A report from the North Walsham Leadership of Place project setting out an action plan arising from research and consultation to improve community leadership and public service provision in this important market town.

North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
North Norfolk District Council
North Walsham Town Council
Norfolk County Council
North Walsham High School
NHS Norfolk
Norfolk Constabulary
Paston Sixth Form College
Griffon Area Partnership
The North Walsham Chamber of
Trade
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North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
This summary document reports on the findings of the Leadership of Place Project in
North Walsham. It is provided as the basis for a new approach to joint working in North
Walsham and includes an action plan which is owned by the various partner bodies. This document has been agreed by the Project Partnership Board, but is not yet endorsed by individual organisations.
A full report, which includes all consultation feedback is available from NNDC can be viewed at ( http://www.northnorfolk.org
) The aim of the project has been to encourage joint public sector working, based on local ownership and empowerment. The focus is on
“place-making”: that is, identifying actions to improve the town for residents, as a place to do business and to visit. Central to this approach has been the need to consider the nature of community leadership and to identify ways to strengthen leadership and vision and promote joint working.
The project is led be North Norfolk District Council and has been funded by Improvement
East. The project has been steered by a Project Board chaired by Eric Seward, District
Councillor for North Walsham (North) and North Walsham Town Councillor.
The Leadership of Place project aims to provide:
•
Improved service delivery for the local community
•
More effective and efficient use of public sector resources
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Increased collaboration between local authority partners
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Reduced costs in the medium term with improved efficiency savings
The project is identified as having the objectives and outcomes as set out below:
PROJECT OUTCOME OBJECTIVES
Endorsement of a common vision for future public service delivery in North
Walsham
Enhanced community leadership provided by key community organisations within a three tier local government structure
Efficiencies generated by rationalising and consolidating public sector assets and exploiting opportunities for co-location of front office services and information facilities .
Identify key issues, a) Report of stakeholder consultation for future expectations for public service delivery b) Agreement to common vision for the future public service delivery in North Walsham a) Schedule of how services are being delivered within the town by the main public sector organisations ie Police, NHS Norfolk,
Paston College, High School, County Council, District and
Town Councils. b) Analysis of the cost of service delivery, and in particular, the capital resources and investment which supports the existing asset infrastructure. c) Improved relationships with and between local organisations d) Coordinated provision of information services to North
Walsham and surrounding area. a) Agreed structures and processes in place for partners to work together to deliver revenue and capital efficiencies from asset rationalisation and joint working a) Development of a locality model for three tier working
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opportunities and projects that will support the town’s longer term sustainability, particularly focused around its economic viability
North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report b) Development of community hub and one stop shop information and advice facility c) Action plan to develop tourism infrastructure to strengthen and promote the local economy.
North Walsham is the largest settlement in the east of the District Council area of North
Norfolk, with a population of approximately 12,500. It is an historic market town, once rich from the medieval wealth of the wool trade. It offers a range of services and employment, and is defined as a Principal Settlement in the Core Strategy of the North Norfolk Local
Development Framework. The strategy requires that allocations are made in North
Walsham for approximately 400 to 500 new dwellings on new sites that are well related to the built up area.
The North Norfolk Local Development Framework Core Strategy sets out a vision and strategic policy for North Walsham. It states:
North Walsham will have a vibrant town centre with a broader range of shops and services meeting the needs of a wide catchment and adding to the attractions of the town as a tourist destination. The town will also fulfil a role as an employment, learning and training centre for a wide area, supported by the links provided by the
Bittern Line Railway. New development will have enhanced the historic market town character and aided regeneration, ensuring that community needs are met.
Additional housing that helps to meet the needs of local people will have been provided in locations that are well related to the existing built-up area.
The town is a key service centre for a large rural hinterland of north-east Norfolk and a range of services are delivered from the town. There are also a large number of voluntary and third sector organisations providing services to the wider community. These are outlined in the full report and are summarised in the table below. This list is not comprehensive. The County Council has recently undertaken an Area Asset Review of the town and identified a range of asset rationalisation proposals, linked to changes in service delivery.
•
Registration Service (NCC)
•
Library
•
Norfolk County Council (NCC) services including: Highways and Transportation,
Trading Standards, Adult Care, etc
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Adult Education Centre (NCC)
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Rose Meadow Care Home
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Children’s Services & Children’s Centre (NCC)
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Youth Service (NCC)
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Fire Service
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Paston
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North Walsham High School
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Atrium Centre at the High School
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North Walsham Infant School and Nursery
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Millfield
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North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
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North Walsham Junior School
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NNDC: Benefits, Council tax, Environmental Health, Planning, Car parks and Public conveniences etc.
