County Council, W.S. Atkins and Paddy Ashdown M.P.  Comments received from them about this report were extremely favourable and complimentary.  I report this as an example to illustrate that we as a Council are concerned that local voices are heard and that our views are considered when decisions affecting the county and the South West are made.
Now to more enlightening matters. The Millennium is fast approaching as I am sure you are aware.  Apart from celebrations that will take place throughout the village, a lot of discussion has taken place over the last year as to how to best mark this milestone for West Coker.  The overriding view has been that a project to provide facilities for the young people, presently lacking, should be the way forward.  To that end, after several meetings a Youth Club has been formed with initial funding from this Council to provide a qualified youth worker.  We hope that this initiative will, in time, be a springboard to larger projects and will be a fitting start to our community for the 21st Century.
We are also looking at ways to improve facilities on the Recreation Ground in particular the play area where the equipment is showing signs of age.  Joan Sandford continues to look after our interests on the playing field and we thank her for her vigilance.
The other project, which is now in operation, is the Millennium Wood planting at Primrose Hill.  This would not have been possible without the considerable

amount of hard wok and persistence put in by our Tree Wardens - Chris and Anne Blight and the many and varied donations by local people and organisations which have successfully funded this project
We are also indebted to our footpath wardens Derrick and Marion Pattison and thank them for their continued input to the keeping of the rights of way open and used.  Footpath maps are always available from local shops.
Our County Councillor Cathy Bakewell and District Councillors Nick Speakman and Alan Cornelius are in regular attendance at our meetings and are always informative and supportive, we thank them for their input.
We are perhaps at the end of an era in more ways than one this year.  Firstly, in May the local elections are forthcoming and for the first time this Parish will be warded.  That is we will now be divided into two areas. Seven councillors are to be responsible for West Coker and three are to be responsible for the new Sampsons Wood ward.  Secondly our clerk, Norman Billington is retiring at the end of this fiscal year.  Norman has been an extremely efficient and supportive clerk to this council, many decisions could not have been made without his informed advice. He has made himself available with helpful advice not only to us but also to the whole village.  Thank you Norman for your dedication to the job, we wish you and your wife a long and happy retirement.
The Council have appointed