By Geoff Fisher 
Hello readers. I’m the new county councillor for Reepham Division, that as you’ve guessed by the name, includes Reepham town, where I’m lucky to call home.
It also includes 21 other parishes, from Heydon in the north to Honingham in the south, Foulsham in the west to Stratton Strawless in the east − just over 4,000 houses and around 8,200 residents, so it’s pretty big.
I was elected on 7 May and the work started almost straight away. However, we didn’t get our IT until 12 May – and you’ll be surprised how many emails are waiting when you first log you into your account.
The first week was literally packed with back-to-back presentations and briefings, covering finance (a £2 billion local authority with £900 million of debt), adult social care, children’s services, code of conduct, communities and the environment, corporate parenting, fire and rescue, governance, local government reorganisation update, social media and communications.
It was a lot.
The Reepham Division includes the Wensum Valley and therefore the A47, where the Easton to East Tuddenham dualling is occurring and where Norfolk County Council is looking at alternative routes to connect with the A1067.
As part of this I have had two extensive briefings with Highways to see where things are. The A47 dualling is ahead of schedule so some traffic mitigations for the surrounding parishes are being implemented sooner rather than later.
For Reepham, I have a long list of items, plus other bits of casework that will require resident engagement.
On 28 May it was the county council annual general meeting where a new leader and chair were elected, as well as the heads of the committees and cabinet members.
I am already a district councillor (for Cawston, Foulsham and the five parishes in between) and I run councillor surgeries for residents to see me. I have two booked for Reepham at the Bircham Centre: Saturday 15 August and Saturday 31 October, anyone is welcome. I am there from 10 am to 12 noon and if I can help with anything or you wish to just bend my ear, then please come along.
Cllr Dave Thomas
Tel: 07903 820140
Email: dave.broadlandlibdems@gmail.com
Photo: submitted