The Wensum Ward Team

I have lived in Norwich for the last 13 years having grown up locally. I am a recent ex-science teacher, where I was a workplace trades union representative and 2nd in department. I have twin 5-year-olds who attend a local school where I am a governor. I have chaired Wensum Residents’ Association, based at the community centre on Hotblack Road.

Together we have had a number of successes in the community. Through campaigning we got improvements to two local road junctions, allowing pedestrians to cross safely. We now have a 20mph speed limit. We are going to be one of a small number of areas involved in a ‘school streets’ trial. We utilised over 100 volunteers to provide assistance during the first lock down carrying out many hundreds of tasks and deliveries. Last Christmas we delivered presents donated by the community to those in most need at the local school. We have put on community events such as street parties and Halloween and Christmas trails. We have ensured that the community centre is financially secure with a solid volunteer base. We run regular litter picks in our local parks where we have secured large amounts of funding.

Wensum Ward News

• Sweet Briar Marshws

  

  Since the recent purchase of the 90-acre site between the River Wensum and Marriott’s Way, Norfolk Wildlife Trust have been inviting the public to get involved with their activities. You can search “NWT Sweet Briar” for more information and to take part .
  Liam says: “It’s been an amazing journey from spotting the land up for sale, organising community support to save the wildlife, encouraging Norfolk Wildlife Trust buy the land and working in partnership to develop ways to make the land work for the community and for nature. It will soon be an incredible green space available to everyone

• Greens push council to do more on Fly-Tipping

  Greens push council to do more on Fly-Tipping

  Norwich is third worst for fly tipping in the East of England

  With the local papers writing that Norwich has more reported fly-tipping than almost anywhere else in the East of England it is clear that Labour-run Norwich City Council needs to do more.
  Cllr Liam Calvert says: “The council needs to stop charging for the collections bulky waste. We also need to get on top of those people who make no effort to dispose of their waste responsibly – ideally by installing CCTV to catch them in the act.”
  Do carry on reporting fly-tipping here: www.norwich.gov.uk/reportastreetissue

• Road safety

  Road safety

  Liam has been working with schools, Norfolk County Council and local police to improve road safety

  n response to many residents getting in touch with concerns around speed and antisocial parking, Liam has been meeting police officers, school staff and highways engineers to see what can be done.
  Liam says: “Thanks to residents’ input, the local police have made antisocial parking and speeding around schools and on Waterworks Road priorities until the new year. There is much more to be done.
  “Do pass on your concerns about parking and speed to me or report them directly to the police by email at SNTNorwichWest@norfolk.pnn.police.uk “

• Getting housing repairs prioritised

  Getting housing repairs prioritised

  Cllr Liam Calvert has been working with residents to make sure that their council homes are in a good state of repair

  

  We have been receiving a lot of reports from residents who have had repairs held up by the Labour controlled City Council, for reasons they can’t understand.
  Cllr Calvert says: “Often it is hard to know what has caused the delay, but by talking to the council officers involved we have been able to get a good number of issues resolved.”
  Green Party Councillors have been challenging the City Council on issues around quality of work, poor communication and delays, urging them to introduce a properly functioning system for managing their contractors. £23m of the housing budget was left unspent whilst damage went unrepaired.

• Reducing delays at pedestrian crossings

  Reducing delays at pedestrian crossings

  Liam has been working to reduce unnecessary waiting times for pedestrians and drivers at pedestrian crossings

  Liam has been working with the county council to ensure that pedestrian crossings work well for all road users.
  Liam says: “By preventing unnecessary delays we both make it quicker and safer to cross as well as preventing the frustration felt by drivers waiting at a light when the
  pedestrian has crossed long ago. In many cases these are simple and cheap changes that can make a difference to people getting about.”

• Working with the police to deal withanti-social behaviour

  Working with the police to deal with anti-social behaviour

  Cllr Liam Calvert has been working with your local police team to deal with a range of antisocial behaviours

  

  Liam has been meeting regularly with local police to make sure residents’ concerns are heard. The most common concerns that the local police have powers to deal with are drug dealing, personal safety, speeding drivers, poorly controlled dogs and
  anti-social and dangerous parking.
  Liam says: “I’m happy to pass on your concerns, anonymously if needs be, or you can report concerns directly to SNTNorwichWest@norfolk.pnn.police.uk. But always call 999 in
  an emergency.“

• ACTION TAKEN ON FLY-TIPPING

  We are delighted that Knowland Grove has become the first location in Norwich to have CCTV installed to deter fly-tipping. This follows many years of work by the Green Party working with
  residents and the city council to get action taken on this serious issue.

