In the Eynesford Ward, Liberal Democrat David Thomas (386 votes) gained the seat from the Conservatives. Their candidate, Kellie Vanham (349 votes), was standing instead of Greg Peck, who has stepped down as a district councillor. The other unsuccessful candidates were Labour’s Irene MacDonald (147 votes) and the Greens’ Georgie Oatley (72 votes). The turnout from the 2,524-voter electorate was 37.9%.

For Broadland District Council, the Liberal Democrats, Labour and Greens all made gains from the Conservatives, who lost 12 seats in total, leaving them on 21 – three short of a majority – and therefore lost overall control of the council; their leader, Shaun Vincent, lost his seat to the Greens in his Plumstead ward.

The Liberal Democrats are the next largest party with 14 seats, a gain of two. The Greens won four seats – their first councillors on the council – while Labour gained six seats, giving them eight councillors.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives held on to neighbouring Breckland Council, despite losing seven seats, giving them 30 councillors on the 49-seat council. Labour gained six seats, giving them 12 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats also won a seat, along with one Green and five independents.

See our earlier story:

• Candidates announced for local elections

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Breckland Council undertook a consultation with electors and interested stakeholders in the area by way of notice of the review on the Sparham Parish Council noticeboard and the Breckland Council website.

The initial consultation period was held from 25 November 2022 to 6 January 2023; no responses were received.

The second consultation period has begun following the publication of the draft recommendations from stage 1 of the review.

Responses to the review can be made in the following ways:

• by online form HERE
• by emailing elections@breckland.gov.uk
• by writing to: Community Governance Review – Parish of Sparham, Electoral Services, Elizabeth House, Breckland Council, Walpole Loke, Dereham, Norfolk NR19 1EE

The period of public consultation closes at 5 pm on Friday 20 January.

Any changes to electoral arrangements resulting from this review will be implemented in time to operate at the next full parish elections scheduled to be held on Thursday 4 May.

Sparham parish has 246 residents on the electoral roll.

The post Proposal to increase size of Sparham Parish Council appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

It is possible the shop could be open by the spring bank holiday weekend, to coincide with the Reepham Food Festival on Sunday 27 May.

The premises were previously occupied by Motts Pharmacy, which has moved to the former HSBC building in the Market Place.

The post Farm shop applies for premises licence in Market Place appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

The planning application submitted to Breckland District Council is for a change of use of land to a private gypsy and traveller caravan site consisting of six pitches and six amenity buildings at The Stables, west of the Old Workhouse Paddocks, Reepham Road, Bawdeswell.

Following its meeting on Monday 4 April, which was attended by more than 100 residents, the Parish Council outlined its objections to the plans, principally that they do not conform to Breckland’s existing Local Development Framework and the new draft Local Plan, which stipulates that traveller sites should be situated on well-located sites within the settlement boundaries of settlements designated Local Service Centres or larger.

It was noted that there is already one such site on Reepham Road. Further, the site access would be on to a busy and dangerous main road (the B1145 Bawdeswell-Reepham Road), and there is no mains foul sewage to the site.

In conclusion, Bawdeswell Parish Council said it is “firmly of the opinion that the planning application should be refused on the grounds there is no definitive need for such a site in the proposed location which is agricultural land in open countryside, outside of the settlement boundary of a small rural community which lacks the key facilities and support services necessary.

“The site is not in any of the Breckland preferred locations, and the extra vehicular traffic involved with the application would pose serious and dangerous highways issues.”

See Bawdeswell Parish Council’s full response HERE

The relevant planning application documents can be viewed online at: http://www.breckland.gov.uk/planningsearch Ref: 3PL/2015/1258/F

Residents are encouraged to submit their comments directly to Breckland District Council for consideration.

See our earlier story:

• Plans for a traveller site in Bawdeswell to be discussed

The post Bawdeswell says no’ to traveller site appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.

The planning application will be discussed at the meeting of Bawdeswell Parish Council at 7.30 pm on Monday 4 April in Bawdeswell Village Hall, Reepham Road, Bawdeswell.

The relevant planning application documents (Ref: 3PL/2015/1258/F) can be viewed online.

The post Plans for a traveller site in Bawdeswell to be discussed appeared first on REEPHAM LIFE.