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North Walsham Town Council: Parks, Cemetery, Churchyard, Market, Bus shelters,
Footway lighting, Street naming and numbering, etc
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Policing and Community Safety
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NHS Cottage Hospital
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Birchwood GP Surgery
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Paston GP Surgery
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Citizens Advice Bureau
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Range of Churches
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Benjamin
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Crossroads
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Griffon Area Partnership
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NN Business Forum
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NW Chamber of Commerce
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North Walsham Area Community Transport Association
In order to garner the views of local stakeholders, a workshop was held on 13 January, attended by over 70 participants, including students from North Walsham High School and Paston College. This provided an important opportunity for networking and feedback was obtained on a vision for North Walsham along with valuable responses in relation to provision and grouping of services in the town. The responses can be summarised as shown below.
1. North Walsham is a vibrant and historic market town, acting as a key service and employment hub for north east Norfolk; this is its unique selling point and it is around this that its future should be planned.
2. There are three priority action areas where actions should be focussed so as to secure the town’s future viability and to improve the quality of life for those who live, study and work in North Walsham or who visit the town.
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Town centre: There is a need to focus on the town centre environment, improving access into the town centre, the appearance of buildings, the retail and leisure offer, open areas and public spaces, while reducing the number of derelict sites. An information hub and focal point for public and voluntary sector service provision close to the centre of town is considered highly desirable.
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Appropriate infrastructure: It is generally considered desirable to aim to cluster services around ‘youth services’ and ‘older people’s services’, and to seek to improve and integrate the transport network, (highways, public transport and pedestrian routes). Wider issues such as the speed of broadband connection and the availability of affordable housing were also raised.
•
Encouraging a vibrant economy: There was agreement that the North
Walsham community as a whole needs to work in partnership to seek and encourage new employment opportunities, particularly to identify ways to
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North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report increase support for new business start-ups, and to increase promotion of the excellent tourist offer in and around the town.
The North Norfolk Business Forum hosted an event on 3 February 2011 at Rossis in
North Walsham to understand the views of the wider business community in North
Walsham. Over 200 invitations were sent out and 20 key business representatives attended. There was much positive feedback from participants who welcomed the opportunity to network and to discuss issues affecting the business environment in North
Walsham.
The key messages from the event were:
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The need for strong leadership for the town and the business community, to increase networking and co-operation between businesses and improve confidence and morale;
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The need to raise the reputation of the town as a place to do business, including branding and marketing the town as a visitor attraction and base for tourism and promoting local produce;
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Work on the infrastructure of the town – in particular, the vitality and viability of the town centre as a place for the delivery of services: its physical appearance, pedestrian environment, signing, access issues, etc.; and
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Strengthening the delivery of public and third sector services, by rationalisation, more joint working and provision of more business support and skills training.
As a result of the feedback outlined above, an action plan has been prepared which attempts to address the issues raised. The Action Plan is designed to set out the principles and priorities for implementation over the next few years and to achieve demonstrable improvements and lay the foundations for lasting change. The action plan arises from a vision which provides a sense of identify and confidence.
Vision
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North Walsham: an historic market town, employment and service centre for a wide rural hinterland
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North Walsham: a college town – a centre for training and enterprise with youthful vibrancy, ideas and enterprise
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North Walsham: a place to do business, building on its strong employment base in services, the voluntary sector and manufacturing
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Marketing: rail connected and a base for tourism in north east Norfolk with its own unique history.
To achieve this, three priority themes have been agreed, namely
A. Provide leadership for planning, promotion and implementation
B. Create physical and service infrastructure improvements
C. Rationalise and improve public assets to increase efficiency
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North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
This Action Plan is structured around the following themes:
A: Leadership:
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Vision
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Promotion:
• branding activities and resulting successes to all stakeholders)
Business
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Delivery mechanism: establish and resource appropriate mechanism to ensure deliverability
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Resources: moving towards a more place-based approach to budgets.
