Annual Report of Shotesham Parish Council May 5th  2022

After 2020/2021 when zoom meetings were the norm, this year has been face to face and as a result the discussions have been fuller and more relaxed.  Unusually due to Covid restrictions at the Trinity some of our meetings were held in All Saints Church for which we were grateful to the P.C.C.

There was a total of 9 meetings during the year and an attendance of 88.8%

Planning -Jim Webber  reviews each of the new applications that we have to consider of which there 9 this year.  2 of these applications were ones we felt unable to support, based on planning regulations, and these were turned down at the planning committee when we spoke to support our position.

Playing Field – Kim Dyke has been instrumental in preparing a booking form for the use of the field, and also for liaising with potential users.  Sadly, despite requests, we still cannot use the field for formal football games due to the rabbit holes and mole hills.

Speed Check Signs – Henry Walker and Jon Nott move the speed warning signs regularly as required by law.  Hopefully it make a difference.

Footpaths – Mark and Kim Dyke have been taking the lead on footpath issues.  We had two paths that have been discussed this year and the local authority footpaths team have been looking into these.

Finance – the clerk, Jeff Gough, continues to lead on finance and will as usual be posting a full financial statement in the notice board when they have been audited and are ready in June/July.  The signatories for the account are the Chairman, Vice Chairman and one other named member of the council.

The Defibrillator Box – The defibrillator was used by the ambulance service during the summer of 2021 and Slim Dinsdale, who overseas the box, had to track it down and retrieve it but was unable to discover the details of its use.

The Common – we are responsible for nominating 4 members of the 7 commons trustees.  These nominations are reviewed regularly.

This year Raz Woolacott stepped down as the tree warden for the village but we are delighted to say that Sarah Long has agreed to take on the responsibility. We are looking forward to working with her.

Thanks to a donation from a member of the public we have re painted one of the ex telephone boxes and are now about to do what is now called The Phone Book.  Thanks to everyone who takes care of, and updates the books that are there.

This year we were presented with a blue plaque by Lord Dannett, on behalf of Lady Dannett the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk.  This was to mark the efforts made by all parishioners during the Covid lockdown.  It can be seen in the village notice board outside the Trinity.

heather jackson.