Harleston Town Council Community Update – March 2024

Harleston Town Council Community Update – March 2024

Dear Harleston Residents,

Thank you for the fantastic feedback on the February community update; we’re very pleased that you enjoyed it.

Here is March’s update, we hope you find it equally enjoyable.

Important Community Announcements:

Annual Town Meeting: Save the date for Wednesday, 13th March at 7 pm for the Annual Town Meeting. The meeting is open for all Harleston Residents to attend, and the Town Council would be delighted if you could join us. You can view the agenda on the Town Council website. www.harleston-tc.gov.uk

Town Councillor ‘Drop-In’ Surgery: The Town Council offer a ‘Drop In Surgery’ from 10am to 12noon on the 3rd Saturday of each month in Harleston Information Plus. Any questions raised, along with answers where possible, will be featured on Town Councillor ‘Drop-In’ Surgery page on the website.

It’s a great way to stay informed about the various topics being discussed.

Welcome: We extend a warm welcome to Mr. John Graham, who was appointed through co-option during our Town Council meeting on February 28th. You can explore the biographies of all our Town Councillors by following this link. https://harleston-tc.gov.uk/your-town-council/members-of-harleston-town-council/

Radio Interview: Chair of Redenhall with Harleston Town Council shared insights in an interview on Park Radio on Thursday 29th February 2024. Listen here Chair of the Town Council – Radio Interview – Harleston Town Council (harleston-tc.gov.uk)

Clean Up and Bloom Grant: The Town Council have secured a Pride in Place Community Grant of £300 to purchase plants for our community, arrange litter picking events throughout the year or even apply to the amazing, and successful, Anglia in Bloom scheme. Anything to help our parish to Clean Up & Bloom.

Free Text Messaging Service for Businesses: Harleston businesses can now stay informed about town events through our Trial Free Text Messaging Service. If you are a business in town and you would like to participate, email events@harleston-tc.gov.uk

Community Support for Free Parking: We have invited businesses to contribute to free parking and proudly display their support with a window sticker. Keep an eye out for posters in car parks and on our website acknowledging contributors.

Clock Tower: Scaffolding will be installed around the Clock Tower to conduct a thorough survey of its current condition and allow us to address any necessary remedial work.
It has been nearly 25 years since its last comprehensive refurbishment.

Infrastructure Improvements:

The Control Plate:

  • In early February, the broken control plate at the Town car park exit (Co-Op) was replaced with a sturdier version, according to the supplier’s recommendation. However, the second control plate is now broken, and this was reported straight to the NCC Highways department.
  • This control plate is crucial for preventing access to the Town (Co-Op) car park from Bullock Fair Close, in line with the existing Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) that prohibits such entry.
  • The suppliers of the Control Flow plate are planning an on-site inspection to address the ongoing issues with the equipment.
  • The Town Clerk is currently in discussions about these enforcement measures, and both the District and County Council are exploring additional ways to discourage unauthorized entry.

Market Place:

  • A gentle reminder that parking on the Market Place is strictly prohibited.
  • This area is under the jurisdiction of Norfolk County Council Highways, there is no traffic order in place permitting parking, designating it effectively as a footway.
  • Additional measures, including investigating the possibility of removable bollards and enhancing signage, are underway to discourage any unauthorized parking.
  • Double yellow lines around the Market Place are in place for clarity.
  • Your cooperation in adhering to these regulations is greatly appreciated.

Outstanding Actions: (Highways Norfolk County Council)

  • Church Street: Awaiting implementation of ‘SLOW’ road markings to ensure pedestrian safety.
  • Broad Street: Pending installation of wheel stops to prevent vehicles from blocking Broad Street paths.
  • Exchange Street: Awaiting updates from Norfolk County Council legal department on the pending Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) for parking changes on Saturdays.

