Shouldham Parish Council

Due to the Iron Age presentation in the King’s Arms at 7.30pm the meeting has been brought forward and the Agenda minimised.

Community Access to Cash Pilots

I am writing to make you aware of a new initiative which may help your constituency. The Access to Cash Pilots, an independently chaired initiative funded by the banking and finance industry, aims to help communities which are having challenges accessing and banking cash. This initiative was announced in the Autumn but is now close to launch. I am therefore reaching out in the hope that you will support its aims and encourage your constituents to get involved, in particular, through:

• Highlighting the pilots in your social media account when we launch, and
• Encouraging relevant communities within your constituency to apply for the pilots.

You will no doubt be aware of the effect that an increasingly cashless society is having on some communities, individuals and businesses across the UK, and in your constituency. The UK is one of the fastest adopters of digital payments, with cash use falling from over 60% of all transactions a decade ago, to just 28% last year. While there are huge benefits of digital payments to the economy and to many individuals, these changes are not working for everyone.  An independent report that I chaired in 2019, called the Access to Cash Review, showed that around 17% of the population will struggle without cash. And as cash use has declined, we have seen a reduction in the supporting cash infrastructure, including ATM numbers, which is making life harder for those who most rely on cash. As these people are disproportionately from poorer, more rural and more vulnerable communities, there is a risk that the digital revolution will leave millions behind.

In my report last year we recommended a twin track approach – first, to ensure that the digital payments revolution truly works for everyone, and second, to ensure that those who need cash can continue to access it and use it. Addressing these challenges will require coordinated action across government, industry and regulators, and there isn’t a single ‘silver bullet’. But positively, there is real action happening, and as part of this work, I have agreed to Chair an initiative to support communities in developing innovative solutions to retain cash access. The initiative will work with a small number of communities from around the country to test solutions to local access to cash needs, with the aim of both helping communities now, and providing insight into scalable solutions for national implementation. This goes beyond just putting in ATMs – and could include helping local shops provide cashback or supporting communities to be more confident when using digital payments.

Importantly this independent initiative is backed by the banking and finance industry, who will be providing investment support. I will Chair this initiative independently, and it will be governed by a Board consisting of representatives from industry, local small businesses and customer bodies.

I strongly believe in the potential for these pilots to find innovative ways to ensure that more communities can retain free to use cash access, with the ability to continue to use and bank cash. While I believe in this initiative, I’m conscious that the pilots alone will not solve the access to cash issue. I have lent it my support because I am confident that this initiative can be part of the solution.

I hope you will consider doing the same.

There is more information about how the scheme will work on our dedicated website www.communityaccesstocashpilots.org and as set out below.

Finally, if you know of any communities within your constituency that might benefit from one of the pilots, please do urge them to get involved. 

Kind regards,

Natalie Ceeney CBE

Chair – Community Access to Cash Pilots 

COMMUNITY ACCESS TO CASH PILOTS

The Community Access to Cash Pilots initiative aims to select a small number of UK communities to develop and support access to cash solutions which work for them. The initiative is supported by the banking and finance industry which will provide resources in the form of financing and access to local staff who understand what is possible, linked to a central team who have the influence to support delivery.

Pilot communities will be selected by an independent Board, chaired by Natalie Ceeney CBE and supported by a mix of industry, small business and customer representatives.

The initiative is keen to test scalable solutions which have the potential to help keep cash sustainable across the whole of the UK. The findings from these pilots will inform what needs to happen nationally.

To become a pilot community, applicants must provide information on the community in question, its needs and the leadership it can provide to work with the initiative. Creating solutions must be a joint effort. This requires a time commitment from pilot communities.

Any individual can apply. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the degree of local community support backing the submission, such as local business groups who are willing to engage and local councillors or MP.

Applications can be submitted online or in writing and further information on how to apply can be found on the Community Access to Cash Pilots website at www.communityaccesstocashpilots.org. The closing date for applications is midnight on Friday 1^st May 2020.

The initiative aims to work in two stages; first to identify community needs and possible solutions, and then to put those solutions into practice.

The independent Board will select the pilot communities and will be looking for the following:

–          Evidence of need within the community. E.g. is there a group of people who currently struggle to access cash, or bank cash? Has the community seen services close, and no viable replacement? Are there people who are vulnerable (e.g. older and housebound, disabled, on low incomes) who are struggling because of a lack of cash services? How many people would a better local cash infrastructure help?

–          Evidence of leadership.  Applicants should describe what resources they are willing to put behind their engagement, in terms of people and time. The broader the support base the better, especially if this includes people with local influence and power.

–          An open mind. The initiative wants to work with communities to find innovative solutions and will engage with an open mind. The answer might be new, or it might be something we already know (like cashback).

