Burnham Market Parish Council

  • RTS switch off in June – please help us reach vulnerable utility customers

    RTS (Radio Teleswitch Service) boxes are an old technology, introduced in the 1980s, attached to electricity meters in homes with an all-electric supply. Their purpose is to tell the meter when to switch between peak and off-peak and they are a vital part of keeping costs under control for all-electric customers.

    At the end of June, all RTS boxes will stop working.
    As such it is the responsibility of the utility providers to help their customers with this, by switching them to SMART meters. However, our research has shown that information on the subject is not that easy to find and, although we believe that the utility companies have written to their customers, we know that some people have a mistrust of SMART meters. We know of customers in West Norfolk who have refused to switch for this very reason.
    Our concern is that some vulnerable customers will find their bills soaring in June, when their meter will stop differentiating between peak and off-peak, so they will be charged peak prices for all consumption. I am attaching a leaflet to help customers.

  • Community Governance Review – Burnham Market NOTICE OF REVIEW

    Community Governance Review – Burnham Market

    NOTICE OF REVIEW

    In accordance with the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk is undertaking a Community Governance Review of the civil parish of Burnham Market.

    The review seeks determine if the maximum number of parish councillors for Burnham Market Parish Council should be reduced from 11 to 8.

    The Borough Council is conducting a consultation for the review process and is inviting local electors and any other party or body which appears to the Borough Council to have an interest in the review to submit their views.

    The council has published its Terms of Reference for the Review and a copy can be viewed and downloaded from the Borough Council’s website www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/burnhammarketcgr or obtained by contacting the Electoral Services team as shown below.
    Representations may be made in the following ways:

    By Post: Electoral Registration Officer, The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, King’s Court, Chapel Street, King’s Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 1EX

    The dates for submissions for the consultation are from 10 March 2025 to 20 April 2025.
    The Borough Council will consider and publish consultation submissions in due course. Final recommendations will be considered by Full Council at its meeting on 29 July 2025.
    For further information, please contact Electoral Services on 01553 616773 or e-mail: elections@west-norfolk.gov.uk

    Kate Blakemore
    Electoral Registration Officer
    03 March 2025

  • Devolution Update

    Government has today started the public consultation on proposed devolution for Norfolk and Suffolk, specifically on the proposal to form a Strategic Authority headed by a mayor. The Government is leading and running this consultation, however councils will help to amplify the message locally to help ensure the voice of communities in heard in this process. The consultation runs until 13 April. This consultation is specifically about forming a Mayoral Strategic Authority to bring about devolution. As you know, there are related discussions around Local Government Reorganisation for all Norfolk and Suffolk authorities, which will be subject to a separate engagement process later in the year, once councils have made a submission to Government on how reorganisation could look.

    More information is available on the following linsk and we will post updates as we receive them:

    Government comms:

  • Burnham Market Parish Council Newsletter –March 2025

    Burnham Market Parish Council Newsletter – Feb-March 2025

    Dear Burnham Market Residents,
    As we embrace the warmth of February, we hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying the quieter moments of winter. We’re always excited to share the latest updates with you and keep you connected to the happenings in our community.
    Meet Your Parish CouncilOur dedicated team of councillors is here to serve and enhance our beloved Burnham Market:
    • Cllr Keith Morris (Chair)
    • Cllr Angus Piper
    • Cllr David Cressy
    • Cllr Jeremy Neville-Elliot
    • Cllr Kath Neville-Elliot
    • Cllr Fiona Walker
    • Cllr Vicky DaviesCouncil Update: Exciting Changes and Updates We have some wonderful news to share:
    • Council Membership: To ensure smoother operations, the council is progressing through a process to reduce the councillors required to 8 Cllrs, making it easier to achieve a quorum at meetings.
    • New Chair: A heartfelt thank you to Cllr Keith Morris, who has graciously stepped up as the new Chair of the Council. In his absence, Cllr Fiona Walker did a fantastic job chairing our February 5th meeting.
    • We have one space available for a councillor, please email the clerk if you are interested.You can read the minutes from past meetings on our website. If you have any questions or concerns, we warmly invite you to join us at the next meeting on March 5th, 2025. Pop along, have a chat, and see what’s happening in our community!
    The agenda will be available online 3 working days before the meeting and also posted on the notice board.

