Contestants line up for Miss Chamber of Commerce contest in 1994 and new £40K skate park opens in 2005

In our weekly feature, we look through the pages of the Lynn News from 1994 and 2005…On this week: November 1-8, 2005Hi-tech council offices, heralded for slashing energy bills, look to have lost West Norfolk Council taxpayers more than £1 million, it has been revealed. Lynn’s Juniper House, opened amid a fanfare in February 2001, was expected to save the authority £20,000 a year on energy bills through innovative design and building management. But the £2.3 million building, in Chapel Street, has cost taxpayers dear as it ran over budget – and now a further £100,000 is being spent towards a saleable state. A report to councillors says Juniper House has been valued independently at just over £1 million, which is what new housing association Freebridge Community Housing looks set to pay for it, as part of a multi-million pound housing transfer deal.

Gaywood youngsters have been busy trying out the ramps after the official opening of their new £40,000 skate park. A year of hard work, time and lots of effort has now paid off for the Gaywood Park Action Group, and the skate park with its new teen shelter is already proving a huge success. The group’s ‘pro-teens’ fundraisers were instrumental in securing £29,000 in funds for the project and raising thousands of pounds themselves through car washes, quiz nights, activity weeks and skating competitions.A direct plea to the Government to write off some or all of Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s £11 million debt has been spurned in the House of Commons. Speaking during an adjournment debate, North West Norfolk MP Henry Bellingham also called in vain for a review of a ten per cent “usage charge” imposed on the hospital’s already cash-strapped NHS trust. Health Minister Liam Byrne denied that the hospital’s deficit was due to Government under-funding. He blamed overspending in previous years and said health managers now had to balance the books.Breckland Council’s community car scheme has proved so successful that it will be extended to another four parishes if talks with local councils prove fruitful. The district council’s scheme already operates in 23 areas, including Ashill, Necton, Saham Toney and Sporle, but the latest places showing interest are not being named until the funding needed for each has been agreed. At the same time that the Breckland scheme’s expansion was announced, Castle Acre’s Community Car Scheme was officially re-launched after closing in 2004 due to a lack of volunteers. More drivers have now been recruited, with the volunteers using their own vehicles to carry passengers unable to use normal transport to pre-booked destinations, usually medical appointments. Lynn radio station KL.FM overcame the odds to stay on air, despite severe flooding which caused part of the ceiling at its Blackfriars Road building to collapse. Programme controller and drive-time presenter, Simon Rowe, said it appeared someone had turned on a tap while the water mains were off, but forgot to turn it off again. Once the supply was back on again in the evening, a deluge flooded from the station’s upstairs kitchen – drenching the KL.FM computer server and its computer network connections.Lynn Stars top four riders cleaned up with the top individual awards at the club’s end-of-season sell-out dinner held at the Duke’s Head Hotel, where the Premier League Cup was on display. Skipper Tomas Topinka collected the rider of the year award, voted for by supporters, best newcomer was Troy Batchelor, Kevin Doolan was voted team man of the year, while Olly Allen was named as the most exciting rider. A special award was presented to Edwin Overland, the man behind the microphone for 25 years, while a memento was given to track expert Huggy. Drastic measures to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on West Norfolk roads are being investigated – after the figure soared by more than 80 per cent this year. There were 72 fatal or serious accidents to the end of August 2004, but this year there have been more than 133, with more than a third involving young drivers losing control or overtaking on fast, national speed limit roads. The shocking increase has prompted the county council’s joint casualty reduction group to focus on changing driver attitudes.Twelve new trees have been planted in Swaffham Market Place to replace the eleven London Plane trees which were felled earlier this year amid a storm of controversy. Fiver rowan, four alder and three crab apple trees have been laid along the eastern side of the Market Place, following completion of the first phase of the £627,000 town centre enhancement scheme along that stretch.