BEST bib and tucker on Saturday night please for the Mayor's Ball at Padiham Town Hall this Saturday. Reception starts at 7.30pm and the festivities, including a buffet, starts at 8pm. On with your sparklers for an evening raising money for the Mayor's charity, the Padiham Community Fund.

HAPTON'S Methodist Church is looking much smarter thanks to a large new noticeboard and railings around its perimeters.

The noticeboard was the result of a grant gained by PC Tony Himycz from the Rank Foundation.

It will be used not only by the parish council but also for community announcements.

Further improvements at the church include a safety play surface and floodlights. Minister at the church, the Re John Hardy, is delighted with the new look.

THE recent meeting held at Hapton's Village School, between Burnley parks staff, members of Hapton's environment committee, police representatives and local young people was described as "positive and pro-active" by parks development manager Aaron Callaghan.

He said there was around £3,000 of funding in Burnley Council's budget which could be used towards prioritised works.

These could include youth shelter provision, lighting and improvements to the playground.

The provision of a youth shelter is widely supported by the community.

It is planned to place it away from the houses to reduce the amount of possible nuisance to residents but it needs to be visible to reduce any danger to youths using it.

Shrubs will be pruned to make this possible.

It is hoped that the shelter will be larger than the one in Park Road, Padiham.

THE current BMX bike track is popular with young people but needs re-surfacing.

The committee will seek advice about the best type of surface to use.

Aaron Callaghan suggested a code of conduct for users of the recreation ground.

He will provide a basic code which the young people can amend to suit their objectives.

The local community beat manager PC Tony Himycz is hoping for the introduction of a by-law to ban alcohol drinking on the 'Rec.' Plans to fence the playground off are also in place.

This is to protect the children from the effects of dog fouling, which is a constant threat to them. Aaron Callaghan will provide the parish council with information on the availability of grant funding.

THE Neighbourhood Watch Scheme on Carter Avenue and Ruskin Grove is showing the positive results of its presence.

Figures released this year by the police show that incidents in the area have fallen from 69 last year to 22 for this year and the number of actual crimes has halved from 12 last year to six this year.

However, we are warned that figures are open to interpretation. It appears the Neighbourhood Watch is proving efficient.

A PLEA from the football team of Hapton's CE Primary School to Burnley's Parks and Gardens Department has been answered. The team needed the grass on the football field to be cut as it had grown wild due to the early spring.

Plans had not been made by the Parks Department but not only has the grass been cut, Steve Hastings of the Parks Department, has arranged for the pitch to be newly marked out. The headteacher of the school, Mrs Sue Cornell, thanks every one for the prompt way they have supported the school.