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Archived News

Image of tractor in field with pylon in background

National Grid Consultation – Message from the Parish Council

Dear All 

I imagine by now you would have received the statutory consultation packs from national grid. The consultation went live at noon on Wednesday, this will last for 10 weeks until June 18th.As before their are several information events, our most local one being at Diss football club IP224QP on Wednesday 15th May 2024 between 1pm and 6pm. 

In addition to being available online there is the community News letter ,Project Background document, non-technical summary (NTS) of the Preliminary Environmental information report (PEIR),Statement of Community Consultation (SoCC) and feedback questionnaire will be available to view free of charge at the following inspection points in the vicinity of the project throughout the consultation period.

These can be viewed at Diss library, Church street, Diss. Please check opening times prior to departure.

There are also various online groups:

Forncett and South Norfolk pylon group. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1143947116180986

Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk pylons group https://www.facebook.com/groups/718238339216424

There you will find a lot of information and help with your replies.

 As your local parish council we  will be making a robust response to the new consultation  .

Our next parish meeting will be on the 13th May. We look forward to seeing you there. 

NHS Logo

Message from Parish Fields Practice

Good morning

I am writing to introduce myself as the new Practice Manager at Parish Fields GP Practice in Diss.

As part of my role I am very keen to engage with and hear from as many of the patients within the Practice Boundary as possible, specifically about how we can continually strive to enhance the care and services that the Practice provides.

As part of this we will be producing a monthly Practice Newsletter with what I hope will be useful information about the latest developments at the Practice. If you would like me to forward a copy of this Newsletter to you each month please let me know.

In addition, if you believe it would ever be helpful for me to attend one of your meetings to answer any questions you or members of the public have about the Practice, then I would be very happy to attend, subject to sufficient notice of the meeting and diary availability.  

If any of the above is of interest, or if you have any questions,  please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Simon

Practice Manager

The Parish Fields Practice

Mount Street

Diss

Norfolk

IP22 4WG

T: 01379 642023

Bressingham and District Ladies Club – February 2024 Meeting Notes

The first Bressingham & District Ladies Club meeting of 2024 welcomed Jaime Blake who gave an interesting and informative talk entitled “The Weeding of the 5000 with 2 Hoes and 5 Wishes”. Jaime has recently retired as the Head Gardener at The Bressingham Gardens after 35 years, looking after 5 acres of gardens, including 5000 different plants, 50 flower beds and 2.5 miles of edging. Over the years Jaime’s role had evolved to include designing the beds to prolong year long interest,   dealing with weeds and pests, maintaining the plant collection records, propagation and planting and continuing Alan Bloom’s legacy of introducing new plants.

The audience were keen to learn Jaime’s 5 wishes for a garden which he explained are: rain(at the right time), sunshine( but not too hot), a plants trueness to name, time and a good back! Jaime’s talk concluded with questions from the Ladies Club members followed by tea and biscuits.

The next Ladies Club meeting will be held on Monday 18th March at 7.30pm at Bressingham Village Hall with a talk from Suffolk plants-woman Jane Bastow entitled “My Gardening Journey”. Non members are very welcome with an entrance fee of £3 to include refreshments. 

Please contact Ladies Club Chairman Sharon Cole on 07732385861 or 

email: willowwitch@btinternet.com for further information.

Norfolk County Council Shield Logo

Highlights from November 2023 Councillor’s Report

The following information from the November Councillor report and may be of significant interest to parish residents.

County Council budget

NCC faces what they call a “significant challenge” to develop a budget for 2024/2025 given yet more expected cuts in what we get from government. A shortfall of £46 million is predicted. A 4.99% increase on council tax is proposed. The public consultation is now open and can be accessed here. Residents can request the budget consultation in other formats, including paper form, by calling 0844 800 8020 or emailing HaveYourSay@norfolk.gov.uk in line with standard practice. This will include Braille, audio etc.

Buses and active travel

The County Council has a new website that enables you to check for any journey you need to make whether there is a suitable way to get there by bus, train, bicycle, walking, or some combination of these things, and compares the time, cost and carbon footprint of each mode of travel, including car travel, so that you can see if there is a better/quicker/cheaper or less damaging way to get to the place you need to go to Journey Planner – Travel Norfolk.

