Summary

  • Updates on Thursday, 3 November 2017

  • X Factor reject backs his brother in next stage

  • Train problems have knock-on effect for King's Lynn services

  • 'Trust lost in village' over bonfire

  1. West Suffolk MP has 'positive' meeting with roads ministerpublished at 09:45 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2017

    Matt Hancock, the Conservative MP for West Suffolk, says although no more money was pledged, his meeting with the Roads Minister Jesse Norman on Monday evening was "positive".

    "Take the Fiveways roundabout for example - about five years ago we got that incredible improvement to the dual carriageway, the A11, but there's clear problems at Fiveways [roundabout at Mildenhall]," said Mr Hancock.

    "We've [already] got a commitment to half a billion pounds to put in traffic lights which most people think would have a good impact in the short term.

    Fiveways roundabout

    "The other thing that was interesting is the longer term question - we need really the dual carriageway to run all the way through and have the roundabout separate rather than everyone having to stop at the roundabout.

    "Now that obviously is a much more expensive piece of work, but that's on the table too."

  2. MEP: 'UKIP defections disloyal and disgusting'published at 08:44 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2017

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    One of UKIP's senior MEPs has attacked a group of Great Yarmouth defectors as "disloyal, depressing and disgusting".

    Seven of the 12 UKIP councillors on town's Borough Council have switched to the Conservatives, giving the Tories full control of the local authority.

    One of them, Kay Grey, said that after the Leave result in the EU referendum "many voters feel this is UKIP's job done".

    Norfolk farmer Stuart Agnew, a UKIP MEP for the East of England whose office is in Great Yarmouth, said "The Conservatives are not getting Brexit right, without UKIP the Tories are going to be able to get away with an unsatisfactory Brexit.

    "Now is not the time to leave."

  3. Plans to boost number of affordable homes in Hunstantonpublished at 08:35 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2017

    A new housing estate is being planned for Hunstanton to up the number of affordable homes there.

    Estate agents say there's been a steep rise in house prices over the past five or six years, driven by the demand for second homes.

    Dale Gagen, an officer from King's Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council, external, says with a government grant they could build a number of affordable homes in partnership with developers: "What we've managed to do, is the council's come up with the site, the government's come up with some grant money.

    "We've put the two together and we're able to build these additional 14 properties for people in Hunstanton."

  4. Tuesday's weather: Dry with sunny spellspublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 31 October 2017

    Kate Kinsella
    BBC Weather

    It will be dry today, with a mixture of sunny spells but also occasional cloudier periods.

    There will be light winds, and it will also feel warmer than it was on Monday.

    Top temperature: 13C (55F).

    Afternoon weather map

    It should be dry overnight, with any areas of patchy cloud gradually clearing. This will allow some mist or fog patches to develop during the early hours of the morning.

    Lows of 9C (48F).

    Get a more detailed forecast where you live from BBC Weather.

  5. Seven UKIP councillors defect to Toriespublished at 21:11 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    One of the defectors says that after the EU referendum "many voters feel this is UKIP's job done".

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  6. Gate-fitter jailed over crush deathpublished at 18:36 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Jill Lunn suffered a heart attack while trapped under a heavy metal gate that had fallen on her.

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  7. Overnight weather: Mainly dry with a risk of ground frost in placespublished at 17:34 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Julie Reinger
    BBC Look East weather

    Mainly dry with some clear spells across the BBC East region, but thicker cloud from the north- west could produce some rain or drizzle later.

    Temperatures under clearer skies could fall as low as 1C (34F), with the risk of a ground frost, but temperatures will be higher where there’s more cloud.

    Overnight weather map

    There'll be a cloudy start to Tuesday, with some spots of rain but it should become drier and brighter with the chance of some hazy sunshine.

    Mainly light west to south westerly winds and highs around 13C (55F).

    Get a more detailed forecast where you live, from BBC Weather.

