A story of shameful Tory failures, unfair service cuts, and personal greed, set against Labour’s pragmatic proposals and a determined campaign for positive change in Norfolk
2016
Labour councillors join and support WASPI women protests
Labour councillors consistently support Norfolk fire service staff to oppose cuts to their service and protect their pay and pensions
April 2017
Mental Health Service Campaign
Labour councillors join March for Mental Health and continue to campaign for safe services
July 2017
Labour Motions to Council
Labour motion to protect Norfolk fire and rescue service – Tories voted against
Labour councillors support Norwich Pride
October 2017
Labour Motions to Council
Labour motion on fair funding for local councils – passed
Labour motion to support pay increase for staff – passed
Labour motion to implement Norfolk Carers charter (our manifesto pledge) – passed
Labour motion to campaign to keep Britvic & Unilever jobs in Norfolk – Tories voted against
December 2017
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour motion to abandon proposed cuts to children’s centres – Tories voted against
Labour motion to oppose abolition of PCSOs- Tories voted against
Labour support motion to exempt care leavers from council tax – Tories voted against
Tory motion calling on their own government to carry out an urgent review of health and social care before the budget and properly fund social care with genuinely new money – passed unanimously cross party. But their own government has ignored them for four more years
Tories vote to raise their own Cllr allowances by and eye-watering 11% and increase the leaders allowance to £31,700. Labour vote against, and pledge not to take the rise
Shadow minister Tracy Brabin visited Norfolk children’s centres to listen to concerns of parents and staff about proposed closures
Shadow minister Lou Haigh joins Labour councillors and UNISON to campaign against removal of all 150 of Norfolk’s Police Community Support Officers
January 2018
Labour Campaign Against Allowance Increases
Labour call special council meeting on councillor allowances. Public petition signed by over 6,000 people received. Labour defeated as Tories vote to uphold the allowance rise
February 2018
Children's Centres Campaign
Labour propose a budget amendment to reverse cuts to Children’s Centres and invest in changing streetlights to LED lights to reduce carbon. Tories vote against
Labour councillors support parents to travel to parliament to lobby MPs about cuts to children’s centres
April 2018
Labour Social Care Campaign
Labour motion to start live-streaming council meetings to increase transparency and accessibility – Tories voted against
Labour motion to oppose take over of our Fire Service by Police and Crime Commissioner. Passed with cross-party support
Labour raises concern about stability of social care system. Cllr Borrett assures us he is “sure there is adequate provision”
June 2018
Labour Refugees Welcome Campaign
Labour councillors support Schools of Sanctuary and Refugee Week, and continue to support annually
July 2018
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour challenge 44% cut to library service. Leader says “cut is not the best word to use, the best phrase is re-shaping the service”
Labour challenge Tory claim that increased allowance for leader and deputy are because they are ‘full time roles’ when Graham Plant is leader of another council. Tories refuse to answer question
Labour motion to scrap DIY waste charges. Tories vote it down
Labour motion to make membership of Freemasons an interest that must be declared by Councillors. Tories wreck it.
Labour raise concerns about high level of school exclusions and damage to young people’s life chances
Labour councillors support Pride
September 2018
Labour Campaign to Save Colmans
Labour councillors support striking workers at Colman’s factory and join protest march through Norwich to try and keep jobs in Norwich
October 2018
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour support motion to oppose closing children’s centres. Tories vote it down.
Council agree to give care leavers exemption from council tax (the tories having voted against it the previous year!)
Labour amendment to make membership of any organisation a declarable interest for all councillors. Tories vote it down. What have they got to hide?
Labour ask that councillor allowances are frozen. Tory Andrew Proctor stands by his commitment to raise them further
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn visits Norfolk children’s centre to support campaign to keep them open
November 2018
Labour Children's Centres Campaign
Labour councillors join parents and children marching through Great Yarmouth to oppose children’s centre cuts
December 2018
Labour Motions and Campaigns
Labour ask how many responses to consultation on closure of children’s centres were opposed. Tories refuse to answer
Labour motion to improve support to foster carers and work with local businesses to raise awareness. Voted down by Tories
January 2019
Labour MIG Campaign
Labour councillors support disabled people and carers protest against cuts to Minimum Income Guarantee
February 2019
Labour Budget Amendment & Campaigns
Labour budget amendment to defer cut to Minimum Income Guarantee, and put money back in to children’s centre services. Defeated by Tories
Labour councillors support School Climate Strike
April 2019
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour challenge leader over gender balance of cabinet (only one woman appointed!)
