Monday, November 4, 2024 - 17:51

By Cllr Greg Peck

I feel privileged to live in this part of Norfolk. We are lucky to have a nesting pair of barn owls on our property. Every year for the past 20 years I have enjoyed watching them quartering our fields and water meadow, hunting for voles.

In June the water meadow has four different varieties of orchid blooming there, and when I walk my fields I often see buzzards and kites hunting the fields and meadow.

Beyond the small stream and wood that borders my property is an arable field belonging to a neighbouring farmer. This field is home to skylarks; it is known unofficially by my neighbours in the village as “Skylark Field”.

This is the Norfolk countryside that I was fighting to defend when I was chair of the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) Norfolk, and subsequently for the East of England, for 12 years before getting involved in local politics.

I was disappointed but not surprised to see Rachel Richmond, representing St Mary’s, Reepham (Your Letters, 31 October), taking issue with my recent article in Reepham Life (Countryside at risk from proposed solar farms).

She trotted out the usual supposed benefits of solar parks that you find in the glossy brochures of the solar park companies.

As a councillor I have been involved in a number of applications for solar parks over the past 10 years. They all claimed they would have sheep grazing and bees.

I have yet to see one in Broadland that has either. In fact, the only one I am aware of, outside of Norfolk, quickly took the sheep off because they were rubbing up against the panels and damaging them.

How do barn owls quarter over a field of solar panels? I am not sure how fields of plastic and glass will enhance the numbers of skylarks. They seem to be doing very well around me without the help of solar panels.

Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil and other pressure groups are worried about the plight of bats on a potential three-mile section of road and a bridge for the proposed Western Link.

However, they seem comfortable with covering thousands of acres of countryside with solar parks, pylons and wind turbines. No mention of bats there!

The sites we are seeing brought forward now are 3,000–4,000 acres in size. Future generations will need to be fed; where is that food going to be produced?

Over a 10-year period the panels degrade and need to be replaced if they are to remain efficient. The degradation also means they are shedding microplastics into the soil and thus ultimately into the water courses.

How does Rachel Richmond think solar panels are made? Plastic is a derivative of oil. Does she support stopping oil production? If so, let me know how future solar panels, wind turbines and electric vehicles will be produced.

The large schemes coming forward now include applications for battery storage facilities. These are lithium-ion batteries that, if they catch fire, are impossible to put out.

The fire service has objected to them as they cannot be extinguished and will just have to let them burn, with all the resulting pollution that will be generated.

Lithium and other rare earth products are mined by child labour in third world countries; they are highly polluting and almost impossible to dispose of.

In the US they bury disused wind turbine components in “mass graveyards” in the Nevada Desert.

As I mentioned in my original article, the current planning regulations (the National Planning Policy Framework) state that solar parks should be built on “poor quality” farmland. The land at Pettywell is rated “best and most versatile” agricultural land.

In response to contact from a concerned local resident, Jerome Mayhew, MP for Broadland and Fakenham asked the Secretary of State for clarification of the government’s policy and on 14 October got the following response:

“The government places great importance upon our agriculture and food production, and this is reflected in the National Planning Policy Framework. The framework is clear that local planning authorities should recognise the economic and other benefits of the best and most versatile agricultural land.

“Where significant development of agricultural land is shown to be necessary, including ground mounted solar, the planning authority should seek to use poorer quality land in preference to that of a higher quality.”

However, I fear that Ed Miliband and his government will change the rules in the near future. Until then I will do everything I can to stop these solar farms being built on good quality farmland.

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

Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 15:12

By Cllr Greg Peck

County councillors in Norfolk have objected to a proposal to construct an electricity transmission line across the county.

National Grid has launched a statutory consultation on plans for a 114-mile overhead power line between Norwich in Norfolk, Bramford in Suffolk and Tilbury in Essex.

In non-statutory consultations, Norfolk County Council has urged National Grid to reconsider the scheme, but the project will be determined by the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.

Norfolk County Council’s planning and highways delegations committee have agreed to object to the proposal, arguing that alternative options, including an offshore or underground scheme, has not been adequately considered.

At a recent full council meeting, councillors backed a motion expressing concerns over the proposals. That motion called for the leader of the council to write to National Grid with several requests, including further consideration of an offshore alternative and of putting more of the power line underground.

There are plans for more pylons to come, including some from Lincolnshire through Norfolk to feed the demand for electricity in the southeast.