The Board will select the pilot communities in May and will provide an update via the pilots website on the applicants selected. The initiative’s central team will then work with the pilot communities over the course of 2020, first to understand local needs and develop possible solutions, and then to implement agreed solutions.

 How you can help?

It’s so important that we reach as many relevant communities as possible and that they are supported by senior figures within the community. There are two ways in which you can help make the pilots a success:

1. Your help publicly promoting the initiative on launch. For example, by highlighting the pilots through your social media account when we launch on 15 February.

1. Your help to encourage relevant communities within your constituency to apply for the pilots. This could involve including information about the initiative on your website, or in any regular communications with constituents.

From Dr Julia Nunn

I am attempting to trace my ancestry, and I hope that there may be someone in the village of Shouldham who may be able to help.My great grandfather was Henry William Shirley born circa 1866/1867. He trained a carpenter, and when young left Shouldham to find work in London where he boarded with Caroline Smith, a widow who ran his boarding house. She and Henry Shirley married although she was more than 15 years older than he was, and already had 4 children by a previous marriage. Their sole offspring was Nellie Ann Shirley born 1891 who was my grandmother. The problem is that I cannot track Henry William Shirley at all prior to 1891. He is present in the electoral register from 1891-1911; and in the general census 1891, 1901, 1911 in Streatham, London where he is already married to Caroline. But there is no birth record for him, nothing I can find in any census for 1871 or 1881. I know that he definitely came from Shouldham, as my father visited his relatives there when he was a child, and the census for 1911 lists it as his birthplace.I would be grateful for any assistance, or clarification.

If you have any information please email: ruanna2100@gmail.com

Thank you for your support

Best wishes

Norfolk’s Police and Crime Commissioner has launched his annual budget consultation setting out the challenges facing policing in the county and seeking residents’ views on how best to meet them.

During his fourth year of delivering his ambitious Police and Crime Plan for Norfolk PCC Lorne Green is now asking the public if they would be prepared to pay extra in a bid to build a safer and more resilient Norfolk – or prefer no rise at all.

The PCC is required by law to set the budget for Norfolk Constabulary and as part of this, decide how much the Norfolk public contributes to the policing element of Council Tax they pay. To inform this decision, each year Lorne has consulted with people across the county on whether or not this should increase.

This year’s consultation will run from today Monday 16 December until Friday 17 January 2020 and will see Lorne touring the county to seek the views of Norfolk residents.

“It is imperative to me I hear the views of as many Norfolk residents as I can to ensure I make a fully informed decision,” said Lorne.

“Every year, a large majority of the Norfolk public have supported an increase in the police precept to ensure the Norfolk Constabulary can continue to provide a high-quality service.

“Based on the needs set out by the Chief Constable for Norfolk and with the support of residents, I have previously continued to raise the police precept to invest in a number of areas identified as priorities by the Norfolk public.”

During his tenure, the PCC has previously invested in areas, including:

Increasing the number and visibility of uniformed officers – Norfolk now has 138 more officers as a result.

The roll-out of 21st century technology including drones, body-worn cameras and expansion of Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology.

Policing and crime prevention in rural areas including introduction of Rural Crime Officers, increased Constabulary engagement with rural communities and the launch of the ‘Raise the Alarm’ campaign to reduce church lead thefts.

Tackling abuse through an increase in detectives and the creation of two new ‘Investigation Hubs’ in the county.

Increasing support for all victims, including services for victims of domestic abuse and sexual assaults.
“Looking ahead to the next five years, the risks in our communities and the pressures on Norfolk Constabulary will continue to be very challenging for the police and my office,” added Lorne.

“The increase in some of the most abhorrent and harmful crimes, including domestic abuse, sex offences, child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation, has also left officers undertaking complex investigations on a frequent basis.

“This fundamentally changes how the police need to do their business and long-term steps to make our communities and future generations more resilient are necessary.

“Raising taxation is a decision no-one wants to take, particularly at a time when, for so many, incomes are stretched.

“However, we are faced with some stark choices and I need to fully understand how supportive you are of the different options available to keep Norfolk safe and build long-term resilience.”

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Have your say

You can read the full consultation document and take the survey online by visiting www.norfolk-pcc.gov.uk.

If you would prefer a hard copy of the consultation pack, these are available on request by telephone to (01953) 424455 or by email to opccn@norfolk.pnn.police.uk.

If you require the consultation information in an alternative format, please get in touch with your request.

Date for your diary: The PCC’s next Question and Answer session with Norfolk’s Chief Constable Simon Bailey is due to take place on Thursday 16 January 2020 from 6pm at The Bell Hotel, King Street, Thetford, IP24 2AZ.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend to share any views, issues or concerns about crime and policing in their area.

WTRO1711 – Closed until 28 Dec – see link for diversion and full details.

Message from the NHS