Council news

Diss Town Council continues to work hard to enhance our town, plan fantastic events and provide financial support through our grant scheme. We now have a full complement of 14 councillors who, alongside our team of 13 staff, work on behalf of residents to make Diss a better place to live, work and visit. And we couldn’t do it without the help and commitment of many volunteers and groups who work with us. Thank you.

I’d like to thank all staff and councillors and local volunteers and groups who are working alongside the council to make a difference to our town. Diss Town Clerk, Sarah Richards ”

Improving facilities The play area in the park will soon include new equipment, which will better suit 4 to 8-year-olds and children with additional needs. The installation will include a double width slide, puzzle play panel, traversing bridge and fully accessible seesaw. It is due to be installed by spring 2022. Public feedback helped the council decide which design best met the criteria so thank you to all who commented during the consultation. To ensure the equipment at our sites continues to benefit the community, we’re committed to improving security at the park and to installing CCTV at both the skateboard park on Shelfanger Road and the Diss Youth and Community Centre (DYCC). We’re refocussing efforts to improve the water quality of the Mere, one of the council’s key objectives in its three-year strategic plan. We’re consulting with stakeholders, including experts in the field of habitat restoration and enhancement, to gather data to inform a plan of recommendations. These will include increased vegetation, drainage improvements, tree management, water

quality analysis and aeration. We continue to support the Friends of Parish Fields to restore and maintain an ancient walkway at the rear of the DYCC site. This will be officially launched in spring 2022. We’re also looking to plant additional trees as part of Norfolk County Council’s aim to plant one million trees across the county.

Vaccination programme We’re pleased to have been able to support the NHS’s COVID vaccination programme through the hire of the DYCC. This facility was the only Diss site to meet the programme’s criteria and has enabled

residents in Diss and surrounding parishes to access their vaccines more quickly. The third phase of the programme which is focusing on boosters is due to complete at the end of the year.

Restarting events It was great to see so many of you at our Annual Town Meeting at the end of September. We were privileged to be joined by our Honoured Citizen, Anne BeckettAllen, and Junior Good Citizen, Lily Mills, who were presented with their awards. We’ve led on preparations for this year’s Remembrance Day parade and service which takes place on 14 November. And, on 27 November, we see the return of the town’s Christmas lights switch-on. Looking ahead to next year, 14 and 15 May sees the return of the Diss Organ Festival. Between 2 and 5 June, there will be a special event to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee organised by the Beacon Committee. And the long-awaited Diss Carnival will take place on 3 July. Watch out for details coming soon.

Infrastructure improvements In partnership with Norfolk County Council (NCC), we’re making highway-related improvements in Diss. The Parish Partnership Scheme - funded equally by us and NCC - is one such example. This year, the Causeway Public Right of Way linking the A1066 to the town centre, will be resurfaced with new kerbing, lining and signage. We’re currently considering schemes for next year, including a third speed sign so we can target the key areas in the town more frequently. Other partnership projects include consideration of parking restrictions, the pedestrianisation of Mere Street, the link road between the railway station and Nelson Road and the Vinces Road/A1066 junction scheme.

The Diss & District Neighbourhood Plan, along with the feedback from the Regulation 14 pre-submission consultation, is being submitted to the Planning Authority for examination. We’ve received positive feedback about the new picnic benches on the Mere’s Mouth, which has seen an increase in footfall following the programme of works to fully pedestrianise the area. And we’re working with NCC’s EXPERIENCE team and other stakeholders in support of an outdoor art installation destined for the Mere’s Mouth area. This will be linked to a 250-mile walking/cycling trail to encourage new visitors to Norfolk.

Sarah Richards,

Town Clerk at Diss Town Council