a friendly, relaxed environment.

To celebrate the opening, we have the perfect prize for all you film fans, courtesy of The Light.

and sound. The cinema will also have a café and bar so you can enjoy a coffee, light snack, glass of wine or a beer before or after your blockbuster movie, art-house film, or screening of a ballet, opera or theatre performance. Make sure you visit www.lightcinemas.co.uk to see what’s coming up.

You must be 18 or over and living in Breckland to enter. Entries must be received by 30 November 2016.

You could win one of three pairs of tickets which grant unlimited access to the cinema for three whole months. That should give you plenty of time to make the most of the cinema’s extra wide and extra comfy seating in each of its three, fully licensed screens, which all boast incredible 2D and 3D visuals with state of the art digital picture

To be in with a chance of winning one of three pairs of quarterly tickets, simply send your name, age, address and contact details, quoting Cinema Competition, to: communications@breckland .gov.uk or Cinema Competition, Communications Team, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE.

Prizes are non-transferable.

Film certification restrictions apply.

Full competition terms and conditions at: www.breckland. gov.uk/Ts-and-Cs

Winners chosen at random will receive a pair of tickets which are valid for three months’ unlimited cinema entry for the named ticket holders.

Developing the local economy to be vibrant

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Managing District’s Development

Narborough affordable homes boost Construction of 31 brand new affordable homes is now underway in Narborough, near Swaffham. The project, which is being led by Flagship Homes, will help to meet the housing needs of local families, particularly those who may find it difficult to access the housing market.

Breckland Council has supported the scheme and assisted Flagship in

obtaining over £558,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency to make delivery of the £4.3m scheme a reality.

ongoing heating costs. The new homes will comprise 18 one-to-four bedroom houses and 15 one-to-three bedroom bungalows.

It will see 12 old, pre-fabricated houses on Denny’s Walk replaced with 31 affordable homes and two market homes, substituting the old housing with new, energy efficient homes. This will be better suited to meet the modern needs of local families and help to reduce their

They will be built in three phases, with all the homes due to be complete by around spring 2019.

To find out if you may be eligible for affordable housing, register at www.brecklandhousing.co.uk or call 01362 656833

Partnerships are key Get involved to growth Two partnerships have been set up to influence successful growth within the district and ensure houses, roads, schools, healthcare and other resources are available at the right time.

The Attleborough Development Partnership (ADP) and the Greater Thetford Development Partnership (GTDP) are two separate boards which bring together representatives from Breckland Council, parish and town councils, businesses, landowners, funding

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bodies, and health, highways and education services.The boards have no direct decision-making powers or budgets but help coordinate plans so each partner’s work is a piece in a much bigger jigsaw of growth.

The next GTDP meeting is on 16 December; ADP will next meet on 22 December. Meetings are open to the public. Times, venues and papers will be published on the partnership websites when available.

Find out more at www.gtdp. org.uk and www.breckland. gov.uk/ADP

The Greater Thetford Development Partnership (GTDP) has established a Community Sub-Group to engage with residents and communities and make sure their views are fed back to the main board.

The sub-group members are working hard to give a voice to local people and ensure communities are represented when key recommendations about growth are made.

To get in touch with the sub-group go to www.gtdp.org.uk

Enabling stronger, more independent communities

Caring

Photo: Anita Staff

£230k boost for dementia project More residents in Breckland are set to benefit from an innovative dementia support scheme, thanks to £230,000 of national funding.

The Our Day Out project, developed

by Breckland Council, is aimed at people with early to mid-stage dementia and their carers, though

sessions are also open to older people living with other mild to moderate long-term health issues and those experiencing isolation.

By helping to create a safe and understanding environment, the project enables those taking part to meet other people, try new things, and get support from others in

All aboard the

similar situations. After piloting the project in the district with our partners Creative Arts East, people told us it made a real difference to their lives. The project has now received £231,110 from Spirit of 2012, an independent trust established with Big Lottery funding. The money means the project can continue until August 2019 and will be made available in twice as many locations and twice as often – moving from monthly to fortnightly. In addition to existing sessions in Watton, Attleborough and Dereham, it will also now be offered in Thetford and two venues in north Norfolk.

Activities planned for the new, expanded service include: • classical music performance • digital music making • chair-based dance • swing and jive • day trips to local attractions.

Find out more at www.breckland. gov.uk/ourdayout

Lapland Express!

We’re right on track for Christmas and we have a special festive competition for you. We have three sets of family tickets to give away, sponsored by the Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR), each providing access for two adults and two children to ride on MNR’s special Lapland Express in December.

During the magical journey through the Norfolk countryside, which lasts up to two hours, you and your family will ride in the heated carriages of a diesel train and visit a special on-board grotto to receive a small wrapped gift from Santa. The prize tickets are for first class travel, so you will also enjoy bigger seats, a

Christmas sweet platter for your party and Christmas crackers on your table. Every child will receive a Lapland Express gift bag containing an extra gift too.

