Rural Parish Council

Parish Strategic Plan 2015 – 2018

Introduction

Oswestry Rural, with an area of some 6,102 hectares and a population of over 4,500 is the largest parish in . The Parish extends some 15km across the south of Oswestry from the Welsh border at in the west to Rednal in the east.

Unlike most parishes in Shropshire, which has one main village and a rural hinterland, Oswestry Rural has four main population areas at Rhydycroesau, , and Marsh and some twelve satellite settlements. For electoral purposes, the Parish is divided into five wards and has a total of fifteen Councillors.

The purpose of this Strategic Plan is to compile in one document the actions identified from responses to the Parish Survey 2014, outstanding actions from the Parish Plan 2006 and the on-going requirements for maintenance of Parish infrastructure and assets. It also includes a section covering a review of the future development of the Parish.

The Plan adopted by the Parish Council at its meeting on 29 September 2015 will allow the Parish Council to make key decisions with its resources to achieve its objective to improve the quality of life of Parish residents.

Clerk: Carole Warner, Orchard Cottage, Rowe Lane, Welshampton, Ellesmere, SY12 0QB Tel. 01948 710672 email: [email protected] www.2shrop.net/oswestry-rural-parish-council Parish Actions

THEME OBJECTIVE ACTIONS COMMUNICATION To improve communication  Create a new website between the Parish Council and  Publish a Parish newsletter residents and businesses by  Review locations and size of notice  Promoting the activities of boards the Council,  Review use of social media  Informing about local and  Establish and maintain links with county issues, and local press  Using a range of methods, traditional and modern. COMMUNITY BUILDINGS To support and work with  Work with Morda Village Hall Committees regarding the Committee to apply for grants to maintenance and development upgrade building. of facilities for the benefit of  Work with Maesbury WI to parishioners. investigate improvements to the car park access from the main road. COMMUNAL GREEN/PLAY To ensure maintenance  Work with to AREAS arrangements are adequate to understand current arrangements allow maximum enjoyment. LOCAL ENVIRONMENT To keep the lanes and streets  Contact Dog Warden with regard clean for the enjoyment of to problem areas parishioners and visitors.  Encourage parishioners to report incidents of littering and fly-tipping to Shropshire Council  Publicise enforcement penalties  Work with community groups to carry out litter picks. ROADS AND LANES To address the concerns and  Report specific incidents to the seek solutions to: Police and Shropshire Council.  Speeding traffic  Use Shropshire Council’s Road  Junction and road layouts Safety Policy to record community  Pedestrian safety concerns.  Road maintenance  Investigate support to setting up  Clearance of gulleys and Community Speed Watch groups. culverts  Investigate the feasibility of ‘Quiet Lanes’  Work with Shropshire Council to investigate use of Community Infrastructure Levy to fund improvements eg traffic calming.  Request details of specific areas for clearance.

2

THEME OBJECTIVE ACTIONS TOURISM To improve information and  Work with local businesses and promotion of local facilities, groups to investigate the services and activities possibility of producing a local visitor offer which describes the variety of facilities and services available in the Parish and to consider the best ways to promote.  Create a series of visitor itineraries relating to local landscape, villages and surrounding countryside.  Promote on the Parish website. COMMUNITY AND PUBLIC To ensure parishioners do not  Promote existing Community TRANSPORT experience ‘rural isolation’ and Transport Schemes. to maximise existing transport  Work with Shropshire Council to arrangements. investigate options available with existing arrangements. LOCAL LANDSCAPE To understand and celebrate  Work with Shropshire Council, the local landscape and have a Shropshire Wildlife Trust and other say in its future management. bodies to run a series of projects to document the heritage of the area and instigate local management plans  Investigate the creation of Parish Path Partnership Groups. SECURITY To reduce crime and to help  Work in conjunction with the parishioners and businesses feel police and other services to better protected against crime. promote the various ‘Alert’ and ‘Watch’ services, and the Police and Communities Together (PACT) initiative. THRIVING COMMUNITIES To support existing community  Work with Shropshire Council, groups and work with existing community groups and other communities and new housing bodies to promote activities. developments to become part  Recognise the work carried out by of the same ‘community’. groups and individuals on a voluntary basis. EMERGENCY PLANNING To ensure in a diverse and rural  Work with Shropshire Council and parish, local solutions to Emergency Services to investigate emergencies are in place to local community emergency plans. support county and national  Support and work with local plans. Artificial External Defibrillator (AED) Groups to maintain the presence of this service.

3

Parish Assets and Maintenance

PARISH ASSET OBJECTIVE ACTIONS TREFONEN CROSS To maintain for the benefit of  Maintenance plan to be agreed CEMETERY parishioners. and monitored. To provide information to  Install noticeboard and display relatives and visitors relevant information. TREFARCLAWDD CEMETERY To maintain and develop  Maintenance / improvement plan facilities for the benefit of to be agreed and monitored. parishioners.  Install noticeboard and display To provide information to relevant information. relatives and visitors  Provide information on website. CLOSED CEMETERIES To maintain for the benefit of  Agree division of responsibilities. Chapel Lane, Trefonen parishioners.  Maintenance plan to be agreed Chapel and monitored. ALL SAINTS, TREFONEN To maintain for the benefit of  Maintenance plan to be agreed CEMETERY parishioners. and monitored. COMMUNAL AREAS To maintain for the benefit of  Maintenance plan to be agreed Green parishioners. and monitored. Trefonen Green The Cliff, Rhydycroesau Glentworth Green, Morda HAND PUMPS To maintain  Maintenance plan to be agreed Treflach and monitored. Aston STREET LIGHTS To maintain and update for the  Maintenance plan to be agreed 84 at various locations benefit of parishioners. and monitored.  Planned conversion to LED for energy efficiency. BUS SHELTERS To maintain for the benefit of  Maintenance plan to be agreed Trefonen parishioners. and monitored. Weston Road, Morda Morda School Maesbury Marsh SEATS/BENCHES To maintain for the benefit of  Maintenance plan to be agreed Treflach parishioners. and monitored. Trefonen The Cliff, Rhydycroesau Maesbury Marsh NOTICE BOARDS To maintain for the benefit of  Maintenance plan to be agreed 13 at various locations parishioners. and monitored.  Planned upgrading at key locations

4

Parish Future Development

THEME OBJECTIVE ACTIONS RESIDENTIAL To review the future housing  Carry out a series of consultation DEVELOPMENT need of the Parish. events to ensure parishioners views are known when working with Shropshire Council on future planning policies. COMMERCIAL To review the future needs of  Carry out a series of consultation DEVELOPMENT employers in the Parish. events to ensure employers views are known when working with Shropshire Council on future planning policies and other projects SUPPORTING To consider the use of  Work with Shropshire Council and, INFRASTRUCTURE Community Infrastructure Levy when appropriate, Oswestry Town to support development of the Council to maximise the use of CIL. Parish.

5