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Citizen - Spring 2023

Published 10 March 2023

Contents

Message from the leader, Alan Waters

Goodbyeeeeee… The one-word title of my column is borrowed from the last episode of the Black Adder series covering Word War I. In the final scene, Captain Black Adder and his chums leave the trenches to face gunfire, mud, barbed wire and an uncertain future across no man’s land.

I’m not going over the top, but I am, after 32 years, including 13 years as leader of the council, leaving the building, following the local elections in May. There will be a new council leader who will be putting pen to paper and writing this regular column.

In this issue there are some familiar themes. Taken together they tell us a lot about the council’s role in the life of the city, and more broadly, the network of communities that make Norwich the place it is.

The essentials include finding the money to pay for the services that residents value, including, housing, parks, leisure and recycling as well improving the physical appearance of the city and opportunities for residents. Annual elections which underpin our democratic system must be properly resourced. This year, in particular, do think about the benefits of getting a postal vote, following the government’s introduction of new ‘Voter ID’ rules at elections which requires people to show accepted forms of photographic ID at polling stations before they can be given a ballot paper.

Tackling climate change, strengthening biodiversity, the cost of living crisis and living with the after effects of the Covid pandemic, are all reminders that the city can be buffeted (often at short notice) by global and international events.

Issues on this scale are often too big for one organisation or even a group to address and is best done with a broad range of partners. Since 2017 the ‘Norwich 2040 City Vision’ has been the big umbrella under which the framework has been put in place to ensure we are well equipped to respond to difficult times and be able to work towards shaping a good future for everyone in the city.

Last words from me: it has been nothing short of a privilege to serve as a Norwich City councillor, and in some small way, make a contribution to the life of this great city.

News in brief

City council's website in UK top ten for accessibility

An accessibility assessment of more than 400 local government websites across the UK has placed the city council’s website in 10th position.

The review is carried out by the organisation Silktide, which monitors and measures the content and quality of websites. Each month 125 pages of council websites are checked and scored on their level of compliance with the globally recognised standards for web accessibility.

The top ten ranking has been achieved by the ongoing work of the council’s web and digital development teams to ensure page code and content such as tables, headings, links and images are formatted correctly.

New interim chief executive at City Hall

At the start of April, the city council will be welcoming in its new interim chief executive, Louise Rawsthorne.

Louise, who has been in post as the council’s executive director for community services, will step into the role following the departure of the outgoing chief exec, Stephen Evans, who will be taking up the chief exec role
at a London-based council.

At the time of going to print, a recruitment campaign was underway to find a permanent chief executive.

City centre's Covid-19 vaccination centre now at Castle Quarter

The city centre’s Covid-19 vaccination centre has relocated from City Hall to Castle Quarter.

Having hosted the vaccination centre within City Hall’s customer centre for one year from January 2022 to this January, NHS bosses decided to relocate the centre to Unit 96/98 in Castle Quarter.

For more information visit Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System’s website.

Help getting active this Spring

Riverside Leisure Centre

This fantastic city-centre based facility offers a 25m public swimming pool, with sessions for fitness lane swimming, a relaxed just swim, 50+/disability swimming and family fun swims! A smaller children’s pool is also available
to encourage swimming for little ones in early years.

Alongside swimming, you’ll also find a fully equipped gym as well as over 60 group workout classes each week. And if you’re not quite sure how to get started or you are thinking about joining the gym for the first time, the fantastic team are on hand to give you the support you need.

Once the hard work is complete, reward yourself with visit to the sauna, steam room and spa pool.

Fancy a complimentary five-day pass? For free access to gym, swim and more, for five consecutive days, quote this code when you activate your pass: RLCCITIZEN 

Find out more at www.PlacesLeisure.org

Norman Centre

The Norman Centre in Mile Cross has something for everyone. This community hub offers activities and facilities ranging from dance classes and art, to karate and indoor bowls. The after-school clubs are great for juniors, while there are also exercise sessions tailored to older visitors.

