Oswestry Rural Parish Council

‘not for self’

Parish Plan Community Survey Analysis Report

May 2014

Maxine Smith Shropshire Rural Community Council

Oswestry Rural Parish Plan Survey Analysis

Contents

Page

Overview 3

Local Democracy 5

Housing 10

Local Facilities 23

Local Business 28

Local Matters 32

Conclusion 47

Oswestry Rural Parish Plan Survey Analysis

Overview

The data input and data analysis was carried out independently by Maxine Smith, Head of Rural Services, and members of the Rural Services Team at Shropshire Rural Community Council (RCC).

Survey forms were distributed to all households in the parish (1873 households) and 493 responses were received. This equates to a 26.3% response rate.

Unless otherwise stated, where percentages are shown, this relates to the percentage of responses to that particular question, not a percentage of the total survey responses. For example, of the 493 survey respondents, only 449 gave an answer to question 4 ‘Do you look at the Oswestry Rural Parish website?’, so the percentage shown relates to the 449, not the 493.

The parish comprises five wards. Several questions in the survey relate to respondents’ views of their ward. The graph below shows the breakdown of respondents according to which ward they live in.

In which ward in the parish do you live? 200 179 180 158 160 140 120 100 84 80 60 35 40 20 10 0 Maesbury with Morda with Rhydycroesau with Sychtyn Trefonen with Aston Sweeney Llanforda Treflach

The survey response rates from each ward are as follows:

Ward Number of surveys Number of surveys Percentage response distributed returned rate for the ward Maesbury with Aston 306 84 27.5% Morda with Sweeney 871 158 18.1% Rhydycroesau with Llanforda 99 35 35.4% Sychtyn 49 10 20.4% Trefonen with Treflach 548 179 31.3%

Several questions in this survey invited written comments. All comments have been summarised for this report.

Any comments made within the survey have been reviewed, and anything that identifies an individual, either as having made the comment, or where the comment is directed at a specific person or household, has been removed.

Any comments of an offensive nature, for example containing profanities or racist remarks, have also not been included.

Local Democracy

Q2. Do you think the Parish Council effectively represents your views?

There were 337 responses to this question. Responses to this question indicate that over half of respondents feel the Parish Council effectively represents their views.

Do you think the Parish Council effectively represents your views?

No 145 43%

Yes 192 57%

However, the degree to which respondents feel the Parish Council effectively represents their views varies significantly depending on the ward in which the respondent lives. Respondents living in Rhydycroesau with Llanforda have a high level of satisfaction, with 81% stating that the Parish Council effectively represents their views. Approximately two thirds of repondents in Trefonen with Treflach and Sychtyn respondents felt the Parish Council effectively represent their views (66% and 62% respectively).

Respondents from Morda with Sweeney were less satisfied, with just under half stating their Parish Council effectively represents their views. Respondents from Maesbury with Aston were least satisfied with how effectively the Parish Council represented their views, with four fifths of respondents answering ‘no’ to this question.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney

Yes 15 Yes 19% 51 No 46% 60 No 54% 65 81%

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda Sychtyn

No 4 No 19% 3 38%

Yes Yes 5 17 62% 81%

Trefonen with Treflach

No 46 34%

Yes 89 66%

Q3. Please feel free to comment on your answer:

208 responses were received to this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses I/we have little or no contact with the Parish Council 42 I/we don’t know whether the Parish Council effectively represents our views 39 Shropshire Council holds the power / disregards Parish Council and local views 20 Not given / not aware of opportunities to provide my views to Parish Council 17 Not clear what the Parish Council’s views are / their views have not been shared 13 I/we are not interested / have never tried to contact the Parish Council 10 The Parish Council shares our views / acts in our best interests 8 The Parish Council is helpful / responsive 7 When you express your views you often get a negative response / ignored 6 Decisions are made without consultation 6 Information on the website/notice boards is out of date/delayed/insufficient 3 Parish Council have not supported us 3 Parish Council are not representative (including village, age group) 3 I am new to the parish 3 Parish Council meetings are poor / not conducive to resident involvement 2 Opportunities to meet with Parish Council are at wrong time of day / not often enough 2 Parish Council represent your views if you make them known to them 2 Sometimes 2 6

Q4. Do you look at the Oswestry Rural Parish website?

There were 449 responses to this question. Over four fifths of respondents stated that they did not look at the Oswestry Rural Parish website. This varied between wards, with residents of Trefonen with Treflach and Sychtyn more likely to look (21% and 20% respectively) and residents of Rhydycroesau with Llanforda least likely to look (9%).

Do you look at the Oswestry Rural Parish website?

Yes 80 18%

No 369 82%

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda Yes Yes Yes 3 24 15 9% 19% 16%

No No No 65 128 31 81% 84% 91%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes 2 Yes 20% 36 21%

No No 135 8 79% 80%

Q5. Do you look at the parish notice boards?

460 people responded to this question. Responses indicate that, on the whole, people look at the parish notice boards. Approximately three fifths of survey respondents said they look at the notice boards.

