Finance and General Purpose Committee
by Bob Bishop, Chairman

The current budget is £91,418. A significant amount, £54,778, is necessarily spent on maintaining, running and improving the extensive public land and facilities that we own and on small to medium sized projects, like the much needed youth facilities, which we hope to establish soon and will be a significant new commitment. We shall also be funding a number of smaller initiatives this year including a part-time warden/gardener for Carrington Lane Play Park, the provision of hanging baskets, and environmental improvements at Key haven. Employment (two part-time Clerks and part-time grass cutting operative) costs £26,965 and administration £9,675.

The result has been an increase of under 5% for the Council tax relating to the Parish in 2005/6 - which is about £1 per year extra for the average household. Full details of the budget and accounts are available from the Parish Office upon reasonable notice.

More generally, the Parish has been fully involved in the new sea front improvements - and we will be contributing £2000 to the costs, and have used about £34k from our Developers Contribution funds held by NFDC for local projects. We have also advised on the new small sea front play area that will soon be created for younger children. While this will be paid for by the NFDC, the Parish will have to pay the ongoing maintenance costs.

The long-term programme to improve the Pleasure Grounds has also continued at a measured pace with the removal of invasive trees and shrubs, and a good deal of successful replanting. This approach has now been widely welcomed and we shall arrange a public briefing before the next season's work begins. The Forestry Commission currently meets half of the costs involved.

Looking ahead, the Council has just published the results of a survey of residents' views on the current and future provision of community facilities in Milford - we shall soon be deciding how best to respond. We are also helping to launch a new community forum (called a "Village Health Check") to consider the future needs of the village -- focussing on the local Economy; the Environment; Social and Community issues; and Transport and Accessibility issues.