Find the latest information on what’s happening by visiting their Facebook page, just search ‘Norman Centre’. You can also give the team a call on 01603 408140. Many of the activities on offer are very popular – so remember to book!

Parks and open spaces

As the days get longer, we’re looking forward to spending more time out in our fantastic parks. Great for a stroll or a cycle, our Green Flag awarded parks also have lots more to offer including tennis, bowls and play areas.

For something different, why not try footgolf or pitch and putt, both available at Eaton Park and Mousehold Heath? Last rounds of the day vary, for more info and to check visit www.norwich.gov.uk/LastRound

Your vote matters – make sure you can have your say

On Thursday 4 May, there will be a Norwich City Council election. This is where one councillor in each of the 13 wards – one-third of the total number – in the city are elected. To make sure you can have your say on who serves you as your representative, here is what you need to do.

Register to vote

If you are a British, Commonwealth or EU citizen and have not yet registered to vote, please go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and follow the instructions.

16-17 year-olds can register now too, to make sure they can vote as soon as they turn 18.

You are encouraged to register as soon as possible, ahead of the deadline of Monday 17 April at 11:59pm.

Postal votes

You can vote by post. To apply, visit our election pages and click on the voting by post button to download an application form. The deadline is Tuesday 18 April (5pm). If you can’t do this online and need to speak to someone, please call 0344 980 3333.

Voting in person – this has changed!

To vote at a polling station, you will now need to show photo ID, due to changes the government has made to the rules.

The photo ID accepted includes:

  • Passport issued by the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or Commonwealth country
  • Driving licence (including provisional license) issued by the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or EEA state
  • Blue badge
  • Certain concessionary travel cards
  • Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)Biometric Immigration document
  • Defence identity card
  • Certain national identity cards

If your ID has expired it will still be accepted as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of you.

For more information on which forms of photo ID will be accepted, visit the Electoral Commission's Voter ID pages or call the helpline on 0800 328 0280.

If you do not have an accepted form of photo ID

If you do not have an accepted form of photo ID, or you are not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate.

You can apply for your free voter ID on the Electoral Commission website.

Alternatively, you can complete a paper application form and send this to the elections team.

If you need any help with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, contact Norwich City Council by emailing elections@norwich.gov.uk
or call 0344 980 3333.

This is a free photo ID document specific for the purposes of voting.

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 25 April 2023, 5pm.

Voting by proxy

If you have a reason why you cannot vote in person, you can apply for someome to vote for you - either by post or in person. This is called a 'proxy' vote.

Apply by visiting our election pages and click on the 'Voting by proxy' button. If you can't do this online and need to speak to someone, please call 0344980 3333.

The deadline (excluding emergency proxy votes) is Tuesday 25 April, 5pm.

Getting our finances right and investing in the future of the city

Like so many individuals, families, businesses and other organisations around the country, the city council has had to get to grips with what has proved to be one of the biggest financial challenges it has faced in recent history.

After more than a decade of dwindling funding from central government to pay for essential local services, and with consumer price inflation running at 10.1% (as of January 2023), we have worked hard to bridge our budget gap of £6.2m for the 2023-24 financial year.

Following the approval of our budget at full council on 21 February, our overall budget allows us to deliver the council’s priorities and avoid significant cuts to frontline services. But crucially, it allows for continued and substantial investment in a number of key service areas.

Aside from day-to-day spending on services, the budget makes provision for nearly £30m of investment next year (and £50m over the next five years) in important infrastructure projects for the city – investing in skills, redesigning areas of the city centre and supporting the local economy.

We also listened to what you told us in our budget consultation and have made sure we continue to invest heavily in the services that matter most to you – housing, environmental services and parks and open spaces.

Our budget proposals for next year identified an additional £36m of investment in council housing (taking it up to a total of £182m over the next five years). This is money that goes toward maintaining and improving our 14,500 council homes as well as the money we need to build new ones.

