Explaining this, he says: "If you speak to the vast majority of independent traders they will tell you things in general are bad and are not helped by a politically-led town council which concentrates on its pet interests such as the museum, the Rec, Northwell Pool, swimming pool to name but a few. They are all noble interests but only one side of a multi-faceted town."

I understand the frustration, but it is misplaced. The town council name is misleading. Swaffham Town Council only ranks as a parish council, lowest of the three tiers, under district and county, in the current three-tier local government system.

Parish councils have very limited powers. Cynics have sometimes called them parks and gardens councils as the law limits what they can do to not much more than that.

A new parish councillor is given a booklet which specifies what the council can do. They'll be entranced to know that under the Public Health Act 1936 they have power to provide public baths and wash houses and to deal with ponds and ditches that are a nuisance.

Under the Parish Councils Act 1957 they have the power to provide public clocks. They may be astounded to learn that even the power to accept gifts is only granted under the Local Government Act 1972.

So how can the town council help business locally?

There's an extremely short list of measures.

They can help with bus shelters, Christmas lights, crime prevention, car parking, public conveniences, community transport schemes, traffic signs and decorative signs to inform visitors. That's about it!

There is a power that allows a parish council to contribute to organisations encouraging tourism, but that is only an indirect help to most businesses in town. However, good news! Next month the Government is due to publish a new statutory instrument. This is expected to allow parish councils with "quality status" to start exercising "powers of well-being".

Swaffham Town Council was the first in Breckland, in December, 2006, to gain that award and it should entitle the council to do almost anything that it thinks is beneficial to the parish, and not be constrained by the powers listed in certain specific Acts of Parliament, as at present.

Will the council relax its concentration on noble causes and respond with measures which show that missing connection with local traders?