Agenda item

The Committee is asked to consider and comment on this report that presents an update on the progress being made in implementing the Corporate Plan 2023-27 Action Plan 2024-25 and to give Cabinet an opportunity to discuss and agree decisions that should be taken regarding any issues raised.

The Committee received a progress report showed that twenty-six of the actions are in progress and on track and nine have been completed. It was noted that (i) one action is identified as red and six actions are identified as amber, (ii) there has been a reduction in the number of actions identified as amber from sixteen in the previous quarter to six; and (iii) the Corporate Leadership Team (CLT) have reviewed actions flagged as red and amber in the last quarter.

Questions Responses and Discussion

The mains points of the discussion (Including those issues raised by Councillor Cushing, Hankins, Holliday, Fletcher and Heinrich) maybe summarised as follows:

The Committee:

                 I.          Noted that the activities detailed in the Action Plan have been developed in support of the five themes in the adopted Corporate Plan recognising the increasing pressure on the Council’s budget, the moves towards establishing a Combined Authority for Norfolk and Suffolk under the Government’s English Devolution programme and the proposed Local Government Reorganisation which will change the context in which the District Council operates, alongside continuing with “Business As Usual” to maintain service delivery for the district’s residents until any proposals for new unitary councils in Norfolk are agreed.

               II.          Noted that the actions proposed seek to balance the capacity of the organisation to deliver, taking into account the staff and financial resources available to the Council, the need to focus on supporting the transition of services into any new unitary council(s) and the potential to access external funding or partnership resources, with the aspirations laid out in the Corporate Plan.

             III.          Noted the Council’s had hosted a major summit event in partnership with the Bacton Energy Hub, National Gas and key stakeholders on 14th January 2025. The Bacton Energy Hub (formerly known as Bacton Gas Terminal) has a complex of five gas terminals, which are to be transitioned to Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS). It was noted that the summit had, had three key aims:

1.    To raise with the UK Government the future significant opportunities which operators, local stakeholders and future investors believe exist for the Bacton Energy Hub site in terms of decarbonising the existing natural gas operations, and the development of the CCUS proposals.

2.    Promote the benefits of greater collaboration in securing a renewable electricity supply to Bacton to support the decarbonisation of the existing gas processing and transmission operations and increased electricity and water availability to support potential future hydrogen production at Bacton; and

3.    Seek to agree how the future opportunities for Bacton might be shared with the local community to build community understanding and support for future developments at the site.

            IV.          Noted that the Council is working to (a) develop a deeper understanding of the constraints of existing mobile and digital infrastructure in North Norfolk; and (b) lobby key operators and providers so as to reduce the “digital divide.”

              V.          Agreed that the primary focus should be on enhancing broadband internet access, particularly by rolling out full-fibre networks to rural areas, as North Norfolk is currently considered one of the worst areas in the UK for broadband speeds, and also addressing poor mobile phone signal coverage across the region, which is a major concern for residents and businesses alike

            VI.          Agreed that this can be achieved through collaboration with mobile network operators and government initiatives to expand network infrastructure in rural areas.

          VII.          Agreed that for those living in rural areas, bad phone signal is more than just a nuisance, it can be a lifeline lost. Vulnerable residents may find themselves unable to call for help in emergencies, and poor connectivity can leave people feeling isolated and cut off from vital services, friends, and family. Mobile connectivity is no longer a luxury or fashion item. Today, it is an essential part of daily life; while people still use phones to make calls, they spend more time using the data connection to run their businesses, access social media, bank accounts or to do their daily shop. Local Councils rely on mobile networks to enable residents to access services and for officers to work off-site remotely or, with the advent of faster 4G and 5G technologies, to introduce smart lighting or refuse collection, as well as improved residential care.

        VIII.          Agreed that the Council needs to act as a digital champion to promote investment to address any competitive disadvantage by including it within their strategic thinking by considering mobile connectivity up front e.g. examine the causes when mobile phone mast applications fail; advance a map of signal "not spots" from information gathered by the current surveying program; and support providers to improve mobile signals strength, evaluate how the Council communicates its actions regarding this issue to both residents and businesses.

            IX.          Agreed that there is still a need for banking services to be developed as the withdrawal of banking services from towns such as Fakenham has disadvantaged sections of the local community e.g. the vulnerable and the digitally excluded.

In conclusion the Chairman Moved and Overview and Scrutiny committee RESOLVED to

1. note that Corporate Plan 2023-27 Action Plan 2024-2025; and
2. ask that the Cabinet undertakes a review of the available options to:

a.     analyse the reasons why mobile phone mast applications fail.

b.     develop a map of signal "not spots" from data gathered by the current surveying program.

c.     support providers to improve mobile signals strength, evaluate how it communicates its actions regarding this issue to both residents and businesses.