Norfolk County Council Proposed changes to the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) For Non-Residential Care.

(Charging arrangements to meet care and support needs outside of a care home. This includes care and support received in a person’s own home, supported living/housing with care, shared lives schemes and day care).

Introduction

Norfolk County Council’s Adult Social Care Non-Residential Charging Policy outlines the financial arrangements for individuals receiving care and support outside of a care home. Following a Care Act assessment, individuals receive a care and support plan, a personal budget, and undergo a financial assessment to determine their contribution. Disability Related Expenses (DRE) may be considered to reduce costs for individuals with extra disability-related costs.

The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) ensures individuals have enough income for basic needs, with different rates for various age groups. There are exemptions and considerations for personal independence payments, carer premiums, and responsibilities for children. It is important that people have sufficient income for basic needs before they have to pay for care costs directly attributable to their disability or condition.

Norfolk County Council currently proposes cuts in the level of the Minimum Income Guarantee which are potentially further increasing health inequalities for this group of Norfolk residents, as well as impinge on their ability to pay for basic needs before care costs. There is also the possibility of care services becoming unviable and a reduction in the provision avialble for care across the area.

Historically, MIG cuts faced legal challenges, prompting adjustments and costs to Norfolk county council and ratepayers of around 1.2 million pounds. Currently, Norfolk County Council proposes further reductions in MIG, aiming to align rates with government standards, potentially affecting around 1600 people. Concerns arise regarding the impact of these changes, especially in light of rising living costs and the effectiveness of the DRE process.

Residents can participate in the consultation through various channels provided by Norfolk County Council. Links are available at the end of this discussion document.

Key Summary Statement

Reducing the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) in Norfolk will potentially  have significant detrimental effects on disabled people in the region and further increase health inequalities for this sector of Norfolk for the following reasons :

1. Financial Strain: For individuals already struggling with the costs associated with disabilities, any reduction in MIG increases their financial burden. These individuals may rely on the MIG to cover basic living expenses such as food, utilities, and transportation. A reduction in MIG can force them to make difficult choices between necessities, potentially compromising their health and well-being.
2. Access to Care and Support: The MIG plays a crucial role in promoting independence and social inclusion by ensuring individuals have the means to meet their basic needs. Reducing the MIG may result in individuals being unable to afford necessary care and support services, leading to a decline in their quality of life and possibly forcing them into situations where they cannot access the support they need to maintain their independence. An additional impact of this could be the loss of services and support activities as it no longer is viable for them to continue with reduced numbrs of service users.
3. Impact on Health and Well-being: Financial stress and insecurity can have detrimental effects on individuals’ mental and physical health, particularly for those with disabilities who may already be facing additional challenges. A reduction in MIG can exacerbate existing health conditions, increase stress levels, and contribute to feelings of isolation and anxiety.
4. Legal and Ethical Concerns: Any reduction in MIG should be carefully considered in light of legal and ethical obligations to support vulnerable populations. Disability rights advocates may argue that reducing the MIG unfairly targets individuals with disabilities, further marginalizing an already vulnerable group and potentially contravening equality and human rights legislation.
5. Potential for Increased Dependence: Without sufficient financial support through the MIG, individuals with disabilities may become more dependent on informal support networks or charitable assistance, placing additional strain on families and community resources. This increased dependence can limit individuals’ autonomy and ability to participate fully in society.

6. Unfair Process : During the high court judgement, it was also highlighted that the DRE process was ineffective, intrusive, inaccessible, slow and exceedingly difficult to navigate. Another example of these failings can be seen here https://cascaidr.org.uk/2020/02/22/norfolk-county-council-at-fault-for-failing-to-produce-a-clear-care-plan-and-incorrect-advice-on-direct-payments-and-disability-related-expenditure/

Overall, reductions in the Minimum Income Guarantee in Norfolk can have far-reaching and negative consequences for disabled individuals, impacting their financial stability, access to essential services, health outcomes, and overall quality of life. It’s essential for policymakers to carefully consider the implications of such changes and ensure that the needs of disabled residents are adequately met and equitable with treatment of other residents across the area. Disabled residents should not be expected to shoulder a greater burden of the cost savings for the County council than other demographic groups across Norfolk.

Norfolk County Council Adult Social Care Non-Residential Charging Policy.

The Care Act 2014 provides a legal framework for charging policy which enables a Local Authority to charge a person when it is arranging to meet their care and support needs  (this is set out in sections 14 and 17 of the care Act 2014, you can view this here https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2014/23/contents/enacted ).

Norfolk County Council’s charging policy for non-residential care came into effect on the 1^st April 2015 (the most recent version Adult Social Care Non-Residential Charging Policy 2023 can be accessed here https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/media/18623/Adult-Social-Care-Non-Residential-Charging-Policy-April-2021/pdf/79Norfolk_County_Council_Adult_Social_Care_Non_residential_Charging_Policy_April_2023.pdf?m=1706868870220 ) This policy covers care and support received in a person’s own home, supported living/housing with care, shared lives schemes and day care.

Those who have been deemed eligible for support following a Care Act assessment (care needs assessment) will receive a care and support plan, indictive personal budget and a financial assessment. They can submit a disability related expenses (DRE) claim form for consideration and will receive a final personal budget once these have all been reviewed.

For information on who is eligible for help under the Care Act please look here https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/41839

Financial Assessment

Norfolk County Council will carry out a finical assessment to determine what a person can afford to pay. The financial assessment looks across all of a person’s assets both in capital  and income. It will not consider a partner or spouses finances; however, it will require information on any savings or capital held in joint names.

There is an upper capital limit of £23,250, for those who go above this upper limit and have ask Norfolk County Council to arrange their care and support, Norfolk County Council may charge an admin fee to cover their costs. This will be a fixed rate fee and cannot be higher than the cost Norfolk County Council incur in making the arrangements.

The lower capital limit is £14,250, where a person’s resources are below this limit, they will not contribute to the cost of care from their capital and their contribution will be biased on their income only.

Those with capital between the upper and lower limit will be charged £1 per week for every £250 between the two amounts this is known as ‘savings income’.

In some circumstances Norfolk County Council may choose to carry out a ‘light-touch’ financial assessment. These circumstances tend to be if the person is above the upper capital limit, where charges are small or nominal and that person would clearly have relevant minimum income and when an individual is on benefits which demonstrate that they would not be able to contribute to their care and support costs.

You can see more about paying for care here https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/41796/Will-I-have-to-pay-for-my-care

Disability Related Expenses (DRE)

Disability Related Expenses (DRE) are extra costs that a person may have to pay because of their disability or care need. DRE only relates to non-residential care and to people who have been assessed to contribute to the costs of their care. Norfolk County Council may allow these costs as part of the financial assessment for non-residential care which could reduce the amount the person needs to pay.

