By Cllr Greg Peck

The outbreak of novel coronavirus continues to be a rapidly evolving situation and by the time you read this the advice concerning Covid-19 may well have changed as the government’s plan to slow down the rate at which the virus spreads is modified at each stage.

I am reluctant to repeat the county council’s advice for that very reason; this is a fast-moving crisis and the advice, as I indicated, will change as we reach different stages of the predicted growth in infections.

The latest information and advice from the Department of Health and Public Health England (PHE) can be found HERE. This includes the current situation in the UK and advice about the virus and its symptoms.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, has announced strengthened legal powers to protect public health. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 have been put in place to reduce the risk of further human-to-human transmission in this country by keeping individuals in isolation where public health professionals believe there is a reasonable risk an individual may have the virus.

At a local level the Norfolk Resilience Forum (NRF) partners meet regularly to discuss the potential risks and impacts for Norfolk and remain well prepared to respond to any potential incident and to ensure key services can continue to be delivered in the event of any issues caused by the coronavirus.

The NRF is a multi-agency group that brings together a number of partners including emergency services, local authorities, utility companies and the voluntary sector. It is the principal mechanism for multi-agency co-operation under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004).

Norfolk County Council will continue to review the situation and is following all advice given by PHE on this matter.

As I write this on the eve of another Cobra meeting which, it is expected, will introduce further restrictions on our movements, I have already received notifications of the cancellation of a number of my 20 parish council meetings and some other public meetings.

However, I am due to attend a scrutiny committee meeting at County Hall to defend a cabinet decision under my portfolio that has been called in by the opposition. Meetings of scrutiny, cabinet and full council are, by law, “meetings in public”, so are not easy to do by videoconferencing.

I will also be meeting with the inspectors and one of the applicants for the proposed wind farm cabling, which will come through my division, for a tour and inspection of the proposed route.

I will again be voicing my opposition to the applicant’s current proposal. It is totally unacceptable and I will be telling them that unless they produce a revised traffic movement plan that avoids the centre of Cawston, I will continue to lobby at every level of government up to and including the Secretary of State, Alok Sharma, who has the final sign-off of the scheme, to request the scheme is not approved until this requirement is met.

I will also be pushing for a relocation of the site depot at Oulton and the avoidance of damage to mature hedgerows by under-drilling.

I wish all my constituents good health and hope you and your loved ones avoid this terrible virus. Stay safe and follow the government advice.

Cllr Greg Peck, Norfolk County Council, Reepham Division
Tel: 07972 230282
Email: greg.peck.cllr@norfolk.gov.uk