B: “Infrastructure” improvements/programme of actions across partners:
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Town centre vibrancy and environmental improvements
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Economic development and Planning
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Transport
C: Public and third sector service delivery:
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Rationalise and improve public assets to increase efficiency
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Business advice and training
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Creation of “Town Hub” for tourism and business information to act as focal point
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Feasibility study for a combined Enterprise and Town Centre Service Hub.
The table below outlines the actions under each of these headings.
A: LEADERSHIP
Deliverability : Establish and resource appropriate mechanism to ensure deliverability
Activity
Timetable
Commitment
(C) or Target (T)
April (T) Agree a project lead. The Project Board has agreed to investigate the options for future delivery and leadership of the action plan. This could include the setting up of a
Community Development Trust.
Action: exploratory stakeholder meeting
Establish governance structure with mandate and capacity to take programme forward based on above.
May/September
(T)
Identify core resources (cash or in-kind) to take forward initiative over next two years.
NNDC have already committed £200,000 in the Capital Programme for projects in
North Walsham which will fund some of the projects identified.
May/July
(T)
Identify and appoint a resident or business leader, credible with all stakeholders and partners and able to chair and champion the future delivery vehicles
May/July
(T)
Establish clear mechanisms for sustained September (T)
Lead
NWTC/
NNCP/NNDC
NWTC/
NNCP/NNDC
NNDC
NNDC
TBC
All
All
NCC, PCT,
Norfolk
Constabulary etc
All
Partners
North Walsham
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participation of local young people in the governance and delivery structures
North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
High School,
Paston College,
Benjamin
Foundation
Promotion and Business Leadership: Communicate vision, activities and resulting successes to stakeholders
Activity Timetable Lead Partners
Plan a communication and promotion strategy for North
Walsham, including joint stakeholder engagement events around priority themes.
Extend activities of Business forum to North Walsham and hold quarterly meetings
B: INFRASTRUCTURE
April 2012 (T)
August 2011
(T)
Lead body as agreed
NNBF
All
All, including
Businesses in
NW
TOWN CENTRE
Activity Timetable Lead Partners
1. Appearance and Cleanliness of Town Centre
Town Centre Street deep clean
April 2011 (C) and then rolling programme
Environmental Clean up days
April 2011 (C) and then rolling programme
Improve and promote the retail offer
On-going
4 Market Place redevelopment and new Public Conveniences
2. Market Place
Summer 2011 (T)
Market Place traffic management improvements
Reaffirm proposal by July 2011.
Seek funding from March 2011.
(C)
Implement scheme from March
2013 (T)
3. Street Lights
Street Lighting
Design replacement lighting by
April 2011 (P)
Install lighting by March 2012
(C)
4. Car parking
Provision of motor home and coach parking at Vicarage Street
Autumn 2011 (C)
Refurbishment of car parks and Autumn 2011 (C)
NWTC
NWTC
Chamber of
Commerce
Private
Developer
NCC
NCC
NNDC
NNDC
NNDC
NNDC
NWTC, NNDC
NNDC
All
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North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report provision of new Pay and
Display Machines
Review of car park charges
Highway signing to car parks
Review in Autumn 2011 with new charging regime in April
2012 (C)
Agree specification with NCC
June 2011 (C) Installation Sept
2011 (T)
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING
NNDC
NNDC
Lead Partners Activity Timetable
1. Business Promotion, Training and Marketing
Small business advice and training programmes delivered in weekly surgeries at Council
Offices
Develop a Tourism Marketing strategy /promotion based on historic market and college town, as part of Pathfinder Strategy for
North East Norfolk, using marketing toolkit
Promotion of Arts and Cultural organisations within North
Walsham
Provide business support for tourism and museum developments
Summer 2011(T)
Spring 2012 (T)
Autumn 2011
On-going
2. Planning
Implementation of LDF Core
Strategy and Site Specific
Proposals
On-going
Actions to address derelict/vacant sites
On-going
TRANSPORT
NNDC/learning
4 Everyone
GAP Tourism
Forum
GAP
NNDC
Private
Development
NNDC
NNDC and partners
Atrium, Paston and partners
Private sector
NNDC, NCC, utilities etc
HCA, private developers, etc
Activity Timetable Lead
1. Public Transport
Bus circulation, bus stop locations and interchange/hub options – programme and undertake review
Station travel plan and rail
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Carry out review by April
2012.(C)
Implement agreed actions from
April 2012 (T)
NCC
Action plan due for completion NNDC
Partners
NNDC and all
National
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service improvements.
