Streetlife

A crisis house for those suffering from mental illness who need a short non institutionalised break

A coordinated network of mostly off road, safe cycle routes throughout the greater Norwich area which would allow all residents of any age to travel freely and safely by bicycle.

Also agree with Anne's idea, though feel that more longer term, supported,  non institutionalised facilities are also needed.

Facility for designers/entrepreneurs to assist in bringing products and services to a business level. Workshops, IT centres, financing, advisers from business and 'angels' willing to develop these ideas. Priority for sustainable, environmental and local.

Reduce fares to Norwich to bring people from London Christmas Shopping a real deal not peppercorn % off

Another hospital, similar size to NNUH, to the north-east of Norwich would be a good idea.    The NNUH is inadequate for Norfolk's needs now.

Any help at all with mental illness would be a bonus - this area is seriously lacking in the funding to offer support to all those affected. The only help available has to be funded privately.

The best way to improve provision for mental illness it to lobby your local mental health care trust  (Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust), and put pressure on your government through your MP. I'm curious though about what help you have found is only available privately rather then through your GP?

The GP practice could only offer medication, although suggested counselling as well as medication would help enormously - but sadly there would be a waiting time of a minimum of 6 months, but realistically 12-18 months!  When a person finally comes to terms with the possibility they may be suffering with mental health problems, the help and support is needed urgently, and the prospect of having to wait 6 months is traumatic for them.

Yes I totally agree. I had hoped that services had got better with all the 'improving access to psychological therapy' initiatives. That is very disappointing.

In order to receive any funding, the idea needs to be one issue that will generate jobs and revenue which the city can't already produce through its normal day to day budgets. I'm afraid that the ideas about building a Hospital or improving mental health care won't do this. David's idea is probably the most workable and could well form part of a package.

job club

A hospital will create jobs, bringing money into the economy through more people being in work, paying NI and tax, also having increased ability to support local businesses who are likely to take on more staff as a result of having more customers and more income.  I wonder how much £1 spent by a new NHS employee is likely to make -  which they couldn't spend before?

Increased NHS services would mean less people would be on the sick list and more able to work - thus paying their contributions to the economy.

That's a fair point you make Linda, but I still feel that central government won't go for it particularly as they seem to be cutting jobs and funding in the NHS.

A coordinated network of mostly off road, safe cycle routes throughout the greater Norwich area would also create jobs in surveying, planning, designing, construction etc. If it was designed on the Dutch or Danish model it stands to increase bicycle journeys to more than 50% of all journeys so decreasing congestion on the roads, improving health, mobility and independence of the population, helping all businesses and also cancelling out the need for road projects such as the NDR, which would bring about huge savings to the council as well as central government. There would also be added benefits of reduced pollution, safer streets, greater independence of children, reduced reliance on the car, reduced reliance on fossil fuels and a quieter, more pleasant environment.

Transport - if businesses are going to open up here and thrive they and their customers need to be able to get here.

I've just moved back here after decades away and find that Norwich is virtually cut off from London at weekends on the trains. Engineering works between Norwich/Liverpool St and now also Norwich/Cambridge.
As for the roads - it will be great to have the A11 dualling - but when?
Cheaper buses - I was shocked to find it costs £2.40 single fare from Cringleford into the city - hardly an incentive to leave the car at home. Cycle lanes would help everyone. I've seen too many cyclists involved in accidents in Norwich to take to 2 wheels myself.
Norwich is far too reliant on public sector jobs - needs to attract more private sector and than won't happen until it's more accessible from the rest of the country.

I'd like to throw in a support for David Meddings idea, and develop it into a proposal: banks won't lend to small businesses (at least not those that they can't milk to high hell) and through a curious (and in my opinion irrational) mandate, credit unions can only lend to individuals, not businesses.

Therefore, there is a great shortage of credit available to business ideas that require small to medium size chunks of capital at what banks would say is high risk, but is really just that the investor needs to take an interest in what is being done with their investment.

Therefore, I would propose that Norwich needs a bank-type facility in its City Deal. The capital to invest may not come from the City Deal funding itself, but what is essential is that profits made are directed back into the local area, and not back to the City of London.  Loans made within the facility would require that only Norwich based businesses could take out the loans, and that their intended use of the loan would be with other Norwich-based businesses (i.e. the loan could not be spent with a non-local business advisor, or buying stock from overseas).  The money of the City Deal, rather than putting up the capital, would be there to audit such loans to ensure that they were being used to benefit local business.  The fund would also require that investors (and therefore payments of interest) are also local.

Actually, looking at what has been done in other City Deals, the original investment could be put up by the City Deal, but I still stand on the idea that ALL the money should be kept in the local area  to enhance growth.