Potter Heigham Parish Council

The Norfolk Fire & Rescue Service has issued advice regarding fire safety in the county because of the heatwave, rising temperatures and dry conditions. Due to these conditions, the risk of open and wildfires is very high.

Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service has issued the following advice:

• We encourage you not to light open fires such as BBQs, bonfires and campfires on or near dry grass or woodlands
• We recommend that you do not light a BBQ at home – however, if you do, ensure that you put the BBQ over flat non-flammable ground and keep it away from fences, trees, shrubs and sheds
• Keep a bucket of water or hose pipe close to your BBQ in case of an emergency
• Never leave a BBQ unattended and ensure the ashes are cold before disposing of the BBQ
• If your BBQ is gas, please ensure it is in good working order
• Please dispose of all your litter responsibly, as wildfires can be started by throwing a cigarette out of a car window or leaving a glass bottle on the ground
• We encourage visitors to stay alert for anyone starting a fire deliberately and should report any suspicious behaviour to the police immediately
• Act responsibly and take safety precautions around water
• Be aware that swimming in a river, lake or ocean is different from swimming in a pool – there are currents, changing conditions and submerged hazards
• Never swim in a quarry; the water is very cold and sudden exposure could put you into shock and reduce your ability to swim
• We encourage you to swim at lifeguarded beaches and between the red and yellow flags. You should also check the water before entering and check for hazards

If you are visiting North Norfolk, whether you are visiting our countryside or beaches, please think about fire safety and the safety of you, your family and others around you. Please enjoy North Norfolk safely.

If you spot a wildfire or another emergency, please don’t hesitate to dial 999 and report what you see.

For more information, please visit – How to contact 999 – Norfolk County Council

Please note bin collections will take place earlier in the day this week in response to the heatwave and residents may wish to put the bins out the night before to ensure they are collected.

Wellbeing Snippet – Keeping Healthy while Waiting for Treatment

NHS Norfolk and Waveney has developed a “While You Wait” campaign to support people who are waiting for hospital appointments and treatments to maintain their physical and mental health while they’re waiting. This is important to reduce the risk of their treatment being delayed or cancelled if their health deteriorates.

Use the link below to access communications materials which have been provided to help local parishes share the campaign information. Please consider printing out the enclosed poster and posting on your local noticeboards to help raise awareness about this important information, which is not time sensitive.

While You Wait

If you require any additional assets or information, please email the NHS Norfolk and Waveney communications team at N&W Comms

Have your say on new diagnostic centres in the community
The Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board are working to identify the right approach and delivery model to transform the way they provide diagnostic tests for local people across Norfolk and Waveney.

Further information and survey

Volunteers Needed to Listen to Children Read in Primary Schools
The impact of Coronavirus on education meant that thousands of children didn’t have the opportunity to practice reading during lockdown. Schoolreaders needs more volunteers in your area to support children’s reading in primary schools and help them catch up on their lost education.

More detail and volunteer

Webinars
Climate change means that flooding is likely to become more regular and more intense than we have previously experienced. Come and listen to Mark Ogden, Flood and Water Manager at Norfolk County Council, discuss programmes of work to deal with flooding, including the role of riparian owners (that’s riverbanks to you and me), and the work of Reclaim the Rain to treat rainwater as a resource.

Reclaim the Flood

The Annual General Meeting of the Village Hall management committee (VHMC) will take place on July 4^th at 7:30 pm at the Village Hall.  Members of the community are welcome to attend.

This will be immediately followed by a regular meeting of the Village Hall Management Committee which is for committee members only.

**Update** Electricity has now been restored

As many of you know an electrical fire that started at the main electrical box has meant that the Village Hall has been without power since May 11^th.  Fortunately because we were at the Hall preparing for the Annual Parish Meeting and the Annual Parish Council Meetings, action was swift and damage from the fire kept to a minimum.  The original Hall building incurred considerable smoke damage but only the main switch isolator and the electrical meter were destroyed.  Due to the time of year the hall has been able to remain open with programmes running during daylight hours.

The new equipment is now being installed with work due to be completed by June 13^th.  We were in touch with EON to inform them of this date last week and are now pushing to get a priority order put on our request for a new meter installation.  Once this is done UK Power networks will come and reconnect the power.  We are doing everything we can to get this done expeditiously.

