The Cabinet member for Environment recently visited the flood gate defences in Hunstanton to see how the borough council maintains them to keep residents safe should a flood occur.
Cllr Paul Kunes, Cabinet member for Environment and CO2 reduction, said: “17 gates were installed on the promenade in Hunstanton after the tidal surge in 2013 and the borough council continues to maintain them. They form part of the defences that protect lower parts of Hunstanton and also parts of the village of Heacham from tidal flooding.”
The borough council works with colleagues in the Norfolk Resilience forum that includes the police, fire, health and environment agency to keep the borough as safe as we can and have well-rehearsed multi-agency warning and evacuation plans for the area.
Cllr Kunes added: “Our residents can do their bit. If you live or have holiday accommodation in the area you can sign up with the Environment Agency to get free flood warnings. Create your own flood plan and take action when you get a warning. Together we can make west Norfolk safer.”
More information can be found at www.gov.uk/flood. By calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188 or textphone 0345 602 6340.
New electric car charging points have become available to residents to use in King’s Lynn and Hunstanton.
The charging points based in five locations across west Norfolk have opened, ensuring that people with limited access to off-street parking can still choose an electric vehicle.
Mayor of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, Cllr Lesley Bambridge, was joined by Cabinet member for Environment and CO2 reduction, Cllr Paul Kunes to visit several of the new points and used them to charge their electric vehicles.
The Mayor said: “I’m regularly driven to functions around the borough in the hybrid Mayoral car. This car is more economical and environmentally friendly. Many journeys are short enough to be completed on electric power only.
The Princess Theatre in Hunstanton has gone in to the New Year with a new roof, following the investment of nearly £200,000 from the borough council to improve the building.
It was agreed at Cabinet towards the end of 2021 that the building, which is owned by the borough council, needed work including a new roof as the current one was deteriorating and had been suffering from tile failure and periodic leaks.
Cllr Stuart Dark MBE, Leader of the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, said: “I am really pleased that this work is now complete. Concerns had been raised about the roof by Brian and the great team that run the Princess Theatre. We worked around their schedule of planned performances to install the new roof, which I believe is already benefitting the venue. The level of insulation not only makes the theatre far warmer it reduces loss of heat to the outside air, meaning it is both cheaper to heat and better for the environment. I am glad that we have been able to support their plans for a brighter future and improve a much loved venue that is a year-round centre-piece of Hunstanton life for residents and visitors alike.”
In the latest in our series finding out a little bit more about what it is like running a local independent business in Norfolk we caught up with the team behind The Hemporium Shops, one of our newest business members.
What is the History of The Hemporium Shops?
We opened our first Hemporium in Hunstanton in August 2019 followed by the second in Wells next the Sea in the first easing of the pandemic lockdown in June 2020. The third was in Holt in August 2020 with the fourth in September 2020 in Norwich just before the November lockdown. Finally shop number 5 was due to open on 5th November in Burnham Market but stalled due to the November lockdown being imposed but then opened briefly in the December prior to Tier 4 imposition for Xmas and then the January 5th 2021 lockdown! So the next stage of easing in April could see all 5 shops open for the first time ever!
More people than ever before enjoyed The Searles Soap Box Derby in Hunstanton on Sunday 22 September.
The event, organised by the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk, returned to the town in 2017 and has got more popular each year. 44 teams raced down the new, faster, course that started at the town hall and finished near the bandstand overlooking the sea.
Teams travelled from all over the country to take part, including racers from Newark, Wellingborough and Milton Keynes.
This year, for the first time, there was a speed trap on the course. Some karts travelled at more than 30 miles per hour. The fastest vehicle on the day was driven by Ed Napolitano in the Hunstanton District Round Table kart. Completing the course in 31 seconds on his first run and 28 seconds on the second.
Councillors and the street scenes teams from the Borough Council of King's Lynn & West Norfolk have been taking the Anglia in Bloom judges on a tour of West Norfolk.
King’s Lynn was the first to be seen on Thursday 18 July. Borough councillor Elizabeth Nockolds took the judges on a tour of the town.
In Tower Gardens Julie Williams and Jo Reynolds from Soroptimist’s King’s Lynn explained the planting they had done in the gardens, alongside Rachel Williams and David Taylor who worked with local school children on projects in the Tommy Garden, including creating the little Tommy soldiers. President of the Rotary Club of King’s Lynn, Steve Roberts, pointed out their work. John Hayes from the Gaywood Valley Conservation Group and Phillip Pole also discussed the work they have done in the borough.