Village News Archive

News from the Winterton-on-Sea Parish Council & the village, September 2021

But September’s full meeting heard although borough planners promised to look into questions over the use of Low Road and environmental issues, no response came.

Parish clerk Stacey Kent said: “We were told the planning department was going through changes and they would get back.”

She explained representatives from the parish council were invited to the borough’s development control meeting but it fell between parish meetings, which meant they did not have a chance to take a vote on whether to object.

“The parish council really has been let down,” she told the meeting.

“It is a bit of a mystery because we certainly raised it,” said deputy chairman Nigel Coe. “There wasn’t an official objection but we were asking for clarification.”

The parish is to write to the borough expressing its disappointment at the lack of response.

Cllr Coe said people were worried about the site being accessed from Empson’s Loke, but reassurances had been made contractors would be using North Market Road.

Marina Carr said Norfolk County Council had done a lot of work on Low Road and perhaps it should be pointed out to the highways department.

The parish clerk suggested asking the borough council officer to support the parish with planning conditions imposed on the developers.

The application attracted almost 30 objections from neighbours but none from highways, the Environment Agency or the Natural Environment Team.

Objectors highlighted the number of holiday properties already in the village, the fact that Low Road is a restricted byway and raised concerns about an increase in traffic.

But a report to the development control committee said the plan was acceptable because it made use of an existing building which was empty and would offer a modern holiday let in a preferred location in the village.

MURAL UPDATE: Work to install a mural on the beach road toilets may have to be postponed until the spring if the weather proves too uncooperative.

Emma Punchard told parish council colleagues an outline concept for the design had been agreed.

“We’re waiting for final designs to come back, which will be circulated publicly,” she said. A provisional date for the painting had been set for October 21, but it depended on the designs being approved by the borough council and the wall being primed in time.

VILLAGE ‘LET DOWN’: Concerns raised by the parish council about access to the former Virgin hub building in Low Road were not answered by the borough before planning permission to turn it into a holiday let was granted.

Resident Rebecca Durant queried why it appeared the parish council had not objected to the controversial scheme when so many in the village were against it.

If it didn’t happen this month it wouldn’t happen until spring.

A sonic postcard, allowing visitors to scan a QR code outside the block on their mobile phones and hear the story behind the artwork and the message it is meant to convey, will be created by the Open University.

All the funding for the project is in place, including donations from local businesses and grant funding from the county council and the coastal partnership.

More than £200 towards the cost of the mural was raised when dozens of properties in the village took part in the annual garage sale during the summer.

Follow the link here to read more about the project. Flick to page 11.

CONES AT THE READY: The next test for the village traffic management strategy will be the half-term holidays and the seal pupping season, parish councillors heard.

Highways officials were given a tour last month to see the council’s cones being used to control parking at pinch points and junctions and discuss more permanent measures.

The cones were deployed this year in the wake of chaotic scenes last summer when parked cars prevented buses and emergency vehicles getting through.

CHRISTMAS COLLECTION:  Toys, new clothes and bedding sought for this year’s Salvation Army collection on November 18.

Donations of non-perishable food and toiletries will also be welcomed at the village hall between 5pm and 7.30pm. A list of what’s needed is available from Poppy’s or noticeboards in the village.

Great Yarmouth Borough Council is preparing for a change in the collection days for rubbish and recycling bins collected from each household across the borough and will be giving residents advance notice in a letter drop of their new day of collection from 18 October.

Residents will continue to have their black bins emptied one week, with their green bins being emptied the following week. However, the day of collection, and which bin is emptied on which week, may change.

These changes are required due to the housing growth within the borough over the last 15 to 20 years, meaning the current daily routes are imbalanced. To ensure each vehicle’s collection route can cope with the number of households in that area, as well as prepare for any new houses that may be built in the future, an alteration of the current routes is necessary.

