Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the

Albrighton & District Civic Society

held at APC Office, 82B High St, Albrighton,

on Monday 4th April 2011 at 2pm

 

Present :         

Peter Woodman - Chairman

Rod Smith – Secretary

David Hughes - Treasurer

John Bulmer

Hugh Hughes

Peter Leigh

Mike Pitchford (MP)

David Beechey – ex-officio, representing Donington-with-Boscobel PC

David Murray – ex-officio, representing Tong PC

 

1. Apologies received from Ron Kidson and Michael Ward

 

2. Minutes of Meeting of 7th March 2010 were approved

 

3. Main Current Issues

 

a. Eyesores

5 & 6 Cross Road. Pavement alongside the front garden wall not yet repaired but the weeds have been dealt with. (Post Meeting note: The weeds are still there)

Streetscene. PL reported that since the meeting with Glen McGrandle of SC he had received an email but there had been no action.  ACTION: PW to write to Kim Riley the new Chief Executive of SC to ask him to meet us.

 

b) Entrance Scheme.

JB reported that the main planting work for this year has been completed. JB and HH have made notes of what remedial work is required at the sites already dealt with. DH had tried to contact Michael Morris of D Austin Roses but he was on leave. ACTION: DH to ask DAR to carry out the work at the entrance nearby as promised.

JB reported that the Entrance at Green Lane/A464 was in a bad state. ACTION: JB will seek out the owner of the field and will offer trees for him to plant.

ACTION: JB to collect more snowdrops from Mary & Phillip ?.

It was agreed that JB should buy some Narcissus bulbs from Homers as we did last year (approx £400).

The LJC Committee had finally agreed to award the £2,500 grant but 3 of the 5 LJC Committee Members voted to set a condition that half would be paid now and half after we had secured match funding for the remaining half. They seem to have overlooked that our Application was to carry out work with a value of £8,325 and our  Application was for £2,500 BUT stated that £5,825 would be raised by the Society in donations of work or goods which meant that we were already providing “match” funding, but not £1,250 but for a greater sum of £5,825. DH reported that he had met Andrea McWilliams of SC and that the first payment of £1,250 would be made within weeks.

ACTION: DH was preparing a schedule of the match funding items.

Cllr Fred Shelley of the LJC Committee queried why the Society did not seek a grant from the four Parish Councils and suggested that funding would be available.

ACTION: PW to write to the Parish Councils.

 

c) Schools Civic Awards Scheme.

Birchfield School had sent in some excellent entries. PW was chasing up the other schools for theirs.

 

d) Albrighton Station.

The promised meeting with Network Rail & London Midland Trains had still not been arranged. action: db to write to NR & LMT

ACTION: PW to write to Mark Pritchard MP to request that he puts pressure on NR CEO.

RS reported that Mr Teece of 95 Station Rd had telephoned to ask if the plans for the Station included cutting back or removing the four large conifers growing on the Station Rd side of the embankment of the access ramp. He said he was concerned about the possibility of them toppling as they move in high winds and suggested they should at least have the tops cut off. RS had advised him of the various proposals one of which involved steepening that embankment face and which, if carried out, would include the removal of these trees and scrub. Mr Teece reported that lots of rubbish collects in the bushes on the slope especially near the bridge wingwall and several times he had cleared some away including dumped batteries. RS thanked him for the call and for helping keep the place tidy and would bring this matter to the attention of NR & LMT at the forthcoming meeting. JB (as Tree Warden) confirmed that these conifers should be cut back or removed as they had grown too big and are out of place at that location.

PW reported that the Rail Heritage Trust cannot provide funds for the Station Building as it is now in private ownership. ACTION: RS to make an assessment of the cost of steepening the access ramp embankment prior to meeting NR/LMT.

 

4. Other items.

a) Village Green. The ownership of the access roads is not known. The remaining stalks at the base of the Lime trees need to be trimmed off in June.

ACTION: JB will ask MW is the Alb PC workman can do it.

 

b) no further news concerning ADCS’s request  to be a consultee for local planning applications.

 

c) Civic Day –it was decide that we had too many local issues to deal with and we would not participate this year.

 

d) Flower Show. ACTION: PW to purchase a cup. JB to ask Flower Show organisers to advertise the Civic Society Competition for the Best Front Garden in their documents/leaflets etc

 

e) Albrighton Fayre. ACTION: DH to book the same location as last year. All activity to be as last year i.e. sale of raffle tickets for bottles (donated by committee members) which includes Society Membership.

 

5. Any Other Business

a) Visit to Brewood Civic Society. To be on Wednesday 29 June – details to follow from PW.

 

b) Community Infrastructure Levy - Draft Charging Schedule. ACTION:  It was decided that RS to write to SC to support Albrighton PC representation (circulated by DM)

 

c) Planning Application had been received by Alb PC to turn the Barclays Bank building into flats.

 

d) Albrighton Traders Association (ASA) is preparing a questionnaire for use on Fayre day. If anyone has any suggested questions which may help the Society in its work please send to RS who will ask ATA if they would consider including them.

 

e) The Wednesday Walking Group has kindly offered to deliver a Civic Society flyer with those they will deliver on 15 June for the Flower Show. MP and RS are preparing draft which will include an Application for Membership (which may be put thro’ some selected letterboxes with the £1 or £2 fee).

Will any local businesses make us some photocopy flyers? It was suggested that perhaps if 4 or 5 businesses would make say 250 or 500 photocopies each this would be enough.

ACTION: DH to ask HL Smith and Maddox if they can help with copies.

ACTION: Can anyone else ask for help with copies?

ACTION: MP & RS to draft a flyer for circulation and comment

 

Next meeting:    2 p.m. Tuesday 3rd May 2011

 

Following Meeting will be at 2pm on Monday 6th June 2011.

 

All Committee Meetings, unless otherwise noted, are at Alb PC Offices, 82B High Street, Albrighton WV7 3JA (T: 375455)

 

 

 

Copyright (c) 2013 ALBRIGHTON and DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY