As always the Parish Council has attempted to keep
the Village clean and tidy and the road and pavements, light, hedges and
signage up to date. Although this does sometimes mean waiting
for the relevant agencies to get round to it. We also pay for the
churchyard maintenance carries out by Norfolk County Services.
During the year ten planning applications have been
submitted. Only one was refused after objections were made. Another passed with
conditions. The rest were passed with no objection. Of these only the ten metre mast at the primary
school called for more information.
Many of you wondered what the posts that
appeared in November were for. As you may have noticed they were for dog
fouling signs which Breckland took four months to screw on.
During the year we have had visits to Council
meeting by David Spencer and Phil Daines of Breckland
Planning and Development Services who explained the new Local Development
Framework and answered question afterwards. Polly Jackson of West Norfolk
Council for Voluntary Services came along and was looking for volunteers for a
whole host of schemes. Tracy Baxter the Breckland Council Anti-social Behaviour Officer explained all about A.S.B.Os,
their relevance, how to keep diaries and how she attempted to use mediation to
resolve problems, sometime in association with Police Officers. This matter is
still ongoing.
W.P.C. Beard and Community Support Officer Sarah Loveday told us that they had been assigned Litcham as one
of their villages. They make occasional visits to the village when available.
So together with the mobile Police Station that visits the village on Thursdays
at Front Street, wee do have a reasonable Police presence in the village.
Throughout the year members of the Council and the
Clerk attended Presentations, Standards Seminars and Councillor
Training Sessions. During the year Carol Hilton and Tim Angell stepped down and
we thank them their time. Chris Mitchell and Trevor Carter have been co-opted
to replace them.
The creation of a Jubilee Hall Trust is moving to a
conclusion and should be completed this year. Pedestrian access to the new
churchyard extension is being negotiated with the P.C.C. Road safety is still a
major issue, particularly in Church Street where cars are now regularly parked
on the pavement making it impossible for wheelchair users, especially at
school-time.
On a lighter note, another outstanding issue is the
disposal of a set of Carpet Bowls Equipment. Enquiries have been made but it
would be better if someone in the Village could come forward and perhaps try
and get a Carpet Bowls Club of the ground again.
Finally during the year we have made donations
clubs and organisations with in the village and
outside as follows:
Air Ambulance - £100.00
Bellringing sign -
£75.00
British Legion - £18.00
LEGS - £200.00
Citizen Advice Bureau £50.00
Common Conservation Grp.
- £200.00
Homewatch Extra
Sign - £25.00
Primary School (Art project) - £100.00
Youth Club - cricket kit - £535.00
Tittleshall Bowls Club - £250.00
Primary School (Internal Audit Fee) - £100.00
Groovy Movers Mar - £135.00
Donations: 12
Total=£1788.00
This year we decided to make no change to the
Precept but you may have seen from the Council Tax Bill that Litcham had an
increase of 1.9%. This was due it seems (according to Norfolk County Council)
to an increase in the number of rate-payers claiming
discount.
Mike Oldfield, Chairman LITCHAM
PARISH COUNCIL
24th April 2006