MEMBERS of the public, led by Barbara Howarth, have protested to Padiham Council about the amount of dog fouling which takes place on Gawthorpe High School's playing fields and the play areas of Padiham county schools.

The staff of both schools do ask anyone they see using their grounds irresponsibly to think about the harmful effect that dog muck can have on children, but the problem is worse when the schools are closed.

The council appealed to dog owners to stop using playing fields to exercise their dogs.

CONCERNS are still being expressed by Padiham Town Council that there is no specific letterbox at the town hall for correspondence addressed to the council. Attaching a separate post box to the town hall does require planning permission so Councillor Smith suggested that a letterbox be put in the foyer of the town hall.

THE Christmas Crib outside the town hall was blessed on a cold, grey, wet Saturday morning last week. The weather did not deter a large crowd who turned out to swing carols and witness the blessing.

THE management of the Great Barn at Gawthorpe Hall have applied for a renewal of their Public Entertainment Licence. Burnley Borough Council will consider this on January 6.

Meanwhile the hall's annual Victorian Christmas fair saw the Great Barn packed to the rafters on Sunday.

HAPTON Brownies are extremely grateful for the generous donation given to them by Councillor Bob Clark, Mayor of Padiham.

PC Tony Himycz, although disappointed with the response to the surgeries he had held in Hapton, will try again to meet any parishioners with any concerns about crime in the village.

He will hold a further surgery at the Methodist Church tomorrow at 7pm. Members of the public can contact Tony on voicemail at Burnley 427048 or on his mobile phone 07984 316864.

A RENOVATION plan has been formulated to improve the centre of the village around the Methodist Church. External security lighting and anti-vandal paint will hopefully stop children climbing on the roof. A fence around most of the building will, hopefully, stop graffiti being painted on the church wall.

Money to do all this has already been promised by the Environment Committee and hopefully the Methodist Church and the police will also be able to contribute.

POLLARD Moor Works are seeking permission to erect three silos on their land.

THE new landlords of the Bridge House Pub have joined the Pubwatch scheme.

HAPTON CE/Methodist Primary School pupils have entered the Lancashire Reading Quiz. The school is represented by Elliot Ryan Flood, Danielle Maria Taylor, Adam Paul Carter, Ryan Cook and James Eastwood. They have already got through the first round. We wish them luck.