Meanwhile, we set aside £3.1m within the capital programme to invest in environmental services and public spaces. This will help to pay for us to maintain 23 parks, 81 open spaces and 56 natural areas around the city and make 7 million waste and recycling collections a year from 144,000 households. All of this investment is on top of the £10.9m we spend annually on these areas.

We also awarded grants totalling almost £280,000 to arts and cultural organisations – an important part of our wider role within the city – money which helps to keep our city thriving and which adds so much to what Norwich can offer its residents and visitors.

With half of those responding to the council’s budget consultation supporting or strongly supporting a 2.99% increase in the city council’s element of the council tax, this was taken forward and agreed at full council in February. The increase will bring in about £320,000 additional income to help pay for council services (taking the city council’s element of the Band D council tax up to a total up to £288.59). Council also agreed to retain its scheme of providing up to 100% council tax relief to eligible residents on low incomes.

Alan Waters, leader of the council said: “This year’s budget wasn’t just about identifying how to bridge our £6.2m budget gap – it was also a budget about investment.

“We’ve taken full account of the bigger picture as well as paying attention to the details. This means we’ve met the financial challenge head-on while also being able to invest in the things that really matter to our people.

For more information visit Norwich city council’s committees and meetings.

The winners of the Lord Mayor's poetry competition

In the autumn of last year, The Lord Mayor of Norwich put a call out for budding poets to submit their poems on the theme of the River Wensum.

The city really did rise to the challenge, with 64 excellent entries received – giving the Lord Mayor and other judges the really enjoyable, yet difficult, task of selecting the winners.

The winning entries are printed here. Thank you to all the wonderful writers who took part.

Category: primary school

Winner: Madison, aged 11 – The Wherry School

The Wensum
Water flowing quickly
Excited children walking next to the river
Noisy birds calling each other
Snowdrops growing in the wild
Under the long curvy bridge
Murky water that’s as cold as snow

Category: secondary school

Winner: Oscar, aged 11 – Norwich School

Reedbed Delight
A quiet pinging from the reeds, A rustle, faint but existent,
A rufous tail can just be noticed Flicking, with persistence,
Then a bearded figure, like a tiny brown ghost Slips from the curtain of phragmites.
It hauls itself up a sturdy pole of vegetation, Slinking inconspicuously,
For this phantom of the marsh, Many will never see

Category: adult

Winner: Scott Barton 

Saturday Morning
Tat, Tud, Eyn three winding lines Of blue up our map combine, They promise this, our slow egress,
These three who braid the Wensum tress.

You weaving one-way wanderer You grass snake, bullhead ponderer
With moon-braced, broad-based tidal slack You carried castles on your back.

Through sun shine shallows, oak leaf green Blue sky, birch grey, brown trout gleam With keen shoaled sight their gilded eyes Watch light break golden from the skies. In rings and wreaths they sieve and shatter Galactic clouds of amoebic matter.

And on the bank its you and I,
We seek The Falls its summer, high,
Our masks are packed, we’re desperate dry, The water is calling and then some.

And before us now the final bend, We bring with us our souls to mend, To bind them now at this week’s end,
To ourselves in the waters of Wensum.

Love Norwich - play your part

Love Norwich? So do we! That’s why the city council has launched a campaign to crack down on environmental crime and keep Norwich looking its best.

Called Love Norwich – play your part, the campaign addresses issues such as fly-tipping and graffiti and aims to keep our city looking pretty.

At its February cabinet meeting, the city council agreed a £100,000 Love Norwich Fund to support this campaign and help pay for measures such as CCTV in fly-tipping hotspots.

Council leader, Alan Waters, said: “We know that tackling environmental crime and making sure Norwich remains a great place to live and work is something residents care deeply about, which is why we are investing to create a new £100,000 Love Norwich Fund.

