Responsibilities​

The Parish Council is responsible for:​​​

• Careful financial management on behalf of residents
• Acting as Village Hall Trustee
• Upkeep of the village street lighting
• Commenting on planning applications
• Upkeep of the playing field as Trustee

Planning

​Parish councils have the right to make comments on planning applications affecting their area.

The planning authority (which is usually Breckland District Council) allows a parish council 21 days to respond to a planning application. The application will be considered by the parish council at the next council meeting (if there is a meeting within that time-period) and will feature on the agenda as an item to be discussed. Members of the public are welcome to attend meetings and can speak during the public participation item on the agenda to give their views on a planning application. They are also encouraged to provide their own comments on the District Council’s planning pages.

Whilst the overall decision is the planning authority’s, the Parish Council’s local knowledge, combined with an understanding of the planning process, means that its views are more likely to be heard by the planning authority, so long as the Parish Council provides valid planning ‘material considerations’. Planning comments made by the Parish Council will be reported at the next Parish Council meeting.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Clerk.

Details of planning applications along with the Parish Council’s comments can be found on Breckland District Council’s planning pages.