FIREWORK PARTY: Members of the PTFA of Harvington First School are putting on a firework party this year, an event aimed specifically at families, where it is hoped that parents will bring along even small children to a safe but friendly environment to see a planned display. It is to be held on the playing field on the night of November 5, the fireworks starting at 7pm. Food will be served in the village hall from 6.30pm onwards. Visitors are asked to bring their own seats if required and torches as necessary - and to make provision for taking home their own litter. Children are invited to take part in a pumpkin competition which will be judged during the evening but these should not be lit. Adults will be presented with matches and candles to put into the pumpkins on arrival. Tickets, obtainable from the school, the post office and the Spar shop on Leys Road, are priced at £5 for adults, £2 for children (family ticket for two adults and two children, £8), all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. If this proves to be a successful and popular event, it will be repeated, setting up what it is hoped will become a village tradition. Inquiries to treasurer Betty Muir on 870775.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD: Many people in the village are already busy making and collecting things for the famous shoeboxes which will be delivered to parts of the world where children are in desperate need. Up to this point, the village has not had a co-ordinated effort to this end, but plans are now afoot to combine the resources of church and school in order to give out information and have at least a common collection point. Details of the scheme will be announced as soon as arrangements have been made.

PARISH COUNCIL: At the meeting of the parish council, the subject of the road repair activity in Village Street came under lengthy discussion following a statement by county councillor Clive Holt to the effect that work will continue (as started) on the raising of kerbs and the re-surfacing of footpaths, but the planned (and promised) resurfacing of the road itself will not now take place until the drains have been attended to. The situation has now become complex and councillors were at a loss to understand exactly what will happen next. Following the recent floods, the parish council undertook its own survey into the condition of the gullies, 17 of which were found to be blocked and incapable of carrying heavy rainfall away. It was as a result of their reporting on this state of affairs and their determination to have a thorough and all-embracing survey carried out, that recognition was eventually given to the question of the drainage system in the village as a whole. The various bodies whose representatives make up the storm committee now fully acknowledge that Harvington has a major problem, complex and needing urgent attention. It is the result of a number of contributory factors, not the least of which has been the addition over a number of years of numerous building developments, large and small, each of which has put extra strain onto a system already under threat. Another meeting of this committee has been called for the November 10. It is hoped that this will have bearing on the planning application from Rooftop Housing Association concerning the contentious Leys Road development which awaits a decision from the planning committee on November 4. Another matter which has affected many villages in the county (though not Harvington itself at this point) concerns a campaign known as Middle England in Revolt, the authors of which have compiled a charter which they hope will ultimately be presented to parliament. It sets out a number of points which, if agreed to by settled communities and travellers alike, would provide a fair and equable way of land being provided and used by mutual agreement, with careful thought given to the rights and responsibilities of both parties. The parish council has signed this charter and has also agreed to be a part of an informal networking system for passing on relevant information to local councils.