“The vast majority of people do their bit to keep our beautiful city looking clean and tidy. This new fund will be available to take enforcement action in cases where this doesn’t happen, alongside other initiatives.”

What the council is doing

Norwich City Council and Norwich City Services Ltd, which provides services on behalf of the council, are working together to help keep Norwich a clean and safe place for all.

Examples of work already being carried out across the city include working with businesses to make sure trade waste is put out correctly, the installation of new, dual bins for waste and recycling in the centre of Norwich, changing bin stores and lids at communal bin areas to deter fly-tipping and holding a series of community clean-up events at fly-tipping hotspots.

Where there is evidence, the council will be issuing fines for fly-tipping and working to increase enforcement action, including putting in CCTV at fly-tipping hotspots.

What you can do

Everyone can play their part to help keep Norwich looking clean. Please use the bins available in the city centre or take rubbish home with you. Report environmental crime, including fly-tipping, graffiti and dog fouling to the council via our online form, giving as much detail as possible. Your information can help us find those responsible www.norwich.gov.uk/report

Don’t put extra waste or bulky items, such as furniture, in communal bin storage areas or next to bins on the street. This is fly-tipping and you could be liable for an unlimited fine or a prison sentence.

If you’d like to hold a community litter pick, the city council can help with equipment and collecting any rubbish you pick up. Visit Lumi to find out more.

Ways to legally dispose of your waste

You can find a new home for unwanted bulky items through the Freegle website or put them on a selling site.

There are also charities in Norwich which collect unwanted furniture and electricals free of charge. These include:

  • British Heart Foundation
  • The Benjamin Foundation
  • Sue Ryder
  • Emmaus Norfolk and Waveney

Please contact the charities directly to make sure they will accept your item(s).

A reuse drop-off centre has opened at the former recycling centre in Swanton Road in partnership with FCC Environment and The Benjamin Foundation. This is for bulky items that are harder to get to a charity shop.

A full list of items that are accepted can be found at the Swanton Road Drop-off Centre website.

If you do pay someone to take your unwanted items away, please make sure they have a Waste Carriers Licence.

Bulky waste collections

The city council runs a paid-for collection service for large or bulky household items from residential properties. Charges start at £24.50 for one item. For more information, visit our Bulky waste pages.

Recycling centres

Norfolk County Council runs two recycling centres which serve Norwich residents.

  • Norwich South – Ipswich Road, NR4 6FA
  • Norwich North – Morse Road, Horsham St Faith, NR10 3JX

Charges at these centres only apply for DIY waste. For opening times and a full list of what is and isn’t accepted at the recycling centres, visit Norfolk County Council's recycling centres.

Save the dates

Month Date Event
April 2 to 11 Easter Funfair, Chapelfield Gardens.
May 7 Coronation Big Lunch - Join communities across the United Kingdom to share food and fun, in a nationwide act of celebration and friendship.
May 12 to 28 Norfolk and Norwich Festival - The Festival transforms our public spaces, city streets, performance venues, parks, forests and beaches, bringing people together to experience the same brilliant and inspirational events.
May 21 Norwich 100 Cycle Ride - www.bike-events.co.uk - A beautiful classic 100 mile ride around Norfolk, starting from City Hall and ending at Norwich Cathedral.
June 6 D-Day Memorial - St Peters Street.
July 7 to 10 Lord Mayor's Celebration - Be part of the city’s biggest street party. Enjoy free family activities, live local music and, of course, the Lord Mayor’s Procession.
July 16 Run Norwich - www.RunNorwich.co.uk - Voted the Best 10k in the UK by the Running Awards, the 10-kilometre route passes some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including Norwich Castle, The Forum, Norwich Cathedral, and many more.
July 29 Norwich Pride - www.NorwichPride.org.uk - The 15th annual Norwich Pride, has grown to become one of the biggest events in the city’s calendar. Expect live music, entertainment and creativity, as well as the Pride March which will leave City Hall at 1pm.
August 18 Pete Tong Presents Classic Ibiza at Earlham Park 
August 19 Let's Rock at Earlham Park - www.LetsRock80s.com
August 24 to 28 Pop Up Pictures Outdoor Cinema at Eaton Park
September 8 to 10 Foodies Festival at Earlham Park - www.FoodiesFestival.com 
November 16 Norwich Christmas Switch On - St Peters Street/Gentleman's Walk Norwich - Celebrate the most wonderful time of the year as the fine city lights up.

