By Geoff Fisher With all the political upheaval in the country at the moment it is easy to forget that there will be local council elections on 2 May, when your district and town councillors will be standing down and have the opportunity to stand for re-election.
We welcome expressions of interest from anybody who is considering standing for election to either, or both, your district or town councils, but time is running short.
Being part of the election process for national and local government, there are strict criteria for eligibility and a strict timetable for the election process.
The most important criteria for standing for election to the town council are that the candidate must be on the electoral register and they must either be resident in the parish (or very close to it) or have a business in the parish.
The timetable for the approaching elections is:
• Candidate nomination papers must be delivered to Broadland District Council between 20 March and no later than 4 pm on 3 April.
• The deadline for applications to register to vote at these elections is 12 April.
• The deadline for new postal votes, postal proxy applications and for changes to existing postal votes is no later than 5 pm on 15 April.
If anybody has any queries or would like advice on the electoral process, please do not hesitate to contact either our town clerk, Jo Boxall (01603 873355 or email) or Election Services at Broadland District Council (01603 430483 or email).
Particularly at this time of political instability at the national level with the threats (or promises, depending on your point of view) of a general election or even another referendum, it is important that everybody makes sure they are included on the electoral register.
This is particularly important for young people who have recently turned 18 or are approaching 18. We strongly advise all young people to ensure they are registered to vote.
Town Hall entrance lobby
The new entrance lobby to the town hall is currently under construction and is due for completion soon. This means the building will now have a proper, dedicated, entrance rather than the former entrance through what was, in effect, a storeroom.
As a result, we now have a dedicated storeroom providing a safe and secure environment for the furniture available for use within the hall.
We would like express our appreciation to all members, past and present, of the Town Hall Management Committee who have overseen the project and raised the necessary funding from income raised from hirings.
The committee comprises representatives of the regular hiring groups and councillors representing the town council, the owners of the town hall, with the intention of promoting the use of the hall and improving it to meet changing circumstances.
The committee welcomes local residents who would be prepared to join them in running the hall and perhaps suggesting changes or alterations that might make the building more attractive to local residents or users.
Metal detectorists on Stimpson’s Piece
The trustees have received reports of metal detectors being used on Stimpson’s Piece to locate and dig up metal objects.
This public area is dedicated to the people of Reepham for their leisure and recreation, and is used by various sporting groups and others on a frequent basis.
The trustees have an obligation to ensure a safe environment for all users and are particularly concerned that digging up the surface of the park could present a danger to members of the public.
Under the circumstances, the trustees feel that metal detecting of this nature on Stimpson’s Piece is potentially dangerous and should be discouraged.
Future events
• Wednesday 10 April: Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Charity trustee meeting
• Wednesday 1 May: Town Hall Management Committee annual general meeting
• Wednesday 8 May: Annual Town Meeting, 7 pm, followed by Reepham Town Council meeting, followed by Stimpson’s Piece Charity Trustee meeting
All meetings are held in the Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, starting at 7.30 pm unless otherwise advertised.
Local residents, businesses and organisations and other members of the public are welcome to attend to raise issues and make their views known to councillors at the beginning of every meeting.
Contact: Reepham Town Council, Town Hall, Church Street, Reepham, Norfolk NR10 4JW. Tel: 01603 873355. Email.
Geoff Fisher