Agenda item

To receive reports from Cabinet Members on their portfolios:

Cllr T Adams - Executive Support & Legal Services

Cllr H Blathwayt – Coast

Cllr A Brown – Planning & Enforcement

Cllr W Fredericks – Housing and People Services

Cllr P Heinrich – Sustainable Growth

Cllr C Ringer – IT, Environmental & Waste Services

Cllr L Shires – Finance, Estates & Assets

Cllr A Varley – Climate Change & Net Zero

Cllr L Withington – Community, Leisure & Outreach

Members are reminded that they may ask questions of the Cabinet Member on their reports and portfolio areas but should note that it is not a debate.

No member may ask more than one question plus a supplementary question, unless the time taken by members’ questions does not exceed 30 minutes in total, in which case, second questions will be taken in the order that they are received (Constitution, Chapter 2, part 2, section 12.2)

The Chairman reminded members that this item had a time limit of 30 minutes. She invited members to ask questions:

Cllr C Cushing said that he welcomed the news that Fakenham was to receive ‘Levelling Up’ funding of £9.875m to build new facilities at Fakenham Sports Centre, including a 25 metre public swimming pool and improved outdoor sports facilities. He asked the Leader whether he would extend thanks to the two local MPs, Duncan Baker and Jerome Mayhew as they had both worked very hard to get the funding in place. The Leader, Cllr T Adams, replied that he was looking forward to working with local members as the project progressed and he would, of course, thank Jerome Mayhew MP, for all of his hard work and support for the bid. He added that it was likely that the recent successful completion of the Reef Leisure centre in Sheringham had been a factor in the funding being awarded. He thanked local members and town councillors for their ongoing support.

Cllr P Fisher asked Cllr C Ringer, Portfolio Holder for Environment & Waste, about the mandatory collection of food waste and when that would come into effect. Cllr Ringer replied that the Government had mandated that local authorities had to introduce a food waste collection service by the end of March 2026, however, it was possible that NNDC may have it up and running earlier than that. At present, more information on government funding was awaited. He added that he had recently visited an anaerobic digester in Attleborough, a facility where the district’s food waste could well go to be processed. It was important to remember that it would also include trade food waste collection too.

Cllr E Vardy asked Cllr P Heinrich, Portfolio Holder for Sustainable Growth whether it would it be possible to know which businesses and community groups are benefiting from the Rural England Prosperity Fund. Cllr Heinrich replied that he did not have this information to hand but would provide a written response.

Cllr S Penfold asked Cllr H Blathwayt, Portfolio Holder for Coast, about recent heavy rainfall which had caused flooding in the east of the district. He requested an update on the current situation. Cllr Blathwayt replied that the water was slowly receding in most parts but was still holding where the flood plain was closest to homes, despite and thanks to the Broads IDB, who had been pumping strenuously where water was closest to habitats. He warned about a coming high tide and the water table was extremely high and with the fields currently so saturated, it would not take a major rain event for those fields to flood across to the flood plains. It was a very precarious position. He acknowledged that there had been support from many agencies in managing the problems but would not include Anglian Water in this. He concluded by saying that the flood wardens had been working extremely hard to protect homes, particularly in Potter Heigham but in Hickling there still some homes that were unable to use their toilets and were having to use the public toilets.

Cllr M Hankins asked Cllr Adams for an update on the two schemes that had been held up by nutrient neutrality and had now been enabled. Cllr Adams replied that the two schemes were in Sustead and Skeyton and although they were individual properties, mitigation had been implemented and he was pleased to confirm that they were now progressing. He thanked the Planning team and Eastlaw for their support with this.

Cllr J Boyle asked Cllr C Ringer about the reference in his report to reduced capacity within the Council’s Environmental Protection team. She was concerned about the considerable amount of pressure that this placed on officers and asked when the situation was likely to improve. Cllr Ringer replied that capacity was currently reduced but new starters were joining the team shortly and the situation was definitely improving.

Cllr D Birch asked the Leader about the recent LGA Corporate Peer Review and whether there was a date for publication of an action plan, setting out how the Council intended to respond to the recommendations. Cllr Adams replied that an action plan would be drafted before Christmas and it would then be presented to members in the New Year.

Cllr K Bayes asked Cllr P Heinrich to provide an update on how the Stalham High Street Task Force scheme was progressing. Cllr Heinrich replied that the High Street Task Force Working Party had met the previous week and the onus was now on Stalham Town Council, residents and businesses to come back with proposals. There was currently no budget in place to support this and this would be reviewed in the coming months.

Cllr G Bull asked Cllr W Fredericks, Portfolio Holder for Housing, about the steps that the Council was taking to reduce the number of empty homes in the district. Cllr Fredericks replied that there was an Empty Homes Officer who was working hard to reduce the number of empty homes. In addition, Cllr Fredericks was intending to work with the Communications Team to put out some information for the public with clear guidance on how to report and empty home. This would also be included in the next issue of the Council’s in-house magazine, Outlook.

Cllr R Macdonald asked the Portfolio Holder for Planning, Cllr Brown, about the Planning Roadshows that the Council had been running. He asked whether anything more could be done to maximise parish council attendance at these events. Cllr Brown replied that a series of planning roadshows were being held across the district. Two events had already taken place at Stalham and Wells and attendance at both had been very high. The next one would be in Holt and there would be promotion via email, print media and social media. He thanked officers for their commitment to these sessions.

Cllr P Neatherway asked Cllr Fredericks about the success in bringing 92 long-term empty homes back into use. He asked how many of these properties were now available for private rent or for sale. Cllr Fredericks replied that she would provide a written response.

Cllr T FitzPatrick asked Cllr Fredericks about local housing associations selling off some of their properties and then not replacing them. He was particularly concerned about the loss of two and three bedroom homes, especially in rural areas. He asked whether this was in issue that she was discussing with them. Cllr Fredericks replied that she met regularly with housing associations to discuss their stock and the financial viability of any of the homes that were proposed for sale was considered. She said that she was pleased to report that the number of such homes being sold was much lower now. She said that the Council was also looking at all options for making such homes viable in the short-term where possible.

Cllr J Toye referred to the Council’s Social Prescribing team and said that they had the Forces Connect and the Veterans’ Gateway App on their phones so that it was easily accessible. He suggested that all members downloaded this too. He then said that a request had been made for the North Norfolk Help Hub to ask anyone referred to them if there was a connection to the Armed Forces. He asked Cllr Fredericks if she could provide information on how many referrals had recorded such a connection. Cllr Fredericks said that she would provide a written response.