A view from County Hall – several initiatives approved

Submitted by Geoff.Fisher on

By County Councillor Greg Peck, Reepham Division
 
After the County Council election on 4 May we went straight into the period of purdah in the lead-up to the general election at the beginning of June, which meant a number of committees did not officially meet until mid-June.
 

Cllr Greg Peck

 
However, this time was not wasted as it allowed for the induction and training of councillors, especially those elected for the first time, and the allocation of members to the various committees.
 
Once the new committees started to meet, the work commenced and is expanding rapidly. Several initiatives have already been approved.
 
In June, the Adult Social Care Committee agreed proposals to invest £35 million of extra government funding on adult social care.
 
The grant will be used to reduce the pressure on the NHS, supporting people to be discharged from hospital when they are ready and also to ensure the right pattern of providers and staff to deliver services that the council provides.
 
A key proposal is to recruit 50 more social workers and this process has already begun.
 
An ambitious £12 million four-year programme to reduce the number of children in care and further improve services to children and families will be discussed by councillors in the coming weeks.
 
Norfolk County Council has also launched a drive to recruit foster carers for teenagers.
 
There are just over 1,000 children in care in Norfolk with around a third aged between 13 and 16.
 
However, there is a national shortage of foster carers, and Norfolk needs to recruit more people who can offer a loving and secure home to some of our most vulnerable children.
 
Those of you struggling to drive into and around Norwich owing to the construction works for the Norwich Northern Distributor Road (NDR) will be pleased to know that more than half of the new dual-carriageway road is on course for completion this year.
 
Up to 14 kilometres will be opened early. At the western end, construction has reached the stage where final surfacing is under way.
 
The next few months at County Hall will see lots of activity as committees meet to discuss and agree other initiatives.
 
If there are any issues on which you require information on the policy or views of the County Council, please get in touch with me to discuss them in more detail.
 

 

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