Improved taxi/drop off/ pedestrian access to station
Improved parking at rail station as part of HL Foods site redevelopment.
Review of taxi rank provision
(including consultation meeting with taxi drivers)
2. Highway signing
Highway signing to Industrial
Estate
March 2011. (T) Actions (‘quick wins’) to commence June 2011
(T)
North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
Express East
Anglia/NCC
April 2012 dependent on
Planning Application. (T)
NNDC NCC/NNDC/H opkins Homes
Autumn 2011 (T)
Review existing signing by Aug 2011(C)
Action any changes from March
2012 (T)
SERVICE PROVISION AND DELIVERY
NNDC
NCC
Taxi drivers
NWTC
NNDC/ businesses
Lead Partners Activity Timetable
1. Town Hub and Enterprise Centre
Provision of tourist and business information hub at Council buildings on New Road to compliment Library provision. Operated by
Town Council
Refurbishment of ground floor offices for
Town Council, and refurbishment of business advice interview room/s to deliver business support.
Feasibility study for a town centre
‘Gateway’/Enterprise Hub development including public and voluntary sector services
– feasibility study and options appraisal of sites
June 2011
(C)
April 2011
(C)
September
2011 (T)
(depending on funding)
2. Asset Rationalisation and Development
Atrium Centre opening Sept 2011 with provision of a wide range of facilities for the use of NWHS and the community of North
Walsham and surrounding area. Crèche space, 5 multi purpose Consultancy / meeting rooms, Business Offices, Dance Studio,16 station Food Technology Suite, Music and
Recording Studio, Meeting room for 14, 202 seat Auditorium; a multi use space as a
Digital Cinema, Theatre and event facility,
Café and seating area for 184. There will be a variety of social and education and training opportunities for all ages. The Atrium is DDA compliant.
North Walsham War Memorial Cottage
Opens
September
2011 (C)
Rebecca
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NW Town
Council
NNDC
Lead body/NNDC
NW High
School/Benjamin
Foundation
Further partnerships currently being developed.
NHS
NNDC, NCC
GAP
NWTC
All
NCC
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Hospital Development Completion of
Rebecca House refurbishment and construction of new 24 bed ward, with demolition of existing hospital once new development complete. This will re-provide and extend existing in and out patient facilities and “out of hours” service plus accommodation for social services.
Refurbishment of 1 St Nicholas Court to house between 80-100 NCC Children’s
Services staff from Northfields, Youth
Buildings, Area Education Office and possibly some people from bases in other areas.
Lease surrender of Northfields office (former
NHS owned health centre) subject to agreeing terms for alternative provision at
Rebecca House (NW Memorial Cottage
Hospital) with NHS
Closure and disposal of Area Education Office post refurbishment of 1a St Nicholas Court.
House opens mid-May
2011. (C)
Completed hospital opens
October
2011 (C)
North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
Norfolk/Norfolk
Community
Health & Care
Commence
June 2011
(C)
Currently under negotiation
NCC
NCC NHS
Lease ‘break’ and closure of Tudor House.
Close July
2011
Sale within 2 years thereafter.
September
2011 (T)
Ongoing
NCC
NCC Paston.
The former Courthouse is currently vacant and its future needs to be considered in relation to the adjoining police station
NCC Norfolk
Constabulary
Find medium term use of Youth Centre buildings currently occupying part of potential
‘Gateway’ development site. Possible
Development Trust input subject to feasibility results.
From May
2011 (T)
NCC NNDC, voluntary sector partners
The action plan will be delivered through the partnerships involved in the Leadership of Place project and steered by a delivery body. The partnership board will explore a range of options for a delivery body, including the option of establishing a community development trust.
Development Trusts are social enterprises set up to bring about social, economic and environmental benefits to their communities. Each Trust has different aims according to the community needs, but they all adopt a self-help, enterprise approach, seeking community ownership of buildings and have the ability to raise funds and seek funding streams not open to Local Government authorities.
While a number of actions are already confirmed, many relate to further work and review and some of the objectives are aspirational at this stage. Further, in the current economic climate there are bound to be limitations on resources to take projects forward. However, it is important that although the delivery of these actions may take place over a number of years and priorities may change, that the consensus in terms of vision and actions provides a united view across all partners to ensure a co-ordinated and consistent approach to developments in
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North Walsham Leadership of Place Project
Summary Report
North Walsham and that implementation is undertaken working with local interests and based on community participation.
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