06/11 30 new parish plans funded in Norfolk

30 new parish plans funded in Norfolk

Rural communities across Norfolk have received grants to help create
parish plans thanks to Defra funding.

In 2005-06 Defra made £1 million available nationally for parish plans,
a tool which can help local voices be heard by decision makers and give
local communities more control over their own affairs. Now 30 new
parish plans have been funded in Norfolk.

Parish plans involve a whole village in identifying their priorities
and setting out an action plan to tackle them. This process has already
led to direct action by rural residents in Norfolk that has improved the
way their local area and services are managed.

Parish plans are tangible evidence of local priorities for local
planners, service providers, grant-giving organisations, and local
authorities.

A parish plan is not just a wish list: it sets out specific action
points, and identifies who is responsible for acting on them. Although a
plan can take a year or even two to complete, and needs a dedicated,
committed team of volunteers in a parish plan steering group, planners
agree that this is time well spent.

The potential benefits can include:
* highway safety improvements;
* village hall refurbishment;
* planning permission and grants for health facilities;
* installation of IT facilities; and
* grants for sheltered housing to enable the elderly to remain in their
village.

These plans can generate new community spirit, with everybody pulling
together as volunteers, all trying to create a better life for local
people. Unexpected local talents are discovered and parish councils can be
revitalised.

In 2006-07 support for rural communities continues to be available
through Defra's new Rural Social and Community programme, which supports a
range of activities including parish planning.

Decisions on activities are made by those best placed to decide: local
people. Each Rural Community Council played a key role in defining the
Rural Social and Community programme in their local area, and can be
contacted for information about funding for parish plans.

22/08 Arrests Made For Assault At Tombland

Arrests Made For Assault At Tombland

Aug 22 2006

Following press appeals in the local media, two people have been arrested in connection with an incident where a woman was assaulted in Norwich's Tombland.

The assault happened at about 1.50pm on Thursday 10th August, when the victim was with two young children, one of whom was in a pushchair.

A 29-year-old man and a 16-year-old woman, both of whom are known to the victim, have now been arrested on suspicion of causing her actual bodily harm (ABH). Both individuals have been released on police bail pending further enquiries.

14/08 Stranded father and son assisted by coastguard

Stranded father and son assisted by coastguard

At ten minutes past two 12th Aug, Yarmouth Coastguard received a
call from two men who had run aground on the banks of Breydon Water in
Great Yarmouth.

The combination of high winds and an unusually large wave had pushed
the vessel aground, and the weather conditions on scene were extremely
poor, with driving rain and winds in excess of 50mph making attempts to
find the men difficult.

Fortunately, the father, who had just purchased the boat had a handheld
distress flare on board, and was able to activate it with guidance from
the operations room, alerting both the staff in the operations room and
the Broads Authority craft 'River Able' to his location.

Following a 999 call from the gentleman's concerned wife, the Gorleston
Coastguard Rescue Team were dispatched to assist the stranded pair, and
assisted them back to their waiting family a little cold, but otherwise
unharmed.

Bill Austin, Watch Manager at Yarmouth Coastguard said:

"This is an excellent example of why setting out for your journey well
prepared can be of vital importance if things do go wrong. These
gentlemen had the presence of mind to equip them selves with the correct
safety equipment, and greatly reduced the time it took for us to find them
in some very difficult conditions"

For further information please contact:
Maritime and Coastguard Agency Duty Press Officer
Or during office hours (023) 8032 9401