Make sure you keep a look out for Santa’s reindeer along the train line while the adults enjoy their complimentary mince pie and seasonal sherry or soft drink and each child has their soft drink and chocolate treat.

If you ‘choo-choose’ to enter this competition, send your name, age, address and contact details, quoting Lapland Express Competition, to: communications@breckland.gov. uk or Lapland Express Competition, Communications

Team, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE.

Trains depart 2.30pm from Dereham station on 21 and 23 December and from Wymondham Abbey on 22 December, so please specify in your entry if you cannot attend one of these dates. You must be 18 or over and living in Breckland to enter.

Entries must be received by 30 November 2016. Winners will be selected at random.

Full terms and conditions at: www. breckland. gov.uk/ Ts-and-Cs

Providing the right services, at the right time and in the right way

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Walk Away

Help someone walk away from domestic abuse

Domestic abuse can affect anyone and takes all kinds of forms – physical, emotional, psychological, financial, or sexual. Much of it goes unreported. That’s why Breckland Council is supporting a new countywide campaign to raise awareness of domestic abuse, and increase reporting and referrals to agencies who can help.

The #IWalkedAway campaign aims to reach those responsible for abuse, those who experience it and friends and family members who may be aware of it.

Posters, magazine articles, social media, advertising, street graffiti and other methods are being used to spread the word and reach the target groups.

By working with partner councils, health services, police and other public and voluntary sector organisations, we are encouraging earlier intervention, reducing stigma and minimising harm.

More information about domestic abuse and this campaign is at www. norfolk.gov.uk/safety/ domestic-abuse and look out for the hashtags #IWalkedAway and #NoToDomesticAbuse You can also call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 (24 hours).

Head into the clouds at the Green Britain centre The modern windmill at the Green Britain Centre in Swaffham was the first one in the world to open to the public – and we have five family tickets to give away.

This is your chance to follow the 150,000 people who have already climbed to the top of the windmill to enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Norfolk countryside. During the tour you’ll climb the 305 steps up an internal spiral staircase – don’t worry, there are two rest platforms on the way – to reach the viewing platform which was designed by famous architect Sir Norman Foster. You’ll also have a chance to learn how the windmill was built and how it harnesses the power of the wind to make electricity.

To be in with a chance of winning one of five family tickets each admitting two adults and two children (under 16), simply send your name, age, address and contact details, quoting Windmill Tour Competition, to: communications@breckland.gov.uk or Windmill Tour Competition, Communications Team, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE. You must be 18 or over and living in Breckland to enter. Entries must be received by 30 November 2016. Winners will be selected at random. Full competition terms and conditions at: www.breckland.gov.uk/Ts-and-Cs. Note: climbing restrictions include no heart conditions or pace makers, min height of 1.2m, and min age of seven.

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Enabling stronger, more independent communities

Waste and Recycling

Recycle right...

Don’t throw Thousands in the towel book their Have you been clearing out your summer wardrobe? Got socks that need to walk to the bin? Then make sure you recycle right.

There are lots of things that can be recycled in your household recycle bin, but textiles – including clothing, shoes, towels and sheets – can’t currently be recycled at home. However, you can give them a new lease of life by dropping them off at one of over 40 textile recycling points.

Textiles that can’t be passed onto someone else can be made into new items, such as padding for chairs and car seats, cleaning cloths and industrial blankets.

Find your nearest drop-off location at www.recyclenow.com/local-recycling.

If they are in good condition, you could also consider selling your clothes or giving them to charity.

brown bin online

More than 4,000 people have now visited our website to sign up to our Garden Waste Collection Service, or renew their existing subscription.

People are finding that visiting our website has made it quicker and easier than ever to book a brown bin or renew an existing subscription. The application form is available 24/7 and it only takes a few clicks to sign up.

More than 19,000 residents now have a garden waste bin, which can be used to clear dead vegetation during the autumn and winter to make way for new blooms and lush grass – and the inevitable pruning and cutting – in the spring and summer.

The 2016/17 annual subscription is £42 for a standard size (240l) wheelie bin, which is collected fortnightly. To find out more and sign up, go to www.breckland.gov.uk/gardenwaste

Don’t forget to recycle these... hold There are lots of things that can be recycled in your house glass d cleane recycle bin. Rinsed plastic drinks bottles, paper, list. food jars, empty cans and cardboard boxes are all on the ed, But don’t forget some of the other items which can be recycl tubes, roll toilet e includ These which are often overlooked. tissue boxes, shampoo and conditioner bottles, dishwasher tablet boxes and bleach bottles.

You can even recycle your beauty cream pots, perfume and aftershave bottles and deodorant aerosol cans.

Make sure you leave your recycling loose though – never put it in bags. Find out more about what can be recycled at www.breckland.gov.uk/recycle-right

Did you know If everyone in the UK recycled...

?

