An extra �65,000 has today been added to the parish partnership highways improvement scheme to allow 32 projects to go ahead.

Parish and town councils' response to the scheme - announced last September - had threatened to overwhelm the �100,000 set aside by the Norfolk County Council as match-funding for small-scale improvements.

Altogether 32 eligible projects were put forward and today the county council's cabinet gave a green light to all of them by agreeing to boost the partnership fund to �165,000. Parish and town councils will meet half of the cost of the projects, many of which benefit pedestrians, but also include signs, bus stops and other local improvements.

The schemes are:

Shouldham - Short length of trod (a loose-finished footpath) along Norwich Road.

Walsoken - Trod from Sparrowgate Road to join footway at Argyll Gardens.

Swaffham - Four tourist/visitor signs.

Tittleshall - Trod pathway.

Cawston - Pavement widening for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

Fincham - Village 'gateways' on the A1122.

Thornham - Pavement with two pedestrian crossings, tactile paving and raised bus stop.

Southrepps - Dropped kerbs for Social Club car park and next to boardwalk.

Syderstone - 100m of trod to link existing paths.

Wimbotsham - Trod along unmade pedestrian route.

Diss - Footway resurface.

Hellesdon - Upgrade four bus stops for disabled access.

Dersingham - Widen existing Manor Road footway.

Wretham - Trod from Hilda Raker Close to Illington Road.

Snettisham - Trod along Beach Road to camping field.

Grimston - Trod from parish boundary to Chequers Road.

Salhouse - Trod to serve Norwich Road bus stop.

Harling - Footway widening.

Beetley - Trod along B1146 to link footpath to school.

Hevingham - Lining and traffic islands.

Horstead - Trod along Mill Road linking footway to playing field.

High Kelling - Shelter for bus stop.

Easton - Vehicle activated sign.

Bunwell - Vehicle activated sign-supported pedestrian crossing on B1113.

Dickleburgh & Rushall - Trod linking existing footway, Catchpole Walk to Rectory Road

Pentney - Footway to playing field.

Old Catton - Trod to connect footway to Catton Park.

Little Melton - Vehicle activated sign.

Brisley - Trod roadside path.

Morley - Cross-field trod linking Wymondham College to Morley.

Honingham - Resurfacing around War Memorial.

Hingham - Kerbing scheme at The Fairlands.

Graham Plant, cabinet member for planning and transportation, said: 'This extra allocation is excellent news for all those local councils that have invested time and effort to bring forward some very good local projects. Not only does match funding make our scarce resources go much further, it also means that the projects are high priorities locally. We can be sure they will make a real difference in these communities.

'This is one of the ways in which the county council can gain real value for money by working in partnership with town and parish councils. I certainly hope we will be able to do something similar again next year.'

In West Norfolk, Gill Sergeant, chair of Dersingham Parish Council, said the council was surprised but extremely grateful that the widening of the footway along the B1440 (Manor Road) had been accepted for county council support. 'These footpath works, that could not have happened without county council's financial help, will now improve the pathway and make Dersingham a safer place to walk. The parish council would like to thank councillor Paul Groom for his invaluable help in making our application successful.'