Labour asks Tory leader if he agrees that we are facing a climate crisis – he replies NO!
Labour asks Tory leader to rule out future councillor allowance rises – he refuses
Labour motion on tackling climate crisis – voted down by Tories
Labour motion on supplying sanitary products in council premises – sabotaged by Tories
Labour use excess councillor allowances to provide free sanitary products for staff and visitors at County Hall
May 2019
Tory Climate Crisis Confusion
Leader asked again by Labour if he accepts there is a climate crisis – still refuses to say YES!
Tories vote through further increased allowances to Chair and Vice Chair of council. Labour vote against
Labour challenge the Tories over reckless Western Link plans
Labour motion calling on Tory leadership to meet with disabled people and carers to discuss the impact of MIG cuts – Voted down by Tories
Labour challenge Tories over Northern Distributor Road overspend
Labour councillors join march and protest against cuts to SEND funding
July 2019
Inclusive Labour
Labour councillors support pride
August 2019
More Tory Shame
Tory Cllr Margaret Stone emails parents of a man with Down’s Syndrome who are protesting cuts to their son’s income “I am increasingly disgusted in your campaign which is so selfish as to believe your needs are greater than the rest of the population”
September 2019
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour motion asking for patronising leaflet on MIG cuts to be withdrawn and start communicating with disabled people respectfully – Tories vote it down
Labour councillors support School Climate Strike
October 2019
Labour MIG Campaign
Labour councillors support disabled people and families to travel to London to lobby MPs about cuts to MIG
November 2019
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour motion to support WASPI women by introducing subsidised bus travel – Tories blocked debate and voted it down
Labour proposal to make park and ride bus fleet electric – Cllr Wilby claimed they were working with bus companies to make this happen “fairly soon”. Still not happened
Labour motion to give 16-19 year olds free travel and improve transport links – Tories vote it down
Labour amendment to protect existing woodland and ensure 1 million trees planted above any that are removed – passed unanimously
January 2020
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour proposal to ensure MIG raises in line with any benefit raises – opposed by Tories
Labour motion to ban trail hunting and exercising packs of dogs on County Land – voted down by Tories AND Lib Dems
February 2020
Labour Budget Amendments & Campaigns
Labour amendment to budget to stop work on western link, halt cllr allowance rises and invest in LED street lighting – Tories vote it down
Labour councillors support disabled people and carers protest against MIG cuts and spend time talking to those effected. Some Tories run away to avoid talking to them!
March 2020
Labour's Pandemic Support
As pandemic emerges Labour spot gap in emergency plan. Nothing in place to ensure stability of food supply to food banks across the County. Big gaps in support noticed in many areas. Labour councillors set up food banks, volunteer at foodbanks and good neighbour schemes and start “Food out Friday” distributing food across Norfolk and Waveney funded through our unwanted councillor allowances
July 2020
Labour Motions & Campaigns
Labour ask for guarantee mobile library services won’t be cut – Tories refuse
Labour motion to ensure children can access laptops for learning – Tories vote it down
Labour motion that council meetings should be BSL translated – Tories vote it down
Labour motion on food poverty – Tories vote it down
Motion amended by Labour to support economy, especially health and social care and small and medium businesses – Tories vote it down
September 2020
Labour Motions to Council
Labour motion on holiday hunger to extend support to families to school holidays – Tories vote it down
Labour motion to protect day centres – Tories vote it down
Labour motion to scrap plans to build new car park – Tories vote it down
Labour motion to reverse councillor allowance rise – Tories vote it down
Labour amend motion on flood resilience and to stop building on flood plains – Tories vote it down
November 2020
Tory Failure on Public Transport
Labour challenge Tories over lack of action on electric bus fleet
December 2020
Tory Shame on MIG
High Court find Norfolk County Council MIG cuts breached Human Rights of severely disabled people
January 2021
Save Holt Hall Campaign
Labour & Lib Dems call extraordinary meeting of future of Holt Hall outdoor learning. Tories vote to push ahead with closure