…one toothpaste box, it would save enough energy to run 2,000 fridges for a year. …a single aluminium deodorant can we could run 151,000 TVs for 365 days. …one aluminium air freshener can, we’d have enough energy to vacuum 876,000 homes for more than a year!

Providing the right services, at the right time and in the right way

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Democracy

Are you registered to vote?

You can’t have a say in future elections if you’re not registered to vote.

Local Democracy Week Councillors are elected to represent you and your local community, working with others to make a difference to the quality of other people’s daily lives and prospects.

Getting young people involved in the work of councils is key to the future of democracy, so we invited local schoolchildren from Years 10 and 11 (aged 14-16) to speak directly with some of our councillors.

To celebrate Local Democracy Week in October, we ran a ‘Being a councillor’ event to highlight what their roles entail, the different responsibilities across parish, town and district councils, and how they work with local people and businesses to make a real difference.

They discussed how voting can give you a voice, how councillors can represent your views, and how the youngsters could become a councillor themselves one day.

You can contact your councillor at any time and members of the public are encouraged to attend our committee meetings.

If you missed it, why not take a look at our video clips from some of Breckland’s councillors talking about their role at www.breckland. gov.uk/localdemocracyweek2016

Find out who your councillor is and how to contact them at www.breckland.gov.uk/find yourcouncillor

If you’ve moved to the district or moved house within Breckland, you will need to re-register. As well as not being able to participate in elections, people who are not on the register of electors may find it harder to obtain credit, open bank accounts, or prove their identity.

If your details or address haven’t changed since you registered, you don’t need to do anything except respond to our annual household enquiry form. These were sent out in July and a reminder in September.

To check whether you are registered to vote, go to www. breckland.gov.uk/register check or call 01362 656875.

If you are not registered, you can do so quickly and easily online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Less ons in

De mocracy

They may be too young to vote in a real election, but that’s not stopped youngsters in Breckland finding out about the origins of democracy.

Councillors and officers from Breckland Council recently visited a number of schools in the district to talk to children in Years 3 and 4 (aged 7-9) about the history of democracy, before encouraging them to put theory into practice with a series of informal debates with their classmates.

After discussing why democracy is important, the children worked together to create a timeline to illustrate key milestones, including the introduction of parliament, women being able to vote, and the introduction of a secret ballot. By teaching children how voting is a way to make their voices heard they will be more likely to engage in the democratic process later in their lives. We are also working with schools on a programme of activities for older children.

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Enabling stronger, more independent communities

Training

Putting businesses on path to success A new course which aims to help local companies to succeed by supporting managers to bring out the best in their teams is being launched by Breckland Training Services (BTS).

their own development but also benefits each of their colleagues.

Regardless of the type of business or sector, having a supportive management in place is key to enabling businesses to thrive.

Inspiring managers to become great team leaders is not only good for

The course will comprise four workshops between mid-February and mid-March and help participants make decisions under pressure, improve team performance, and delegate tasks fairly and effectively.

BTS – our external training company – will be holding the Leadership and Management Development course in early 2017.

It will also improve team-working by demonstrating how to resolve conflicts, address bad behaviour or timekeeping, and motivate teams to achieve shared goals.

Find out more about this course and others offered by BTS at www.breckland-training.co.uk or call 01362 656282.

Online training courses now available We’ve launched a series of e-learning courses to help staff at local companies brush up on their skills and achieve professional qualifications.

Our courses now include a new Level 3 Food Safety course, in response to businesses asking for a course more suited to supervisors and managers. This is in addition to our existing health and safety, food safety, fire safety and personal licence holder e-courses.

Providing digital options helps to make our high-quality training as accessible as possible.

They particularly benefit businesses who may find it difficult to

release staff during trading hours, as staff can be asked to complete the online course at a time and place that suits them.

We also offer the option of purchasing additional e-training licences so any new employees who subsequently join the business can receive the right training immediately, without having to wait for the next face-to-face course in their area. Buying more licenses per course also reduces the individual cost, making this a cost-efficient option.

For those who prefer face-to-face training, we continue to offer these regularly too. To find out more about our face-to-face and online courses, go to www.breckland. gov.uk/article/3296/Training-Courses or call 01362 656313.

Online courses now available: • Food Safety – Levels 1, 2, and 3 • Health and Safety – Levels 1 and 2 • Manual Handling – Level 1 • Fire Safety – Level 2 • Award for Personal Licence Holders (APLH) – Level 2

Developing the local economy to be vibrant with continued growth

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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! http://norlink. norfolk.gov.uk Register for E-billing: View your account and receive Council Tax bills online: https://selfservice. angliarevenues.gov.uk/ BRpublicaccesslive/selfservice/ citizenportal/login.htm 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/abandoned-vehicles 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: norfolkstreetlighting.amey.co.uk

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

Pay for it!

Twitter: @BreckCouncil

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

Facebook: Breckland Council Post: Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE. Local centres: www.breckland.gov.uk/visit-us