Keeping YOU Informed

Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council’s Local Newsletter Issue 3 - February 2009

Welcome

…………….to the latest issue of your Parish Council newsletter and in these difficult times may we wish all residents of , Lyneal and Colemere a Happy and Peaceful 2009. At the most recent Parish Council meeting a review of the Parish Plan was carried out and we have made good progress in some areas, reported here, and are continuing to address some of the more complicated, longer term issues. We will be reporting in full at the Annual Parish Meeting to be held in the Village Hall on Wednesday 13 May. As this coincides with the run-up to the local election for Councillors for the new Council, we hope to be able to invite the candidates to this meeting for an open forum, to help residents decide which candidates will best serve our Parish. Soon we will all be receiving our Council Tax demands for 2009/10, and this will include the Parish Council Precept. Once again, we have tried to balance the budget of cost versus service and so, bearing in mind that we are probably all “feeling the pinch”, the Council will be spending less next year than this. To achieve this, the supply of waste disposal skips will happen only once, due in the main to this type of waste disposal being by far the most expensive to deal with, and evidence of abuse by non-residents. However, the Precept will have to increase by a small amount to cover some Parish Plan costs, and to ensure that we do not draw down on our reserves excessively, and typically this increase works out at 4p per week for a Band D property. The detailed budget is overleaf. The Council is pleased to report that we are getting responses from residents regarding items in the newsletter, and of course our web site is always there for communication, so please keep the comments coming. The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you better informed on Parish Council matters and I hope you find it to be so.

Chris Symes Chair of Parish Council

by a contingent of local Stakeholders, including Welshampton Primary School Parish Councillors, School Staff, Church, Governors

Members of the Council have been advised that and parents. Welshampton Church of Primary School is We now await the next Interim Report (due in late currently commencing a consultation on changing February) and the Final report containing the school’s status from Voluntary Controlled to recommendations in June 2009. Foundation. The Council will monitor the situation, but please The Governors believe that this will strengthen note, that the Elections are to take and enhance the links between the school, the place in June before the results of the Commission Church and the Diocese, whilst also giving the are published. The newly elected members of the school greater autonomy in the way it is managed. A Shropshire Council will therefore have to consider consultation, which is open to all members of the these final recommendations. public and other interested parties, is to take place at If the issue of rural schools and primary education St Michael and All Angels Church, Welshampton on is important to you, you may wish to question any 9 March at 6pm. All are most welcome to attend. prospective councillors putting themselves forward to Quite apart from the above, as you may have represent your community as to their views on this noticed from the press and local publications, issue, before the local elections.

Shropshire County Council have commissioned an Sarah Jefferies Independent Policy Commission (conducted by Professor Neil Kinghan) to consider the sustainability of the current network of primary schools in Future Council Meetings Shropshire. The Parish Council lobbied the Wednesday 25 February 7pm Commission in support of local rural schools and the Wednesday 25 March 7pm importance they play in their communities. The Wednesday 22 April 7pm Commission has now completed its second phase, All meetings are held at Welshampton Parish Hall. being the public open meetings, which were attended Please do come along! Shropshire Council Parish Council Budget 2009/10

On 1 April 2009 the Borough, Payments £ District and County councils will Parish Maintenance merge to make one new council Street Lighting 1,200 delivering services for the whole Hire of Skips 950 county. The new council will be Bus Shelter Cleaning and Grounds Maintenance 970 called 'Shropshire Council'. There Parish Plan Projects and Community Grants 800 will be some important changes to Establishment how the Parish will be represented Insurance 600 in the decision making process of Meeting Room and Storage Hire 292 the new Shropshire Council. Subscriptions 300

