The start of a new era in West Norfolk

In our weekly Friday Politics column, Cllr Pallavi Devulapilli of the Green Party, writes...

How quickly the time has passed. It’s been seven weeks already since the mayor-making and the inaugural meeting of the new council in May - it was great fun with all the pomp and ceremony that might be expected at such an event. It was particularly delightful for me that the new mayor is a former colleague of mine at the health centre - we caught up on old times and I hope to see her again in her official role.

As part of the induction to the council, we had the opportunity to meet the chief executive, planning chief and other officers at the council. We've also had training on various aspects of council work.

It’s been a privilege as a new councillor to become part of the administration within the Independent Partnership. The councillors in administration are all hard-working and keen to make a difference within the borough, and to work with officers to bring about the changes that we need. It's a refreshing attitude, which I'm greatly heartened by, and I believe it's the start of a new era in West Norfolk.

In my first few weeks, I have attended a few parish council meetings within my ward which gave me an idea of the concerns of people living in those parishes. I've visited the food bank in Lynn at the invitation of their manager Helen Gilbert; it was humbling to see the work that volunteers put in – collecting, storing and distributing food parcels and other items to people and families who need them.

I also visited a woodland in my ward at the request of a local resident, and helped to conduct a bat survey while I was there. It was most fascinating to see how the bat recorder converts the ultrasonic frequencies emitted by the bats into audible sounds that we can hear. We identified at least three species of bats in a short space of time, and it was clear that the woodland is thriving, and humming with life in all its diversity.

Last Saturday, a small group of us from all over the borough met in The Walks in Lynn to join the parkrun runners and celebrate 75 years of the birth of the NHS. We remembered how the NHS came into being at a time of great difficulty in Britain - following the war at a time of financial hardship, when the nation's health was very poor indeed. It was born as a result of political will and determination.

Today the NHS employs 1.7 million people, and one in six people who works in the NHS is a migrant. Ten years ago, it was rated the best health service in the world. Time and again polls have shown that people appreciate the benefits of having a universal free health service. I am confident that with the correct political leadership, the NHS will not only survive, but thrive for years to come.

Locally of course the most pressing need is for a new hospital to be built to satisfactory standards and on time. We secured funding for it after a long and sustained Save Our QEH campaign, led by the TUC, and embraced by many of us, in which hundreds of people signed postcards, attended demonstrations outside the QEH, visited MPs in Parliament and held talks and meetings.

The next challenge is in ensuring it is funded adequately and designed appropriately for a changing and ever-more complex world.

The council are meeting the QEH executive regularly and in my role on the Health Overview Scrutiny Committee, I shall be keeping a close on eye on developments regarding this.