Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the
Albrighton & District
Civic Society
held
at Elwood House, Cross Road, Albrighton,
on
Friday 3rd September 2010 at 2pm
Present
: Rod Smith – Secretary
John
Bulmer
Ron
Kidson
Peter
Leigh
Hugh
Hughes
David
Beechey – ex-officio, representing Donington-with-Boscobel PC
Venue
moved from Peel Cottage to Elwood House. Meeting chaired by Rod Smith.
1.
Apologies received from Peter Woodman, David Hughes, Paul Joseland and Malcolm Pate
Members
not attending: Michael Ward, David Murray
2.
Minutes of Meeting on 2nd July 2010 were approved.
3.
Review Progress on the main projects:-
a) Village
Entrance Scheme. Task Group: JB/HH/PW
Kingswood
Rd/A41 - JB reported that he had spoken to Brian Bennett (SC) about his requirement
for explanations to statutory undertakers and had said that the first
task was ground clearing and not digging but he had to get MP involved
to get agreement from B Bennett to allow work to start. The 16 member
RAF team spent 2 days clearing brush. After the earlier cutting down
of the trees and brush by Heartwood, better access was available and
more trees were seen to be dead/dying, and in danger of falling across
the footpath/road, and needed to be removed – PW had raised this with
MP and asked that SC commission and pay for this work. JB said that
re-planting would be carried out between November and March.
Patshull
Rd/A464 – as planting was postponed due to the dry summer weather, re-spraying of weed
killer was done again on 30 Aug.
General –
PL has potted on 400 wild primroses and needs about 300 No. 3” pots
– HH will provide some but more are needed – ACTION
can anyone provide some?
PL
is still pursuing the supply of a road sign advising an ADCS Project. ACTION PL
DB
advised that the work to remove dead trees and smarten up the pool area
at corner of Cross Rd/Patshull Rd was proceeding well. The cost was by APC
with a contribution from SC. The meeting recorded that the Alb PC were to
be congratulated on getting this work done.
b) Civic
Award Scheme for Schools. Task Group: PW/JB
PW
and JB will make the scheme more like that at Brewood and details will
be issued to the schools in September. ACTION: PW/JB
c)
Eyesores – in preparation for Brian Bennett’s attendance at the next
committee meeting on 3rd October 2010 PL and JB would make a list of the main items which we will show
him. BB will come to the meeting and after a brief overview the whole
committee will walk to view most of the items and then by car to two
further items. (Post Meeting Note: PL/JB’s Survey Report with photos has been circulated to
all for comment and any further suggestions).
PL
suggested that we should discus with B Bennett the possibility that Alb
PC could tackle some of the smaller maintenance tasks such as weed killing,
painting litter bins etc. DB said that it may be possible for SC to provide
annual funding of about £3000 to cover this and the work to be done by the
Alb PC workman.
DB
advised that SC Officers have regular walk-abouts to inspect items for
repair/maintenance and that Alb PC are usually invited to accompany
them and he suggested that the Society should also ask if we can send
a representative. ACTION DB will ask SC. We can also discuss with B Bennett at next meeting.
DB
reported that there are now 15 empty businesses in Albrighton; the greatest
number anyone remembers.
i) The
Old Smithy.
It
had been reported that David Thompson had submitted Plans to SC Planning
Dept but the Planning Application had not appeared on the SC website nor
as a Notice on the property.
ii)
Stables opposite The Horns, Boningale. PW had written to SC Planners to
complain that the second un-authorised entrance directly on A464 was being
used and asked for SC’s proposed action.
ACTION:
PW to chase up a reply
d) Lack
of Parking :Provision in Albrighton
PL
had made a presentation on behalf of the Society SC at the LJC meeting on
19th May. This identified several possible locations where additional public parking
may be constructed – SC were to take a first look, check on ownership and
practicalities and report back at next LJC meeting. RK had identified several
more locations and would make an additional presentation at the LJC meeting
on 12th July.
ACTION:
PL/RK to write to SC to remind them that their report was expected at the next LJC
meeting on 28 October 2010.
e) LJC
meeting on 28th Sept is expected to have two main items – Parking and Planning Procedures.
