People are being asked to have their say and help to shape how £20M is invested in King’s Lynn in a major new consultation.
Earlier this year, King’s Lynn was awarded £20M Long Term Plan for Towns funding which will be invested in the town over the next ten years.
Now, people who live, work, visit, run a business, and study in King’s Lynn are being asked to share their views and inform a long-term plan for the town.
The feedback gathered in the consultation, which launches on 8th July, will be reflected in a vision and three-year investment plan which is set to be developed to access the funding.
The consultation will focus on people’s aspirations for the town, as well as the funding themes of safety and security; high streets, heritage, and regeneration, and transport and connectivity.
There are a number of ways for people to have their say:
- Fill in the online survey which can be found here: https://online.west-norfolk.gov.uk/long_term_plan__for_towns/sncic_2024_long_term_plan__for_towns_survey.htm
- Paper copy surveys can be picked up, completed and returned to the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk offices, or The Place, St George’s Guildhall, King’s Lynn Corn Exchange, Freebridge Community Housing, Alive Lynnsport, King’s Lynn Library, or Gaywood Library.
- Paper copies of the survey can also be requested by emailing VisionKL@west-norfolk.gov.uk
- Lithuanian, Russian, Latvian, Ukrainian, Turkish, and Polish versions of the survey will soon be available to download from the Vision King’s Lynn website: https://www.visionkingslynn.co.uk/have-your-say/
- People can also share their ideas around the themes of the funding in the feedback form, also on the Vision King’s Lynn website: https://www.visionkingslynn.co.uk/have-your-say/
In addition, a programme of events is being planned where people can find out more and have their say. This includes:
- King’s Lynn Town Guides will be holding three feedback walkabouts where people can take part in a free consultation walk and share their thoughts on the town. These will be taking place 6pm on Wednesday 17th July; 10am on Saturday 20th July, and 2pm on Monday 22nd July and will start at South Gate and end at Tuesday Market Place, taking in London Rd, Millfleet, Nelson St, Saturday Market Place, South Quay, King’s Staithe Square and King Street along the route. Tea/coffee will be served free of charge at the Crown and Mitre after each walk.People are invited to just turn up and join in a walk.
- On Tuesday 16th July, the Gateway Church community café will host a special session to capture people’s views. A translator will be on hand to offer support.
- On Thursday 18th July, Art Reach, a specialist culture and arts organisation, will be hosting two workshops at King’s Lynn Town Hall between 1pm – 3pm and 5.30pm – 7.30pm for people who work or volunteer in the creative, heritage and cultural sectors. These sessions will focus on culture and the heritage theme of the funding. Places at the session can be booked here: Thursday 18th July, King’s Lynn Town Hall, 1-3pmhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/join-the-heritage-culture-strategy-workshops-for-kings-lynn-tickets-934365792237 and here: Thursday 18thJuly, King’s Lynn Town Hall, 5:30-7:30pmhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/join-the-heritage-culture-strategy-workshops-for-kings-lynn-tickets-934391047777
- Stories of Lynn will be hosting three free families sessions between 10.30am – 12.30pm on Tuesday 23rd, Wednesday 24th, and Thursday 25th July. The Past and Future of King’s Lynn Town sessions will allow young people to find about the changing shape of King’s Lynn and create their own futuristic vision of the town centre. The sessions are open to young people aged 5 – 17, visit Stories of Lynn to book a free place: Stories of Lynn – Bringing the history of King’s Lynn to life
- On Tuesday 23rd July, from 5pm – 7pm, Discover King’s Lynn and Visit West Norfolk will be hosting a drop-in session for town centre businesses at Whatahoot to share their thoughts and ideas about how the investment could be spent. People are invited to drop in at any point during the session.
- Also on Tuesday 23rd July, Collusion will be running workshops with members of their Fuse youth group which will include carrying out vox pops withthe public to capture their feedback.
- From 5pm – 7pm, on Thursday 25th July, a special Platform 30 event will be held. Platform 30 hosts events for 18-30 year olds in the town, and this event will be geared up with fun and feedback in mind. Anyone interested in attending can get in touch platform30@discoverkingslynn.com or follow Platform 30 on Instagram – @_platform30 – where more info will be announced soon.
- The Workshop team will also be carrying out sessions with young people, including in schools. They will also be out and about during Festival Too to hear from any young people who would like to share their views.
- In addition, information about the consultation will be shared at events taking place throughout the summer, including the borough council’s creating communities events.
Details of events will be found on the Vision King’s Lynn website: https://www.visionkingslynn.co.uk/have-your-say/
Gathering feedback from young people is particularly important and a competition for under 16s has also been launched as part of the consultation. Entrants can draw, paint, or design, and create a picture of what they would like King’s Lynn to look like ten years from now with everyone who takes part automatically entered into a prize draw to win shopping vouchers.
There will be a top prize of £150 in shopping vouchers, second prize of £75 worth of shopping vouchers, and four runner-up prizes of £25 shopping vouchers. Entries can be emailed to VisionKL@west-norfolk.gov.uk or posted to the Borough Council by 1st August 2024.
King’s Lynn Town Board has been repurposed to oversee the Long Term Plan for Towns Funding, in line with guidance. Vicky Etheridge, Interim Chair of King’s Lynn Town Board said: “With the £20M investment, we have a fantastic opportunity to bring improvements and develop projects that benefit the town and build on what we have achieved already through the Town Deal funding.
“As we look to what our town’s long term plan will be, the views, ideas, and suggestions of the public is absolutely vital, and the feedback we hear from people will play a crucial role in shaping how this money is invested.
“This consultation, however, is just the start of our engagement with the public, and as we develop the plan and projects, and progress the investment, we will keep speaking to and listening to people so that we can create the future for King’s Lynn together.”
Councillor Alistair Beales, Leader of the Borough Council commented: “The public’s voice is at the heart of how we will determine the investment priorities for King’s Lynn and I would urge people to please have your say.
“This additional funding of £20M will help us to realise the town’s potential even further, delivering interventions that can make a tangible difference in King’s Lynn, now, and in the years to come.
“By working together, with the public and with partners, we can create a long term plan that reflects people’s needs and aspirations for King’s Lynn. We have a very exciting opportunity for the town.”
For more information about the consultation please visit: https://www.visionkingslynn.co.uk/have-your-say/
