Spring 2019
Transforming
Breckland A Breckland Council publication for all residents
Become a Breckworld app explorer! Discover your perfect day out and unlock savings – page 9
Inside this issue: Your Breckland, all on one page – p3 A prosperous and affordable district – p4 Shop Local, Shop Appy – p10 WIN! Tickets to Banham Zoo – p11 New project to help people into work – p12 Join the Trash Tribe! – p13
www.breckland.gov.uk
First Words
Welcome to the SpringSummer 2019 edition of Transforming Breckland to the latest edition of Transforming Breckland. In May, over W elcome 103,000 Breckland residents were registered to cast their vote and choose their representatives for the coming four-year term. A number of existing councillors were re-selected, while we also welcomed some new faces and said goodbye to several long-serving councillors who retired. As a council, we will continue to strive to improve the lives of local people and support businesses, big and small. Find out how to contact your representative on pages 14 and 15. One way we will be enhancing the district over the coming months is through the £1.7m funding pot we’ve set aside for local community projects. We’ve been able to do this as Breckland Council remains in a strong financial position (p4 and 5).
I hope you may have taken part in one of the many community events which the council has supported recently, including: Easter #TrashTribe events (p13); entertainment at Thetford Riverside (p11); Watton Parkrun (p10); and Silver Social arts workshops, which have seen the programme in the running for a national award (p7). Check our website and social media for details on upcoming events. Finally, with the improving weather I hope you will make the most of our free BreckWorld app, which aims to help you plan your perfect day out in the district. You can pay a virtual visit to some of our best attractions and uncover some hidden gems by watching the app’s short films, some of which are narrated by Stephen Fry. You can also take part in a virtual treasure hunt – great fun for the family this summer! (p9). There are lots of exciting initiatives to read about - if you’d like to share any feedback, please get in touch: contactus@breckland.gov.uk Regards,
Cllr Sam Chapman-Allen, Leader
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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. 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. Transforming Breckland is printed on chlorine-free paper from managed forests. www.breckland.gov.uk
Digital
It’s a record breaker! have been working W ehard to make reporting issues via our website as straightforward as possible and we’re now able to respond to issues faster than ever. Our new ‘Report a flytip’ button on our website means people can let us know of a flytip at any time of the day or night, we efficiently capture all the information we need about the incident, and the relevant team is immediately notified. This streamlined process is helping us be much more responsive and our record is for our team to locate, investigate, and clear a flytip within just 26 minutes of it being reported to us online! The average time for collection is now down to 48 hours across the whole district. Of course it is a real shame that a minority of people choose to flytip their rubbish, as it spoils our otherwise beautiful district for the vast majority of conscientious residents. That’s one of the reasons we’ve recently been working with other councils locally to deliver the #ScrapFlytipping campaign. This aims to remind people that most types of rubbish can be taken to a local waste centre for free and that they remain responsible for their waste even if they pay somebody else to take it away for them. It only takes a couple of minutes to report a flytip online at www.breckland.gov.uk/flytip
Your Breckland – all on one webpage you ever forget which day is bin day? Want to contact D oyour local councillor? Not sure where your local recycling centre is? Want to explore local planning applications in your area? You can find all this information and more using Breckland Council’s My Breckland service at www.breckland.gov.uk/mybreckland. Simply enter your postcode to find the information relevant to you in one easy place. The My Breckland service is one of the ways we’ve been making access to information and services as quick and easy as possible. You can also now submit applications, report an issue, and pay service subscriptions online, 24/7.
Find out what’s on in Breckland! L
ooking for more information about family days out, gigs, drama, craft workshops, carnivals or fun runs? Just visit www.breckland.gov.uk/whatson to find out what’s happening in your local area!
Our Council
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Finance
Council tax remains among the lowest in the country I
n light of falling central government funding and rising costs, we have made a small increase to local district council tax. Since April 2019, district council tax in Breckland has risen by £4.95 (based on a Band D property), meaning people living in a Band D home now pay £88.83 for a full year of Breckland Council services. However, the majority of residents in Breckland (76%) live in properties rated Band A-C and so have seen a smaller rise. For example, people in a Band A home pay £59.22 for all their district council services.
Most of our residents pay less than £90 a year for district council tax, but we spend the equivalent of around £500 per household on delivering services. We keep just 5p of every pound we collect locally, the rest goes to other bodies for the services they provide.
