South Norfolk

This article is about the district. For the constituency, see South Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency). For the place in the United States, see South Norfolk, Virginia.

"Southern Norfolk" redirects here. For the American railway company, see Norfolk Southern.

South Norfolk District
Non-metropolitan district
Market Place in Wymondham, the district's largest town.
Shown within Norfolk
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Constituent country	England
Region	East of England
Administrative county	Norfolk
Formed	1 April 1974
Admin. HQ	Broadland Business Park near Norwich
Government
• Type	South Norfolk District Council
•  MPs:	Richard Bacon (C), George Freeman (C), Clive Lewis (L)
Area
• Total	351 sq mi (908 km2)
• Rank	33rd
Population  (2022)
• Total	144,593
• Rank	Ranked 154th
• Density	410/sq mi (160/km2)
Ethnicity (2021) [1]
•  Ethnic groups	List 95.4% White 1.8% Asian 1.5% Mixed 0.8% Black 0.5% other
Religion (2021) [1]
•  Religion	List 50.6% Christianity 47.3% no religion 1.5% other 0.6% Islam
Time zone	UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+1 (British Summer Time)
ONS code	33UH (ONS) E07000149 (GSS)

South Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, England. The largest town is Wymondham, and the district also includes the towns of Costessey, Diss, Harleston, Hingham, Loddon and Long Stratton. The council was based in Long Stratton until 2023 when it moved to the Broadland Business Park near Norwich, in the neighbouring Broadland district, as part of a shared facility with Broadland District Council. Some of the district's urban areas (including Costessey) form part of the Norwich built-up area. The district also includes numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Some eastern parts of the district lie within The Broads.

The neighbouring districts are Breckland, Broadland, Norwich, Great Yarmouth, East Suffolk and Mid Suffolk.

History

The district was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering five former districts, which were all abolished at the same time: ^[2]

• Depwade Rural District
• Diss Urban District
• Forehoe and Henstead Rural District
• Loddon Rural District
• Wymondham Urban District

The new district was named South Norfolk, reflecting its position within the wider county. ^[3]

The council appointed a shared managing director with neighbouring Broadland District Council in 2018. The two councils' staff were merged in 2020 and the councils moved to a new shared building in 2023. ^{[4] [5]}

Governance

South Norfolk Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair	Sharon Blundell, Liberal Democrat since 20 May 2024 [6]
Leader	Daniel Elmer, Conservative since 20 May 2024
Managing Director	Trevor Holden since 2019 [7]
Structure
Seats	46 councillors
Political groups	Administration (23)   Conservative (23) Other parties (23)   Liberal Democrats (11)   Labour (9)   Independent (2)   Green (1)
Elections
Last election	4 May 2023
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
The Horizon Centre, Broadland Business Park, Peachman Way, Norwich, NR7 0WF
Website
www.southnorfolkandbroadland.gov.uk

South Norfolk Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Norfolk County Council. The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government. ^{[8] [9]}

In the parts of the district within The Broads, town planning is the responsibility of the Broads Authority. The district council appoints one of its councillors to sit on that authority. ^[10]

Political control

The council has been under no overall control since a by-election in May 2024. ^[11] Prior to that, the council had been under Conservative majority control since 2007. ^[12] The Conservatives continue to run the council, but as a minority administration. ^[13]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements took effect on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: ^{[14] [15]}

Party in control		Years
	Independent	1974–1976
	No overall control	1976–1979
	Conservative	1979–1987
	No overall control	1987–1995
	Liberal Democrats	1995–2007
	Conservative	2007–2024
	No overall control	2024–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

Councillor	Party		From	To
Richard Carden [16]		Liberal Democrats	2003	May 2006
Vivienne Clifford-Jackson [17]		Liberal Democrats	2006	May 2007
John Fuller [lower-alpha 1] [19] [20]		Conservative	May 2007	20 May 2024
Daniel Elmer		Conservative	20 May 2024

Composition

Following the 2023 election and subsequent by-elections up to May 2024, the composition of the council was: ^{[21] [22]}