Visit our events pages for the latest information.

Help with rising energy costs

From April 1 the annual energy bill for an average household is set to rise to £3000, an increase of £500. The £66 a month energy bill discount will also end. This will put further pressure on many who are struggling.

Here’s some advice for dealing with high energy prices:

Talk to your supplier

If you can’t afford to pay your gas and electricity bills, contact your supplier – they are required to help you find a solution.

Claim what you are entitled to

Make sure you’re receiving any benefits that are available. You may even be eligible if you have a job. Put your details into a calculator like www.EntitledTo.co.uk to quickly check.

Make your home easier to heat

Reducing draughts, thick curtains on windows, and secondary glazing can all help keep your home a little warmer. For bigger improvements, especially in older properties, better insulation may be needed. Check if you are eligible for a grant to help with the cost.

Find more advice and support at www.norwich.gov.uk/CostOfLiving

Find local information on My Norwich

A whole host of useful information about your local area and council services is available on My Norwich. Everything from recycling bring banks and parking information, to sport facilities and community support groups near your home, are just a few clicks away.

All you need to do is go to My Norwich and enter your postcode or address – that’s it!

Here are some more useful things on My Norwich:

Bin days

My Norwich shows what the next bin collection is for your address – and it updates with any changes, so you’ll never get caught out on a bank holiday!

Ward and constituency info

Check who your political representatives are. Closer to election day this will also update with polling station locations.

Planning applications

View all the pending and decided planning applications that have been submitted near your home.

Trees

Have a look at tree preservation orders near your house, and trees the county and city council own. Don’t see many near you? Maybe you could plant your own.

Plans to protect office space in Norwich get the go-ahead from government

The city council’s plans to protect office space in Norwich and stop it being changed to residential use have been given the go-ahead by government.

The ‘Article 4 Direction’, which protects key office space in the city and ensures any workspace in the area converted into homes is of a good standard, came into effect on 22 February. This now means full planning permission is needed to change many offices in the city centre into living space.

In July 2021, the council made the Article 4 Direction to remove more relaxed planning rules for the conversion of offices to residential premises in the majority of the city centre. But the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) turned this down, asking the council to take a more targeted geographical approach.

The council then worked to redefine the area covered by the Article 4 Direction – with the aim of protecting a variety of both small and large offices of strategic value to the city, while allowing any truly redundant and less important office space to be able to be converted to residential use under relaxed planning rules.

The Article 4 Direction will not prevent all offices being changed into flats, but it gives the city council more control over any proposed changes and ensures enough office space is kept to meet demand.

The council subsequently received confirmation from DLUHC that they are satisfied with the revised area and a modified Article 4 Direction, allowing it to come into force on 22 February.

Councillor Mike Stonard, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for sustainable and inclusive growth, said: “This is really good news for the city – it protects important office space, vital to Norwich’s economy and ensures those workspaces which can be more easily converted into homes are done to a good standard.

“Since the pandemic, people have enjoyed returning to offices in the city, if only for part of the week, and this ensures a number of these important spaces remain for future use.”

A map showing the offices included within the Article 4 Direction, along with the modification notice and further information, can be viewed on our Article 4 Direction page.

A climate mural for our times

A 10-metre-wide climate mural has been gifted to the city and now hangs in City Hall’s council chamber, serving as a constant reminder to Norwich’s decision makers of the need to take urgent action on the climate and biodiversity emergencies.

