Burghclere Parish Council

"What's a Lengthsman?" is a question often asked.  Historically, a parish Lengthsman was assigned to maintain the country roads within the parish, trimming back hedges, cutting vegetation, filling in potholes and clearing ditches.

 

Due to changes in law and mechanisation, highway maintenance is now the responsibility of local authorities. Work can now be done in a fraction of the time it took one man using hand tools.  In recent years, Lengthsmen started to make a comeback, financed by local County Councils. 

 

Burghclere is part of a Lengthsman Scheme along with the parishes of St Mary Bourne, Highclere and East Woodhay.

 

The Parish Lengthsman come from elsewhere in the Borough.  Two key advantages of the Parish Lengthsman:

 

• their ability to develop and use local knowledge and act rapidly to deal with problems;

• to work more cost-effectively compared to contracting out work.

 

Tasks

 

Highways - Maintain pavements

HP5 - Clean and maintain railings and fences

Highways - Other works

HO4 - Other miscellaneous highway work as detailed

 

Rights of Way - Other works

RO3 - Other miscellaneous Rights of Way work as detailed

 

Other

OTH1 - Clean and maintain war memorials

OTH2 - Clean and maintain noticeboards

OTH3 - Clearing vegetation from riverbeds

OTH4 - Other miscellaneous parish work as detailed

 

 

Litterwarden

 

Frank Knott is the litterwarden for the village and his salary (12 hours/week) is paid for by the parish precept supported by MacDonalds at Tothill (2 hours/week).  His task includes keeping footpaths and open spaces free of litter, putting litter in the bins for this purpose and ensuring they are emptied.