The closing date for applications to join the Parish Council is this Friday, 5th February.

It is a volunteer position, and an great opportunity to get involved at a deeper level in the village, representing parishioners and influencing the decisions made within the Parish. You would join a Council of 11 Parishioners and take post until May 2016 when we have our next elections.

If you have any interest at all and would like to know more about the role, or apply, please give me a call at the Parish Office – I’d be only too happy to discuss it with you.

Sarah – Clerk
01493 749938
Written applications by email please to: clerk@martham.gov.uk or to the Parish Office, Community Centre, Playingfield Lane, Martham, NR29 4SP

The Parish Office has received a telephone call this morning with regard to a SCAM call a Parishioner has received.

If anyone phones and asks you to go and obtain a UCASH VOUCHER in order to facilitate your receiving PPI money it is a fraud.

Do not go and get a voucher.

Take their details, phone 101 and report them to the police.

So are we!

Search for ‘Martham Parish Council’ and ‘like’ us to keep up to date

Financial help and support is available for GYCH (Great Yarmouth Community Housing) Tenants with Fuel/Utility debts/bills, we have a £10k grant to spend. So far we have only spent £755.00, do you have any tenants struggling to heat their homes or have utility debts?

· Are any of our homes suffering with damp conditions? Is this because the tenant is struggling to heat the home?

· Are you aware of any tenants with utility/energy debts or moving into a new home that needs financial support to negotiate payments on an old energy debt, new energy payments?

· New tenants/existing tenants may need support to part fill an oil tank, a water bill, heating or sewerage arrears?

· Gas service overdue – Is this overdue because of a debt and no credit? Could we help the tenant?

There is a criteria for funding, we will consider other circumstances and they will need to work with DIAL to improve finances to receive the funding. If permission is granted from the tenant to refer to DIAL please email so they can contact the tenant direct to obtain all the details and discuss if they are entitled.
What have we achieved so far?

· Filled an oil tank for £277.99

· £410.10 paid to GYCH sewerage charge

· £68.00 paid to reconnect gas meter

Please provide name, address and contact details and mention energy grant enquiry to DIAL info@dial-greatyarmouth.org.uk

The Parish Council are interested to know who may have owned, or occupied, the property known as 17a The Green from 1986 through to 2003.

If anyone has any knowledge of this please can they contact the Clerk on 01493 749938.

Norfolk’s PCC Stephen Bett will soon have to decide whether to increase or freeze the policing element of Council Tax – and he wants to know what you think.   It is very clear that the financial position remains bleak. It is also clear austerity will be with us until at least 2020 and the Government shows no sign of protecting policing. While we work with less and less, demand on policing continues to increase and change. The challenge of tackling cybercrime is a prime example of where we have to respond to a modern threat and that response comes at considerable cost. There is also unprecedented demand in areas such as rape, serious sexual offences and child sexual exploitation as people feel more confident to come forward. In order to do right by the victims, both in terms of investigation and in providing support, we have to have the resource. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has said Norfolk Police has done an outstanding job in managing its efficiencies to this point, but there is much more to do. The Chief Constable has already spelled out the savings that will have to be made even if we do increase the Council Tax. We will inevitably see a reduction in the number of police officers and PCSOs. Before I make any decisions on whether to raise the precept, I want to hear your views. Please take the time to have your say via my short online survey or by coming along to one of two public consultation events planned for later in the month. Stephen Bett – Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk Details of January’s consultation events: Hear from your PCC and Chief Constable about the funding challenge and their priorities for the coming year: Monday 19 January 2015, 6.30pm start The Council Chamber, Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich NR1 2SF. Wednesday 21 January 2015, 12 noon start The Assembly Room, Town Hall, Saturday Market Place, Kings Lynn PE30 5DQ If you have any specific requirements to enable you to take part in one of these meetings, please get in touch with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Norfolk by telephone on (01953) 424455 or by email toopccn@norfolk.pnn.police.uk. To register a question to be answered at one of the public meetings, please emailopccn@norfolk.pnn.police.uk.

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