Norfolk council 'spending money like a drunken sailor'

While an appeal for the council to spend £700 on a replacement gate for a playground in the town has been rejected, the same authority has splashed out £65,000 on revamping a play park in Sheringham.

Locals in Fakenham were told North Norfolk District Council does not have the budget for the relatively small sum, infuriating many who believe they have been overlooked in favour of their more glamorous seaside neighbour.

Their irritation was further exacerbated with the authority setting aside £30,000 to repair an ice cream kiosk in Cromer.

It led a Fakenham councillor to wonder if the council is "spending money like a drunken sailor" - just not in her town.

The play park in Fakenham, in The Lawns estate (Image: Google)

The new row follows past tensions between Conservative councillors in Fakenham and Stalham and the Liberal Democrat-controlled council, who claim their towns are getting less attention than their more prosperous coastal neighbours.

Liz Vickers, a Conservative Fakenham councillor (Image: NNDC)

At a recent full council meeting, Ms Vickers took the authority to task.

She said: "A Fakenham resident asked me why the gate has been removed as she was concerned about child safety.

"I understand this was due to it no longer meeting safety standards but when asked if it would be replaced, officers said there is no money left in the budget.

"How come there is £65,000 set aside for a new play area in Sheringham but the council cannot afford a meagre £700?"

Fakenham town centre (L) and Sheringham beach (R) (Image: Newsquest)

Following the meeting, she added: "It is like they are spending money like a drunken sailor.

"There is a wider issue here about how the authority has planned for play areas across the district. What does this mean if there is worn out or faulty play equipment?"

But Lucy Shires, cabinet member for property services, believes the criticism is unfair and has questioned why these safety concerns were not raised earlier.

And she has promised to investigate further why there are budget concerns regarding the replacement gate.

Lucy Shires, cabinet member for property, finance and estates (Image: NNDC)

She said: "If councillors or the public have safety concerns, I am worried they have been held off from being reported until at a council meeting.

"We take this responsibility seriously. We have no concerns about the safety of play equipment as our property services take great care of them."

Ms Shires added that Fakenham has seen significant investment recently, including award-winning new public toilets, a £1.8m roundabout and £11m swimming pool.

She added: "The argument for equity across the district is something we are working on. The Sheringham play park was agreed at full council so for it to be criticised is slightly confusing."

North Norfolk District Council is currently facing a £1.8m deficit next year and it is making a number of cuts and savings to plug the black hole, including shutting some of its public toilets and raising car park charges.

The Cabin in North Lodge Park, Cromer, which needs its thatched roof repaired or replaced (Image: Supplied)

It led Martin Bayes, a Stalham town councillor, to also question whether it was appropriate to spend £30,000 on replacing a thatched roof for the ice cream kiosk at Cromer's North Lodge Park.

Sited in the 'Collector's Cabin,' it reopened in 2023 after being derelict for 13 years. 

"Given the council is in dire financial straights, please can you confirm a cheaper solution can be found," he said.

In response, Ms Shires said: "We have a tenant in there and need to maintain the building, something we have to do or we will be at risk of not keeping the building safe, or the business, currently operating from there, viable.”

The amount of money it will invest in the repairs is still to be decided at a future cabinet meeting.