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Litcham  Parish  Council
Chairman's Report 2007

This report covers the period from April 2006 to March of this year. As in previous years the Parish Council has worked with the County and District Councils to maintain the village in a manner that we all appreciate.
Where there has  been Highway and Pavement issues we have liaised with the relevant authorities for works to be carries out, such as pot holes, folding issue (Druids Lane and Lexham Rd.), road markings hedge cutting and signage, (Some signage we have had to do ourselves). We have purchased and installed five new larger litter bins around the parish.
Parking and speeding is still a problem around the village. The white line that has been painted in front of the Post Office has to some extent help keep the footpath clear and improved access to the Post Box. Parking on the pavements, particularly at school times is bad. The High School has highlighted the issue in it’s weekly newsletter by asking parents to be more careful where they park.
A request was made for a streetlight outside the Primary School. The Council felt this was too costly, an estimate from 01/02 was over £5000 pounds. It is hoped light from the new improvements at the Primary School will be sufficient to improve matter. The Council also took into account the problem of light pollution in Rural Areas.
During the year twenty planning applications were made. Objections were raised to two but were subsequently passed by Breckland along with all the others.
The Village Appraisal was finally published and distributed with the assistance of grants from the Norfolk Rural Community Council and Breckland.
Visits to the Council were made by –Tim Angell who spoke about Litcham Common and in particular the fencing of the Common which received the support of the Council.
Anita Gagen came from Breckland Youth Services and talked about providing a Youth Shelter.  It was later decided not to go ahead with this project.
Sergeant Dave Howell also visited with regard to anti-social behaviour of a group of youths in the Village.
The Jubilee Hall Trust was finally inaugurated and got under way. It also met up with problems of youth congregating in the bus Shelter and causing trouble. To some extent these problems have been resolved.
Sadly the carpet bowls equipment owned by the Parish Council and stored in the Jubilee Hall has new been donated to Beeston Village Hall. Nobody came forward from the Parish to resurrect the Carpet Bowls Club. The Parish Council also tried to start a Tennis Club using the School Tennis Courts but restricted availability of the courts and poor support meant that the Club was wound up after only one term.
Ongoing issues the new Council will have to take forward include working wth the PCC to provide access to the new Churchyard extension  from Druids Lane.
The Council is hoping to take over the Village green for the next ten years at a peppercorn rent. This will preserve the area as an open space. A new notice board is to bee installed on the green along with a memorial seat.
Working with David Mills of Norfolk County Council the Parish Council will be trying to increase the number of footpaths in the Parish.
The Council donated a total of £693 to charitable organisation during the year, you can obtain a summary of the accounts for 2006-07 (un-audited) from the Clerk and the Council will willing have any queries you have about them.
In closing I would like to thank all outgoing Councillors for their help during the poast four years and thank everybody for turning out tonight and the representatives for coming along to deliver their reports.

Mike Oldfield, Chairman LITCHAM PARISH COUNCIL 2006-7
16th April 2007

Clerk's Account Summary April 16th 2007
Presentation to A.P.M.  16th April 2007

I shall be very brief as anyone with a real interest in the Parish Council account is welcome to call round anytime and browse or obtain a copy of Accounts.
At the end of 2005 the Council decided that it’s reserves we a little high so it resolved to spend a little of these reserves during 2006/7. This it has done, spending a third of it’s income some new litter bins, the printing the Parish Appraisal and among other things new chairs for the Jubilee Hall.
The Council therefore ended the year £1064.61p worse off than this time last year, but still with a cash balance of over 14 thousand pounds, However, £7000 of this is the balance due to the Diocese for the Graveyard extension and this has still not been paid due to the continuing disagreement over the provision of a access from Druids Lane.
In all The Council spent a total of £9,415 last year. A third of this, as I have already explained, went on Capital projects, a quarter went on Village maintenance such as streetlight and grass-cutting for the graveyard, a further 6% for charitable donations mainly to Village organisations, 15% for various fees and subscriptions the remaining 30% to pay for the services of the Clerk and running costs such as printing.
After not raising the precept last year the Council decided to increase the Precept this year by 5% to £7.875 which works out at £16.71p per elector.

John Relph, Clerk LITCHAM PARISH COUNCIL 2006-7
16th April 2007