Entitled ‘A Climate Mural for Our Times’, the artwork charts global temperature over time (66 million BC through to the end of the next century) as determined by research from the UEA’s Climatic Research Unit.

Past, present and future temperatures are represented by the colours of the sky, which feature alongside images of the impacts of climate change on the local people and landscapes – including the Norfolk coastline.

We believe that this is the first time that art and leading-edge science have been combined to give such a vivid portrayal of the challenges posed by climate change.

The mural is the outcome of a close collaboration between the artist Gennadiy Ivanov, the City Council, the UEA, the Transitions Art-Science Project, and Global Water Futures, an international research programme based at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.

Councillor Alan Waters, Leader of Norwich City Council, said: “The city council is hugely proud to host this climate mural. Norwich has always been at the forefront of understanding and tackling the threat of a warming climate and by placing this impressive artwork in the centre of City Hall, in our council chamber, we have an ever-present reminder to take the urgent actions required. The council has made good progress on reducing carbon emissions already, but we know the choices we make as a city now will be vital to securing a sustainable future.”

A new blueprint for boosting biodiversity

Biodiversity loss is a huge problem – we know more needs to be done to tackle the habitat loss pushing wildlife into decline. Our new biodiversity strategy commits the council to creating a city where nature can flourish, increasing the number of animal and plant species and their abundance by 2030.

But we won’t be able to do this alone: we’ll meet our ambitious goals if everyone, from gardeners through to businesses, works together. There’s lots that you can do at home or in a communal garden to help wildlife. Here are some ideas (but make sure that you have permission first!):

Nurture nature at home

  • Plant a tree – trees provide food and shelter, while also sucking in carbon emissions.
  • Provide water – a pond (even a small tub!) can make a great habitat for frogs and dragonflies, as well as a spot for other animals to drink.
  • Add a hedgehog highway – a 13cm x 13cm hole in the bottom of your fence will help hedgehogs get to other gardens.
  • Make a home – creating a log pile in your garden provides a perfect hiding place for insects. Look out for woodlice and beetle grubs!
  • Let it grow – mow your grass less frequently to allow different plant species to grow.
  • Create compost – use your garden and kitchen waste to make compost at home. If you do need to buy compost for your garden, avoid anything containing peat.

Find updates, more tips, and advice here: www.norwich.gov.uk/biodiversity

Norwich Fringe Project is a countryside management organisation, which the city council is proud to support. It is also a great example of how community groups and volunteers can maintain and improve habitats for wildlife.

Their recent work is helping boost biodiversity on Marston Marsh, Netherwood Green and Charter Wood, as well as the many other sites they manage across the city, including over 50 city council natural areas.

For more information and to get involved visit the Norwich Fringe Project website. 

Work to address water pollution for planned developments

The city council is poised to join its neighbouring local authorities in creating a company which will help us to address the issue of water pollution and allow stalled development in the city and wider county to resume.

Since March last year, no new development which includes overnight accommodation (such as homes, student accommodation and holiday lets) has been permitted in much of Norfolk, including Norwich, because of a directive from Natural England about its affect on protected natural habitats – such as the River Wensum and the Broads.

It is estimated this has meant between 1,750 and 2,200 homes a year are currently on hold across the county.

Natural England has said councils needed to ensure that any new buildings do not add to water pollution (or affect something called ‘nutrient neutrality’) in these natural habitats before planning permission is granted, which means solutions need to be found.

Cllr Mike Stonard, cabinet member for inclusive and sustainable growth, said: “Without swift action to address water pollution and ensure nutrient neutrality, the delivery of residential development will continue to be significantly impacted and the planned growth we have worked tirelessly on with our neighbouring councils will be eroded.

“Here at the city council, and with the councils around us, we have been working hard on a number of mitigation measures, which should allow development to resume.”

A Norfolk nutrient budget calculator has been created for developers to use and work has been done to further identify the areas of risk.