Residents whose waste collection is delayed by these changes can place additional one-off tied-up black sacks beside their bin, which will be accepted on the first new black bin collection day only. As always, additional recycling will be collected, if glass is contained within the bin and additional recycling is placed in a box beside the bin.

For those who pay for a garden waste brown bin collection, these schedules will not be affected. All bins should be put outside by 6.30 am on the day of collection, as the teams are unable to return for missed bins.

Cllr Paul Wells, chairman of the environment committee, said: “As more properties requiring a collection are added to the routes, it is necessary for changes to be made to ensure the collection routes are fit for purpose.

“This decision was made jointly with our operational partner, GYB Services Ltd. I appreciate that for some residents some short-term inconvenience may result from the rollout of these changes. However, this work will help to ensure that we can deliver an even more efficient service, and I would like to thank every resident for their understanding and patience.”

To keep updated regarding refuse collections in your area and for information about recycling please visit www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk/rubbish-and-recycling

Birthday celebrations cancelled due to Covid rise

RISING Covid cases in schools and colleges have put paid to plans by the marine cadets for a big celebration to mark the unit’s 20th birthday.

In a statement to us leaders said: “We have made the hard decision to not have a big event this year for the safety of all families and guests. So we are having a family  and friends cadet evening at Caister academy on the October 10.”

See our blog on the anniversary, which was also featured in the parish council newsletter. https://www.wintertononsea.co.uk/blog/Entries/2021/9/marine-cadets-to-mark-20th-birthday.html

A news release from Norfolk County Council

“I’m really not OK” relaunched to mark World Suicide Prevention Day Friday September 10, 2021

NORFOLK County Council is continuing to work with partners in the NHS, local mental health trust and national and local charities to ensure people are able to get the support they need when in mental distress, as early on as possible. The relaunched campaign on World Suicide Prevention Day, Friday 10 September encourages people to reach out to family, friends and professional support services, to reduce isolation and help each out when coping with life’s challenges.

Cllr Bill Borrett, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Prevention, said: “It is vitally important that people know they can get the support they need from family, friends or professionals when they are struggling. We can all play a part in looking out for each other, and there are a variety of excellent professional support services available to access. Every life lost to suicide is a preventable tragedy, and not inevitable. We want to do what we can to remind people that there are options available, including someone there to listen when they are in crisis.”

Norfolk County Council is promoting ways for people to improve their mental wellbeing. Using the Five Ways to Wellbeing or making an Every Mind Matters ‘mind plan’ can help people take constructive steps towards better mental wellbeing. For more tips visit the Norfolk County Council website: www.norfolk.gov.uk/wellbeing

The council is also promoting the nationally recognised Stay Alive app, which is packed full of resources, useful information, and tools to both help people struggling with suicidal thoughts, and people concerned about someone else. To find a list of organisations that can help, go to this page on the Norfolk county council website: www.norfolk.gov.uk/notokay.

For children and young people, JustOneNorfolk offers a variety of resources and ways to connect with professionals, helping young people talk through their feelings with someone they can trust. Young people can also text Youngs Minds at any time to reach out to help that is available 24/7.

© All content copyright 2021

Sarah Gillings at work on a mural at Saltdean, near Brighton

Deputy chairman Nigel Coe said: “This year the feedback has been generally very positive from residents and the traffic has certainly flowed better.”

The next step would be to prioritise areas where they wanted to think about installing double yellow lines, but he stressed: “That is not a quick fix and they are not cheap.”

Parish clerk Stacey Kent said a report was being compiled but it was taking some time to go through all the many comments from residents and create a clear picture.

Marina Carr said some people who originally opposed cones had changed their minds after seeing the effect they had.

Cllr Coe said the cones had been collected up, cleaned and made ready for the school holidays and the start of the seal season.

TEAMWORK: Winterton is to team up with neighbouring Somerton on tackling the issue of flood risk with the Environment Agency.

Somerton Parish Council chairman Richard Starling asked whether they could work together to persuade the agency to hold an in-person meeting to discuss the future of the coastal area.