Working for you in Earlham

Earlham & University Spokesperson: James Hawketts

Local Resident

James has lived in the area for years, first in West Earlham and now near Colman Rd, having moved into Earlham to study his degree in economics. He knows what the area needs as it’s his area too, unlike most of the current councillors.

Committed Long-term Candidate

James has stood in every election for University Ward since 2022 and knows the area very well as a result. He’s seen just how ineffective the current councillors have been and continue to be.

Dedicated Teacher

James works as a geography teacher in a local Norfolk school. He sees the impact of local councils and national government on the area’s ordinary families every single day.

Eaton Park Regular

James is a member of Norwich Parks Tennis and plays occasionally at Eaton Park. He has also taken part in Park Run events and knows well just how valuable the park is to the area.

Promoting Volunteer Community Groups

James runs going on in Earlham and Dates for your diary sections in the Focus newsletter to provide notice of community activity. He has also helped organise a community clean-up crew for areas of Earlham suffering from neglect or poor maintenance. He is pictured here weeding a path that had become dangerous with overgrowth in 2023.

Pushing for improvements to local services

The Lib Dems, led by James, were instrumental in pushing for the re-establishment of the UEA night bus service, which now runs hourly through the night. Norwich Lib Dems proposed a motion passed unanimously at the city council calling for its reintroduction, and continually kept the pressure on the Conservatives at County Hall to allow a trial period to begin, then be renewed indefinitely. 

Getting issues fixed quickly

James and the Lib Dem team at City & County Halls know how to get changes pushed through, and have used their influence to fix issues in the area, like getting an overflowing drain on North Park Avenue resurfaced so water no longer accumulated. When the pictured pedestrian-cycle hybrid path was resurfaced, its markings were not replaced, but through internal pressure at the council, managed to get them reinstated, for the safety of all using the path. 

Surveying & Petitioning

Lib Dems try and keep in touch all year round. We have our Focus newsletter which gets delivered to the whole ward, with developments at City & County Hall. We also try to keep knocking doors to keep a finger on the pulse of local issues. Pictured is our team out on Christchurch Rd surveying issues with inconsiderate parking. 

Investigating Tree Health

When a tree collapsed on the Avenues, James canvassed views on the road, picking up concerns about the trees long-term health and maintenance. He ran a small investigation and asked a public question at city hall attempting to get answers on behalf of the residents. 

Action on Housing

When reports came in from local residents that houses on Harbord Rd and George Borrow Rd had been left empty long-term by the city council due to being uninhabitable, the Lib Dem team chased these cases until they were sorted out and put back into use. Holding the council to good housing standards is important.

Maintaining accountability

James regularly attends City Council meetings as a member of the public to ask questions and keep the people in power accountable, regardless of party affiliation. He has been able to uncover bad practice, for example an incident in which the decision-making cabinet public meeting was kept closed to the public in 2023, or when the City Council carried out changes to parking fees at city parks without consideration for their own consultation of residents. 

Being approachable and in contact

James prides himself on his record of communication. Not replying to constituent emails is regularly one of the major complaints against local councillors. Despite never having been elected, James tries his best to shadow the role, and is only an email or phone call away.