We know that more offshore wind turbines are planned in the North Sea in the future, and the previous government had said that they would support an offshore solution to prevent any more underground cable routes coming through Norfolk.

While the disruption we are suffering with the three currently approved cable routes is bad, I think we all can agree that giant pylons across the Norfolk countryside would be even more unacceptable.

The new government have made it clear they will support the use of pylons.

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

Thursday, October 17, 2024 - 17:39

By Cllr Greg Peck

Thousands of acres of Norfolk farmland are “under attack” from solar farm developers.

Kay Mason Billig, leader of Norfolk County Council, has called the plans a “creeping abuse” of the countryside and said the council should resist them.

She was speaking after energy companies unveiled separate plans to create the UK's largest two solar farms in Norfolk.

One of the developments, called High Grove, would cover 4,000 acres of land on five sites close to Dereham and Swaffham, on either side of the A47. The other, East Pye, would cover 2,700 acres on 34 fields surrounding several villages close to the A140 near Long Stratton.

Of course, we also have a large solar park proposed on the outskirts of Reepham and, although smaller than the two aforementioned schemes, I am strongly opposed to it.

I also fear it will be the first of many to be proposed in and around our area in the future, as the new government are changing the planning guidelines to make it easier for these, ever larger, schemes to be approved.

I fundamentally disagree with building these industrial structures on good-quality farmland. They should be on the top of buildings, especially large industrial buildings and warehouses.

The current planning guidelines (the National Planning Policy Framework) state that they should only be built on “poor-quality farmland”. Most of the farmland in our part of Norfolk doesn’t fall into that category, being mostly high-quality arable farmland.

We will need to produce more of our own food in the future. Once solar panels cover the land with concrete and plastic, it can never be returned to food production and effectively becomes a “brownfield site”.

Battery storage required for these sites is also problematic; being lithium they can self-ignite and once on fire the fire service have no way of putting them out and must let them burn.

Norfolk is not a place to be exploited by the government in its efforts to feed the power-hungry southeast, especially when local people will not even benefit from it.

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

Wednesday, May 22, 2024 - 08:25

By Cllr Greg Peck

Voluntary organisations that support people in Norfolk struggling with the cost of living can now apply for two new grants from Norfolk’s Household Support Fund.

A total of £2.15 million of funding, from a combination of UK government and Norfolk County Council sources, is being made available to voluntary, charity and social enterprises that are supporting those people struggling.

Of this, £1.35 million is available as part of a one-off grant funding pot that will enable community groups and social enterprises to meet the emergency needs of residents, particularly those at the highest risk of living in poverty and those who have higher than average costs due to specific needs such as care.

Applications for this Community Based Hardship Support Fund must be made by 31 May, with grants of £10,000–50,000 available, and can be made online.

In addition, £800,000 is being made available to organisations that are already supporting people in Norfolk, to help meet any emerging needs that these individuals may have, such as help with the cost of food and energy.

An applicant organisation can receive up to £20,000 to distribute to individuals in grants of up to £100 to help meet these costs. Applications for this funding, via the Norfolk Household Support Fund, are open until 30 September, and can be made online.

Both schemes are being administered on behalf of Norfolk County Council by the Norfolk Community Foundation. Any voluntary, community or social enterprise that works to support Norfolk residents can now apply to either fund.

The funding for these schemes comes from Norfolk’s £7.14 million Household Support Fund for April to September 2024, comprising £6.7 million allocated by central government topped up with a further £435,000 from Norfolk County Council.

Between 2021 and September this year, a total of £43.5 million will have been allocated to the Household Support Fund in Norfolk, comprising £40.2 million from central government and £3.29 million funded by Norfolk County Council.

Anyone in Norfolk struggling with living costs can also request support or advice HERE or by calling 0344 800 8020.

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

Saturday, April 20, 2024 - 11:10

Click HERE for a list of key contacts to help you and your family.

Thursday, December 14, 2023 - 20:43

By Cllr Greg Peck

At the Norfolk County Council meeting on 12 December, councillors voted to accept a County Deal devolution agreement with the government, which will transfer significant funding and powers to Norfolk and involve the election of a directly elected leader.

Councillors also agreed that the election for the leader should be held alongside the county council elections in May 2025 to enable the widest possible engagement with the electorate.

The deal will mean that decisions can be taken in Norfolk, for Norfolk, and brings major benefits for the people of Norfolk.

It means significant investment and powers to boost our economy, transport, housing, jobs and skills.

