Cllr Gary Douglas-Beet

Congratulations to Colin Sutton for Norfolk Police & Crime Commissioner. Well done to all participants in a hard fought contest.

Over 40 years ago, I was a Bobby on the beat and think I have a good understanding of where policing went wrong.

So now the hard work starts, SAFER STREETS and SAFER RURAL COMMUNITIES, from a man who has made it his life’s work to fight crime. making us safer.

Thank you to all who voted for him.💪🏼🩵👍🏼







https://www.therealmanhunter.co.uk/colin-sutton

What an interesting day celebrating 250 years of St George’s in Wicklewood, from work house to hospital to school and finally home to the residents. Congratulations to the organisers. The star of the show was definitely the actress in the pic, depicting a lady who was taken to the work house and given a new name. Absolutely brilliant. History is on our own door step and needs preserving and the stories telling so that we don’t loose it.

Great day on Friday supporting HingFest. Great to meet Vicky, the Head and hopefully next year we can have a big red fire engine 🚒. Great food, drinks, cakes and lots to do for the little ones and a band and solo singer for the oldies like me. Well done to the organisers and friends of Hingham primary. You did a great job.

The latest financial fiasco from the Tories at Norfolk County Council. This time costs spiralled from £13.5m to £34m (and still counting) with millions plundered from the pothole budget to pay for it. An utter failure of management and oversight. The new Reform UK administration will pursue every avenue to recover costs and hold those responsible to account.

Row breaks out after Norwich Castle revamp bill overruns to £34m The bill for Norwich Castle's keep revamp has increased to £34.5m - and money meant to fix roads will be taken out of County Hall's…

https://c.org/t6P6cSFYP5

Sign the Petition SAY NO barnham camp asylum development

The last two weeks have flown by starting with London Tech Week and a seminar at Canva, held by the amazing Norwich based Tech Educators. A big thank you to James Charles Adams for the invite and I’ll be catching up with a few Norfolk businesses I promised to, next week. From there to Makerfield to help out campaigning for Rob Kenyon.

This week has been preparing for my role on Norfolk County Councils Scrutiny Committee and the 88 questions I’ve prepared for officers, going off this weekend.

Also on Wednesday and Thursday back up to Makerfield to support Reform UK in the election and meeting lots of lovely people who travelled from all corners of the UK. Shout out goest to the two councillors from Wakefield council who joined me for the England game. It looks like our campaign to get Starmer Out rang so true that Andy Burnham used to win. BTW Andy Burnham was on the same train carriage as me, I didn’t give up my seat for him unlike Josh Simons.

My reflection for the week.
I attended a Norfolk County Council Apprenticeship Exhibition in Norwich. It was well attended as it should be, bearing in mind the rise in NEET’s. But I have to ask myself out of the 40 or 50 exhibitors, all promoting Apprenticeship Training, paid for by our taxes, why was there only one employer there who could actually deliver a job alongside their apprenticeship. (Military service org).

So my question is… what are we expecting our young people to do? Go on a never ending carousel of training courses hoping that the government becomes ‘Business Friendly’ and we start employing again. Or keep paying towards training for non existent jobs. Chicken and egg.

We have to start asking the right types of questions. What’s the outcome and return on investment?

I’ve employed several apprentices over the years who have gone on to have great careers. But right now many of my friends are retrenching and shedding staff - the price of anti-business polices.

Last day in Makerfield supporting Rob Kenyon. 20k steps today and feeling it. But the level of support and volunteers from every corner of the country is inspiring and humbling. Back to Norfolk later and on with the day job tomorrow. And maybe a sneaky beer in the Cherry Tree when I land.

Out in Makerfield today with the lovely Liv our Norfolk councillor. Now time for a beer with the Wakefield Councillors and time to watch England get off to a great start. Come on England.