WORRIES about excessive dog fouling, noise generated by users of an all-weather games pitch and fears about the future of high street trading were among the items raised at an annual town meeting last week.

Dozens of Hadleigh people, councillors and traders turned out to air their views and give reports on the past year. Jim Wilding, of the town, spoke of his “disgust” at the amount of dog mess in the streets and parks.

He added: “If we are trying to attract more people to Hadleigh, it doesn’t look too good to have so many areas covered with dog mess.”

Mr Wilding asked the town council to consider a campaign to stop dog fouling and encourage people to be proud of their town.

For the second year in a row, Station Road resident Ken Lewis spoke of the problems of living next to a £150,000 artificial games pitch based at the Hadleigh High School’s leisure centre, which he claims was built too close to houses in Lister and Station Road.

Mervyn Gooch, also of Station Road, also attended the meeting. They both say their “peace and quiet” is being shattered by light pollution, swearing, and balls hitting a perimeter fence.

Mr Lewis accused town councillors of failing to help solve the problem.

But planning committee chairman Penny Cook said: “At last year’s meeting, we made an offer of mediation, but it takes two sides and we have no power to force them to meet. It’s not our fault that the high school did not take up our offer.”

The meeting was not all concerns and complaints, as town mayor Mary Munson presented the annual mayor’s award to Charlie Ralph, who has organised dozens of fundraising pub quiz nights for the town forum over the past 12 months.

East of England Co-op business development manager Christian Bone also told how a token scheme run at their High Street store had been “extremely successful” and had raised £5,700 for local charities.

The Porch Project at St Mary’s Church will receive £1,800, the Shelley Centre £2,000 and Hadleigh Community Transport £1,900.

Mr Bone said that since Morrisons had opened in the town, the Co-op had experienced a tough trading period. He said the company was committed to working with local suppliers, High Street traders and community members to help improve the situation.