PLANS are being made to set up a youth council and youth club in the village of Hopton on Sea, and it is hoped youngsters will attend a special meeting with their ideas.

PLANS are being made to set up a youth council and youth club in the village of Hopton on Sea, and it is hoped youngsters will attend a special meeting with their ideas.

At the parish council meeting last week, councillors heard the meeting will be held on Monday evening on November 17 in the village hall. Ideas will be discussed and taken forward.

Ian French from the Great Yarmouth Youth Work Team will be attending.

Youngsters aged between 10 and 18 and who would like to help councillors get plans and ideas off the ground, are asked to go along to the meeting. There will be a free prize draw to win Hollywood Cinema tickets.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting which will be advertised on noticeboards and given to local high schools.

PCSO Dave Nickerson was unable to attend council meeting but in his report said there had been 54 incident calls from Hopton during September - 13 were crimes.

It was alleged rats are causing a problem at the rear of Potters Drive. One resident said she had laid traps and in a two-week period had caught 15 rodents.

The environmental health department at the borough council had recommended that no grass cutting are put on the farmland, or that feed is not left out for birds, as both practices support a rat population.

Anyone wanting to contact Jeremy Marsh, Senior Environmental Health Officer, should call 01502 846678, and the parish councilwill contact thr borough again about the problem.

Councillors discussed the opening hours of the new Hopton Medical Centre; it was felt the current situation is not providing a sufficient level of service to residents, with no afternoon appointments available.

The council had written to the primary care trust (PCT) about the matter but had had no written response. However, in a telephone conversation, the PCT said they were in negotiation with the practice and options were being discussed.

Councillors determined to continue to push for a resolution.

In matters arising, councillors heard that EDF are being chased to connect the new street light on Station Road, and the adoption of the Trafalgar Grange estate has been delayed as fencing is still in place.

Following the success of last year's Family Christmas Party, the council has organised two parties this year to celebrate the festive season within the community. There will be a Senior Citizens party on December 13 in the village hall, followed by a Family Christmas party for families living in the village with children 12 years and under, on December 20.

Admission will be by advance ticket only and application forms for both parties, with further details, will be published in the November edition of Village View. Tickets will be issued strictly in order of receipt.

Other items discussed were the Annual Remembrance Service Sunday service which is on November 9 at St Margaret's Church, with the laying of a wreaths; a replacement noticeboard is to be bought, costing about £720, to be installed at Links Road; and No Cold Calling zones could be instigated in certain roads in the village;

The next council meeting is on Monday, November 10, 7pm in the Village Hall, Station Road.