Q & A from DITCHINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

Q. Why have the grit bins been moved from the Hollow Hill Rd/Norwich Road junction and from the crossroads near The Dip?
A. These areas are on bus routes so they are gritted by Norfolk County Council. The bins have been moved to new sites which are not on bus routes.

Q. Why are the two new streetlamps reinstalled at Beevors Gardens and Green Lane still not working?
A. We are waiting for UK Power Networks to commission the lamps. We have asked several times.

Q. How often are safety check carried out on the play equipment and the trees for which the PC is responsible?
A. We employ a member of staff who does litter-picking. The same person carries out a visual inspection of the two play areas, and completes a checklist, at least fortnightly. There is a professional inspection annually. Our trees are professionally inspected annually too.

Q. Who moves the Speed Awareness Machine to its various locations?
A. The litter picker.

Q. What other assets is the PC responsible for?
A. Litter bins; dog waste bins; two bus shelters, the cemetery and its lychgate; the village sign; noticeboard; defibrillator; sundry benches; the Community Orchard.

Q. Many towns and villages have war memorials; why doesn’t Ditchingham?
A. There is one in the parish church (St. Mary’s). The feasibility of a more central memorial to the fallen is currently being looked at by the Council. If it goes ahead it would be funded by grant aid.

Q. Paying for the provision and maintenance of all these assets must be costly. How is it funded?
A. When you receive your annual Community Charge bill you will see on it an item called the precept. It’s not a huge amount per household but it is this money that covers the Council’s outgoings. As well as covering recurring costs such as grass cutting some is kept in reserves. A recommended general reserve lets us pay for the unforeseen. Other reserves are earmarked for specific purposes. For example, there is a Play Area reserve. Some of this was used last year to pay for the renovation of the roundabout and the repair of the toddlers’ climbing tower at the Thwaite Road play area. Without reserves we would not be able to pay for the big-ticket items or the precept would have to “yo-yo” with expensive and less expensive years.

As you can see, the Council fulfils a vital role for the village. Ours is a Council of nine Councillors but we, currently, have only six. If you would like to join please contact our Clerk, Sally Chapman, clerkdpc@aol.co.uk

Keith Weston
Chair