We are currently awaiting:

  • Confirmation for the scheduled repair work on the Town Sign base. Quotes for the damaged base repair have been received, and the contractor has been instructed to commence the work at the earliest opportunity.
  • Confirmation on the Parish Partnership Funding Scheme Grant for the installation of removable bollards at Exchange Street.
  • Feedback from South Norfolk District Council on the success of two Pride in Place Grant applications. One application seeks grant funding for a feasibility study on the current leisure centre site, and the other proposes an event in November.
  • Collaborative efforts with a local contractor to replace the broken wooden bollard in Bullock Fair car park around the end of March.
  • A proposal from Norfolk County Council and South Norfolk District Council regarding the ‘gold standard bus stop’ is still pending.

Town Council actions:

  • The broken toilet bowl in the ladies’ public toilets has been replaced.
  • The Operations Manager is currently obtaining quotes for resurfacing and relining both Broad Street and the Town car park (Co-Op).
  • A shed with a rainwater supply system will be installed in the cemetery in due course.
  • An investigation is underway to assess the need for re-lining at the Paddock Road entrance, addressing concerns about worn-out road markings.
  • A report has been received regarding the absence of a cover on a light post in the church car park. Since these covers are outdated, we are actively seeking an alternative solution.

Various Matters and Applications:

  • South Norfolk District Council (SNDC) has approved a formal planning application for the removal of the Yew Tree at the War Memorial. Contractors will proceed with the work in due course.
  • On Monday, February 19th, Cllr Mo MBA (Chair) of Harleston Town Council, Cllr M Hardy (Town Councillor), and Mrs Carolyn Malinowski (previous chair of the Neighbourhood Plan steering group and current advisor to the Town Council’s planning committee) attended the South Norfolk Council Development Management Committee to actively participate in discussions on Application: 2023/1418 – Proposal: Erection of 89 dwellings with associated landscaping and external works at Land North Of Spirketts Lane, Harleston, Norfolk.
    Their role was to represent and articulate concerns on behalf of the local community. The recorded meeting, starting approximately 4 minutes into the recording, lasted just over an hour.
    For those interested, the meeting recording is available on YouTube: South Norfolk Council Development Management Committee – 19 February 2024.
    And for more detailed information, you can also access the South Norfolk Council Development Committee report.

War Memorial: 

  • Tommy soldier, a cherished symbol in our community, unfortunately, experienced an act of vandalism. The incident was promptly reported to the police, and we are pleased to inform you that an arrest has been made in connection with the incident. Thanks to the maintenance team for their swift and efficient repair.

Harleston Leisure Centre:

  • Scaffolding is in place to allow works due to water damage.

Keeping the Town Council Informed:

  • On February 13th, both the Town Clerk and Deputy Clerk took part in World Café Training.
  •  The Town Clerk completed Wellbeing Champion Training on February 13th.
  • On February 21st, chairs of all committees and the Town Council underwent ‘Chair Training’ conducted by NorfolkALC.
  • On February 27th, the planning committee engaged in a two-hour training session facilitated by Andrea Long from Compasspoint. Andrea has previously provided valuable guidance to the steering group responsible for the Redenhall with Harleston Neighbourhood Plan. This plan was formally incorporated into the Development Plan by South Norfolk Council on October 17, 2022, and will remain in effect until 2038. Follow the link to the training slides.
  • On February 28th, 2024, the planning committee engaged in a two-hour Q&A session with key stakeholders to raise their concerns on the impact of the large development’s taking place around the Town.
    The key stakeholders included: –

      • South Norfolk Council Planning department
      • South Norfolk Council Housing Strategy
      • South Norfolk Council Community Infrastructure Officer
      • South Norfolk Council Assistant Director of Individuals and Families
      • Norfolk County Council – Major estate and development team
      • Norfolk Community Health and Care (NHS trust) Clinical Quality Director.

There will be more information to follow on from this session but if you are interested to see the information on the role of Norfolk County Council as the Highway Authority in relation to major developments please follow this link.

Other Matters:

  • Falcon Publications have started work on the Town Guide for 2024.

Visit Harleston

March 9th: Mother’s Day Creation Station on the Market Place.

Explore our full 2024 event calendar on the Visit Harleston website www.visitharleston.org.uk