Great Yarmouth council leader believes new county role will benefit borough

Graham Plant has been named as the deputy to new council leader, Andrew Proctor, who has replaced Cliff Jordan.

From his new position, Mr Plant believes he will be able to have more influence with regard to the issues facing the borough.

He said: “I think it will enhance what we’re doing in Great Yarmouth. We have some flooding issues across the borough, highways issues, social care issues, children’s services issues, all these things that we already feed into.

“I think at this point as well there’s an awful lot of issues that surround Great Yarmouth that are county led, and in that light, I can make sure that these issues are highlighted.

“Being deputy leader at the county I will be able to have more influence.”

Mr Plant added that he could use his dual position to benefit both the borough and the county.

“Balancing the roles will be fine. I’ve already got the personal assistants working together to make sure the diaries don’t clash and to ensure I am still available for meetings and everything else, so I don’t see any problems there.

“Obviously, in the past I have been a cabinet member at county in charge of transport and we have an awful lot of investment going on in Great Yarmouth at the moment.

“I think this new role will benefit Yarmouth but I also think it will benefit Norfolk, because there’s so much going on in Yarmouth as far as the offshore gas and wind energy is concerned, which is to benefit Norfolk.

“I am also the vice chairman on the A47 alliance, so again, making sure we have the monies to make more improvements along the A47, which helps Norfolk and Great Yarmouth.”

Mr Proctor was elected the new leader at an extraordinary meeting of the council on Friday June 1 by 49 votes to 13, with four abstentions.

He said: “It’s a situation which, I must admit, I didn’t quite expect. Having said that, the feeling really is now is that there’s a job to be done, let’s get on with that job.”