DRE claims are looked at on an individual basis rather than a blanket approach and decisions are made at Norfolk County Councils discretion. Examples of what Norfolk County Council might consider as a DRE expense are community alarms, increased energy/utility costs (anything higher than the national average based on income group), cleaning, gardening, disability equipment and its maintenance costs. The cost of disability related equipment will be spread out over what Norfolk County Council considers to be the lifecycle for that item. For example, the cost of a mobility scooter could be spread over 156 weeks. Norfolk County Council will not consider any items they feel should be provided by the NHS, policy states that this includes podiatry for diabetes patients, peripheral arterial disease and rheumatoid arthritis, wheelchairs, specially made boots and shoes etc.

Norfolk County Council will ask 5 key questions when considering a DRE claim:

Do you receive disability benefits?

Is the expense necessary?

Is the expense reasonable?

Is the expense directly linked to the person’s disability, medical condition or care need?

Is the expense able to be met by any other means?

You can see more about disability related expenses here https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/41872/What-are-disability-related-expenses.

Norfolk County Councils – DRE Case Study – Ms Smith

Ms Smith is a 42-year-old woman who lives alone in a privately rented flat. She has mental health issues including bipolar disorder and anxiety. She can have both depressed and manic episodes and has a pendant alarm which she can use if she becomes overwhelmed. Because of her anxiety, she does not leave the house often and her family do not live locally. Ms Smith maintains contact with her family by using her smart phone to video-call with them regularly. Ms Smith receives Personal Independence Payments and has a weekly income of £275. Ms Smith has claimed for the following items and amounts:

Pendant alarm – £185 per year

Electricity costs – £65 per month

Water costs – £90 per quarter

Mobile phone – £25 per month

This means that Ms Smith’s DRE amount is:

Pendant alarm – £3.56 per week – £185 per year divided by 52 weeks.

Electricity costs – £3.80 per week – The average weekly cost of electricity for someone with Ms Smith’s income level is £11.20 and because this is lower than what Ms Smith pays the difference can be allowed.

Water costs – £0.00 per week – The average weekly cost of water for someone with Ms Smith’s income level is £8.50 per week and as this is higher than what Ms Smith pays, there is no amount to be allowed as DRE.

Mobile phone costs – £0.00 per week – Not normally allowed as DRE but because Ms Smith is socially isolated, the DRE Team could contact a social worker to see if the cost of the mobile phone could be included as part of the package of care.

Total DRE amount allowed – £7.36 per week

You can view the full case study with the breakdown of Norfolk County Councils decision here https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/41885/Case-study—Ms-Smith

Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG).

People receiving non-residential care have a minimum income guarantee (MIG) every week to pay for their day to day living needs such as heating, lighting, water, food, insurance and anything else they need for their home. The purpose of the MIG is to promote independence, social inclusion and ensure that the cared for person has enough to meet their basic needs. The MIG from 10^th April 2023 is as follows:

£214.35 per week for people over state pension age.

£187.13 a week for people aged 18 to state pension age.

Rent, Mortgages and council tax cost are allowed on top of the MIG after any housing benefit or council tax support.

• Personal Independence payments (PIP) Mobility rates are disregarded from financial assessment, but daily living is included.
• If the person being cared for is also a carer themselves and receives carer premium/carer allowance of universal credits the carer premium will be disregarded plus a 25% buffer as additional MIG.
• If the person being cared for is responsible for a child an additional £94.90 a week will be disregarded in respect of the child. ‘Child’ is defined as under the age of 16 or up to their 20^th birthday if still in relevant education and the person is still receiving child benefit/child tax credits.

Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) cuts under the current Norfolk County Council proposals.

On the 19^th February 2024 Norfolk County Council launched a consultation attempting too yet again reduce the MIG for non-residential care charges, this will run until the 17^th May 2024 and will be presented to the cabinet in July 2024.

Norfolk County Council are proposing two options:

• Option 1: Reduce the Minimum Income Guarantee for people 18-years-old to pension age from the current Norfolk County Council rate of £187.13 to government rates for 25-year-old to pension age, which is currently £171.75
• Option 2: Reduce the Minimum Income Guarantee to the government rate of £171.75 for people aged 25 to pension age, and also introduce a reduced rate for people aged 18 to 24 of £150.25.

Norfolk County Council state as an estimate that option 1 would affect 1600 people who might have to pay between £2.50 and £18.00 a week more for their care. Option 2 would see around 95 18-24-year-olds pay between £2.50 and £40.00 more per week for their care, and around 1505 people between 25 – pension age pay an additional £2.50 to £18.00 a week. The measures are part of £41.5m of savings that Norfolk County Council needs to make to balance its budget for 2024/25. The changes would add between £1.2m and £1.29m in additional income for Norfolk County Council’s adult social care services.

Full information can be found here https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/article/56781/Have-your-say-on-proposed-changes-to-non-residential-adult-social-care-charging-policy

Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) previous cuts and legal outcomes.

In 2018 more than 160,000 people in the UK had consequential social care debts and over 78,000 were under debt management by their council.

In 2019 Norfolk County Council made the decision to reduce the MIG for people aged 18 to pension age from £189 per week to £165 per week, they also took an extra £9 of the enhanced element of personal independence payments into account during the finical assessment. In April 2020 it changed again to £151.45 a week.

The Norfolk County Council suggested this would save £4m and stated it was bringing charges in line with other authorities.

However, a legal challenge launched by a young women with down’s syndrome went all the way to high court. The judge ruled that Norfolk County Council had acted unlawfully and had discriminated against them in an unforeseen and unintended way. This cost the Council £210,000 in legal fees, the decision was made to revert back to the July 2019 pay of £165 a week and used discretion not to take into account any enhanced personal independence payment. This created a back pay to over 3,200 people with severe disabilities who had been affected, costing the council around £1m. More information on this case can be seen here https://www.lukeclements.co.uk/high-court-social-care-charging-judgment-2/

Discussion Points

• Norfolk County Council state that this will bring Norfolk’s MIG in line with other councils, However it has not mentioned any change in how they work their DRE and financial assessments to bring them into line with the other councils. For example, Suffolk County Councils DRE provides a minimum of £25 and will further consider any expenses above this.
• Even though the mobility rate of PIP is disregarded for financial assessment weekly care amounts for many people full way above the maximum that can be received in disability benefits, they are therefore subsidising their care from benefits which are meant to contribute to living expenses.