We know this has caused issues with some activities and we apologise for the inconveniences caused.  At the same time our kudos to all involved in making sure that activities such as the Dog Show and the Jubilee Picnic in the Park went ahead as planned thanks to extra effort on the part of community volunteers and to all the groups who have carried on regardless providing their valuable services to our community. Our thanks as well to the Methodist Church who have graciously opened their doors to accommodate some of our activities.

We will keep you informed.

Robin Graves-Morris, Chair of the Village Hall Management Committee

Sheridan Turner, Chair of Potter Heigham Parish Council

Notice is hereby given that there is a vacancy on Potter Heigham Parish Council. The vacancy has previously been advertised, and no election has been requested. The Council is now able to fill the vacancy by co-option.

Applicants should note that Councillors are expected to attend regular monthly meetings on the second Wednesday of each month and any additional meetings as may be arranged, and to represent the electors of Potter Heigham in raising and discussing those issues of interest and concern on which the Parish Council is empowered to act. Applicants should also note that membership of the Council is open to electors:

• Whose residents is in Potter Heigham or within three miles of Potter Heigham, or
• Whose principal place of work is in Potter Heigham and
• who is not disqualified (by reason of a criminal record, bankruptcy or involvement in corrupt practices).

APPLY

Please complete the Application Form and return to [email protected] by 31st May 2022.

The successful applicant will be chosen following consideration by the Parish Council and applications received after this date will be considered at the Council’s discretion.

For further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Amy Gallant,

Clerk to the Parish Council

Telephone : 07377653369

Email: [email protected]

NOTICE OF VACANCY IN OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

Parish of Potter Heigham

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN

that a casual vacancy has arisen in the Office of Councillor for the Parish Council.

If by 12 April, 2022 (14 days excluding Dies Non, after the date of this notice) a request for an election to fill said vacancy is made in writing to the Returning Officer at the address below by TEN electors for the said Parish, an election will be held to fill the said vacancy, otherwise the vacancy will be filled by co-option.

Where a written request for an election is being made, the signatures of the ten electors should be accompanied by the printed names and addresses, so that the Proper Officer can check the validity of the request.

If an election is called, it will take place not later than 21 June, 2022.

If an election is not requested, the Parish Council will fill this vacancy by co-option.

Dated 23 March, 2022

Steve Blatch
Returning Officer
Electoral Services
North Norfolk District Council
Holt Road
Cromer
Norfolk
NR27 9EN

The Parish Council voted to keep the parish precept at the same level this year. However, because the village ‘taxbase’ (the number of homes that pay council tax) has decreased, the precept has to be split across fewer households. This means that the precept has risen slightly per household.

The figures explaining the increase are below:

Charge Year	Parish Precept	Taxbase	Parish Council tax Charge (Precept / Taxbase)
2021/22	£15,000	415.43	36.10
2022/23	£15,000	410.55	36.54

(36.10 / 36.54 -1) = 0.012, as a percentage this is 1.2% which is the percentage increase in parish council tax charge as published on the bills.

The secondary consultation for the 2023 review of Parliamentary constituencies is running from 22 February to 4 April 2022 inclusive.

View the suggested new map at https://www.bcereviews.org.uk/ and share your feedback online or at a public hearing in your region.

There is a guide to help you use the website effectively: just click on the ‘How to’ link  which is at the top right of the Boundary Commission page.

Note – this proposal does not alter which District Council you come under, it changes which MP represents you.  Services and council tax are set by your local authority and this review does not change local authority boundaries.

The Norfolk Local Access Forum is comprised of up to 22 people covering a range of interests in countryside access in Norfolk, including: walking; cycling; horse riding; landowners; conservation; other interests (including tourism, business, heritage, education). The Forum provides independent advice to a number of organisations including Norfolk County Council on improving access to the countryside in Norfolk.

The Forum is looking for enthusiastic and proactive people with a passion for the outdoors with good communication skills to fill 14 volunteer vacancies on the Forum.   These members will represent a range of interest areas and full details can be found online, along with the recruitment form here:   https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/what-we-do-and-how-we-work/policy-performance-and-partnerships/partnerships/local-access-forum (the recruitment form is under the ‘membership’ tab).

If you have any queries, please email [email protected]  or contact 0344 800 8020.