Another year has passed and I am pleased to summarise the past years work of the Parish Council. We have undertaken some general "housekeeping" and adopted new financial standing orders, carried out a risk assessment and moved into the 21st century by giving councillors the option of receiving their minutes, agendas and some correspondence via email. I am also very grateful to the village website for publishing minutes of meetings which include details of all expenditure incurred on behalf of the Parish (hard copy available in Post Office). Parish Council accounts are also open to inspection between 27 June and 22 July on request to the Clerk. Any questions can then be put to the external auditor after 25 July.

The Parish Council has worked alongside the North Elmham Planning Group, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their hard work and commitment in producing the North Elmham Community Plan which every household has received.The original questionnaire was distributed in May/June 2010 and the final document delivered in April 2011.

It is with great pride, that having looked at what people in North Elmham want, I feel that our Parish Council have been very forward thinking in their decision to purchase the village green, once in the ownership of the Parish, many of the desires of the parishioners can be facilitated. The re-location of, and better play equipment, car park and open space. These are all things that the Parish Council are working towards. Last month we were finally given the green light to purchase the land along with a valuation. Watch this space!

Other areas that the Parish Council are currently working on are, re-instating the safe route to school (rear entrance to school), this has taken much negotiation but we have had assurance that it will definitely happen. We have applied for a grant to create a sign to village facilities. We have also attempted to set up a community speed watch team and have 8 volunteers prepared to join the group. Unfortunately due to cuts in public funding there is now limited training available and a waiting list but we hope to get this off the ground as soon as possible.

We regularly liaise with NCC Highways department and continually look at better traffic management, but ultimately these decisions are made by Norfolk County Council. The Parish Council made a decision to wait for the analysis of the community plan before pressing further for improvements. We have also put pressure on Anglian Water Authority which culminated in improvements being made to the pumping station. Our clerk identified further funding which we could claim and this enabled extensive work to be undertaken in the Chapel ruins. Mineral extraction in our village has been categorised as unacceptable.

Unfortunately many of the things mentioned above take so much time to come to fruition, not because the Parish Council are "dragging its feet" but more to do with outside influences!

I am also pleased that the Parish Council was happy to support the recent Royal Wedding street party, this was a great community event and something I was proud to be involved with in my last period as Chairman.

This leads me onto offering my thanks to all councillors for their commitment to our community, not only during the past year but for many years, giving their time for free. As you are all aware we have five retiring councillors including myself. Robin Don has served on the Parish Council for over 40 years, Reg Neve, 28 years, Colin Smith for 18, myself 16 and Anne Ketteringham for 4. This is a total of nearly 100 years of service to your community. Jane Smith our volunteer news correspondent is also retiring after nearly thirteen years to whom I would like to convey my thanks for her excellent reports every month. This is the end of an era for many! I would also like to thank Bill Borrett, district and county councillor, our contractors, and Kevin Webb our Clerk. The following volunteers, Bev King our auditor, Keith Woodhouse who grits the roads in Orchard Close and Terry Maidstone who keeps the rose garden maintained, all of whom contribute to making Elmham what it is.

It has been a privilege serving my community and I have been informed that I have been the first lady Chairman of North Elmham Parish Council but hopefully not the last!

I would like to wish all 13 candidates well in the elections and wish the new Parish Council every success in further shaping the future of North Elmham.

Caroline Payne