• Due to the cost-of-living rising benefits are due to receive an inflation rise in April 2024 to help people to meet their basic needs. Universal credit, Personal independence payments, Attendance allowance, carer’s allowance, Employment and support Allowance, Jobseeker’s allowance, Disability Living allowance, incapacity benefit, Income support, Maternity allowance and pension credit (savings credit portion) will all increase by 6.7%. Pension credit (guaranteed credit portion) will increase 8.5%. Is this rise likely to be added to what a person is expected to contribute, therefore will not support people with the rising cost of living as was intended but result in a greater percentage of their income being used for care costs and not basic need costs.
• During the high court judgement, it was also highlighted that the DRE process was ineffective, intrusive, inaccessible, slow and exceedingly difficult to navigate. Another example of these failings can be seen here https://cascaidr.org.uk/2020/02/22/norfolk-county-council-at-fault-for-failing-to-produce-a-clear-care-plan-and-incorrect-advice-on-direct-payments-and-disability-related-expenditure/
• Norfolk County Council state that this will bring Norfolk’s MIG in line with other councils, However it has not mentioned any change in how they work their DRE and financial assessments to bring them into line with the other councils. For example, Suffolk County Councils DRE provides a minimum of £25 and will further consider any expenses above this. NCC already pays less than this on DRE payments.
• Even though the mobility rate of PIP is disregarded for financial assessment weekly care amounts for many people full way above the maximum that can be received in disability benefits, they are therefore subsidising their care from benefits which are meant to contribute to increased living expenses resulting from their disability or condition.
• Due to the cost-of-living rising benefits are due to receive an inflation rise in April 2024 to help people to meet their basic needs. Universal credit, Personal independence payments, Attendance allowance, carer’s allowance, Employment and support Allowance, Jobseeker’s allowance, Disability Living allowance, incapacity benefit, Income support, Maternity allowance and pension credit (savings credit portion) will all increase by 6.7%. Pension credit (guaranteed credit portion) will increase 8.5%. Is this rise likely to be added to what a person is expected to contribute. If so then this will not support people with the rising cost of living as was intended, given they will have to contribute more of their care costs and not have the additional funds for basic needs.
• During the high court judgement, it was also highlighted that the DRE process was ineffective, intrusive, inaccessible, slow and exceedingly difficult to navigate. Another example of these failings can be seen here https://cascaidr.org.uk/2020/02/22/norfolk-county-council-at-fault-for-failing-to-produce-a-clear-care-plan-and-incorrect-advice-on-direct-payments-and-disability-related-expenditure/

How to take part in the consultation.

Norfolk County Council state they have sent letters and questionnaires to everyone who would be impacted by these changes.

There are several ways to take part in the consultation:

• Online questionnaire available at https://norfolk.citizenspace.com/
• Online at www.norfolk.gov.uk/savingsproposals
• By email at haveyoursay@norfolk.gov.uk
• By post, writing to:

The Minimum Income Guarantee Consultation 2024/2025.

Freepost Plus RTCL-XSTT-JZSK

Norfolk County Council,

Ground floor – south wing,

County Hall,

Martineau Lane,

Norwich.

NR1 2DH.

If support is required contact can be made to charging.policy@norfolk.gov.uk or calling 01603 306864 open Mon-Fri 8:30am till 5:00pm.

Appendix 1 Case Studies of Peoples MIG Calculations

Example of a cared-for person who receiving income as one of a couple:

Jarred is 47 and receiving support at home and has been placed in the Support

Group of Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). He lives with his wife, Susan,

who has Contribution-Based ESA of £129.50 per week and an underlying entitlement

to Carers Allowance. Both Jarred and Susan receive Enhanced Rate Daily Living

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) of £101.75 each and Enhanced Rate PIP

Mobility of £71.00 per week. (PIP Mobility is disregarded from the financial

assessment)

Their couple Employment and Support Allowance appropriate amount is £328.85 per

week, which includes the couple’s personal allowance of £133.30 per week, 2x

Severe Disability Premium (£152.80) per week and 1x Carers Premium (£42.75) per

week.

Jarred receives £199.35 per week Income-related ESA for both himself and Susan.

Jarred’s share of the ESA is determined by dividing the amount of Income-related

ESA amount in half, e.g. £199.35/2 equals £99.67

Jarred’s maximum contribution is calculated as follows:

Income-related ESA £ 99.67 (half the total)

PIP Daily Living Component £ 101.75

Total £201.42

Less

Minimum Income Guarantee £187.13

PIP disregard £ 33.65

Maximum Weekly Contribution £ NIL

If Susan is receiving care and support at home, her contribution would be:

Contribution ESA £129.50

 Income-related ESA £ 99.67 (half the total)

 PIP Daily Living Component £ 101.75

 Total £330.92

 Less

 Minimum Income Guarantee £187.13

PIP disregard £ 33.65

 Maximum Weekly Contribution £110.14

Example of a cared-for person who is not receiving income as a couple:

Cheryl, who is 67, is receiving support. She lives with her husband, Dan, who is 62.

Cheryl receives a State Retirement Pension of £203.85 per week, enhanced rate

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) daily living component of £101.75 per week

and higher PIP mobility component £71.00, plus an occupational pension of

£214.55 per week.

Dan gets standard rate of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Daily Living of

£68.10 per week, the enhanced rate PIP mobility of £71.00 per week and a small

occupational pension of £20 per week.

Cheryl and Dan’s two children each receive Carer’s Allowance for looking after their

parents.

Cheryl’s ‘qualifying income’ (QI) of £418.40 per week and Dan’s QI of £20 per week

plus, the fact that someone gets Carers Allowance for looking after both of them

means their income is too high for Pension Credit.

The applicable couple personal allowance is £306.85 per week.

Cheryl’s maximum contribution is calculated as follows:

State Retirement Pension £203.85

Occupational Pension £214.55

PIP Daily Living £ 101.75

Total £520.15

Less Minimum Income Guarantee £214.35

PIP disregard £ 33.65

Maximum Weekly Contribution £272.15

*PIP mobility is disregarded in a financial assessment.

However, NCC needs to consider the implications of Cheryl’s care charges on Dan

and make sure the couple receive at least the Pension Credit couple’s personal

allowance of £306.85 per week.

NCC has already disregarded £214.35 of Cheryl’s income and also all of Dan’s

‘qualifying income’, giving a total disregard of £234.35 per week. This is less than

the basic couple’s Personal Allowance of £306.85.

Therefore, NCC will make a ‘Spouse Disregard’ of £72.50 per week to bring the total

disregarded ‘qualifying income’ up to the couple’s Personal Allowance.

Cheryl’s revised Maximum Weekly Contribution is: £272.15

Less Spouse Disregard £ 72.50

TOTAL £199.65

Welcome to the Sheringham District Councillors Team report for February    2023              

  Cllrs Bevan-Jones, Heinink and Withington

NNDC are supporting the community in challenging times

Housing Crisis in North Norfolk

Currently NNDC as the local housing authority has 2,764 households on the Housing register with 19% of these being on the priority list the Housing Register. As of the 31st January there are 205 open cases for households who are homeless or will be made homeless in the next 56 days. The greatest need is for 1 and 2 bedroom properties with 1575 and 680 households respectively on these lists.

244 houses have been let as social housing in the last quarter.  

As of the 31^st January there are 75 households in temporary accommodation. 22% of families living in temporary accommodation have been there for more than 6 months. NNDC have now purchased 18 temporary Accommodation units for North Norfolk residents to alleviate this problem but it continues to be a significant issue

A number of factors (including the cost of living crisis, rising mortgage interest rates, no fault evictions in the private rented sector, a reduction in new affordable homes being built due to nutrient neutrality ) mean NNDC anticipate a sustained or potential increased need for Temporary Accommodation for the foreseeable future. To help meet this demand we will be piloting a Private Sector Leasing Scheme which will involve the council leasing a property in exchange for a guaranteed income to the owner.