Now, the proposal is for Norwich City Council, Breckland Council, South Norfolk and Broadland District Council and Anglian Water to collectively be part of the newly formed company which will work on ways to reduce water pollution and allow proposed development to move through the planning system.

The city council has also agreed to introduce a range of water saving measures in its council homes over a five-year period – which would be enough to offset water pollution for about 2,150 new homes/other accommodation in the area.

For more information about nutrient neutrality and the councils’ plans, visit our nutrient neutrality pages.

Plans revealed for Hay Hill

The plans have been revealed for the transformation of Hay Hill following an extensive public and stakeholder consultation.

More planting, additional and improved seating, better designed steps, increased open space for cultural activities, improved walking links through to other parts of the city, and the installation of a water feature are all part of the updated scheme.

Over 400 people took part in the city council’s consultation last year, with nearly 80 per cent of respondents supporting or strongly supporting the proposed vision.

We hope to open the newly converted space to the public early in 2024.

For the latest updates on Hay Hill, as well as our other Town Deal projects, go to: www.norwich.gov.uk/TownDeal

Corridors of power

From a suffragette, the first female Lord Mayor in the United Kingdom, and champion of the law-change that saw the voting age for women matched to that of men. This is the impressive legacy of notable women in Norwich, who broke down inequality barriers and paved the way for future generations.

Portraits of some of the women who, through their political lives and activism, served the city over the last 100 years have been hung on the wall outside of the Lord Mayor’s Parlour in City Hall – our own ‘corridor of power.’

Our intention is to share these and some of the stories on our website and social media channels so they can be seen by others.

  • Ethel Mary Colman was the first female Lord Mayor in the UK (1923-24), a suffragette and campaigner against poverty and slum housing.
  • Dorothy Jewson MP for Norwich 1923-24. Trade unionist and women’s rights activist. A driving force behind the Representation of People Act 1928 that reduced Jessie Ruby Griffiths. First woman to serve on the Eastern Electricity Consultative Council. First female leader of a political party in the history of Norwich City Council (1971).the age that women could vote from 30, to 21 – the same age as men.
  • Baroness Patricia Hollis of Heigham. First female leader of Norwich City Council (1983-1988). Under Secretary of State at the Department of Work and Pensions. Campaigner for working women’s rights and the eradication of poverty, and author.

These powerful portraits serve as a tribute and reminder that many of the issues these women championed and fought, remain priorities for the city council to this day.

Visitors to The Forum set to benefit from accessible toilet facilities

Work is under way at the Forum to install modern accessible toilet facilities, following a successful bid for government funding by Norwich City Council.

It is hoped the new facilities will mean those who need to use them are able to benefit from more of what The Forum and the city has to offer.

The city council was successful in its bid for a portion of the £23.5m government Changing Places funding – receiving £65,000 for this new facility.

Alan Waters, leader of the city council, said: “No resident or visitor to Norwich should ever have to worry about not having access to suitable toilet facilities. “We’re incredibly pleased to be one of the local authorities across the country to receive this money, which will deliver vital accessible facilities in our city.”

Teresa Wood, head of estates at The Forum, added: “We’re very happy to have received funding for Changing Places facilities so we can offer vital provision to those living with disabilities.”

Across the country more than 250,000 severely disabled people do not have access to toilet facilities which meet their needs. Unlike standard accessible toilets, Changing Places Toilets (CPTs) have an adult changing bench and hoist facilities as well as extra space for carers.

A complete upgrade of The Forum customer toilets and the installation of the new Changing Places Toilet began in early January. At the time of this magazine going to print, the work was nearing completion.

New council homes transform derelict site

Families are settling into eco-friendly new homes standing on the site of the former Kings Arms public house in Mile Cross.

The council bought the site to build social housing in 2020, using a compulsory purchase order – after it was left to stand derelict for years by its previous owner.

A two-bedroom bungalow, five-bedroom house and three four-bedroom houses have been built on the land and let through the council’s housing register and providing the types of homes most needed by applicants.