  Action Taken on Fly-tipping

  

  Working with the council to provide solutions to fly-tipping,
  litter and overflowing bins

  
  With over six thousand reports of fly-tipping from residents in the past 12 months but only two fines handed out, we are pushing for stronger enforcement to stop the worst cases, including those who dump commercial waste from vans and cars onto our streets.

• Wensum Lodge Update

  Wensum Lodge Update

  Wensum lodge has been the home of adult education in Norfolk for over 40 years. Many thousands of residents have taken advantage of the courses on offer. It holds a special place in the hearts of Norfolk residents and is a site that has historical and cultural significance. The County Council’s decision to sell off Wensum Lodge is incredibly short-sighted and is a waste of a huge amount of potential. 

  

  The petition that you signed gained more than 5,500 signatures – a huge response showing the depth of feeling against the sell-off. Frustratingly however, around 900 of these signatures were deemed to be invalid by the county council, which means that the petition did not meet the 5,000 signatures threshold required by the county council to automatically trigger a debate on the issue. 

  But we are not giving up! 

  On September 26 from 8:30am there will be a protest outside County Hall to show the Conservative-run councillors that the local community want Wensum Lodge to stay and are opposed to the sell-off of public assets. You can sign up to come to the demonstration here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/demonstration-stop-the-sell-off-of-wensum-lodge  

  Green councillors have submitted a motion to the September County Council meeting on 26 September calling for the county council to reverse the decision to sell off Wensum Lodge and establish a transparent and accountable process for consulting with the local community before selling off public assets (this applies to the Angel Road school site as well as Wensum Lodge). 

  In July, Green Party County Councillor Jamie Osborn proposed a motion via the county council’s scrutiny committee to support a Labour Party call-in of the decision and reverse the sell-off of Wensum Lodge on the grounds that there was no public consultation, but this was voted down by the Conservatives. 

  Recently, local campaigners have succeeded in getting Wensum Lodge listed as an Asset of Community Value. This will not prevent the sell-off, but it will mean that the local community is able to bid for the site for up to 5 years. We will keep you updated on the progress regarding this. 

  We simply can’t allow Conservative councils to continue to sell off our historical assets because of their Conservative government colleagues’ continued campaign of cuts to local authority budgets.  

  Keep in touch

  If you would like to stay updated and get involved in the community-led Wensum Lodge campaign then please contact friendsofwensumlodge@gmail.com 

  If you are supportive of the work that Green councillors do in their communities then please consider joining the local and national party. We rely on volunteers to help achieve the positive outcomes to the work we do in our communities, and we are always looking for new people to be the Green councillors of tomorrow. If you would like to find out more about the work of Norwich Green Party and you would like to get more involved then please let us know here: Volunteer to Help Continue the Green Success in Norwich! (actionnetwork.org) 

• EV charging points

  Badly-placed EV charging points could obstruct people in wheelchairs or with pushchairs, Green Party councillors have warned.

  Norfolk County Council proposes to install 46 EV Charging points across Norwich in partnership with a commercial partner, EB Charging. 

  

  While Norwich Green Group supports improving the infrastructure for EV chargers as a step towards reducing the impact of climate change, we are concerned that most of them will be placed on the pavement to the detriment of pedestrians and wheelchair users. 

  There is a consultation taking place at the moment and we urge residents to take part using the email address provided.
  
  Green Party Nelson Ward City Councillor Hannah Hoechner said: “It is great to see Norfolk County Council take steps to facilitate EV use in Norwich. We urgently need infrastructure that enables people to stop using petrol and diesel cars that emit CO2 and pollute our air. While EVs are an important part of the way forward though, the ultimate priority must be accessible and affordable public transport and safe walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure. Let’s learn from others how we can enable EV use without compromising the experiences of people getting around on foot, with children, or using a wheelchair.”

  
  
  Green Party Wensum Ward City Councillor Liam Calvert said: “Electric cars are a step in the right direction for reducing climate change but we cannot accept that life should be made more difficult for pedestrians and wheelchair users  to accommodate cars. Public electric charging facilities are ideally placed in car parks, but, if they need to  be placed on roads they must not be placed on pavements at the expense of wheelchair users, parents with buggies or those who simply want to walk next to their friends.