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   This article appeared in The Diss Express on 21 January 2005

People must have a say on planning

In the latest of his constituency news features, Diss Express columnist and South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon casts his eye over more local issues
  

Concerned environmental health officers at South Norfolk Council have told me the planning consultation system is not working properly.

Planning applications have to be examined by bodies such as the highways and environment agencies, water companies, planning authorities at South Norfolk and County level but they aren't talking to each other.

The large groups of new housing, springing up in Diss, Harleston and across south Norfolk are submerging these agencies under a huge volume of work.

Decisions on water and sewage systems, ensuring a proper infrastructure of schools, GPs surgeries, adequate public transport and so on are sometimes being taken without asking local people what is needed.

This is a serious matter. All these different groups must get together before making major decisions which affect South Norfolk residents.

High hopes for improvements

Following the collapse of plans for private finance in schools, I met with headteacher Paul Adams and Governors of Long Stratton High School to support the appeal for funding for much-needed repairs to the school.

Stephen Edwards came along from the County education department.

With pupils in the tiny hall at Long Stratton High School. From left: Tristan Watts, Jamie Delaney, Richard Bacon MP, Gemma Bridgeman, headteacher Paul Adams, Lucy Scammell

He was very positive and saw how urgently improvements are needed. It now looks quite likely that the County will come up with some alternative funding. The school has been putting aside some money which will also help.

But we must ensure that repairs at Long Stratton remain a high priority until something gets done.

On the beet

FIELD WORK: Richard Bacon at Fersfield on sugar beet grower John Orford's farm

Recently I was invited to the largest sugar factory in the world, British Sugar's Wissington plant. It's amazingly high-tech with a large capital investment. As it takes beet from many Norfolk farmers it is important for local jobs.

British Sugar is lobbying against

FIELD WORK: Richard Bacon at Fersfield on sugar beet grower John Orford's farm
the proposed EU quota cuts, which would severely affect South Norfolk beet farmers. Sugar beet is an important rotational crop, improving yields of other crops in alternate years.  It's also good for the environment, with beet tops providing food in spring for many birds and animals.

Poorer and less-developed countries could also be affected by the cuts, with only Brazil able to sustain a viable sugar industry but at the expense of decimated rain forests and savannah lands which are the biologically-richest in the world.

Wissington is planning to invest in a bioethanol plant using sugar beet. Government has the power to make fuel suppliers replace 5% of petrol with bioethanol. Just think, beet from our fields could be powering your car in a far more environmentally-friendly way and it would create more jobs in South Norfolk.

▪ Need to see your MP? You can make an appointment to see Richard by calling 01379 642769.

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© Richard Bacon 2010