14p Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner
5p Parish or Town Council
Despite the rise, district council tax in Breckland remains among the lowest in the country.
76p Norfolk County Council
5p Breckland Council
A thriving & prosperous district Corporate Plan sets out how we will work with our partners and local communities to O urensure Breckland continues to be a place that people choose to live, work, visit and enjoy. It is shaped by what we know about the area and identifies how we will achieve our long-term vision, what our key priorities are and how we will deliver our services.
Our Strategic vision is: ‘Breckland: A place where people and business can thrive’ Our Priorities are: • Your Place • Your Health & Wellbeing • Your Opportunity • Our Council The four priorities will be delivered through detailed actions set out in the Corporate Plan which you can read on our website at www.breckland.gov.uk/corporateplan
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£1.7m allocated for A strong community projects financial B position reckland Council members have approved a budget for 2019/20 which protects frontline services while ring-fencing funding for projects which will create new opportunities for residents. Our Inclusive Growth Reserve is a pot of money we have set aside to deliver initiatives which will help people access better jobs, improve local facilities, and help businesses to succeed. It comes after £1.7m was earmarked last year from the same reserve for community-based projects, including those which sought to: help people into employment through travel assistance schemes and other support; assess the potential future
options of leisure services in Attleborough and Swaffham; fund local entrepreneurs to establish their business; to explore developing a scheme to take control of vacant shops and lease them back at reduced rates for start-up companies. We have also recruited two Skills Officers to acts as a link between schools and local business to improve young people’s opportunities within the area.
position, thanks in part to significant efficiency savings achieved by the council and new income brought in through our investment programme.
The Council’s Market Towns Initiative, which is supported by this funding programme, will also continue, which is funding projects to help each of the district’s towns to thrive by making them more attractive to residents and visitors. You can read more about some of these projects on pages 9 and 10.
We currently have around £45m invested in a range of properties and we expect to receive around £3.5m income back this year (19/20) – a 7.8% return, which is much higher than we would receive if the money was left in a bank to gather a relatively small amount of interest.
Breckland ‘Dragons’ fund local businesses Council’s ‘Innovation Den’ recently saw B reckland 10 promising businesses and new start-ups pitching
remains in a B reckland strong financial
We expect to spend around £22m on capital projects between 2019/20 and 2022/23, of which around £7m will come from national bodies as the result of successful bids and the rest from local sources.
for funding and support to help them grow and succeed in the district. Similar to the Dragon’s Den TV show, our panel consisting of councillors and representatives from the fields of business, marketing and education heard the pitches and then allocated grants worth £4k-£20k and business mentoring. Businesses which pitched for the funding included app and drone technology companies, eco-manufacturing, and even an alpaca wellbeing project! Sophie Gordon from Let’s Go Alpacas, will now receive business support after successfully pitching her plans to promote new opportunities for people to spend time with the lovable animals. “As a result of the Breckland Innovation Den I am thrilled to be receiving business development and marketing support, which I am confident will further progress and expand Let’s Go Alpacas. I can’t wait to get started,” she said. If you own a business, visit www.breckland.gov.uk/ businesssupport to see how we can help you.
Our Council
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Over
ÂŁ40,000 raised for local good causes
Community
It’s never too early to prepare may be enjoying some W eimproving weather, but it is never too early to make sure your home is ready for the coming winter. Breckland Council, alongside councils across Norfolk, is aiming to help more than 1,000 people access funding towards the cost of putting in place better insulation and the installation of gas central heating. It comes following the success of £3.1m funding bid to National Grid’s Warm Homes Fund.
Arts programme with a “massive heart” shortlisted Council’s The Silver Social project was a finalist B reckland at a prestigious national awards. The Silver Social is an ambitious programme of daytime arts events aimed at older people, in community venues across Breckland and was a finalist in the ‘Best Local Authority Arts Initiative’ category of the National Campaign for the Arts (NCA) - Heart of the Arts Awards 2019. Judges from across the arts, broadcast and media industries highly commended the Silver Social with the NCA partners calling the Silver Social project ‘an exciting programme, bringing creativity in social settings to hundreds of over-60s across Norfolk, tackling loneliness and promoting creative living’. Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre, playwright and director Kwame Kwei-Armah, was particularly impressed saying: “The heart at the centre of this project is so damn huge. I find the enterprise very moving.”