Who will represent us on the new Administration Council? Clerk 3,104 Currently the Parish is Administration Expenses 200 represented by 3 District Training 260 Councillors and 1 County Audit Fees 275 Councillor. Over the last year a Newsletter 750 review has been carried out by the Contingency 475 Boundary Commission of England 10,176 to agree new Wards and the Parish Income Council has participated in the Interest 200 process on your behalf. The final VAT Refund 700 recommendation is still to be Misc 75 approved but it is likely that our 975 Parish will be in the new Ward ’The Meres’ with one councillor Budget Summary 2009/2010 representing it. The Meres also Expenditure £10,176 Transfer from Reserves £1,556 includes Cockshutt, Tetchill, Welsh Less Income £ 975 Precept £7,645 Frankton, , Petton, £ 9,201 £9,201 Myddle and Broughton. Penstemon Site RAF Shawbury Visit Will we, the public, have a greater say in Shropshire Anyone going through In response to an issue raised Council decisions? Welshampton will have noticed within the Parish Plan, some There will be 27 Local Joint that the ‘For Sale’ sign on the twenty residents replied to the Committees (LJC) across the Penstemon Development Site has article in our previous newsletter County. Each LJC will be made up been there for some while. In and visited RAF Shawbury in of Parish, Town and Shropshire September 2008, NSDC, January. Here we were given a Councillors. LJCs will be able to Penstemon and Shropshire Rural most comprehensive tour and make decisions about the local and Bromford Housing explanation of the activities on the delivery of a range of services, call Associations briefed the Council base which include Air Traffic council officers or councillors to on their initial plans to develop the Control training, and aircraft account on local service delivery, site for a large number of maintenance, in addition to the act as a formal consultation route to properties. more obvious United Services the new council and will have a Helicopter training squadron. delegated budget to spend on local Serious Concerns priorities. Following consideration the As a major employer in the The Parish Council will be part of Council has some serious region (approximately 500 civilians a LJC and it is hoped this new concerns regarding this project. In work there), the base is very structure will make a difference in line with the comments made in important economically and it is practical ways to our community. the Parish Plan it is concerned also worthwhile reporting that the In preparation for the new whether any development would pilots for Shropshire Air committee, Parish Councillors have be for the benefit of locally Ambulance and the Police have been attending meetings of some connected people and also trained there. As a matter of the 11 pilot LJCs to understand the whether the site and current interest, a future heir to the throne procedures and process. The infrastructure could actually is currently receiving helicopter Council also recommends other support the number of properties pilot training! In due course, if community groups to attend pilot being considered. The Council there is further demand from meetings as our LJC will be a has asked for clarification on residents, we will be able to potential source of future grant these points. organise another trip. funding. Good Progress With Parish Plan

Work continues on a number of to the many questions posed by But overall the footpaths are in the items raised in the Parish Plan adults present at the meeting, good condition and provide a great and not just by the Council. Here regarding finance, activities, network of walking routes, short are two reports: insurance, responsibility and and long. safety. Youth Project Update The group are now in the process Our programme for the next two Members of the new Youth Club of signing up with the Shropshire months is as follows, and as ever project in Welshampton would like Youth Association and look we would welcome anyone to our to thank everyone for the support forward to the reinstatement of the walks, whether as a one off or on a they have received during the past Youth Club. regular basis. We meet at 1.30 on few months. Carol singers braved Ruth Evans the first Wednesday of each month. the elements and donated the 4 March: Meet at the Sun car park, money raised, and the open Parish Path Partnership (P3) to walk to the back of Ellesmere meeting was well attended by the Our local P3 group has now mere, around 7 kms. community in early December. carried out three walking surveys 1 April: Meet at the Sun car park, to Those attending the meeting of footpaths, the latest being from walk from Hawthorn House up past were treated to a professional Corner Farm on the A495 to Coptiviney, around 9 kms. This presentation outlining the aims of Balmer at the B5063 (Footpath should be a lovely spring walk with the project. It was intended that 10). We have six regular walkers, wild flowers and hedges coming the Club open in the New Year, at but more would be very welcome into leaf. first once a month for school year indeed. Distances are for “circular” walking. 6 upwards, from 7 to 9pm. The sorts of issues which we Please do join us. It’s fun and Although the young people wished have found are overgrown stiles, interesting at the same time. And to run the Club themselves there incorrect routes where the original, we do not walk fast! was a legal requirement for a definitive and statutory route has responsible adult to be present for some reason been changed, If you have any footpath issues during the evening and names and fields where no route has you would like to pass on for P3 or were taken from those keen to been left by the landowner and County Council attention please do help – a chance maybe to read walkers therefore have to walk get in touch. that book or watch a DVD as no over the standing crop. One or two other involvement was expected. waymark signposts need attention, George Rook It was clear that the young people and several electric fences need P3 Co-ordinator had done their homework from the insulation to allow walkers to 01948 710456 comprehensive answers they gave cross. [email protected] Calling All Previous Skip Dates BT Phone Kiosks

