Norfolk County Council Liberal Democrats

12 Rounds for the Future of Norfolk

There has been much talk from Norfolk County Council about the link between an incinerator in Kings Lynn and the future ofNorfolk. It is striking then that a project which is promoted as the future ofNorfolkshould be built to demonstrate today's political muscle. The facts are, like it or not, the incinerator has become a political battleground with the main protagonists much more concerned about their immediate political futures than the future ofNorfolk. The council has backed itself into a corner, and like the punch-drunk heavyweight who should throw the towel in, keeps coming out to fight the rounds, hoping a Don King style judges' decision will get them a verdict at the final bell. So let's review the blows in this heavyweight contest for the future ofNorfolk.

Website Leader's Report

December 2011

A month where we ended up with two less Councillors at the end than we had at the beginning can hardly be rated a success! The loss of the Lakenham by-election was hardly unexpected - Labour have always been strong there and we are part of a Government doing some unpopular things - but David Callaby's defection was a complete shock which also hurt many Group Members personally. We believed Councillor Callaby was man of principle but he had deceived us. It is clear he was panicked by the May District Council results in his Division where the Tories did well and thought the only way he would retain his seat in 2013 would be as a Conservative. No wonder the public have a low opinion of 'politicians'!

Leader's Report

October 2011

All politicians in power worry about their legacy. ForNorfolk's current Conservative administration it will surely be the Saddlebow incinerator… or maybe the record number of complaints (seven in the past year) to the Standards Committee about Derrick Murphy's behaviour as he fights to preserve his flagship policy.

In his keynote speech to the Liberal Democrat Conference, Party Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has outlined his goals for the Government and the country over the coming years. He reiterated his commitment to liberal values on the environment and human rights and his determination to ensure a fair chance for every child, saying "every child can do good things, great things, if only we give them the opportunities they deserve."

Our website is operational again after a few months down so I now have to be disciplined again about doing my monthly report.

The Incinerator issue rolls on. The Tories' attempts to gather support from the Parishes was a miserable failure whilst now the Environment Agency are very concerned about it being sited in a Flood Zone and Natural England are asking questions about the effect on the Wash. I have always believed that for political reasons the Government would find a way of denying the County Council the PFI credits.

I recently read this article in the Guardian and thought it summed up the plight of Norfolk's Youth after the draconian youth service cuts implemented by the Conservative administration at County Hall last year. It's a shame they hadnt listened to our protests and alternative proposals last February.

Dear Letters Editor,

I could have been forgiven for sauntering into County Hall this week and thinking I'd walked into the incinerator, given the amount of hot air that was coming out of the building. It wasn't waste that was burning however, but rather the Council's ill-conceived plans to impose an incinerator on the people of Kings Lynn.

Lib Dem opposition leader Paul Morse will today challenge the ruling Conservative cabinet to back a plan to create new accommodation for children in care as a cheaper alternative to placing them out of the county.

Dear Letters Editor,

Tuesday's headline, "Air Emissions 'Insignificant': Independent report says incinerator will 'pose no unacceptable risk' to residents" is misleading; this may help to clarify some of the issues. (EDP 26.7.11)

There is no new or up-to-date empirical, scientific, epistemological and medical evidence submitted by Cory Wheelabrator, the applicants. It does exist, but because it does not support the case for incinerators, it doesn't feature in their submitted evidence.

Public Enquiry

Dan Grimmer's article of (23 July) gave only a few of the reasons why my Group feel a public enquiry is necessary to investigate whether some of the actions of the Leader and Cabinet were bringing the County Council into disrepute. Were members of the public asking questions at 7 March treated with respect or did they feel intimidated? Were Conservative members of the Cabinet Scrutiny Committee subject to a party whip? Three West Norfolk Councillors who are members of that committee but did not attend the relevant Scrutiny meeting: was that due to public hostility or were they lent on by Derrick Murphy? Why did one of the aforementioned Councillors soon become an Overview and Scrutiny Committee Panel Chair replacing a perfectly good Chair? Was that a reward?