Upton with Parish Council Report to Chairman Parish Councillors and Residents Autumn 2018 12 September 2018 Frank O’Neill – District Council Member for with Page 1 of 4

Parliamentary Boundaries Most will be aware that the Boundary Commission has published its latest report on parliamentary boundaries. The Commission is an independent body and is respected for not having a political position. The recommendations are subject to agreement by Parliament. It is reported some parliamentarians would prefer that the report is not presented. The intention of the changes will reduce the number of MPs and create constituencies more equal at between 71,000 and 76,0000 It is also said that hitherto the boundaries were unfairly drawn against the Conservative Party. Nevertheless, a number of prominent figures - some Conservative - may find theirs is more marginal than currently. Others may be compelled to find new seats Make of that what you will there appear no local changes – other than the name to become Broadland and . Do these changes affect the District of Broadland? It remains to be seen but if not then, for example Aylesham remains part of Broadland for district purposes but part of North for Parliamentary purposes. New Conservative Candidates My best wishes to Nigel Brennan and Justine Thomas who are the two candidates selected to contest Blofield with South Walsham Ward at the May 2019 local election. Nigel, I know Justine I have yet to meet. A47 Dualling Most will have noted the teams of surveyors in the fields off the Blofield to North Burlingham stretch. It’s coming – but slowly. On Monday 10th September I attended a presentation by Highways with invited representatives from Blofield and South Walsham to name but two. Compensation for People affected People affected have the right to compensation. They may require professional assistance calculating the amount of entitlement New Junctions Two new junctions are to be constructed at either end of the new dual carriageway which will run close to but South of the existing carriageway. Copious leaflets have been distributed and there are further details on the Highways England website. Some important features  A new lay by is to be constructed for Eastbound vehicles leading to the closure of the lay by West of the off ramp for .  The access to/from Yarmouth Road from the West bound carriageway to the East of Blofield is to be retained but the carriageway will be blocked preventing Eastbound traffic turning right and preventing also eastbound traffic entering the A47 from Yarmouth Road as at present.  Will the present off ramp and balancing on ramp for Blofield Heath be retained – I await a response.  Will the junction for the Windle at Acle be closed? Eastbound traffic will not be affected. What about Westbound traffic? We were told “We have no current plans.” I strongly suspect Report to Chairman Parish Councillors and Residents Autumn 2018 ctd Page 2 of 4

that when they do have plans the carriageway will be blocked in the interests of highway safety. People wishing to travel in the direction of will have to turn left and take the Acle slip to begin their journey after joining the carriageway on the other side. Last Public consultation This is the last public consultation. Presentations have been widely published. If you have a view it is vital to get it in before the consultation period ends. Not much may change but people wanting to retain the present access from the Windle may well be able to influence the final decision. The last day to respond to the consultation is Friday 19th October The Police & Crime Commissioner PCC Lorne Green was elected on his campaign to make significant improvements over the achievements of his predecessor. Not all agree he has achieved his aspirations. You will know that he now wishes to subsume the Norfolk Fire and Accident Service currently operated by . Your County Councillor may have a different view to me. I oppose the proposal on the grounds the PCC should focus on the job he has. I fear that it may occur to him that significant savings could be made by closing rural stations. There has been no suggestion this might happen but if it did it would cause hardship to the farming community who depend on having a local service is summers of the kind we have just enjoyed. NCC understand the implications., The case has not been made Broadland have written objecting to the proposal have passed on the topic on the grounds it is a decision for individual members. Universal Credit UC replaces a number of current benefits and entail one single payment in arrears. The UC roll put now comes to Norwich. Residents of some parishes are already enrolled. As most will know; future benefits claimants will receive one only payment to cover their various entitlements. This will be paid on arrear but there are options to make advance payments. People living in England or Wales will  Receive one single payment, monthly in arrears. This will go towards living costs, housing costs and childcare if there are children  If a couple, only one will get the payment for both  If there is an obligation to pay rent the money must be paid by the Tenant; it cannot normally be deducted at source  Payment can only be made into a bank account. Broadland is the local administrator acting on behalf of the Department of Work and Pensions. To its credit the council has an understanding attitude towards people at perhaps a difficult time in their lives. Working alternately with South Norfolk DC we will create our own desk at the Norwich Job Centre. It will be independent of the Job Centre agency. We will be there to help claimants. Working with South Norfolk is just one example of how we can share essential costs. Collaborative Working This is the working relationship Broadland and South Norfolk DC are building together. It is by no means a merger. It has the potential to save a combined sum of £8.6M over five years. Working together can achieve benefits. Our work over the introduction of UC just described is one small example. We have now reached the stage of appointing a joint Managing