SUMMER CONCERT: Harvington Singers' summer concert, on Friday, June 10, was once again well supported and the pleasant summer's evening made it possible for the patrons to stroll outside the church during the interval and enjoy the customary strawberries, cream and wine. Thanking people for their attendance and their support for the singers, chairman Richard Sharp spoke of the debt the choir members owe to choirmaster Peter Harrison and organist John Langley, without whose enthusiasm and commitment there would probably be no choir. He spoke also of the pleasure it gives everyone concerned to rehearse and perform in St James' church and he expressed the hope that this mutually agreeable situation will long continue.

FETE PRAISED: The Fathers' Day service on Sunday morning began with praise from the Rector for the success of the annual fete, now looking increasingly like a village fete, which took place the previous afternoon on a most attractive-looking playing field. He expressed thanks and admiration for the work put into the organising of the event by churchwarden, Sophie Dodds, and then read out a list of names compiled by Sophie expressing her thanks for the co-operation and support she had received from them and their teams of helpers. The sum raised was well in excess of £2,500 which will be a welcome boost to church funds.

PARISH COUNCIL: At the parish council meeting on Wednesday, which saw all the councillors present as well as county councillor Clive Holt, the agenda included such items as street lighting and drainage and questions were asked about the continuing failure to repair street signs, the main item was notice of another stage in the on-going question about affordable housing in Leys Road. Councillors were told that Mr Martin Lawton, whose efforts to prevent this happening had been efficiently maintained, had now written to the Ombudsman and a copy of his letter was quoted from at some length. The main thrust of his complaint is that the planners at Wychavon had totally failed, in this matter, to comply with the rules connected with applications which they themselves had laid down. Of singular importance was the fact, at the hearing, the parish council's letter giving detailed reasons for refusing to agree with the proposals put forward by the Housing Association had somehow gone astray, making the reading of it by the planning committee members impossible before the hearing, nor was it read out or its contents referred to at any time. This issue, together with several other challenges about facts and figures, quoted but not substantiated, from the basis of Mr Lawton's complaint and it was in support of his efforts that the council decided to follow his letter with one of their own to the Ombudsman, making it clear that councillors agree with all he has said.