A DECISION has been taken to extend further Hampshire’s successful parish lengthsman scheme.

Hampshire County Council currently provides funding for parish and town councils to employ a ‘lengthsman’ who takes on maintenance tasks such as cutting back hedges, cleaning signs and clearing ditches.

The scheme has grown, in just a few years, from covering a handful of parishes to encompassing more than half of the county.

Taking the decision to allocate extra funding, county councillor Rob Humby said: “We’re really pleased to be able to introduce our town and parish councils to an effective, community-based solution to local, immediate maintenance jobs, and support them to take it up.

“I am pleased to announce that the county council is making further opportunities available for 2016/17 for new parishes to engage with the scheme this financial year.”

The term lengthsman dates back to the 1800s, referring to workers who were responsible for keeping a particular length of road neat and tidy.

The modern role of parish lengthsman was reintroduced by the county council in 2010.

The authority has generally allocated £1,000 per year to all participating town and parish councils in order to employ a lengthsman.