Director. Considerable interest has been expressed. The process is searching and robust. Candidates have already been whittled down to Report to Chairman Parish Councillors and Residents Autumn 2018 ctd Page 3 of 4 eleven; six men and five women. The numbers will be whittled again to eight and then four. This month there will be a one-day session at which candidates will meet elected members from both councils. Two will then be deselected leaving the successful candidate to be selected from the remaining two the following day. I can only say I am very glad nobody subjected me to that degree of torture! NHOSC. Some will know that I have enjoyed (?) mobility issues following a recent operation to rectify damage to my foot when auditioning for the role of James Bond – or was it the Cadbury Chocolate Dairy Milk ad? (in your mind – Ed) Although I am well on the way to mend I was plainly not able to move fast enough to avoid volunteering for this committee! As I now discover the Norfolk Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee is no sinecure. The committee formed from members of Norfolk County Council and nominated members from each district Council. It sits quarterly at County Hall. It is high powered with its own specialist secretariat. In its own words NHOSC considers all matters relating to the needs, health and health related-services of the population of Norfolk. It scrutinises services that have an impact on the health of Norfolk's citizens and challenges the outcomes of interventions designed to support the health of Norfolk people. It cannot make things happen but by being proactive and reactive it has the power to influence. People presenting regard their visits as important. This is apparent from the amount of preparation they have plainly gone through. Most importantly NHOSC is the only local window into local medical services. Topics recently addressed include  the Ambulance Service  Maternity Health and the way the three main hospitals James Paget, Queen Elizabeth and Norfolk and Norwich collaborate to provide a joined-up service across the county.  Children’s speech and language service  A new model care for Norwich led by Norwich Clinical Commissioning Group and Norfolk County Council. The Ambulance Service I was not present when the committee debated the Ambulance service. It may have no connection but subsequently we have learned of the resignation of the Head of the Service. County Wide Maternity Services Although I am not too sure the clinical teams fully answered the questions posed I am very clear on how they see their mission. By working together, the result should mean improved outcomes for children whose lives are at risk particularly in the early days. That said certain women are at greater risk. Here is the health warning. If you are a smoker or are overweight or are over normal (not sure what that is) child bearing age your child is at greater risk. To the question what should women do about these conditions the stark answer was resolve the issue before you start to have a baby. Children’s speech and language service This is a service provided by a single provider across the County. They are appointed and funded by all CCGs and NCC. I am uncertain where we are or even should be. The Care Quality Commission (the Trip Advisor for medical services of any description?) has rated the appointed service provider Report to Chairman Parish Councillors and Residents Autumn 2018 ctd Page 4 of 4 as Good. Thus; why are parent groups complaining? I hope to be able to follow up on this later in the year. The new model care program for Norwich This was discussed most recently at NHOSC. It is relevant because the thinking is mirrored by other CCGs notably . Norwich CCG are the most advanced. The topic came up again in general terms at Broadland’s own Overview and Scrutiny Committee. While not the first into this new approach to care Norwich CCG see themselves as something of a trail blazer. Simply put there is currently an Armco barrier between the services provided by the medical profession and those offered by social and other services provided by the NCC and others. Modern thinking rightly directs providers to a joined-up service. I have demonstrated how integration can work in maternity services. At a local level consider a person who might arrive at the surgery feeling “down”. He/she might be diagnosed as lonely and sent away. Better he/she be referred to Social Services. They, in turn, might arrange a volunteer visitor to call in regularly. The concept is much more than this; I am sure there are better examples but you see the direction of travel. It is early days. I see CCGs as the most important component as it is they who control most of the money! At Broadland Deputy Chief Executive Mathew Cross gave an even more helpful presentation of the thinking particularly among other local CCGs who are moving towards closer integration. I was disappointed hospital discharge and bed blocking did not play a greater part in the strategies. Yes, there is focus on discharging people home and keeping them there if at all possible. However, there was no mention of post-operative care of the kind offered in Aylesham. We could do it in the East if Herondale was recommissioned. And Finally A chicken farmer goes into a bar. He sits next to a woman and orders a glass of champagne. The woman says: How strange? I just ordered a glass of champagne too! What a coincidence, says the farmer, today is a special day for me so I am celebrating. It's a special day for me too, I'm celebrating too! Says the woman. What a coincidence! said the farmer. As they clink the man asks: What are you celebrating? My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for years, and today my gynaecologist told me that I was pregnant! What a coincidence, says the man, I'm a chicken farmer and for years all my chickens have been infertile, but today they all started to lay fertilized eggs. That’s awesome! said the woman. How did you make your chickens become fertile? I used another rooster, he replies. The woman smiles and says, "What a coincidence"