Rough Sleepers – NNDC are currently dealing with 3 entrenched rough sleepers. SWEP was introduced form 04^th December until the 04^th January and 14^th January to the 24^th. 11 people were supported into emergency accommodation.

Early Intervention Team

North Norfolk District Council’s Early Intervention Team are working to help residents across the District who are threatened with homelessness.

It is never too early to get help and the Early Intervention Team provides support for individuals and families across North Norfolk with housing-related issues and will work to address the problem.

The team try to do this at an early stage before the individual or family become homeless and ideally before a significant risk of homelessness arises. They are part of the Council’s Housing Options team and work closely with other services to identify those in need and provide support and advice.

If you or someone you know are having problems which make it difficult at home, such as:

• Rent arrears or other debt worries
• Arguments at home or relationship breakdowns
• Changes to your household
• Changes to your health

The Early Intervention Team can help

If you or someone you may know is threatened with homelessness, the Early Intervention Team can help and assist you by:

• Talking through some options, you may have to help yourself
• Try to help keep you in your current home where possible
• Work with you to secure alternative accommodation

Where possible, the Council aims to make sure residents remain in their current homes by helping at an early stage, the Early Intervention Team will seek to understand your current situation and help to resolve your situation.

The most important thing you can do is contact the Early Intervention Team on 01263 513811 or email early.intervention@north-norfolk.gov.uk as soon as possible.

The NNDC Housing Strategy was also agreed in 2021 to help address this housing crisis. This was developed through the Housing Enabling Team working in collaboration with Registered Providers (housing Associations) Letting agents, Charities, Parish and town Councils, planners. It focuses on developing the best ways to bring affordable rental properties to North Norfolk for all ages,disabilities and types of household groups.

As a Council we know the government schemes for shared ownership and the new First homes initiative bring only shared ownership homes which are beyond the means of those in our area. North Norfolk residents are often on low incomes and have seasonal employment, hence the importance we place on building the districts stock of affordable rental homes.

Also within the housing strategy have been established ways to support those facing no fault evictions which is becoming increasingly common with landlords taking advantage of high house process and also high yields from holiday lets. The Council have established rent guarantees and advance deposits and advance payment of rent for 6months to a year to help those faced with Section 21 notices. Please get in touch at the earliest point to seek help form the housing intervention team. early.intervention@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Linked to this NNDC also voted to increase Council Tax on Second Homes by 100% when it becomes agreed in Law. This will bring 8 million pounds in as revenue. If ring fenced for Social housing this could be used to purchase land for exceptions sites. These would be provided by housing providers as social housing and the developments would become financially viable with the purchase of the land. This is not about demonising second home owners but ensuring the impact from high numbers of second homes can be mitigated for local people.

Sadly the Government have recently delayed bringing in this legislation now until at least 2024. In addition the New Homes Bonus grant that has supported projects with match funding from NNDC to purchase land and homes for social renting has also been cut. Despite the 3% income guarantee from the precept the result is a net loss of £800,000 to Council budgets. The Council Tax Levy would have therefore played an important role in enabling NNDC to  further address the Housing Crisis.

Early Help Hub

Financial Support

The Early Help Hub has also produced a comprehensive list of financial support available for community support organisations to direct people to. This has been shared in the community via organisations such as Healthier Sheringham to their partners and those working on projects with NNDC and the ICB

Please contact us if you are aware of people who need financial support as a result of the Cost of living Crisis

General help is available here

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/costofliving?fbclid=IwAR3FBNeKCC0sE7jrutGsG0qvHjY_dF0QoA3UbHREph9Qu_YE6ibpHYu3VMU

The Household Support Fund

NNDC has been awarded £88k under round 3. NNDC have used the funding to target support to 210 disabled households and 342 low income households who did not receive the DWP COL payments. Each household received a £100 Post office Voucher which they can cash at any Post Office. 91% of vouchers have been cashed. Where they are not cashed NNDC are working with households to support further.

The Household support fund application form is also live on the website

https://north-norfolk.apply4.online/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=%2FRequests%2FQuickSchemeLink%2F543BPM

Challenging times with Climate Change

TREES: Our 110,000 Trees project has hit another major milestone!

We have now planted 109,000 trees, planting with local community groups, volunteers and charities

Find out more about the trees project: www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/trees

Kerbside Battery Collection

North Norfolk District Council, Breckland, Kings Lynn and West Norfolk Council are delighted to be launching a new free weekly kerbside collection service to residents in partnership with Serco.From 30 January residents will be able to recycle used household batteries. The collections will be weekly, so residents just need to place their used household batteries in a freezer bag, or similar sized clear bag, on top of either their black or green bin on their usual collection day for them to be recycled. It is important that the batteries are placed on top of the bins because if they are not separated, they will go into the body of the vehicle where they risk being crushed which can cause vehicle fires and fires at the processing facility.

Batteries are made from many different materials including lithium-ion (used in laptop batteries), zinc (used in AA batteries) and nickel cadmium (used in power tool batteries); all are recycled into their component parts. The recovered materials can be used to manufacture new batteries and electronics; they can also be used in the steel industry and even in paint production.

Cllr Nigel Lloyd, portfolio holder for Environmental Services, Climate Change and Environment said: 

“I am delighted that North Norfolk District Council, working in partnership with Serco, will be offering this new kerbside small battery collection service to North Norfolk residents. As a society we have become more and more reliant on battery powered devices. However, spent batteries can pose a significant risk to the environment when not disposed of responsibly and can be dangerous if they enter our standard waste processing facilities.

“I hope residents will take advantage of this new service. Our desire is to make it easier for residents to protect their environment with the added benefit of recycling the increasingly scarce metals found within batteries.”

Sheringham Little Theatre Renovations

Following a survey in 2022 the poor energy efficiency of the Little Theatre and the poor  standard of some internal structures was identified. This was as part of an Asset survey for the District Council of all their assets. This had never been completed before by the previous administration.  With the recent energy crisis the Theatre had experienced a 7 fold increase in its energy bills which made this important energy efficiency work of even more importance. The photo below shows the construction of the internal porch and addition of new ceiling and insulation.

As part of the 4-week programme, the building has undergone measures to improve the energy efficiency and internal structures,

The ground floor has gone through  a full refurbishment to replace the flooring, ceiling tiles and install new kitchen facilities in The Hub café.

An internal porch area has been constructed to reduce heat loss and insulation improved  along with the windows. Internal and external lighting throughout the building has also been replaced with energy efficient lighting.

The environmental impact was a consideration with the planning of the renovation works – all existing furniture within the Sheringham Little Theatre has been re-used, upcycled and improved as opposed to replacing them.