The homes are designed to save tenants money on heating and hot water. They have extra insulation and low carbon features, including air source heat pumps, triple glazing and solar panels. Each property also has an electric vehicle charging point. They have been thoughtfully designed to complement the established residential area.

To make access to the development possible, the council also acquired the house next door to the site, a former council home sold under the government’s Right to Buy scheme and is now part of the city’s social housing again.

Ending the cycle of homelessness

There’s never a good time to be sleeping outside and each person sleeping rough has their own unique circumstances that has led them to do so.

The city’s rough sleeping strategy seeks to address this complex issue by working with specialist agencies to offer a range a different support and accommodation throughout the year, suitable for a range of needs.

Some people are unable to access existing options, or do not feel ready to. We have therefore provided additional support seven nights a week between November and March through a winter shelter. The shelter is available regardless of temperature, but there to make sure no one must face sleeping out in low temperatures.

This winter, the shelter was kindly provided by The Cathedral of St John the Baptist and Norwich Central Baptist Church.

Clients who use the shelter are encouraged to engage with the Pathways service, an outreach team made up of representatives from specialist agencies aiming to help people access secure accommodation.

Councillor Beth Jones, Norwich City Council’s cabinet member for the rough sleeping strategy said: “Our proactive approach to rough sleeping has meant we have not needed to activate severe weather arrangements for another winter.

“Thank you to everyone involved in making the shelter available this winter, including over the Christmas period.

“The numbers of success stories and positive feedback from people using the shelter show what a difference it makes.”

The winter shelter in numbers

  • 40 individuals used the shelter
  • 17 people moved into more secure accommodation following their stay
  • 30 volunteers

Andre’s story

“ I needed to use the shelter because I lost my job. I am a professional chef, but when I hit the bottle my life went downhill.

“ The shelter is a huge help for me. Out there, even if you have a sleeping bag, it’s not enough.

“ My plan is to get back to working in a kitchen as soon as possible.”

Playground makeover for city park

The play area at Wensum Park is getting a new look this year.

A brand new set of equipment, including the tallest slide tower in the city’s parks, is being installed at the park’s main playground.

Standing at just under six metres tall, the slide tower is being installed along with a rope swing, multi-unit climbing frame and spinning seats. The new equipment has been paid for with funds from development in Norwich – to improve facilities in the local community.

Cllr Adam Giles, cabinet member for parks and open spaces at Norwich City Council, which owns and runs Wensum Park, said: “This fantastic new equipment is a great addition to Wensum Park and part of our commitment to making sure our parks and open spaces are great places for everyone to enjoy.”

Wensum Park is one of 23 parks, 81 open spaces and 56 natural areas managed by the city council in Norwich. Which one will you explore this spring and summer? www.norwich.gov.uk/parks

A new place to play

Families living in a busy city neighbourhood can now enjoy a new and improved play area that will allow children of all abilities to play together, thanks to investment from the council’s estate improvement budget.

Douro Place, close to Pottergate, is home to more than 100 households and the basic play area had become tired and untidy. It was put forward for improvement by local residents.

The upgrade has a focus on catering for people of all abilities. Much of the equipment is designed with inclusivity in mind, including additional accessible seating for those supervising children playing.

The sandy area has been replaced with hard surface, which is more accessible for anyone using pushchairs and wheelchairs, as well as being easier to keep clean. Other new equipment includes a castle themed climbing frame, so children can imagine running around Norwich Castle itself.

Councillor Gail Harris said: “The improvements to this play area are a wonderful and meaningful example of our ongoing commitment to enhancing our estates in a variety of ways.

“Play areas like the one at Douro Place sit at the heart of the community and have benefits for all ages, and I am particularly pleased to see the attention paid to making sure this is an accessible play area.

“I’d urge residents to continue working with our housing teams to identify further opportunities to improve the areas surrounding their homes.”

Douro Place play area is now open and being enjoyed by local children.

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