14-19 courses and Apprenticeships

“Apprenticeship Week” is being run over several weeks in Norfolk and there are events organised around the county to offer help and advice to each and all.

The National Apprentice Service together with the Connexions service are jointly running these, and will confirm where a “surgery” is taking place near you.

Another website worth visiting is the Norfolk 14-19 Prospectus, which gives clear help on how to choose further education and also has a HelpDesk phone number if you get stuck.

Art Exhibitions in Norwich

The Norwich Castle museum is always a good place to visit, whether to pop in for a £1, or for a longer visit.  There is always something new to see.

Recently all the natural history beasties have had a good wash & brush up but mostly nowadays I go there for their tremendously well curated art shows.  At the moment, not only have they a super gallery displaying some “recent additions” to their collection, but they also have a fabulous exhibition about the early watercolourists - “Travelling with Colour”.  A shared exhibition with other galleries including the Tate.  This had enabled a huge range of pictures to be on show including a superb work by John Piper of Norwich Market – can only wonder why NCC have not managed a swap with the current owners (another local authority!)

This is all part of a national Great British Art Debate…………log on and have a look.

Watch out for the lunchtime talks too.

Explore the Houses of Parliament

With the internet the world is you oyster…………you can get a “virtual” tour of almost anywhere nowadays including the Houses of Parliament.  Discover more about the work and the purpose of Parliament and look at some of the archival material.  For those within visiting distance of Norwich, take a real tour of our own Archive Centre where currently there is an exhibition entitled “Norfolk – people and parliament”.  There you will see some of the documents showing the connections covering a period of some 700 years!

Myth Buster (2)

If a road is listed as being “unadopted” by the local council it is NOT because it is a private road.

It IS because the developer has not brought the road up to the standard required by the local council, or met some other commitment to the planning authority (as part of the planning consent).

Inconsiderate Drivers

If there’s one item that dominates my “mail bag” it is inconsiderate drivers  …………….. usually because of avoiding car parking charges, be it at the railway station or in town. 

However, it also extends to the side streets near Gazes sale ground on market day and in the town centre on all other days…………the pavement is obviously not where these cars should have been left.

S.N. Council are again looking at the pricing structure of their car parks to try and improve the situation, but although improvement to that can be made – it is an attitude problem rather than a cost issue.

Holocaust Memorial Day

As current chairman of the Councils Strategic Equalities Group it was my responsibility to welcome those attending the first Holocaust Memorial Service at County Hall on Wesnesday. 

More than 50 people attended a very simple but meaningful service conducted by our own Chaplain the Reverend Chris Copsey, who was joined in offering prayers by members of both the Jewish and Muslim community.

One of the poems I do not remember hearing before I felt partuicularly captured the mood – “First they came” written by Pastor Martin Niemoeller.

New access ramp at Diss station

where the ramp will join platform

Work on the disabled ramp scheme on the eastern side of Diss station started just before Christmas.   All the site clearance works have been completed, and work on the ramp construction is now underway.   A completion date of 12 February is hoped for, but due to the recent weather this may be delayed. 

Groundworks for access ramp

Norfolk families : Please take advantage of free computer scheme

Six thousand families in Norfolk could benefit from a free computer, through a scheme aimed at supporting young people’s learning and development.

Norfolk County Council is today urging the families of any young people entitled to free school meals to apply for a computer under the Government’s Home Access scheme.

The scheme is aimed at providing computers and internet access to children aged 7 to 14.

To be eligible, children must be in school years three to nine and entitled to free school meals.

There will be one computer available per family, which will include pre loaded support technology.  The scheme also includes a dedicated support line; parental control settings to maintain safety and at least one year’s free internet access.

Studies show that students who have access to a computer and the internet achieve more at school.  This scheme supports those families who may not be able to afford the extra cost of having a computer at home.

There will be a number of packages that families can choose from and those who already have a computer can just apply for internet access.

The scheme works by providing families with a cash card and letter, stating what equipment they can buy and at what value.

New Play Area in Willbye Avenue

NCC applied for funding through the national “Playbuilder” scheme and one of the first sites to benefit in Norfolk is Diss. 

April 2008 was the first time a National Play Strategy had been published and Playbuilder is one aspect of this strategy. 

There will be 3,500 Playbuilder play areas built nationwide by April 2011 and Norfolk’s target in 2009/10 was 12 sites.  We are actually building 13 because some local authorities did not apply for the full amount available! 

In 2010/11 we must create another 10 sites and our total capital budget is £2 million.  

Part of the scheme ensures that every year children and young people will be asked how satisfied they are with their local play areas and parks! 

Norfolk’s 2009/10 sites include Scole as well as Diss. 

Play England have 10 Design Principles, which include being well located, using natural elements, building opportunity for risk and challenge as well as being accessible to both able and disabled children.   It will be interesting to get feedback once completed. 

NB : NCC are accepting year 2 applications until 26th February 2010.  For details on how to apply contact Beth Coley on 01603 222798

Diss : Local road maintenance updates

1) One lane has had to be closed (again) on the Scole Bypass – a one-kilometre stretch of the southbound slow lane on the A140 Scole Bypass has been closed for repairs and detailed inspection after the failure of earlier repairs on the concrete surface.

The lane closure will be southwards from the Dickleburgh roundabout.  This will cover the defect already identified and allow other patches in the slow lane to be inspected.  If only one repair is necessary, the lane closure will be removed by the end of the week.

Major resurfacing of Scole Bypass is scheduled to start later this year, but the current repairs are necessary to ensure the safety of motorists.

2) Seems to take forever, but eventually everything gets done……..Chapel Street is finally to be resurfaced and will at last have a proper pavement at the northern end (at Church Street end).

Work is due to start on Monday 25th January with an anticipated working schedule over 8 weeks – resurfacing will be carried out on SUNDAYS, so as not to disrupt local business more than necessary.  The footway work can be done whilst the road is open, and hopefully local users will be considerate.

3) The pavement/junction  of Victoria Road & Stuston Road is also being altered on the Eastern side, to try to prevent collisions with the building on the corner (the old Bluebird stores).  This work is being done in two stages.  Firstly the construction work.  The new road markings will be done when the weather warms up a bit.  It has taken the road safety team quite a while to re-design this.  Basically the accidents are always due to drivers taking the corner too quickly, – but how to slow them down?  The new design will incorporate a “turn right” box, so hopefully drivers will stop in it briefly before turning.