Materials to make the improvements in the building are also environmentally friendly, opting for sustainable alternatives such as Thermalyte board instead of plasterboard for the ceiling tiles, or water-based paints.

The works, which cost £92,000, have been joint funded by North Norfolk District Council, Norfolk County Council and Sheringham Little Theatre.

The works had to be completed in a very short time frame and were completed ahead of schedule. The Little Theatre Management have been very complimentary about the development, management and completion of this project by NNDC.

The Hub opened on the 11^th February

Cabinet have approved the funding for the Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme.

Council’s Cabinet approved the governance arrangements for the Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme (CTAP), which will enable the Council to finalise funding with the Environment Agency (EA) to develop coastal change approaches.

North Norfolk has been selected by the government to receive funds to explore innovative approaches to adapting to the effects of coastal erosion. This is as a result of their nationally acclaimed work that has been completed by NNDC already in this area through  Coastal Partnership East.

As the programme develops, it will involve engagement with communities, individuals, infrastructure providers and businesses along the North Norfolk coastline.

The Cabinet approval also includes authority to submit the necessary outline business case to the EA and delegates authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, Portfolio Holder and Monitoring Officer to acquire land and assets in excess of £100,000 on value, where it will assist with the coastal transition accelerator programme.

This CTAP fund is not a compensation scheme, but rather, is intended to help coastal communities that cannot sustainably be defended from coastal erosion prepare and plan for the long term.

Alongside this Cllr Withington was invited by IPACT (Infrastructure for Ports and Coastal Towns to present at their conference and SANDPIT on the 10^th January.

IPACT is a new, vibrant, multi-disciplinary community of researchers and research users developing affordable, sustainable, evidence-based, people-centric infrastructure systems solutions for improving social well-being and prosperity to level up coastal communities through resilient, net zero regeneration.

There is £500,000 available for Pilot Study projects Following her presentation Cllr Withington has been asked to discuss a further project in regard to community engagement in Coastal adaptation and Transition Research questions will be based around themes:

• Connectivity with the coast 
• Inclusive infrastructure 
• Maintaining and enhancing resilience 
• Coastal region transport 
• Nature-inspired, human scale engineering 

Council Votes for Seal Safety  

North Norfolk District Council members voted on seal safety and flying rings along the coast at a Full Council meeting.

A motion tabled by Cllr. Christopher Cushing sought to ban the use of flying rings and for the Council to repledge through the Safer Seals campaign its’ commitment to protecting seals along the North Norfolk coastline.

Cllr. Tim Adams, welcoming the motion, pointed out Councils do not have the powers to place an outright ban on flying rings, and the extent of Public Space Protection Orders did not cover marine life regarding flying rings.

An amendment was then agreed by Councillors, which sought to continue the Safer Seals campaign, with the Council’s Leisure team to work in conjunction with Friends of Horsey Seals and the RSPCA, and for the Council’s Foreshore Officers to engage with beach visitors, to educate them about the dangers.
Across beaches in the district, you can find posters which give guidance to beachgoers about how to act around seals, to protect them. It advises three behaviours – avoiding the use of flying rings, keeping dogs on leads, and avoiding getting too close to them.

Organisations and businesses are welcome to download the posters to display in their premises from the Council’s website.

Find out more about the Safer Seals campaign at www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/seals

If you find  a seal in distress and in need of emergency assistance you can contact any of the following agencies.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue: 01825 765546                 RSPCA: 0300 1234 999

Friends of Horsey Seals: 07706 314514

Local Democracy

A Message from the Youth Council

Do you want to make a difference for the young people in North Norfolk? We are a group of young people looking for others to join us in forming a Youth Council for North Norfolk.

About us

We are a group of young people from across the district, all aged between 12 and 17 years old, who have joined together to help make a difference.

As a Youth Council, our main objectives will be:

• to improve education and understanding about the challenges that young people face in North Norfolk
• mental health services
• environmental issues around North Norfolk

These are crucial issues to our age group as they affect us now and will affect generations in the future

Find out more here and how you can be part of being a voice for the young people in North Norfolk

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/NNYC?fbclid=IwAR23oDZqz57yJJcMjQgl8UaMLJ6sXItHAlZpHgmwJ7Sq7RvXd0net5AYZJY

The Youth Council met on the Sunday 29^th January  in the Council chamber at NNDC

Voter ID

VOTER ID: The UK Government has introduced Voter ID at Polling Stations from May 2023.

Find out more about what this means for you when voting on 4 May: bit.ly/3QGj7OB

If you are a young person there are greater restrictions as to what you can use for suitable ID

If you do not have one of the accepted forms of photo ID

You can still vote with a postal vote and no ID is required

From Monday 16 January 2023, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate from the UK Government website. This document will contain your name and photograph, and you can obtain it for free in one of three ways:

Apply online

You can apply online using the government portal and upload a suitable photograph to apply for your Voter Authority Certificate. 

Apply now

Write to us

Please fill in this application form. We will check you are registered at your property and are aware of other accepted forms of ID. 

Completed applications should include a suitable photograph. Please return to:

electoralservices@north-norfolk.gov.uk

or

Electoral Services
North Norfolk District Council
Holt Road
Cromer
NR27 9EN 

In-person

By visiting our offices in either Cromer or Fakenham. Our Customer Services staff will take you through the registration process and take a suitable photograph if required. 

Deadline for applications

The deadline for applications is 5pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023.

This deadline is statutory, and can be no extension for any reason. We cannot process any application for the upcoming election received after the deadline.

Any applications received before the deadline can be processed after the deadline up to the day of the election. So long as the application was complete and contained all the required information.

Postal voting

You can apply for a postal vote if you wish to refrain from showing photo ID at the polling station.

Electors who wish to vote by post do not need to provide photographic identification to receive their ballot paper. It applies to current postal voters and any new applicants who apply for a postal vote ahead of the deadline, which is at 5pm on Tuesday 18 April 2023.

Apply for a postal vote 

We are still awaiting complete information about implementing this aspect of the Elections Act 2022, so any updates will appear on this page. We will be providing frequently asked questions to assist you with any questions about these changes.

Health and Wellbeing

Mammoth Marathon

North Norfolk’s Mammoth Marathon returns for 2023 with runners set to tackle the coastal route in a full, and half marathon.

The event was scheduled to run on Sunday 21 May 2023.

The Council has taken the decision to move the event one week forward after receiving notification of a coinciding event in the area  and to protect runners while they compete in the road race.

The new date for the Mammoth Marathon is Sunday 14 May 2023 The route for both the Full and Half marathons will end in Sheringham at the High School with an event village in place. The event was over subscribed last year so get your tickets earlyTickets are available via Race Roster

Healthier Sheringham

Healthier Sheringham continues to grow and build partners and Networks. On the 18^th February Sheringham Helps – A Community Fair and Fund Day will take place at the Lighthouse. There are over 50 partners booked in and support agencies celebrating the incredible support that there is in the town. A waiting list is now in place. In addition there is entertainment, activities, the Scout Climbing Wall our emergency services opportunities to chat with groups, find volunteering opportunities, have a health check, find out about new activities and interests for all ages. In addition the Lighthouse Café will be open, along with the soft play area and Threadbear Children’s Charity Shop. The Lighthouse as partners are providing the venue for which we are very grateful.