Cartoon image of a bus

Bus Timetable Changes – 3rd September 2023

ServiceArea coveredChanges
Our Bus 85Rockland circular-NorwichOperator changed to Konect, no timetable changes.
Our Bus 86Beccles-Wheatacre-Thurlton-Alpington-NorwichAM peak journey re-timed and re-routed via Poringland and Arminghall and will arrive in Norwich at 0815, better suited for Framingham Earl and College students and traditional work times. Additional 1500 departure from Norwich for Bergh Apton and Alpington. Additional 1520 journey to Norwich for Bergh Apton and Alpington. Additional 1403 journey from Thurlton to Norwich operating all year round (previously just in school holidays). Seething to Loddon shopping journey (0900-1008) added. Connected Bergh Apton and Alpington to Poringland. Improved service for Arminghall. Saturday journey for Bergh Apton and Alpington into Norwich added. Revised route in/out Beccles to better serve supermarkets.
Konect 84Hempnall-Shotesham-NorwichShopping journeys to Long Stratton added. Link to Poringland retained following passenger feedback. Minor time and route changes
Konect and Simonds 1Diss-Gissing-Forncett-Long Stratton-NorwichOperator changed to Konect to Saturdays. 1745 departure from Norwich (1818 connection at Hempnall) withdrawn as averages 0.2 passengers per journey. Wacton added to service. Some journeys extended to Castle Meadow.
Semmence 584 and 17Pulhams-Diss (584) Bressingham circular (17)Operator changed to Simonds. Minor re-time to enable passengers to visit Pulham surgery.
Nortax taxibusVarious journeys to Longwater retail park and DerehamFoulsham and Lyng have replacement journeys to Norwich provided by Sanders already in place from April 3rd. Friday route from Billingford and Lyng area to Dereham will be replaced by a Tuesday and Friday service by Konect. Operator of journeys to Longwater is now Our Bus. Service expanded to now include a link from Wymondham and Hethersett to Longwater on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and from Costessey, west end and Ringland area on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Connections to Norwich still available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for passengers from the Colton and Marlingford area. Little Melton added to service Monday to Friday.
South Norfolk FlexibusesPre book transport to Diss, Thetford, Watton, Attleborough and WymondhamMany villages currently served by the flexibus will now have timetabled journeys to nearby towns. A pre book service will only remain in villages where usage has been low and it is not practical to timetable journeys. See passenger notices for details of travel options. Operator changed to Our Bus
Coach Services and Simonds 37AEast Harling-Buckenhams-Ashwellthorpe-NorwichService will remain direct to Norwich. Route in Norwich will serve Hall Road – Ring Road – Ipswich Road on all journeys. Minor time changes to timetable and additional journeys added for some villages. Operator remains Coach Services Monday to Friday and Simonds on Saturdays.
Simonds 581Diss-Harleston-Bungay-BecclesRe-timing of some journeys to better suit typical work hours in Diss, changes to afternoon timetable to reflect change in finish times at Bungay High School.
Semmence 805 & 806Wymondham market day circularsServices withdrawn and replaced by more frequent services to Wymondham. 805 service has been expanded to serve more villages, new 805A service for Deopham and Morley added. A new Monday, Wednesday and Friday service to Wymondham for villages on the 806 route and previously served by the flexibus.
Semmence 1East Harling-Diss. Saturday only serviceService withdrawn as there will be new journeys on Mon, Wed and Fri providing the same journey to Diss. There will also be additional, other journeys to Attleborough and Thetford. 37A will continue to operate in similar villages on Saturdays to Norwich.
Konect X3, 82Attleborough-Great Ellingham-WattonImproved frequency funded by Bus Service Improvement partnership (BSIP) Service provides journeys into either town and onward connections to Norwich.
Our Bus Marlingford flexibusMarlingford, Lt Melton, Colton and BawburghA new pre book service introduced aimed at commuters. Will provide a link to the N&NUH at 0750 and 1745