  8. Good news from Carrow Road about midfielder Alex Pritchardpublished at 16:39 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    BBC Radio Norfolk's Rob Butler has been to today's Norwich City press conference ahead of the visit of Wolves in The Championship tomorrow:

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  9. Banister-slide pupil died after fallpublished at 16:33 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Michael Sousa, 12, was warned by a teacher about sliding on the day of his death, an inquest hears.

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  10. Postman Pat van first to test new roadpublished at 16:25 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    The new road near Norwich is due to open on 12 November.

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  11. Stuck-in-the-mud pooch rescued in Fenspublished at 14:44 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Helen Burchell
    BBC News

    This rather sheepish looking dog had to be rescued after getting himself into a spot of bother while out for "walkies".

    Dog stuck in ditchImage source, Cambs Fire and Rescue Service
    Image caption,

    "I'm sorry..."

    The German shepherd-Rottweiler cross had managed to get stuck in a deep muddy ditch in Coldham near Wisbech on Friday.

    Two crews used a long ladder to rescue him, after Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue Service was called by his distraught owner.

    Dog stuck in mudImage source, Cambs Fire and Rescue Service
    Image caption,

    "I honestly didn't mean to get stuck..."

    "The owner heard his dog whimpering in the dyke and tried getting him out himself. The dog got further up the dyke, but became very tired," a spokesman said.

    They had to wrap the cold, muddy dog in blankets before he was taken to be checked over by a vet.

    "The owner of the dog did the right thing by getting in touch with the fire service," the spokesman added.

    "We always encourage dog owners to contact us to avoid putting themselves at risk."

  12. Councillors clash over County budgetpublished at 12:52 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    Opposition councillors on Norfolk County Council have attacked next year's proposed budget describing the plans as "vague and lacking detail".

    Today's council meetin
    Image caption,

    Todays meeting of the Policy and Resources committee

    The ruling Conservatives insisted that greater efficiency could lead to better services.

    Under the proposals which are going out to consultation, there will be £41m cuts over the next four years, including savings having to be found for budgets covering children's centres, road maintenance and bus services.

    But the council can't provide details yet about the effects on individual projects or services.

    The leader of the Labour group, Steve Morphew, told today's Policy & Resources Committee, external "people out there deserve answers", while Dan Roper for the Liberal Democrats described the forthcoming consultation as "a sham".

    "If there are going to be cuts, why doesn't the council come out and say there will be cuts?" Mr Roper asked.

    Council leader Cliff Jordan said he wanted to provide better services by being more efficient with a declining budget.

    "It's not about cuts," he said.

    "We know we're not going to get as much money [from central government] - it's about trying to get the best we can with the money we have."

    The authority will finalise its budget for 2018-19 in February.

  13. Plans for proposed new school at North Lynn to go on showpublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Early plans for a proposed new school and nursery in North Lynn are going on show later this week.

    The proposal is to relocate the existing St Edmund’s Academy, external primary to a brand new site on the Lovell housing development. A new school building with up-to-date classrooms and a playing field would be built, along with a nursery.

    The new building would allow the school to increase its roll from 315 to 420 places, with the potential to expand further if needed.

    The plans will be on view at the following times/places:

    • Wednesday, 1 November - Active Lynnsport, Greenpark Avenue, King's Lynn from 10:00 to 14:00
    • Thursday, 2 November - St Edmund's Academy, Kilham's Way, King's Lynn from 15:30- 18:00

    Norfolk County Council says the events will enable people to see the early designs before a detailed application is submitted in the near future.

    If a future planning application is approved, it's hoped work could start in summer 2018, with completion the following year.

  14. MP holds surgery for concerned Britvic employeespublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    The MP for Norwich North has held a surgery at the Britvic factory in Norwich, for employees concerned at the potential closure of the site.

    Chloe Smith at the Britvic factoryImage source, Chloe Smith

    Chloe Smith (Conservative) met with employees at the end of last week and listened to their concerns, whilst updating them on the work she is doing to support the closure-prevention campaign.

    Last week, Chloe met the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in Westminster, to discuss the possible closures of Britvic and Unilever’s operations in Norwich.

    Chloe emphasised that around 350 jobs could be at risk.

