Judicial Review of the Norfolk Vanguard DCO – Mr Justice Holgate’s decision.

 

Please see link below to the official publication of the judge’s decision.

Paragraphs 164 onwards contain the main substance of his conclusions.

https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2021/326.html

Justice Holgate upheld the grounds of the claim and decided in favour of Mr. Pearce’s case.

For the moment, therefore, the Secretary of State’s decision of July 1^st 2020 to consent the Norfolk Vanguard wind farm in its present onshore configuration is quashed.

We shall have to allow some time now for the full implications of this decision to emerge. In particular we shall await information on how the Secretary of State (SoS) is minded to proceed.

In this context, I would draw your attention to para 179 of the judge’s ruling:

“In these circumstances, it is very doubtful whether the Defendant could properly proceed to re-determine the Vanguard application, or to determine the Boreas application, without at least giving a reasonable opportunity for representations to be made by interested parties on the implications of this judgment for the procedures now to be followed in each application, considering those representations, and then deciding and explaining what course will be followed.”

 In the meantime, however, the prosecution of this Judicial Review will have achieved, at the very least, two important things:

• a re-consideration by the SoS of the cumulative impacts of the Boreas substations at Necton, when taken together with the Vanguard substations; and
• more time for the fast-moving work of the government’s Offshore Transmission Network Review to refine its proposals for an entirely different and better way for this project to connect to the grid.

We all now need to throw our weight again behind the latter. This judgement is significant grist to the mill – but the battle for Norfolk isn’t quite over yet!

Finally, please see below a statement from Ray Pearce, published yesterday in the EDP online, which I believe concludes with a message to you all…

___________________________

From the EDP online 18/2/21:

Mr Pearce said he was entirely supportive of the Green Energy agenda but stated he was forced into legal action because he believed Vattenfall’s plans had failed to deliver the wind farm in the most efficient way.

He said: “It is so important that we do this in the right way for Norfolk and its people. I would like to see the grid built offshore instead of kilometres of the countryside being ripped up for cables.

We have to look at the long-term agenda and the carbon impact – installing these less efficient routes and substations inland would mitigate the impact of the turbines for years to come.

I do not see this as the end of the wind farm – nor of the jobs they would bring. I see this as an opportunity for Vattenfall to do some pioneering work in the offshore transmission network and potentially create more jobs in maintaining that network.

This would ensure the network is more environmentally friendly and efficient in the long term.

Green energy is the new frontier, now that we have turned away from gas and oil, and we need to ensure that it is done with the environment in mind.

It might be my name on the decision but – although I am not an elected representative – I know I speak for people in Norfolk when I say that this was them standing up for their county. This has been a David and Goliath battle. A lot of people have pledged their expertise and personal funds to get us to this judgement.”

 

                              V A C A N C Y

                         NECTON PARISH COUNCIL

                        VILLAGE CARETAKER

A part time role position has become available offering 10 hours per week (working days are flexible but Mondays are required).

DUTIES:

 Inspect the play equipment:

• Check play equipment is sound and report any defects
• Attend a course on maintaining play equipment and Health and Safety
• Carry out a weekly visual inspection
• Carry out a six-monthly thorough inspection that is documented including photographs
• Carry out small repairs to the village hall
• Pick up litter and empty bins according to the schedule
• Weed garden at entrance to the village.
• Move the SAM II (speed monitor) around the village according to schedule

 

                         Contact Justine Luckhurst for further details

          Clerk – Necton Parish Council   nectonparishcouncil@gmail.com

                                Applications close 8^th February 2021

As per Government Guidelines we have have now re- opened the play area and outdoor gym. Please be sensible and adhere to the ongoing rulings regarding social distancing and taking precautions.

Notices have been placed around the areas involved detailing measures in place and they are listed below :

• The equipment is not cleaned between use and therefore use of the play and gym equipment is done at your own risk and responsibility.
• Please respect the social distancing measures.
• If there are too many people on the equipment to respect the distancing measures please wait until these can be implemented.
• Please limit your time in the area if busy to allow others to use safely.
• Only ONE family member should accompany children in the play area.
• If you can, please clean the equipment before its used, particularly where there are clear touch points such as handles
• Please use hand sanitiser to clean your hands and your children’s hands.
• Avoid touching your face. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your arm when you have no tissues.
• Please note the consumption of food or drink on the equipment or in the play area is banned.
• Please take your litter home with you!!