The Warm Homes Fund aims to help both renters and homeowners that do not already have access to central heating, as well as supporting people with underlying health issues and carers of vulnerable people. To find out if you or someone you know may be eligible for support, contact Breckland Council at www.breckland.gov.uk/whf
The Silver Social is funded by the Arts Council England, Breckland Council and Norfolk County Council and previous events held in venues across the district have included crafts workshops, music, comedy performances, and short plays. The arts programme really does have something for everyone! This August, Desert Island Flicks, from Spiltmilk Dance, tours Breckland with a blockbuster, adventure, dance and rom-com show rolled into one . Taking place across various rural venues in Breckland from 5-9 August, the shows two leading ladies re-imagine, remake and spoof 60 of the most memorable classic movie moments of all time in just 60 minutes, all played out to a sensational soundtrack! Performances and workshops planned later in the year also include a letterpress printing workshop and a musical comedy about Charles Darwin. For further Silver Social event and ticket information visit www.thesilversocial.com
Your health and wellbeing
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S E T I V I T C A y a d holi For 5-11 year olds
Community
Council has again organised a B reckland number of summer camps to be held
throughout our rural villages. From traditional playground games, rounders, and dodgeball to parachute games and sleeping lions, your child will have a summer filled with fun at one of our camps. These events have been held in previous summer and Easter school breaks and are always very popular. For more information about dates, locations and how your little one can get involved, visit www.breckland.gov.uk/ holidayactivities
Win Family tickets to Gressenhall!
Once Upon A Time Farm and G ressenhall Workhouse has unveiled its new exhibition for 2019, ‘Once Upon a Time’. Running daily through until 27 October, the exhibition is filled with nostalgic favourites, modern classics and strange new worlds celebrating Norfolk authors past and present and invites visitors to consider what is their own favourite children’s book. Set within 50 acres of beautiful countryside, the popular attraction near Dereham offers a step back in time to get a glimpse of historic rural life and the evocative workhouse setting, alongside a traditional farm with rare-breed livestock. There are events throughout the year, including opportunities to immerse yourself in World War Two during the ‘Village at War’ event days on Sunday, 25 August and Bank Holiday Monday, 26 August.
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During the event you can see military and civilian vehicles, meet costumed characters from GIs to Land Girls, and join in a wartime tea dance. For more information about this and other events visit www.museums.norfolk. gov.uk/gressenhall
Win family tickets to visit the museum! We have five family tickets to giveaway which each allow up to six people to enjoy a day trip to Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse. To win one of the ticket packs, simply answer the question below and then send in your name, age, address and answer to competitions@breckland.gov.uk with the subject line ‘Gressenhall’ or post it to Gressenhall Family Ticket Competition, Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, NR19 1EE.
Question: Gressenhall Museum will be hosting a special wartime tea dance in August. Which performer during World War Two is famous for singing ‘The White Cliffs Of Dover’? (a) Dame Vera Lynn (b) Gracie Fields (c) Bing Crosby Deadline for entries is 11 July 2019 Full terms and conditions can be found at www.breckland.gov.uk/ article/3979/CompetitionTerms-and-Conditions
Download the FREE BreckWorld app, narrated by Stephen Fry new free app which is A brand backed by Stephen Fry has been
camera you can find virtual stars hidden across Breckland. It is great fun tracking them down but also good for your wallet too, as collecting batches of stars unlocks discount offers to save you money on future days out with your family to one of the district’s attractions.
launched by Breckland Council to help people uncover some of the best local attractions, save money, and explore the district. The BreckWorld app is thought to be a world first, bringing together existing and newly developed technology into a single app. It extensively features ultra-high definition 360° videos, some of which are narrated by Stephen Fry, so people can virtually explore Breckland’s towns, attractions, free days out and independent cafes.
Breaking news!
You can also take part in a virtual treasure hunt which is designed to help families and visitors make the most of their visit while unlocking special offers along the way. Using your phone’s
dates.
