PARISH COUNCIL CHAIRMAN'S REPORT - February 2009
HEARA briefed the Parish Council on their latest update at the last Parish Council meeting as usual. Although there seems a glimmer of hope in that the words "up to 50 years" is being replaced with "at least 50 years" in various correspondence, the Natural England report has still not been published, which is the key to the way forward. HEARA are still hoping to have a preview of the report before it is finally published. Please read HEARA's report elsewhere in this News Sheet.

The Freedom of Information Act came into force at the beginning of 2005, and encourages greater openness and transparency across the whole of the public sector.
The Act provides individuals or organisations with the right to request information held by a public authority.
The Act obliges every public authority to adopt an approved Publication Scheme. This requires authorities to make certain kinds of information routinely available to the public.
As from 1st January, 2009, a new model publication scheme came into force, and Hickling's Model Scheme is now available free on this website, or as a hard copy from the Clerk.

Stalham & Happing are opening the Happing Community Bank on Saturday 28th February.
This will operate from the Church Rooms, behind St Mary's Church in Stalham,
A leaflet describing this initiative is enclosed with this News Sheet.
It will be run by trained volunteers - anyone interested in being a volunteer should contact John Hare on 581200.

There is still time to be included in the Happing Festival brochure which will be distributed to every house in the Happing area. If you are organising any kind of event this Spring and Summer, please contact the Happing Shop on Stalham High Street (580525) or email them on happinq@btconnect.com for information on this and all their other services.

The Norfolk Association of Village Halls are running a series of qualifying Whist drives, with the final drive later in the year. If you would like to organise one - or more - please contact the NAVH Secretary on 01953 860369, or maybe you would like to run a club in Hickling.
If so, please ring me or the Clerk.

Chairman, Viv Tallowin, 598410
Clerk, Shirley Sainsbury, 598882
Police Community Safety Officer, Jeanette Hawes, 0845 4564567

UPCOMING MEETINGS - PLEASE MAKE A NOTE OF VARIED DATES/TIMES
Monday, 2nd March, Monthly Parish Council Meeting, 7.15pm
Tuesday, 7th April, Monthly Parish Council Meeting, 7.15pm
Wednesday, 29th April, Annual Parish Meeting, 7.30pm
Tuesday, 12th May, Annual Parish Council Meeting, 7.15pm
Tuesday, 2nd June, Monthly Parish Council Meeting, 7.15pm