Warm Spaces for All – Sheringham is a project which has also grown out of the Healthier Sheringham Partnership. Partners have come together to develop a strategy for providing warm spaces for all in our community.

There is now an array of Warm spaces available across the town catering for all ages and interests. There is also a hot lunch available every day in the town in a warm space.

An added benefit of this project has been the friendships and connections which have been formed by people attending these warm spaces. 8 of our Warm Spaces now have 20-40 people attending them. Although they appreciate the heat the contact with others is now as important. Warm Spaces is looking to find a way that these can continue to stay open and benefit the community. Linked to this the Warm Spaces Strategy is working with North Norfolk community Transport to create community transport links which work with the other town facilities such as the Medical Practice to build in routes to get people door to door for Warm Spaces and appointments.

Anyone with a venue that would like to be part of this or is part of an organisation who can support with activities or volunteers is welcome to get in contact. Businesses who would also like to be involved as well in supporting the provision of warm spaces for those who are perhaps working from home. Again if you would like to know more or be involved please get in touch via healthiersheringham@gmail.com

Parking in Sheringham As we continue to be busy in Sheringham the search for parking spaces continues to be difficult. Why not consider a seasonal parking ticket for NNDC Car Parks

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/your-community/buy-car-park-season-ticket/

District Cllr Projects

• Through HUGS supporting the provision of English speaking sessions for our Sheringham Ukrainian guests. Lessons are underway with around 15 regularly attending. Groups are now being developed for smaller groups and on an individual basis Thank you to the Quakers who are providing a free venue for these lessons to take place Several of our Ukrainian guests who have now obtained full time employment have moved into their own homes.
• Cooper Road Play park Quality of life Strategy has now established that NNDC will now take on the responsibility of the maintenance and safety of NNDc play parks where improvements have been community funded. Designers are now to be invited to discuss the options discussed in community engagement  
• Skelding Hill Path has been reported to NCC who are in discussions with the contractor as to how this can be resolved. Awaiting the outcome of these discussions. NCC have been re contacted and are awaiting a potential solution to be advised to them
• Support to residents for drug and alcohol abuse and also support to attend local support groups and community activities continuing.
• District Cllrs taking part in the Community Alcohol Partnership
• Community food club @ Salvation Army NNDC Cllrs continue to support and work within Healtheir Sheringham to help with this project and the SA are partners in Healthier Sheringham. Yesu and Salvation Army are now linked and working together pooling resources.
• 11 Cromer road- Empty home 5 years. Cllr Liaison with Tesco management team Sheringham and then report to Enforcement and Empty homes Team. They have liaised further with Tesco Management company. Improvements to the property are now being completed and the property will be let shortly. – not let as yet
• Enforcement referral for derelict property- enforcement are progressing this.
• Investigating the use of the Tesco Community Space
• A verbal update in regard to Shannocks will be given at the meeting
• The Greens Project

Local Cllr Attendance/Training/Briefings – not previously mentioned   

Sheringham Town Council –  1

Sheringham Town council – Planning x2

NNDC full Council –3

Wellbeing champion Training

Coastal Transition Accelerator Programme Workshop

IPACT Conference and Sandpit

Overview and Scrutiny x2

Meeting with Planning case officers

Development Committee x3

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board – Healthier Sheringham x2

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care system-Dementia

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care system-In equality

Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board Patients Committee

Sheringham Museum

Warm Spaces Meeting x2

Sheringham golf Club

Experience Sheringham

SDFC Community Engagement Day

North Norfolk Health and Wellbeing partnership – thematic Workshop Aging population

Cabinet x2

Healthier Sheringham Steering Group Meeting x3

Councillor Call for Action – meeting with Cabinet members

The Greens Project x2

Housing Enabling Team

Youth voice Workshop

Sheringham Warm Spaces meeting x2

 HUGS meeting

Healthier N.Walsham /Healthier North Norfolk

Salvation Army Community Food Club

North Norfolk Community Transport

Community connectors x2

How to access support for Sheringham Residents 

Helping Residents to find help and support As STC staff and councillors, community organisations and residents reading the District Cllr report this information will help you to direct members of our community to the right support and contacts.

With the rising cost of living proving very difficult for people in North Norfolk, North Norfolk District Council have been looking to find ways to support our residents.

IT Housing and Benefits have put all the information together about accessing funding and support in one place. NNDC Help Hub as well is available to all as well.

If you are part of a community group and act as signposting or support those in need. Please share this information with your organisation, clients or community. As District Cllrs we will always refer people through who are in need and do so regularly.

Follow the link below for information

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/proj…/advice-and-support/

The Help Hub is also an important and useful point to connect with for further support via the social prescribers if you are supporting residents or local organisations. Residents can also self-refer 

The North Norfolk Help Hub is a partnership of organisations that work together to offer practical support, advice, and guidance.

At times, we all need a little help and support dealing with issues or problems in our life that are hurting our physical, mental, social or financial wellbeing. Getting help as soon as possible can prevent things from getting worse.

The Health and Communities Team are part of the North Norfolk Help Hub. They can provide advice and support with:

• abuse and exploitation, including domestic abuse
• benefits
• carer support
• employment
• financial advice
• home adaptations and assistive technology
• housing conditions
• learning
• local opportunities for leisure interests
• long term health condition management
• mental wellbeing
• social isolation
• substance misuse
• wellbeing

How to get support

If you are aged 18 and over and need help or support, please contact the Health and Communities Team Duty Line.

Call:

01263 516353

Email:

social.prescribing@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Apply–for–housing–benefit–and–council–tax–support

Manage–your–benefits–claim–online

Further information regarding financial hardship, community support and access to mental health support, domestic abuse and violence support, is available on Cllr Withington’s new website and blog. Click here to view    

www.norfolk.gov.uk/covidwintersupport

Cllr Liz withington can also issue food parcel vouchers through the North Norfolk foodbank (previously known as the Cromer Foodbank. This change is to reflect that the foodbank serves across the North Norfolk district. ) cssheringham@gmail.com  She is also able to support through the Salvation Army as well.

Energy Vouchers are also available for those in need and in fuel poverty.

We can also  refer to the Norfolk Assistance Scheme and Norfolk Household Fund

Anglia Water also have an Extra Care Support system to help with difficulties with paying bills and for those worried about the finances you can contact them online in the link below or telephone 08001693630

Link to Anglian Water Extra Care Support  

Warm Homes grant available after successful bid

North Norfolk District Council, as part of the Norfolk Warm Homes Consortium, has been successful in a bid for £3.85 million of government grant to provide energy efficiency improvement works to homes occupied by low-income households within Norfolk. 