The app was made in partnership between Breckland Council and Viewing Online, a technology company, based in Dereham. After being approached by the company’s founder with an idea to promote local attractions and businesses, we funded the development of the app as part BreckWorld is coming of our Market Towns Initiative (see to Android. Check your page 10). BreckWorld is already app store or visit www.facebook.com/ available in the iPhone and iPad App breckworld to Store. You can also find out more at check launch www.breckworld.com
Win a month’s leisure centre pass! offering you the chance to win a free month’s W e’re pass to a local leisure centre so you can head towards the end of the year with a bounce in your step. Courtesy of Parkwood Leisure, who run our leisure centres in Dereham, Thetford, Attleborough and Swaffham on behalf of the council, 10 lucky winners will take away the month’s pass which provides access to the gyms, fitness classes and unlimited swimming. To have a chance of winning, simply answer the question below and then send in your name, age, address and answer to competitions@breckland.gov.uk with the subject line ‘Leisure pass’ or post it to ‘Leisure Pass Competition, Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, NR19 1EE’ Question: Which one is not a recognised swimming style? (a) Freestyle (b) Butterfly Stroke (c) Breck Style Deadline for entries is 1 September 2019. Full terms and conditions can be found at www. breckland.gov.uk/article/3979/Competition-Terms-and-Conditions
Your health and wellbeing
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Community
Parkrun sprints into Watton Parkrun event has been A new launched in Watton, giving people a chance to get together, improve their fitness and have fun! Parkruns are free, open to everyone, and easy to take part in, with the new Watton weekly 5km timed runs attracting over 200 people during its first week! Running around Loch Neaton in Watton and the adjoining sports ground, the new Parkrun event has been established by Parkrun UK, after funding was provided from Breckland Council’s Market Towns Initiative Fund. Parkrun also hosts regular events in Thetford and Swaffham, after previously receiving funding from the MTI fund, and now regularly attract runners from across Breckland. Our Market Towns Initiative Fund, also known as our ‘One District, Five Towns’ programme, has funded a wide range of projects over the last few months, helping our district’s market towns to be attractive to residents, visitors and new businesses. Funded projects include the development and refurbishment of the Swaffham Buttercross, landscaping of Butten Island in Thetford, signage in Dereham, ‘On The Green’ events at Thetford Riverside and new market stalls for Watton and Swaffham. Any group with an idea on how to improve their town can apply for funding, find out more at www.breckland.gov.uk/ onedistrictfivetowns
Shop Local. ShopAppy.com
you wish you could shop local and support your D olocal high street community? Are you an online
shopper and love finding new products or shops to buy from? Now you have the chance to combine the best of both worlds with Breckland Council’s Shopappy.com initiative, which brings together independent shops based in our five Breckland market towns onto one easy-to-use shopping website. How does it work? Simply browse and shop online at shopappy.com and then choose to either collect the items in-store or pick up all your purchases from different shops from a single, convenient collection point. So, log on today at shopappy.com and discover a host of fantastic independent shops based across Breckland.
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Your health and wellbeing
Wellbeing grants boost residents’ health local groups have A dozen benefitted from new grants aimed at developing innovative health and wellbeing projects across Breckland. The Healthy Community Grants scheme has helped fund a range of projects which tackle isolation and improve residents’ health and wellbeing, with grants delivered in partnership between Breckland Council and Norfolk County Council Public Health. Among the projects awarded funding is a mixed-generational kwik cricket league which will be held during the Cricket World Cup, which runs May to July 2019, and will bring together communities while improving the fitness of young and old participants alike. Funding will also be used to enable: • 24-hour team-building expeditions for young people • Pre-school children to visit residential homes to help tackle loneliness and isolation for older people • Bollywood-themed fitness classes • A programme which supports local people who have experienced domestic abuse.
Win a Wild
PRIZE! T
here’s so much to see and do at Banham Zoo and always something new to discover! The zoo is home to tigers, leopards, sea lions, giraffes and monkeys and in the amazing subtropical house you’ll find sloths, birds and luscious planting.
