A PARISH council is running a pilot scheme to supply free dog poo bags to crack down on owners who do not pick up their pet's mess on a village playing field.

A PARISH council is running a pilot scheme to supply free dog poo bags to crack down on owners who do not pick up their pet's mess on a village playing field.

If the trial is successful the pilot will be rolled out to cover the remainder of the village

Hopton Parish Council's chairman Mike Butcher and clerk Julie McNair won the support of Great Yarmouth Borough Council for the pilot scheme, with the borough agreeing to install the poo bag dispensers at all five entrances to the recreation ground.

At a recent parish council meeting councillors agreed to go ahead with the plan, with the five dispensers and 10,000 bio degradable bags costing �450. The used bags can be placed in litter bins.

Councillors also heard there had been 59 calls to the police from the village during August - 11 of which were logged as crimes.

Great Yarmouth Lions presented a cheque to the council following the summer fete on August 16. Lions representative Richard Barr thanked the people of Hopton for making the third annual fete such a success. Forty-nine charity stalls took part and it was estimated together they raised �5,000 for their charities.

Mr Barr presented a cheque for �1,000 to the council, and in discussions later in the meeting it was agreed to donate it to the Village Hall Management Trust new build project.

Councillors also heard that the problems at the pumping station in Warren Road had been resolved, and that Anglian Water was expected to reply to an investigation of a drainage problem in Barn Close - Lowestoft Road junction with Station Road.

After a meeting this month of the St Margaret's Ruins committee, Cllr Val McGee said that English Heritage had responded favourably to queries and it was unanimously agreed the committee should proceed with the full grant application. The committee would be provided with �50 petty cash designated for the Ruins Project.

The cost of a survey, to go to all households in the village, will be met by existing financial donations. A request for volunteers will be published in the October edition of Village View and placed on the main notice board.

Other matters discussed included the problem of jet skis going under the barrier at Beach Road. Residents were told to speak directly to the Coastguard if they witness anything.

Cllr Butcher revealed that borough Cllr Shirley Weymouth was putting together a group of like-minded people who are concerned about coastal erosion. Brian Hardisty volunteered to join the group and he will report back to the parish council.

Meetings had also taken place with the borough council to discuss caulking of the sea wall. It was agreed works would start on September 28 to the north end of the sea wall. As there is only �20,000 left in this year's budget, works would take them down as far as the groynes past the ramp.

The remaining works to the county boundary will start at the next financial year, April 2010. However, spikes on the revetment still need removing for health and safety reasons.

There will be a public inquiry at Great Yarmouth Town Hall on October 20 at 10am concerning the compulsory purchase of land next to St Margaret's Church. Representatives of the bowls club spoke at the meeting concerning a donation request. Terry Mutton from the club, which is behind St Margaret's Church in Lowestoft Road, revealed it is waiting for quotations from contractors in relation to various works, including a new water supply. Councillors agreed to discuss it again when the club has costings.