The grant is aimed at supporting low income residents to reduce their energy bills and increase the thermal comfort of their homes through a subsidy towards increasing the energy efficiency of their property. NNDC have appointed Energy Officer Dulcie Walsh to help ensure those eligible for the scheme are able to access these important funds to reduce living costs. The Energy Officer will identify suitable properties and support owner-occupiers and landlords with applications for improvement works. Our aim is to ensure we maximize take-up for North Norfolk residents.

For homeowners, if your gross household income is £30,000 or less the grant will cover the cost of the works.

For landlords, you could get a two-thirds subsidy for works to improve the energy efficiency of your property (if your tenants are on gross household incomes of £30,000 or less)

This grant is aimed at residents who have properties with a low energy rating (EPC band E, F or G)

The grant will go towards the cost of works to better insulate your home, which can include loft cavity wall and external wall insulation if your property is suitable.

Also available under the scheme, properties can benefit from low carbon energy by replacing an inefficient heating system with a renewable air source heat pump.

For more information click here  

Support for our local businesses:

The full list of guidance for local businesses can be found on North Norfolk District Council’s Support and Advice for Businesses webpage.

  Further advice is also available Click here

Other useful Contact numbers and links :

1. Emergency highways number -out of hours 03448008009 for fallen trees blocking roads etc
2. Report a problem with potholes, pavements, hedges, salt bins, trees to Norfolk County Council
3. Planned Roadworks in Norfolk https://one.network/
4. SERCO – missed bins/public toilets/ – 03301099220
5. Report Fly tipping

6.      Order a new bin Contact Customer Services at Serco

Telephone: 0330 109 9220

Opening Hours: Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm

Email:  norfolkwaste@serco.com

7.      Assisted bin delivery due to age or disability Contact Business Waste & Recycling

Telephone:  01263 516189

Email:  cleansing@north-norfolk.gov.uk

If you find  a seal in distress and in need of emergency assistance you can contact any of the following agencies.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue: 01825 765546                 RSPCA: 0300 1234 999

Friends of Horsey Seals: 07706 314514

Get in touch with NNDC

Use our online form to give NNDC feedback, or ask a question about any of our services.

Contact us

Live web chat

Chat with one of our Customer Services Advisors by clicking the green web chat link at the bottom right of the screen. This will appear when advisors are available.

Call us 

Telephone:  01263 513811
Out of hours:  01223 849782

Telephone and office opening hours

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 8.30am to 5pm
Wednesday from 10am to 5pm
Fridays from 8.30am to 4.30pm

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us your District Cllr Team  in Sheringham  for further information on this report or if we can help with any issues.

 Cllr Bevan Jones 

Correspondence address:  

North Norfolk District Council

Holt Road

Cromer

Norfolk

NR27 9EN

Email:  penny.bevan-jones@north-norfolk.gov.uk

To keep up to date with the latest NNDC news and North Norfolk activity follow North Norfolk District Council on FB or click on on FB or click on the link below to go directly to the website 

North Norfolk District Council  

Twitter @northnorfolkdc

Cllr Liz Withington on Fb

@withington_liz on twitter

Lizwithington1 on Instagram

www.lizwithington.mycouncillor.org.uk

This morning Colin Heinink and myself were at Sheringham Town Council as District Cllrs. It was a pleasure to meet people from the Community and be able to help support issues with 4 residents.

Sadly many of the issues are highways related, which come under Norfolk County Council. However as we do on a regular basis we always try to sort issues out for our residents and work closely with the highways team. Recent work has included Woodland Rise West, Woodhouse Close, Holt Road Holway Road, Beeston Road, Station road. If you want to report a highways issue or overgrown hedge or problems with public footpaths you can do so at

https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/roads/report-a-problem#roadicons

We were also able to provide information on Tree Preservation Orders. If you would like to know more about tree preservation orders in the area follow the link below to the NNDC website.

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/conservation/search-for-tree-preservation-orders-tpos/

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/conservation/how-do-i-apply-to-carry-out-work-to-protected-trees/

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/tasks/conservation/search-for-tree-works-applications/

To help improve our mental and physical health, prevent people going into crisis and increase life chances and opportunities across our community Healthier Sheringham has developed as a partnership.

“Healthier Sheringham came about just over a year ago as a result of the community support organisations working together collaboratively through COVID. The idea behind it is to bring all the community organisations and social groups in the town together to collaborate to support the community and improve health and well-being. There are over 250 organisations in the town providing support, activity and  the opportunity to meet with others. The problem is lots of people don’t know about them or cant access them so sit at home lonely and inactive and sometimes facing difficult challenges such as getting shopping and having contact with others. By working together we can make sure people can access these great community resources, we are not duplicating, we can share and pool resources and won’t be wasting our scarce resources. By working together we can help people to help themselves, prevent crisis and reduce health problems across the community. It also helps to make our community stronger and more resilient.” Cllr Withington Lead and instigator of HS

A number of organisations have been working in partnership with Healthier Sheringham for a year now District Cllrs, the Salvation Army, The Lighthouse, St. Peters Church St. Andrews Church, Sheringham Dementia Friendly Community, Sheringham Community Support, Sheringham Medical Practice, the Patient Participation Group, Parish Nurse, Age Concern NN, Norfolk Carers Association, Playing For Cake Norfolk Coastal Fitness. HS also liaises with Active Norfolk, the Integrated Care board, the Clinical Networks and Mind, the Social Prescribing Teams at NNDC and the Community Connectors.

Janet Eastwood Chair  of Sheringham Dementia Friendly Community commented that Pooling resources is a great benefit for the community. HS as a partnership and through Sheringham Dementia Friendly Community obtained funding from Tesco to produce a directory of all the practical support that is in the town such as the Bathing service and Meals on Heels that is available at Age Concern North Norfolk as well as all the activity based and social groups and drop in cafes and lunch clubs.”  From work that Sheringham community Support have done it is clear that for many it is vital that paper copies are delivered to homes so this directory will be delivered across the town as well as being available electronically for organisations to access.  

To develop the partnership further and the directory, HS are holding two community Connection Days. The first was on the 24^th October is for those organisations or groups in the community who provide practical support such as shopping volunteers, bathing services, drop in lunches or community lunches, support with paper work – all those tasks which help people to stay independent in their own homes for longer. The second day is for all our community groups who provide activities, health and fitness opportunities, social activities crafting, musical opportunities etc. Healthier Sheringham would love to see as many groups and organisations there as possible to help the community work more closely together and support the health and well being of our residents in the broadest sense. Both days will take place at Age Concern North Norfolk, Cremer Street, Sheringham from 10.30-12.30 Please email healthiersheringham@gmail.com to confirm you are coming.

