My name is Ostap-Taras Paparega and I am the Regeneration & Economic Development Manager at the Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk.
I can honestly say that there is no such thing as a ‘typical day’ in regeneration and economic development, which is one of the reasons I love my job.
Examples of activities that I get involved in on a regular basis include: working with external partners on developing projects like building a business innovation centre in King’s Lynn, refurbishing and bringing empty historical buildings back into use and providing pontoons for visiting boats, working with colleagues across Norfolk, Peterborough and Cambridgeshire on preparing strategic economic plans for these areas, briefing cabinet members and directors on current issues, preparing cabinet and panel reports, engaging with various funding agencies and preparing bids for external funding, managing my team’s performance to ensure achievement of individual and service targets, representing the borough council on various groups and economic development boards like the Norfolk Growth Group and Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Local Enterprise Partnership’s Local Growth Strategy Group, setting-up strategic partnerships with UK and European partners to develop projects under various European funding programmes to support business growth and innovation in West Norfolk.
I moved to West Norfolk four years ago to take up a new job and I decided to stay because I have a very interesting, diverse and rewarding job and also because I fell in love with the Hanseatic town of King’s Lynn and its magnificent buildings, heritage and history.
If I had to sum up the top three things about the area I would say:
- Outstanding architectural heritage of national and international significance
- Vast Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, including award winning beaches at Hunstanton and Holkham
- Excellent leisure facilities whether you are into golf, tennis, running, kite surfing or swimming and a rich cultural and events agenda that includes King’s Lynn Festival, Festival Too, Hanse Festival and a lot more at the Corn Exchange and King’s Lynn Arts Centre
Ah… and the weather is better than the rest of the UK. According to research undertaken by the Environment Agency on UK weather conditions over the past 20 years, Norfolk is 40% drier, 6% sunnier and 6% warmer than the rest of the UK. Why wouldn’t you join us?