Councillors and The dates for the collection of You may have seen in the media Clerks! excess household waste have the reports about removing many been booked: BT payphones throughout the The Council is trying to locate Welshampton: 21 March 2009 country. In this recent round of all old Parish Council records and, Colemere: 28 March 2009 removals, 2 payphones, in in particular, old minutes books Lyneal:: 4 April 2009 Colemere and Welshampton were dating prior to 1991. If you have Please see notice boards for considered. any old records please contact full details. The Colemere Residents the Clerk. All original documents, Association, ourselves and the once recorded, will be passed for Mud on Roads District Council objected to the safe keeping to Shropshire removal of the Colemere payphone Archives. At the end of the Autumn, a on the grounds of public safety number of residents reported that connected with the Mere. At the Neighbourhood Watch some roads around the Parish time of publication we believe the were left in a potentially Colemere payphone will be The dangerous state following retained but not the Welshampton Neighbourhood Watch Association harvesting and hedge trimming. payphone. However, residents is offering to hold a public meeting For the safety of other road encouraged the Council to apply explaining the advantages and users we would politely remind under the ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme organisation of such schemes. If land owners that it is their and we hope that our application you are interested in attending a responsibility to clear the roads will be successful. This means the meeting and finding out more following these operations . kiosk will remain as a land mark please contact the Clerk. along the B5063. Useful Contact Details

For a more comprehensive list of local contacts please look at the Council’s website www.shrop.net/welshampton

Parish Council Emergency Contacts Welshampton Ward In most emergencies you should dial 999 Margaret Evans Ruth Evans For non - emergencies Richard Hall 08457 444 888 Caroline Hamilton (Vice Chair) Shropshire Fire & Rescue 01743 260200 Sarah Jefferies Ambulance Service Ian Yates 01743 273649 Lyneal Ward NHS Direct 0845 46 47 Bob Daniels Lawrence Houghton Local Policing Teams Chris Symes (Chair) Ellesmere (Welshampton) 01743 264749 [email protected] Councillors can be contacted by letter, phone or Ellesmere Rural (Colemere and Lyneal) email through the clerk 01743 264704 Carole Warner (Clerk) 01948 710672 [email protected] [email protected] www.shrop.net/welshampton Community Contacts Welshampton Parish Hall North Shropshire DC 01939 232771 General Enquiries & Bookings www.northshropshiredc.gov.uk 01948 710479 Dog Warden 01939 238460 emergencies only 07702 166039 Ellesmere Info-Link 01691 624488 Environmental Health 01939 238460 [email protected] including flytipping Planning Dept 01939 238424 Shropshire Community Directory 01743 255305 Shropshire County Council 0845 678 9000 [email protected] [email protected] www.shropshire.gov.uk/community.nsf www.shropshire.gov.uk For all enquiries regarding Education, Countryside Services 01743 255061 Highways, Social Services, Road Safety and www.shropshire.gov.uk/countryside.nsf Trading Standards Countryside Community Projects Shropshire Waste Partnership 01691 624448 0845 678 9009 countryside.conservation@shropshire- For all enquiries regarding waste, re-cycling cc.gov.uk and bulky waste collection service. RAF Shawbury 01939 250351

Contact Information The information in this newsletter can be

Keeping YOU Informed is produced by: made available in large print and audio Welshampton and Lyneal Parish Council tape. Please call 01948 710672 for Orchard Cottage Rowe Lane further details. Welshampton SY12 0QB This newsletter is printed on recycled paper. For further information please contact the Clerk: When you have finished with it please recycle. Carole Warner on 01948 710672 Email: [email protected]