Party		Councillors
	Conservative	23
	Liberal Democrats	11
	Labour	9
	Independent	2
	Green	1
Total		46

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

See also: South Norfolk District Council elections

Since the last full review of boundaries in 2019 the council has comprised 46 councillors representing 26 wards with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. ^[23]

UK Youth Parliament

Although the UK Youth Parliament is an apolitical organisation, the elections are run in a similar way to the local elections. The votes come from 11 to 18 year olds and are combined to make the decision^{[ clarification needed ]} of the next, 2 year Member of Youth Parliament. The elections are run at different times across the country; South Norfolk's are typically in early Spring and bi-annually. ^{[24] [25] [26]}

Premises

In 2023 the council moved to the Horizon Centre, a modern office building at the Broadland Business Park on the outskirts of Norwich (in the parish of Postwick with Witton). The council shares the building with Broadland District Council as part of their joint management and staff arrangement. ^[27]

South Norfolk House, Long Stratton: Council's headquarters 1979–2023.

Prior to 2023 the council was based at South Norfolk House at Cygnet Court in Long Stratton, which had been purpose-built for the council and was formally opened on 26 September 1979. ^[28]

Geography

South Norfolk population pyramid

At the time of the 2001 census, the district had an area of 909 km², with a population of 110,710 in 46,607 households. ^[29]

Towns and parishes

The district made up of 119 civil parishes. The parish councils for Costessey, Diss, Hingham, Loddon, Long Stratton, Redenhall with Harleston, and Wymondham have declared their parishes to be towns, allowing them to take the style "town council". ^[30]

• Alburgh, Aldeby, Alpington, Ashby St. Mary, Ashwellthorpe and Fundenhall, Aslacton
• Barford, Barnham Broom, Bawburgh, Bedingham, Bergh Apton, Bixley, Bracon Ash, Bramerton, Brandon Parva, Coston, Runhall and Welborne, Bressingham, Brockdish, Brooke, Broome, Bunwell, Burgh St. Peter, Burston and Shimpling
• Caistor St. Edmund, Carleton Rode, Carleton St. Peter, Chedgrave, Claxton, Colney, Costessey, Cringleford
• Denton, Deopham, Dickleburgh and Rushall, Diss, Ditchingham
• Earsham, East Carleton, Easton, Ellingham
• Flordon, Forncett (comprising Forncett St Mary and Forncett St Peter), Framingham Earl, Framingham Pigot
• Geldeston, Gillingham, Gissing, Great Melton, Great Moulton
• Haddiscoe, Hales, Heckingham, Hedenham, Hellington, Hempnall, Hethersett, Heywood, Hingham, Holverston, Howe
• Keswick and Intwood, Ketteringham, Kimberley, Kirby Bedon, Kirby Cane, Kirstead
• Langley with Hardley, Little Melton, Loddon, Long Stratton
• Marlingford and Colton,
• Morley, Morningthorpe and Fritton, Mulbarton, Mundham
• Needham, Newton Flotman, Norton Subcourse
• Poringland, Pulham Market, Pulham St. Mary
• Raveningham, Redenhall with Harleston, Rockland St. Mary, Roydon
• Saxlingham Nethergate, Scole, Seething, Shelfanger, Shelton and Hardwick, Shotesham, Sisland, Starston, Stockton, Stoke Holy Cross, Surlingham, Swainsthorpe, Swardeston
• Tacolneston, Tasburgh, Tharston and Hapton, Thurlton, Thurton, Thwaite, Tibenham, Tivetshall St Margaret, Tivetshall St. Mary, Toft Monks, Topcroft, Trowse with Newton,
• Wacton, Wheatacre, Wicklewood, Winfarthing, Woodton, Wortwell, Wramplingham, Wreningham, Wymondham
• Yelverton