Also, we will have a council leader who is directly elected by the public, enabling Norfolk’s voice to be heard by the government.

Targeting funding and resources to Norfolk’s own priorities, unlocking housing and employment sites, investing in the skills we need, and attracting and retaining key businesses and opening the door to more – all mean further powers and funding in the future.

Through the County Deal, Norfolk faces a major opportunity to gain new powers and funding from the government, and we will be able to make more decisions in Norfolk, for Norfolk and secure investment of more than £600 million over 30 years.

It will enable us to invest in areas such as transport, skills and job opportunities, housing and regeneration, tailored to the needs of local people.

In addition to cross-party support at the council meeting, the deal is also supported by Norfolk business leaders, educational institutions and the Chamber of Commerce, among other bodies.

For further details about the County Deal, click HERE.

Western Link approved

The government confirmed approval of the Norwich Western Link on 13 October, which means the Department for Transport has provided a funding commitment of £213 million toward the overall cost of the project, with the potential for its contribution to be increased.

We have since been assured that the government will indeed cover the full cost of the project.

With this funding commitment secured, the project can move forward with the submission of a planning application and the making of the necessary statutory orders.

It was agreed by the county council cabinet at its meeting on 4 December to proceed with the scheme.

Programme milestones:

  • Submit planning application and determination period – early 2024.
  • Public inquiry (if required) – autumn/winter 2024.
  • Start of advance works – late 2025.
  • Start of main construction works – summer 2026.
  • Scheme in operation – 2029.
     

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

Wednesday, July 19, 2023 - 20:32

By Cllr Greg Peck

You may be aware or have read in the press that Norfolk is on a shortlist of county councils that are in negotiations with the government to transfer more power and funding to their respective councils.

The former Norfolk County Council leader, Andrew Proctor, signed an “in-principle” deal in December 2022, which positioned Norfolk to gain additional powers and money to improve people’s lives.

The aim is for decisions and funding previously controlled in Westminster to be agreed in Norfolk, for Norfolk.

The deal will help to boost our economy through jobs, training, housing and development, to improve our transport network and to support our environment.

The current administration under new leader Kay Mason Billig is continuing to negotiate with the government to bring even more powers and funding to Norfolk and ensuring the new governance model, which includes a directly elected leader, is acceptable.

The public consultation on the in-principle deal took place in the spring and the results have been analysed.

All county councillors will be asked at the full council meeting in December whether they support the move to an elected leader and cabinet system of governance.

Should the result be in favour, in spring 2024 parliament will decide whether to approve the “statutory instrument” required to let the deal proceed.

Western Link progress

Contrary to press reports, work on the Western Link is continuing. However, future spending has been paused until the funding has been approved by the government.

The county council has submitted its business case to the Department for Transport, which has approved the scheme and passed it to the treasury for sign-off.

The treasury has several schemes under consideration and these have to be prioritised. We are led to believe that ours has one of the best business cases, so we are hopeful that we will be selected to obtain funding very soon.

Failure to deliver this road will, in my opinion, be a disaster for my constituents, especially those living close to the route, who are suffering from rat-running and pollution from backed-up traffic through their villages.

I hope we will shortly hear that we have been successful in obtaining the funding we need.

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

Monday, May 16, 2022 - 13:33

By Cllr Greg Peck

The main challenge facing us all is the spiralling cost of living, which is hitting a wide number of households hard. That is why Norfolk County Council has created a new scheme that is flexible and can reach a broader range of people than previous hardship schemes. This includes families in need, older people and other vulnerable households.

The £7.7 million Norfolk Cost of Living Support Scheme, which will run until October, will be administered as follows:

  • £3.6m to support families with seven monthly cost of living vouchers for children eligible for means-tested free school meals. The payments will be £15 per month, per child, with an enhanced payment of £30 for August, to coincide with the school holidays. The total value will be £120 per child, over the course of the scheme. The vouchers will be paid from April (backdated) up to and including October. This approach gives families flexibility and choice by allowing them to budget monthly and offset vouchers against other financial pressures on their household bills and activities. It also means families will have payments during and outside school holidays with the option of saving them to use only in the school holidays if they prefer.
  • £1m allocated to the council’s Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS) to support families in hardship, where there isn’t eligibility for free school meals. This support is available to families with very young children, young carers and families caring for children with disabilities, many of whom may be facing significantly higher energy bills.
  • £2.2m, a third of the government funding, to support those aged 65 or over by providing cash and voucher awards through the voluntary sector and other partners, including a specific collaboration with Anglian Water, as well as support through NAS. The work with Anglian Water will support customers aged 65 or over who are on Anglian Water’s social tariffs, because they are in financial difficulty, providing a package of support to reduce and prevent debt. A total of £700,000 of this funding will be distributed to district, borough and city councils to support vulnerable communities.
  • £840,000 to support others in need, including funding for district, borough and city councils to meet immediate housing related concerns. This part of the scheme will also mean that voluntary sector agencies can refer those they are working with to the council for support.