Planning
Procedures – MP has arranged for Nick Taylor, SC Head of Planning, and Cllr Stuart West,
Chairman of SC Planning Committee, to attend the LJC meeting to answer
questions raised by several people including three residents and ex-Cllr
RK who recently attended a planning meeting. DB said that he would arrange
for Alb PC to have a Cllr attend who would raise issues on behalf of
the Alb PC (DB not able to attend). It was also felt that Cllr Dr Nigel
Hester may also have points to raise. RS had received requests from
two residents in Cross Rd that a short informal meeting be held a few
days before the LJC meeting to allow all those who wanted to speak at
the LJC to co-ordinate their contributions. ACTION RS to arrange a meeting at Elwood House and will liaise with DB, RK, NHester and
the other residents to fix a date.
f)
Statement of Community Involvement (SCI). The Secretary had received a letter
from SC which had been circulated and would now request the SC Report. ACTION: RS
g)
Core Strategy Development Plan. The Secretary had received a letter from
SC which had been circulated. SC arranging a public meeting in Albrighton
in Oct/Nov 2010
h) Grants
from LJC18. The Society had submitted two applications for grants – first (£7500) from the
“large LJC pot” for the Entrances Scheme. SC proposed matched funding
but to exclude donations from corporate organisations and to exclude sums
assigned to volunteers time. The Society considered that the conditions
were not practical or acceptable and so the application was withdrawn
pending discussion with SC.
The
second (£250) application from the “small LJC pot” for a contribution to
administration costs was not settled by the last LJC meeting.
RS
and DH had therefore met Andrea McWilliams at Bridgnorth on 23rd August. It was explained that the Society’s efforts were focussed on obtaining
contributions in cash and kind from local organisations and individuals
and we have been very successful so far. ADCS does not run fund raising
functions which in any case would diminish the amount of potential “cash
giving to charities” available locally thus taking from other clubs who
do depend on such fund raising. We had received her help and advice for
both applications. DH has re-submitted the small application which will
be determined at the LJC meeting on 28th Oct. RS has AMcW’s notes and will discuss the large application with PW and
JB when both are back from holiday. The Grant Application for the Entrances
Scheme will be re-submitted before the early December 2010 deadline for
review at the January 2011 LJC meeting and we were told that the “large
pot” funds will still be available then.
4. Fayre
Day stall and recruitment. DH sent his Treasurer’s report: £134 of Subscriptions and £17 of raffle-ticket-only were collected. Stand fee
£20. Thus Fayre Day net income = £131.
New
Members: Individual 52, Family 17 = total 69
Renewals: Individual
10, Family 9, Life (converted from Ind) 2 = total 21
Total
recruited on Fayre Day = 90 members
Total
membership at 23 Aug 2010 = 216 members.
(Post
Meeting Note. RS: Some of the 216 people were recruited at Fayre Day
2009 and were visitors from outside the area and will not renew. Thus
it is likely that at the ADCS year end on 30th November 2010 the membership will drop to 90 – we therefore need to recruit now to bring numbers up to last year’s approx 150 members)
5.
Any other business
a)
Exchange visit with Brewood Civic Society is 7pm on Wednesday 22nd September 2010 and PW is fixing the details.
b)
Signage. RS reported that there has been correspondence with Patrick & Gaynor Richards as the Traders Association wish to have SC place a sign at the
end of Cross Rd on the A464 to encourage travellers to come to shop in Albrighton.
JB suggested it say “Local Traffic to Shops & Services”. RS said that some residents of Cross Road also wanted the current
sign directing traffic “to RAF Cosford” down Cross Rd to be changed to
direct them along the A464 and to turn them at the Junction into A41
– it is thought
that drivers coming from a distance and heading to the M54 Junction 3 are aware that J3 is at Cosford and seeing the current sign they then turn down
Cross Rd. A new sign could also show that “to M54” is along A464 and then
into A41. RS suggested that the directing of through traffic along A464/A41 should only to be done if the Traders Association confirms that
through traffic to the M54 does not generally stop at shops in the village
– we don’t want them to lose trade.
Date of next meeting: Friday 1st October at 2pm at John Bulmer’s
(Following
meeting to be on 1st Friday in month ie Friday 5th November 2010 at Peter Woodman’s)
Copyright (c) 2013 ALBRIGHTON and DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY