LOWER Broadheath Parish Council held the annual parish meeting recently in the village hall.

In her report, chairman Barbara Beard mentioned various issues that the council had responded to over the past year. The work on affordable housing was still on-going and had been discussed prior to the annual meeting.

The work on the parish plan was drawing to a close and she thanked the committee for all their hard work.

The goalposts on the Vicarage Green had been welcomed by the younger members of the community and were well-used. Planning applications had been considered and the council had responded to the Regional Spacial Strategy, in particular expressing concern over traffic and employment issues.

Mrs Beard thanked the parish councillors and the clerk for their support during the year, and also the district councillor Aubrey Tarbuck and county councillor Alwyn Davies, who gave reports to the meeting.

She also thanked the three parish councillors who would not be standing for election in May for all their hard work during their time in office.

PC Alan Naulls, the local police officer, reported that crime was on the increase in the parish, especially domestic crime. He would be assisted by two community support officers in the near future, and it was hoped that a monthly surgery would be held in the village hall from June.

There were reports from the governors of the Chantry School at Martley and the primary school in Lower Broadheath.

John Norton, the former chairman of the village hall committee thanked the parish council for their financial help in keeping the hall maintained. He said that there were now 18 regular users of the hall, which helped increase its income.

Mrs Beard said that the organisation of the village newsletter, now produced by Lower Broadheath WI, was running smoothly and thanked Motronics for producing the 773 copies each quarter.

The parish plan should be published within the next few months. It is hoped that the costs of producing it will be covered by a grant.

MRS E F CHAPMAN