    Highways Matters – Speed Reduction & Repairs

    We’re in discussions with Norfolk Highways about possible speed-reduction measures around the surgery and the repair of broken curbs in the village. If you spot any issues on the highways, please report them directly to Norfolk Highwaysusing their dedicated online platform. This allows us to pinpoint problems on the map for quicker resolution.
    Here’s the link to report any issues:

    Devolution Update

    We’ve heard that Norfolk and Suffolk have been fast-tracked for devolution, with 7 borough councils being replaced by unitary powers (the exact number is yet to be confirmed). While this restructuring of power is still unclear, we’re keeping a close eye on the developments and how they might impact the parish.
    The Borough Council is also releasing a weekly Friday newsletter to keep councils and clerks up to date, and we will share the link to this on our website as soon as we have it.
    Auction Dates – Get Ready for Summer!
    We’re thrilled to announce that the auction season is back! Hosted by C R Auctions, the auctions will run every Monday from June 16th to September 15th, 2025. Save the date and get ready to bid on some exciting items!

    Climate Change Champions

    We’re so excited that KLWBC is championing climate change awareness, and we’re wishing all the best to the young climate change champions from Burnham Market as they enter the competition!
    This is an amazing opportunity for local Year 5 students in primary schools across West Norfolk to learn about climate change and take action to reduce their environmental impact. Pupils will work together to create campaigns to encourage their school communities to take action.
    The winning classes will receive prizes, including a weather station (1st place), books for the library (2nd place), and a bug hunting kit (3rd place). Every participating pupil will also receive a badge and certificate of achievement!
    Teachers will receive training and prepared resources for the programme. This is a free-to- enter competition, sponsored by the Borough Council of King’s Lynn & West Norfolk. Schools have until March 1st, 2025 to register.Learn more about the competition here:
    Climate Champions Competition

    Correspondence and Parishioner Concerns

    We’ve heard from several parishioners, and we’re actively addressing their concerns, including issues with contractor behaviour, flooding updates, and building permissions.
    The Parish Council has specific powers and responsibilities which do not include highways and police matters and only offer a power to respond to planning applications. So for:

    • Planning Queries: For any questions or concerns about planning or enforcement, please reach out directly to KLWNBC Planning for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

    • Highways: For issues regarding highways, pavements, verges, or hedges, please contact Norfolk County Council.

    • Criminal or Suspicious Activity: For criminal or suspicious activity, please report directly to the Police.

      If you don’t receive a response from these, let us know—we’d be happy to follow up on your behalf (please provide case numbers and any photos).

      For anything else, we recommend emailing the Clerk ahead of the meeting. This gives us time to investigate and gather information, ensuring a quicker resolution at the meeting. But don’t worry—if you have something urgent or relevant to the agenda, you’re always welcome to bring it up during the meeting, too. Just know that decisions might be made in the meeting following, after further investigation.

      We’re always here to listen and take action to ensure Burnham Market remains a wonderful place to live.

      Thank You for Your Continued Support!

      We’re so grateful for your support and participation in making Burnham Market a truly special place to call home. If you have any questions or would like to raise any concerns,

    Teachers who are interested and would like to find out more can email laura.ferrier@groundwork.org.uk for more information.

    please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via the Clerk.

    Best regards,
    Burnham Market Parish Council

  • Flood Volunteers Needed!

    Dear Parishioners.

    The Norfolk County Council Flood risk team have been working for the past year on a computer model to identify steps that can be taken to minimise the consequences of flooding related to the River Burn.

    The preliminary results of this work will be issued for consultation to our Parish Council in March of this year.

    The Parish Council would like to assemble a small team of Volunteers particularly those with a historical knowledge of the River Burn to review the output of the model and the recommendations of the Flood Risk Team and respond accordingly.
    If you are interested in becoming a volunteer member of this group please contact the Parish Clerk.
    Thank you