 HS also is a means for partners to highlight good practice across groups and share but importantly highlight common issues which are affecting the community and residents. HS is a means to voice those concerns and bring about positive change for the community. Liz Withington reported that “ There are currently significant concern across the partnership about how long it is taking for social service assessments to be completed. This means carers are often having to manage alone and without support. The outcome being often the family goes into crisis or a carer becomes seriously ill themselves. As a partnership we are now raising this as a concern, along with the fact that Norfolk County council no longer enable access to the Social Service Team by telephone making it even more problematic for carers in challenging circumstances to get the help they need. “

Anneliese Maerz also points out that “delays in assessment mean that people are not able to access the care they need when they live alone such as Day Centres and this has a knock on effect on care providers as they don’t have sustainable numbers getting through the assessment process. Care becomes accessible only to those who can afford to pay for it independently. “

Warm Spaces for All – Sheringham is a project which has also grown out of the Healthier Sheringham Partnership. Partners have come together to develop a stragey for providing warm spaces for all in our community as we move closer to what will be possibly the most challenging winter people have faced. The next meeting for this is on the Thursday 27^th October at the REEF Leisure Centre who are part of the partnership. Anyone with a venue that would like to be part of this, or is part of an organisation who can support with activities or volunteers is welcome to attend this event. Businesses who would also like to be involved as well in supporting the provision of warm spaces for those who are perhaps working from home. There will also be opportunities for sponsorship of events and proposed websites and social media pages. Again if you would like to know more or be involved please get in touch  via healthiersheringham@gmail.com

Coming up partners have identified the need to build the volunteer base in the community and will be holding a Volunteer Market for the town in the Spring followed by a Community group/organisation network event in the Spring and a Health and Wellbeing Festival linked to the Sheringham Walking Festival. There are lots of opportunities for people and groups to get involved and support the health and wellbeing of our residents from inside the town rather than it being done to us by external bodies. Together we are stronger.

Cllrs Penny Bevan – Jones, Colin Heinink and Liz Withington

As Cllrs we have been pleased to support Viking Removals to be able to use the car park for their brilliant collections for Ukraine and the Lighthouse Community Church in setting up their vigils for the town as well. Sheringham’s response to this horrific situation, like the rest of the country has been amazing. We are very proud to represent such a caring community.

We are receiving contact from people who are already experiencing difficulties with the increased cost of living and need support to access help. We would like to highlight that as a teamwe can support with referrals to the North Norfolk foodbank for food parcels and fuel vouchers. You can now also self refer to a number of organisations for help. However, we know people are often very anxious about seeking help and  often do and can also support with referrals to the North Norfolk Help Hub which can be found on NNDC’s website, or call 01263 516353 or email: social.prescribing@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Further support is available through the Norfolk Assistance Scheme, again we are happy to support with referrals. You can apply online at Norfolk County Council  https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/care-support-and-health/support-for-living-independently/money-and-benefits/norfolk-assistance-scheme or telephone If you cannot complete an online application call 0344 800 8020. There are also 3 local Sheringham organisations who can help when residents are experiencing hard times and we do and can support with completing application forms if necessary.

Housing is an area we are having to support people with regularly due to an increased number of private rentals being sold and growing numbers of second homes and holiday lets. Again if you are in need of help you can contact the Housing Options Team Phone:  01263 516375 Email:  housing@north-norfolk.gov.uk for Benefits support search council tax and housing benefit on the NNDC website or Phone:  01263 516349 or Email:  benefits@north-norfolk.gov.uk

Domestic Abuse is an issue which we regularly support families with and there are 2 organisations we can access help with or you can self refer. NIDAS – Norfolk integrated Domestic Abuse Service is now up and running with a telephone triage system to get you to the right support quickly. Phone number 0300 561 0555 Email:referrals@nidasnorfolk.co.uk or https://nidasnorfolk.co.uk The Pandora Project also offer excellent support and have a live chat line from 1-3 pm Monday to Friday https://www.pandoraproject.org.uk/ If you or someone you know is in immediate danger please ring 999

Debt management and budgeting is also an issue for many. The Norfolk Money Support Service can help you. Telephone 01603 223392 and option 4. Email MSS@norfolk.gov.uk www.norfolk.gov.uk/mss

Other websites offering advice for debt and budget management are www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-money

www.stepchange.org www.nationaldebtline.org and the www.nationaldebtadvice.org.uk

Over the last month, District Cllrs have supported officers at NNDC with dealing with Fly tipping on the Morris Street Car park and also wall collapses as a result of the recent storm and a vehicle collision. There has been a great deal of interest in the hedge replacement scheme on the Leas and in the War Memorial Garden. This has come about as a result of plants infected with an untreatable Scale disease, being removed and species which are resistant to this being replanted.

Children have also been involved in the planting of a Miyawaki Forest on a section of the Cooper Road Play park.  As a team we are continuing to work with NNDC to try and find a way to make improvements to the park sustainable. At the Leas Play Park we have supported repairs being made to the equipment and are looking how to make the entrance safer. We have also started discussions with NNDC about the replacement equipment that is needed in this much used park by residents and visitors. Progress is now being made on this.

Highways has also continued to be busy and we have made reports about upcoming roadworks, street lights, several pot holes and also the spillage on Co-operative Street, which following our involvement officers attended from Norfolk County Council and North Norfolk District Council to support the clearing up of this area with the help of a local business as well. Overgrown pavements have also been a safety issue as well and reported to highways

You can report highways issues for street lights, pot holes, pavement defects and overgrown hedges directly online at Norfolk County Council https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/roads/report-a-problem

Following concerns raised with our team about the loss of the Post Office in Sheringham and due to the hard work by Cllr Withington and our colleague Steffan Aquerone business premises (x2)have been found for the temporary location of the post office. It is now up to the Post Office Network team and the local business concerned to negotiate this. We continue to be involved with the PO team and are following closely.   It is at the time of writing looking positive for a long term solution, with a business coming forward as a direct result  of our work.

It has also been wonderful to see the works on the path to Skelding Hill completed ahead of schedule and to such a great standard. We have received many comments from people overjoyed to be able to get to the top of the hill again. This must be one of the best views in Sheringham, particularly for a sunset. Following its completion Cllr Withington has also agreed with NCC about additional no cycling signage as this is a public footpath, a bench and information board about the gun emplacement and also the possibility of further benches. NCC have funded the Golf Club to plant marram grass on the bunds (banks) which will help re vegetate the path area and also stabilise the bunds and cliff.

With partnership working with the Sheringham Sports Association (SSA)and NNDC and ourselves the repairs have been made to the road around the Reef and also the junction with the SSA and the Reef has been completed with improved drainage.

District Cllrs have also been central in initiating a group to support the families and households offering to host refugees from Ukraine. HUGS. This has been alongside Phil Bailey, Paula Prince, Charlotte Norton and supported by the Lighthouse Church for a venue. If anyone would like to know more about this please get in touch with us hostingukrainiansg@gmail.com or on our emails below.

Contact us:

Colin.heinink@north-norfolk.gov.uk liz.withington@north-norfolk.gov.uk Penny Bevan-Jones at NNDC Holt Road Cromer NR279EN