Latest News!

Below is our latest news. If you would like to download our newsletter, 'The Mardler' please click here

June 2010 - Celeb News!
The village will be welcoming Roger Lloyd Pack (Only Fools and Horse) to Swanton Morley Village Hall on 14th August at 7.30pm, as part fo a prodcution of 'Yes' - The Adrian Mitchell Show. Tickets are £6 for adults and £3 for Under 16's (show suitable for age 11 and over) and are available from the clerk, Swanton Morley Stores and Swanton Morley Butchers.

May 2010 - Welcome to the team
Swanton Morley Parish Council would like to welcome Mr Alex Sommerville CPM to both the village and the parish council team. Mr Sommerville brings with him a wealth of experience working for local government and we look forward to working with him.

April 2009 - Democracy Speaks
At an extraordinary meeting of Swanton Morley Village Hall Trust, the village voted by 49 votes to 13 that Swanton Morley Parish Council shoudl become sole managing trustee of Swanton Morley Village Hall

October 2009 - WINNERS YET AGAIN
Swanton Morley has become the Calor East of England Village of the Year. It narrowly missed out of the National title, however to the one of the top 5 villages in England, it can hold its head high!

August 2009 - WINNERS AGAIN
Not only has Swanton Morley has won the Pride in Norfolk award for Community spirit for communities with less than 2500 people, it has become Norfolk village of the year 2009!

July 2009 - WINNERS
Swanton Morley has won the Pride in Norfolk award for Community spirit for communities with less than 2500 people. The Parish Council would like to thank everybody who has contributed to the village to make it the special place that it is to live.

5th June 2009
Election Results
Bill Borrett 1689 votes
Roger Atterwill 1184 votes
Steve Blake 558 votes
Linda Goreham 319 votes

A very commendable tally for our own parish chair Roger Atterwill, seeing off two major political parties!

Use Your Vote!
With the County Council Elections soon to be upon us - don't miss your opportunity to use your vote. Elections are on the 4th June and your candidates are:

ROGER ATTERWILL (Independent)
23 Primrose Square, Swanton Morley
www.rogeratterwill.com

STEVE BLAKE (Green Party)
1 Daffodil Way, Mattishall

BILL BORRETT (Conservative Party)
Manor Farm, Hoe

LINDA GOREHAM (Labour Party)
15 Attlee Way, Dereham

30th March 2009
Council Tax Bills to be Reissued   
Breckland District Council has apologised for an error that has led to all of Swanton Morley's counil tax bills being incorrect. The parish portion of the council tax has not increased by 53% as publicised. The bills will be reissued shortly by Breckland District Council.

9th March 2009
Swanton Morley Parish Council has completed its team with the co-option of Alan Fleming.    
Alan has plenty of experience working with local community groups, such as schools, local police, scout troops and cub packs.  He is an ex-military man and so will understand the needs of many people in the parish, and also has experience of running his own business.  Alan’s knowledge is going to be of great benefit to the council and we look forward to having him on the team. 

9th March 2009
Objection to account 'Not Upheld'
Recommendations were made by Mazars, many of which, it was acknowledged, had already been addressed last year as prompted by the council’s project to achieve Quality Council status.  The cost of the investigation to the taxpayer was £6,130.  This has obviously disappointed the council as great efforts had been made to lower council tax in the current economic climate.  As a result we must stress that we would never deny any parishioner their right to object to the accounts, but a resolution could be sought via direct contact with the council rather than engaging in a full investigation with the external auditor at great expense to the taxpayer.  The council is always open to discussing the finances, particularly with the new ‘Saturday Surgeries’ that have now commenced. 

9th February 2009
Complaint launched about Breckland District Council's Conduct Over LDF.    
The Parish Council has sent a formal complaint to the Chief Executive of Breckland District Council and has also requested that the Sectretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Hazel Blears, intervenes in the process. The Parish Council believes that Breckaldn District Council has, at best, been economical with the truth and is insisting on a review.

10th December 2008
No Election for Swanton Morley
Despite fifteen registered electors requesting a by election for the final position on the council there were no responses to the returning officer at Breckland District Council by people willing to stand. The council is therefore free to co-opt another member and anyone interested should contact the clerk.

14th November 2008
By Election Request for Swanton Morley
There is one vacant position on the council and this will be filled by the process of a by-election.  Nomination papers will be available from 1st December and anyone wishing to stand for the position of parish councillor must deliver their completed forms to Breckland District Council by 9th December.  The Parish Council strongly encourages people to stand for this position as it was raised in the Annual Parish Meeting that there was a desire in the village for an election. This was reiterated by the 15 people who in this instance requested an election.      

10th November 2008
Council Welcomes New Councillors
Swanton Morley Parish Council welcomes Bernie Marsham and Steve Westbury to the council team. These gentlemen are great assets to the council and ideal people to help represent the village.

13th September 2008
Excellent Response Rate for LDF Consultation
Thank you to everyone who returned the survey on the Local Development Framework. We received over 200 responses with 78% being in favour of the the Parish Council's preferred development site on Rectory Road and 22% being against. Over 100 people are expected at the public meeting on 15th Sepetember where representatives from Breckland District Council will be available to answer questions on the project.

August 2008
Swanton Morley Scoops Two Pride in Norfolk Awards
Swanton Morley came runner up in the Under 5000 population category for the EDP Pride in Norfolk Community Awards. In addition to this, Swanton Morley clerk Faye LeBon came runner up in the clerk of the year awards. The award ceremony will be held on 18th September (another double celebration as it's the clerk's birthday)!

29th May 2008
Judges Visit Swanton Morley for the Pride of Norfolk Awards
Three judges from the Eastern Daily Press visited the village to judge its community spirit. Swanton Morley finished runner up last year in its category.  With its thriving local businesses, heroes in the form of the Light Dragoons, great publicity in recent projects such as the Gooseberry Hill play equipment, a rejuvenating village hall and of course a Quality Council, we think the village has much to be proud of a deserves first place this year.  We await the judges’ decision!

1st May 2008
Swanton Morley Parish Council Achieves Quality Status
To obtain Quality StatusWe had to submit a portfolio giving evidence on the way we perform various tasks.  These included financial accounting, team knowledge, conduct of meetings, ethical framework and communications with the public and other local authorities.  We passed these tests with flying colours.
Being a Quality Council means that parishioners can be assured that our practices have been examined by an independent body and deemed in the best interest of those we represent.  It also means that we are likely to become more involved in the decisions made by other local authorities and strategic partnerships and because of our status our voice will carry much more weight. 

16th April 2008
Gooseberry Hill Playing Field Officially Opened
A big thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate the formal opening of the Gooseberry Hill playing field, particularly all the children.  The opening ceremony was featured in the Eastern Daily Press, we had a great write up in the Dereham Times and it was even featured on ITV’s Anglia News.  Just when we thought things couldn’t get any better, children from Swanton Morley Primary School wrote to the Dereham Times as part of their lessons to thank everyone involved.  I’m sure I speak on behalf of all the council, volunteers and funding bodies involved in this project when I say it was an absolute pleasure!
Due to the excellence of the project, one of our funding bodies, Biffaward, has put the project forward for a chance to win a national award of £7,000.  We should hear by September as to whether we have had even further success with this project.