I would encourage any residents who find themselves in hardship to contact Norfolk County Council on 0344 800 8020, so the council can offer support either directly or through their partners.

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

Monday, January 24, 2022 - 09:39

At Norfolk County Council’s cabinet meeting on 31 January we will be considering the latest budget proposals – the final decision on the budget will be taken by the full council meeting on 21 February.

The report to be considered by cabinet increases spending on key services compared with 2021/22, at the same time proposing to set a balanced budget for 22/23.

The report tables two possible council tax rises – 2.99% or the maximum possible 3.99% – but councillors have already said they favour 2.99% based on feedback from the recent public consultation.

In the light of this I am confident that cabinet will not agree to increase council tax to the maximum permitted level because we recognise the cost-of-living pressures people are facing – if this budget proposal is agreed, this will mean we have the lowest county council share of council tax in the region.

If approved, this proposal will provide a balanced budget that invests an extra £25 million (net) to support frontline services. We will have achieved this despite having to deal with major challenges, with rising costs, tackling the pandemic and more people coming forward for care.

We face a predicted budget gap the following year of £60 million; the report also proposes a review of how the council operates to tackle this gap. We are accelerating our work to transform the council by using technology and other innovations to become as cost effective and responsive as possible.

Our spending is funded by council tax and government grants and any shortfall must be covered by making savings. We will, instead, save money from how the council is run.

As with all well-run organisations, we have a range of transformation programmes to deliver services more effectively and reduce the costs of delivering them.

We will also continue to lobby the government for our fair share of funding, whether it be in recognising the challenges of being a large, rural and ageing population or in funding health and social care.

We are tightening the council’s belt, instead of raising council tax even higher, because we know residents face a rapid rise in the cost of living. We are determined to save money by making the council even more efficient and effective.

You can watch both the cabinet and council meetings, mentioned above, live or afterwards, or read the reports by going to the Norfolk County Council website.

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

Thursday, August 19, 2021 - 19:44

By Cllr Greg Peck

August is a quiet time at County Hall with many staff taking their annual leave. However, work continues, especially with the launch of several initiatives to build back the Norfolk economy as we, hopefully, come out of the pandemic.

Business school for 16-25-year-olds

The Business & IP Centre (BIPC) Norfolk, managed by Norfolk County Council’s Library and Information Service, is running a free online summer school for 16-25-year-olds to help them decide whether starting their own business might be right for them.

Participants are encouraged to attend all the summer school workshops but, if this is not possible, once registered they can confirm which workshops they are able to attend.

If they do not have a business idea they would like to pitch, they are still welcome to attend the final session and watch the pitches. For more details see the BIPC Norfolk Eventbrite page.

New funding initiative

Businesses in Norfolk and Suffolk are being encouraged to take advantage of a new capital grant opportunity of up to £30,000.

The DRIVE (Delivering Rural Investment for Vital Employment) programme wants to hear from small and medium-sized enterprises to grow the region’s rural economy.

Launched in February 2021, the £3m scheme supports local businesses to invest in new projects that benefit their growth and create new employment.

Rural broadband

Two million rural homes are set to benefit from a £5 billion funding package to improve broadband in areas with slow speeds.

The Government’s Project Gigabit fund will see up to 1.85 million additional premises across 26 English counties get access to gigabit-speed internet of 1,000 megabits per second – enough to download a high definition (HD) movie in less than 30 seconds.

It brings the current total number of premises in scope for Government-funded coverage to 2.2 million.

Norfolk is one of the first counties listed by the Government to receive funding and will receive between £115 million and £195 million.

Flexi apprenticeships

Sectors including the creative, agriculture and construction industries can now bid for a share of a £7 million fund to support the creation of new flexible apprenticeships, unlocking more opportunities for people to develop the skills they need to get good jobs.

The fund will establish a small number of agencies that will set up new flexi-job apprenticeships so an apprentice can work across a range of projects and with different employers to gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours they need to be occupationally competent.

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

Pages