  15. Support for Fakenham car parkpublished at 10:23 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    People in Fakenham will find out later on if they will keep the Highfield Road car park.

    A consultation, external about the future of the land at Highfield Road saw 200 people respond, with the majority in favour of keeping the facility.

    Now North Norfolk District Council officers are recommending it's kept as a car park and that £75,000 of improvements are made.

    Highfield Road car park, FakenhamImage source, Google

    Annie-Claussen Reynolds and Roy Reynolds, councillors for Fakenham's Lancaster ward, said: "We are pleased that so many people completed the survey and once it was clear that the majority wanted to keep the car park this gave us a steer.

    "We have requested that the toilets are refurbished, and, also, a couple of coach places are provided."

    Councillors vote on the issue today.

  16. More Norfolk County Council cuts on waypublished at 09:20 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Andrew Sinclair
    BBC Look East political correspondent

    Further proposed cuts to public spending of £41m, and a 4.9% increase in council tax, are being discussed by Norfolk County Council as it begins the process of drawing up next year's budget this morning.

    Members of the Policy & Resources Committee, external are expected to launch a consultation into the proposals which are fairly "broad brush" at the moment.

    They include:

    • making some people with disabilities contribute towards the cost of their care
    • a "remodelling" of children's centres which could see some closed or moved into other council buildings
    • a cut in subsidy for bus services
    • a reduction in non-safety critical highway maintenance
    • a reduction in the number of roads gritted

    The council leader Cliff Jordan says the Conservatives are committed to being as efficient as possible with the budget, with the aim of helping those most in need.

    But the Labour group leader Steve Morphew says the cuts have gone too far, telling BBC Radio Norfolk this morning "we're now down to the bone, we're beyond the bone".

    The £41m cuts cover the next four years. The council's annual budget is £1.4bn.

  17. Yellow bikes about to hit the streets of Norwichpublished at 08:45 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    A bike-sharing scheme will start in Norwich tomorrow, making it the fourth city in Britain to get the bikes, which can be picked up and dropped off anywhere within a defined zone.

    The scheme, which is run by OFO, external, will see 200 bikes available from 50p an hour.

    Users pick up a bike, unlock it via a mobile phone app, ride it where they want to go, then leave it there, ready for someone else to use.

    Bike in front of CathedralImage source, OFO

    Mike Stonard, a city councillor, says they've made sure there's a code of conduct within the scheme to prevent bikes being discarded or badly parked: "Anybody abandoning a bike is immediately off the scheme and anybody who breaks transport regulations for example, there's a 'two strikes and you're out' system.

    "For good behaviour you get additional points, for bad behaviour you lose points," he said.

    "If they get down to zero points they're off the scheme and they're not allowed to use it any more."

    Bikes at Castle WalkImage source, OFO
  18. Canaries wait on latest Oliveira injurypublished at 08:13 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Chris Goreham
    BBC Radio Norfolk sport

    Norwich City lost striker Nelson Oliveira just 10 minutes after he came on as a substitute in Saturday's 2-1 defeat by Derby County at Carrow Road.

    The Portuguese international suffered a calf problem and had to be replaced as The Canaries lost a league game for the first time since August.

    Nelson OliveiraImage source, Getty Images

    Oliveira has been battling a groin problem this season, but head coach Daniel Farke told me this is a new concern.

    "It would be good to have him back on the pitch, but it doesn't look too good and we have to wait and see what the doctor says," he said.

  19. Monday's weather: Mainly dry, remaining rather coldpublished at 08:00 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    Kate Kinsella
    BBC Weather

    Many places will stay with patchy cloud and sunny spells, but it will feel rather chilly.

    Any light showers will slowly fade away.

    Top temperature: 11C (52F).

    It will become increasingly cloud, with outbreaks of rain or drizzle possible by the early hours of Tuesday.

    Lows of 6C (43F).

    Get a more detailed forecast where you live, from BBC Weather.

  20. Victim of fake army major 'ashamed'published at 00:30 Greenwich Mean Time 30 October 2017

    A widow has spoken out after falling for one of the most common 'romance fraud' scenarios and losing thousands.

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