At our Parish Council Meeting via Zoom on Monday 8th June a new Member of Council was co -opted onto the Council to fill our vacancy. I’m sure you will all join us in welcoming Genine Curtis to the Council. Genine is a resident in Necton and some of you may know her already. Her contact details are published on the website and on the notice board outside the shop and a photo of Genine will be added soon in order to put a face to a name !

Welcome Genine !!

Necton Parish Council are resuming monthly meetings via the Zoom platform. This will mean that a full meeting of the Council can be held virtually and all Councillors will be visible and can participate fully whilst adhering to the social distancing rules.

Members of the public are invited to attend the virtual meeting and details of meeting including how to join, ask a question for the public participation part of the meeting and guidance can be found under the agenda page on this website.

The agenda and guidance will also be published on the noticeboard in the usual manner.

For obvious reasons the May issue of Link cannot be published and circulated as usual. However a May edition has been produced and can be viewed by following the link here

                              Coronavirus (COVID 19) Crisis

                          DO YOU NEED

                                   HELP

                                          with Shopping or Prescriptions?

                       Necton Emergency Support Service

can safely deliver these essentials to your door with a simple telephone call.

•  Not able to use the Internet 
• Can’t get a delivery slot 
• Self isolating or vulnerable 
• Alone, worried or confused 
• Concerned about a neighbour or relative

We CAN help you, CALL 01760 722574

For the dedicated Shopping Line call 01603 981493 (courtesy of “The White Hart”, Swaffham)

This FREE service is provided by a team of local community volunteers and it is supported by Necton Parish Council and Swaffham Emergency Group.

If you don’t need this service yourself, but would like to volunteer to help those that do, please contact:-

Ian Dalglish on 07483 877114 or email ness@gmx.co.uk

April 27, 2020
Community coronavirus testing in Norfolk and Waveney now available to “key workers” (and/or household members with symptoms).
The NHS in Norfolk and Waveney is offering local coronavirus tests to key workers* such as teachers or food industry staff, to help them remain in work and continue to support their communities. This also applies to members of their household who may have coronavirus symptoms causing the key worker to self-isolate.
Testing will take place at three locations in Norfolk and Waveney:

• The Centrum centre, close to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH)

• The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn (QEHKL)

• The James Paget University Hospital (JPUH) in Gorleston.
(See below if you would rather be tested at Ipswich, Stansted or Peterborough)

To book using the Norfolk and Waveney service:
People on the government key workers* list who need to be tested should ask their employer or line manager to register their organisation by emailing NorfolkRegistercovidtesting@nnuh.nhs.uk with their (employer) name, job title and contact number. The registration team at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital will then contact the employer to register their organisation so they their key workers can then book an appointment. The employer will be given a unique reference number and further instructions.
All applications will be checked to make sure people are well enough to attend a testing centre, and eligible for a test in line with Public Health England guidance.
People will receive their test results within 48 hours or less, either directly or via their employer’s occupational health service, together with initial advice about to what to do next.

Appointments at Ipswich, Stansted and Peterborough or other centres
If you wish to be tested at any of the national drive-through testing centres, such as Ipswich, Stansted, Peterborough and elsewhere, then you must use the national booking service. For self-referrals, this is via https://self-referral.test-forcoronavirus.service.gov.uk.

Who are key workers?
* Key workers include many people working in education, transport, many public services, energy, power and water/sewerage workers, and those working to provide, distribute or sell food. The precise definition is available on this government web page: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested#keyworkers

A note from George Freeman MP

”I hope you are keeping safe and well in this time of national crisis.

As you can appreciate, I am flat out on helping local constituents, healthcare workers, businesses and Norfolk’s Covid Taskforce – and if there is anything I can do to help your areas on that, please do not hesitate to let me know. Please email any concerns or queries to me at george.freeman.mp@parliament.uk

I’ve also produced the attached contact note to highlight mine and the local authorities’ key contact details at this time. If you know of anyone that might need to get in touch with me during this tough period, please do pass it to them ”