children), second prize is one adult and one child package, or our third prize winner will receive two free children’s tickets! To enter, simply answer the question below and send in your name, age, address and answer to competitions@ breckland.gov.uk with the subject line ‘Banham Zoo’ or post your entry to ‘Banham Zoo Competition, This year the zoo is adopting a Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, South America theme and welcomes NR19 1EE’. a new arrival from the continent, a Dwarf Caiman. Throughout any visit Question: What is the new there are plenty of activities to thrill arrival at Banham Zoo this year? and entertain visitors, including daily (a) Dwarf Rhino animal feeding talks, ‘Amazing (b) Dwarf Sea Lion Animals’ presentations, and one of (c) Dwarf Caiman the most exciting birds of prey displays in the UK. It really is a Deadline for entries is 1August 2019. fantastic day out in Breckland for all Full terms and conditions can be the family. Courtesy of Banham Zoo, found at www.breckland.gov.uk/ we have three great prizes to give article/3979/Competitionaway. First prize is a family ticket to Terms-and-Conditions the zoo (two adults and two
New ‘On The Green’ events planned for Thetford Riverside F
ollowing the success of the ‘On the Green’ live community events at Thetford Riverside last year, a new events schedule for 2019 will be announced shortly. Funded by our Market Towns Initiative, the new programme is expected to feature a mixture of themed music sessions, Punjab Festival fringe events and the return of the popular Thetford Beach! The events last year focused on utilising the grass area just outside the leisure complex, on Bridge Street, and included a wide range of events including a skate rink, craft fairs and unforgettable music nights. This time round we’ll be building on these, with some exciting new events and even taking to the river for some action packed fun! Look out for event details at www.breckland.gov.uk/whatson or via the On The Green Thetford Facebook page.
Your place
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Business
Want to develop a career in the hospitality and catering industry? Environmental Health and training O urConsultancy (EHT&C) team offers a variety of
one of the official EHT&C training centres, onsite at business premises or you can learn in your own time at your own pace via our online training portal.
training courses for individuals and businesses looking to develop their food safety, allergen awareness, Health and Safety and personal licencing EHT&C, our external specialist training company, also (Alcohol licence) qualifications and standards. offer a number of business support services including consultancy, pre-application and new business advice. In-depth training is provided by experienced health To learn more, please visit www.ehtc.co.uk, email to professionals, whom have a real ‘hands on knowledge ehtc@breckland-sholland.gov.uk or call our team on and industry experience’. Courses can be delivered at 0800 689 3512 for advice and guidance.
Next 2019 course dates... APLH Personal Licence
Level 2 Health & Safety
Level 2 Food Safety
Dates: Online, with exam in examination centre
Date: Wednesday, 26 June
Dates: Tuesday, 2 July • Tuesday, 24 Sept • Monday, 18 Nov
Cost: £99 per person
Cost: £59 per person
Cost: £59 per person
Level 2 Allergen Awareness
Level 2 Food Safety (refresher)
Date: Thursday, 12 September
Date: Wednesday, 9 October
Cost: £50 per person
Cost: £45 per person
New project helping people into work Breckland A new Council-funded project has launched to help people overcome barriers to employment. The TripStart initiative provides eligible people with transport to and from interviews as well as skills training and one-to-one mentoring. This can help them in finding a job that fits their skill set and circumstances, improve their confidence and even support them in completing application paperwork. We are part funding the scheme from a £1.5m pot set aside to support a range of
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Your opportunities
community-based initiatives aimed at helping people into higher-paid employment and boosting local businesses. The project is also being funded by New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) and the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) and it is being delivered across the district by Dereham-
based KickStart. Breckland residents aged 18+ who are unemployed may be referred into the scheme. You can find out more via your local Job Centre or by calling TripStart on 01362 699923.
Environment
Order your
garden
waste bin today! L
ove gardening, but find getting rid of the cuttings a pain? A Garden Waste Bin could be exactly what you need!
Join the Breckland #TrashTribe
group aiming to A new raise awareness of
environmental issues while helping to run regular litter picks across Breckland is calling for new volunteers. Pure Clean Earth, started online by Attleborough resident Daniel Reynolds, has already turned into a global movement, with a network of #TrashTribe volunteers working in Barcelona and South America.
Your bin will be emptied every fortnight and is an ideal and easy way to clear lawn cuttings, hedge clippings, fallen leaves and frustrating weeds throughout the year. Ordering a garden waste bin is quick and easy and we aim to deliver your new brown bin within five days of it being ordered.