Merger

In October 2020, Private Eye reported a total of £594,000 was paid to two managers leaving South Norfolk council as a result of the merger^{[ when? ]} of the management teams at South Norfolk and Broadland councils, which included £540,000 to outgoing chief executive Sandra Dinneen. ^[31] (A further £357,000 in termination payments was to be shared between three managers leaving Broadland council due to the merger.) The councils stated these so-called "golden goodbyes" would save them money, as they would have fewer highly paid senior officials after they departed. ^[32]

In early 2023, South Norfolk District Council and Broadland District Council moved into a joint headquarters in the Broadland Business Park near Norwich. As a result of this move, South Norfolk District Council's headquarters no longer sits within the district. However, proponents of the move defend the decision, stating that due to the population density of the district being heavily weighted towards the greater Norwich suburbs, the new headquarters is more accessible to the majority of the district's residents than the previous headquarters in Long Stratton.

Arms

Coat of arms of South Norfolk

Notes Granted 23 July 1979. [33] Crest On a wreath of the colours a demi-boar Ermine langued Gules between two wings addorsed Argent resting the sinister hoof upon a hexagon Or enclosing a mullet Azure. Escutcheon Per chevron lozengy Argent and Vert and barry wavy of six Azure and Argent in chief two garbs and in the fess point a hexagon [voided] Or. Motto Service Without Prejudice

References

1. Ennobled in March 2024 as Baron Fuller of Gorleston-on-Sea in the County of Norfolk; he resigned as leader shortly afterwards. ^[18]

1. UK Census (2021). "2021 Census Area Profile – South Norfolk Local Authority (E07000149)". Nomis. Office for National Statistics . Retrieved 5 January 2024.
2. "The English Non-metropolitan District (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 17 November 2023
3. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
4. "Broadland District Council and South Norfolk Council" . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
5. "Broadland and South Norfolk councils set to move into old Aviva office". BBC News. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
6. "Council minutes, 20 May 2024" (PDF). South Norfolk Council. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
7. Bunn, Jon (5 October 2018). "Holden to leave Luton for joint district role". Local Government Chronicle. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
8. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
9. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
10. "Who we are". Broads Authority. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
11. Devlin, Laura; Thewlis, Jo (3 May 2024). "Conservatives lose their slim majority on South Norfolk Council". BBC News. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
12. "Conservatives lose majority on South Norfolk Council". Eastern Daily Press . 3 May 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2024.
13. Storey, Eleanor (21 May 2024). "Daniel Elmer elected as new leader of South Norfolk Council". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
14. "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
15. "South Norfolk". BBC News Online . Retrieved 17 March 2010.
16. Thompson, George (30 March 2022). "Long-serving councillor resigns due to ill health". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
17. Thompson, George (30 March 2022). "Long-serving councillor resigns due to ill health". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
18. "No. 64344". The London Gazette . 14 March 2024. p. 5190.
19. Thompson, George (24 May 2022). "Council leader reappointed for his 16th year". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
20. Morris, Chris (5 March 2024). "Peerage will see John Fuller quit role as South Norfolk Council leader". Diss Express. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
21. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
22. "South Norfolk". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
23. "The South Norfolk (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 2017/1082, retrieved 10 December 2023
24. "Members of Youth Parliament - Norfolk County Council". norfolk.gov.uk.
25. "Your Norfolk -". yournorfolk.norfolkpublications.org.uk.
26. Cope, Lauren. "Norfolk's four new Members of Youth Parliament are announced". Eastern Daily Press.
27. "Broadland and South Norfolk councils set to move into old Aviva office". BBC News. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
28. "Courage of council is praised". Diss Express. 28 September 1979. p. 1. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
29. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes Archived 11 February 2017 at the Wayback Machine . Retrieved 2 December 2005.
30. "Parish and town councils". South Norfolk Council. Retrieved 10 December 2023.
31. "Eastern Daily Press".
32. Private Eye, Issue 1532, p. 21
33. "East of England Region". Civic Heraldry of England. Retrieved 9 March 2021.

External links

• Diss Express - district's local newspaper website

52°29′31″N1°13′52″E / 52.4920°N 1.2312°E / 52.4920; 1.2312