A Garden Waste subscription is currently just £46 for the whole year. Order online at www.breckland. gov.uk/garden waste
Bringing his initiative closer to home, the group has recently been holding
regular events in Breckland’s market towns, including throughout the Easter holidays, and they already have a strong team of volunteers helping out. Breckland Council is supporting Pure Clean Earth by providing litter pick equipment and waste collection while Tesco in Thetford has provided long life bags to help collect the litter. To get involved, visit Pure Clean Earth’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/groups/ purecleanearthnorfolk
Working in partnership Council, North B reckland Norfolk District Council and King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council are currently working together to find a company who will provide waste and recycling collections across all three council areas. In addition, they will be delivering grounds maintenance in Breckland and North Norfolk. This is just one way the councils are trying to keep costs down costs down and maintain a high level of quality service. By joining together, we expect to benefit from efficiencies
of scale and so can get the best price for the essential service. We’ll also be getting a new fleet of bin collection trucks as part of the new deal. The provider will be jointly selected over the summer and take over when each council’s existing waste contracts come to an end 2020 in North Norfolk and 2021 in Breckland and West Norfolk. The vast majority of staff who currently deliver the service will transfer from existing contracts to the new provider, helping to protect local jobs.
Confused about recycling charges
?
Visit www.norfolk.gov.uk and search “waste we accept”
Your place
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Election update
Meet your Breckland Councillors Elections to appoint members to Breckland Council were held on 2 May and saw all 49 wards contested across Breckland. Over 103,000 people were registered to vote in the election, with 37 Conservative, 6 Labour, 4 Independent and 2 Green elected to Breckland Council for the next four year term. To contact your local councillor go to www.breckland.gov.uk/mybreckland
Philip Cowen All Saints & Wayland
Sarah Suggitt All Saints & Wayland
Fabian Eagle Ashill
Keith Martin Attleborough Burgh & Haverscroft
Taila Taylor Attleborough Burgh & Haverscroft
Tristan Ashby Attleborough Queens & Besthorpe
Vera Dale Attleborough Queens & Besthorpe
Rhodri Oliver Attleborough Queens & Besthorpe
Mike Nairn Bedingfield
Stephen Askew The Buckenhams & Banham
Linda Monument Dereham Neatherd
Alison Webb Dereham Neatherd
Philip Morton Dereham Neatherd
Phillip Duigan Dereham Toftwood
Hilary Bushell Dereham Toftwood
Harry Clarke Dereham Withburga
Kay Grey Dereham Withburga
Sam Chapman-Allen Forest
Robert Kybird Forest
Marion Chapman-Allen Guiltcross
William Nunn Harling & Heathlands
Trevor Carter Hermitage
Mark Kiddle-Morris Launditch
Richard Duffield Lincoln
Roger Atterwill Lincoln
Paul Claussen Mattishall
Ian Martin Mattishall
Peter Wilkinson Nar Valley
Nigel Wilkin Necton
Timothy Birt Saham Toney
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Helen Crane Saham Toney
Paul Hewett Shipdham with Scarning
Lynda Turner Shipdham with Scarning
Ed Colman Swaffham
Ian Sherwood Swaffham
David Wickerson Swaffham
Stuart Terry Thetford Boudica
Mark Robinson Thetford Boudica
Christopher Harvey Thetford Burrell
Terry Jermy Thetford Burrell
Roy Brame Thetford Castle
Jane James Thetford Castle
Susan Dowling Thetford Priory
Mike Brindle Thetford Priory
Gordon Bambridge Upper Wensum
Bill Borrett Upper Wensum
Claire Bowes Watton
Tina Kiddell Watton
Keith Gilbert Watton
Who does what?
Your guide to local government services County Councils: These are responsible for services across the whole of a county
Education
Highways
Strategic Planning
Fire & Public Safety
Social Care
Libraries
Waste Management
Trading Standards
Birth, Marriage and Death Registration
District Councils: These provide services to their individual district
Benefits
Housing
Licensing
Wellbeing & Leisure
Economic Environmental Council Tax Development Health Collections
Rubbish and Planning Recycling Applications collections
Town & Parish Councils: These manage a number of local issues
Community Centres
Play Areas
Consultation on Neighbourhood Planning
Allotments
Public Clocks
Cemeteries
Town Halls and Venues
Events
Our Council
Markets
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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 Facebook: Breckland Council Twitter: @BreckCouncil LinkedIn: @Breckland Council Post: Breckland Council, Elizabeth House, Walpole Loke, Dereham, NR19 1EE Local centres: www.breckland.gov.uk/visit-us