Do you look at the parish notice boards?

No 189 41%

Yes 271 59%

Use of the parish notice boards varied significantly throughout the parish. Responses from Trefonen with Treflach residents indicate a high level of usage with approximately three quarters of respondents stating that they look at the parish notice boards. Approximately three fifths of respondents in Maesbury with Aston and Rhydycroesau with Llanforda look at parish notice boards (61% and 57% respectively).

Use of parish notice boards is lower in Morda with Sweeney at just over two fifths.

Less than one third of respondents from Sychtyn look at the parish notice boards.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

No Yes No 32 65 15 39% 43% 43% Yes No Yes 50 87 20 61% 57% 57%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes No 3 46 30% 26% Yes No 132 7 74% 70%

Q6. Do you read Parish Council information in the local papers?

458 people responded to this question. Responses indicate that over half of respondents read Parish Council information in the local paper. This figure is consistent with national figures on local newspaper readership. National research by Ipsos MORI on behalf of Ofcom indicates that half of people in the UK read a local newspaper at least once a week (Ofcom, News consumption in the UK, 2013)

Do you read Parish Council information in the local papers?

No 203 44%

Yes 255 56%

There are differences between the wards in Oswestry Rural parish. With slightly more respondents from trefonen with Treflach and Maesbury with Aston reading Parish Council information than the other wards.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

No 34 No Yes 42% No Yes 75 79 18 17 Yes 49% 51% 47 51% 49% 58%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes No 3 67 30% 38%

No Yes 7 108 70% 62%

Housing

Q7. Would you support the development of any of the following within your ward?

Responses from across the ward indicate greatest support for:

• conversion of buildings for housing (57% of survey respondents), • affordable housing (44% of survey respondents), • development or conversion of buildings for small business enterprises (39% of survey respondents) and • conversion of buildings for other uses (37% of survey respondents)

Would you support the development of any of the following within your ward?

300 283

250 218

200 192 182

150 126 113 110 95 100 84

4 0 Affordable Social Houses (e.g. Conversion housing (e.g. Development shared of building owned and or conversion Leisure / ownership, Open market for other Conversion Open market Other (please managed by of buildings 'Live on' None of or those rental uses e.g. as of buildings freehold describe a housing for small mooring on these prioritised properties holiday for housing housing below) association business the canal for people accommodati or local enterprises with a local on authority) connection)* Series1 218 95 182 283 113 126 192 110 4 84

Views on these developments differed slightly between the wards.

In Maesbury with Aston, responses were more evenly distributed. Conversion of buildings for housing remained the most popular response. However ‘leisure/ ‘live on’ mooring on the canal was the next popular response, followed by affordable housing and development/conversion of buildings for small enterprise businesses. Open market freehold housing was popular compared to the total responses to this category from the whole parish.

Maesbury with Aston 60 50 50 43 39 39 40 34 30 30 22 20 16 15 10 1 0

In Morda with Sweeney, conversion of buildings for housing remained the most popular response, followed by affordable housing and development/conversion of buildings for small enterprise businesses.

Morda with Sweeney 100 90 90 80 65 70 59 60 44 50 37 41 40 31 34 35 30 20 10 0 0

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda, conversion of buildings for housing remained the most popular response, followed by affordable housing conversion of buildings for other uses and development/conversion of buildings for small enterprise businesses.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda 30 25 25 21 20 17 16 15 12 10 10 10 6 5 5 1 0

In Sychtyn, conversion of buildings for housing remained the most popular response, followed by affordable housing conversion of buildings for other uses and development/conversion of buildings for small enterprise businesses.

Sychtyn 10 9 9 8 7 7 6 6 6 5 5 44 4 3 2 1 1 1 0 0

In Trefonen with Treflach conversion of buildings for housing remained the most popular response, followed by affordable housing conversion of buildings for other uses and development/conversion of buildings for small enterprise businesses.

Trefonen with Treflach 120 107 100 86 84 80 71 60 45 38 40 29 26 27 20 2 0

Q8. Please feel free to comment on your answer:

193 responses were received for this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses There has been too much development already / we don’t want to become an extension of 46 Oswestry Single dwellings / very small scale development is OK to meet need 27 The infrastructure cannot cope with more development 25 More affordable housing needed for local residents (older, young, disabled) 20 Development on brownfield sites / conversions / infill is acceptable 14 No more housing is needed 10 Facilities will be lost / threatened if we don’t have some further development 6 No more social housing 5 No development on ‘green’ sites 5 Village design / character / history needs to be taken into account / protected 4 Development of canal 3 No industrial / business development 3 Further development is a danger to water table / flood risk 3 Cheaper housing needed for first time buyers 2 Shropshire Council views appear to take priority over local need 2 Any new housing should be built to high environmental standards 2

Q9. Are there any sites that you would like to see protected from development? E.g. canal corridor, open countryside, etc

298 responses were received for this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Open countryside / farm land / woodland 188 Canal / canal corridor 42 Sites of historical / archaeological interest (inc Offa’s Dyke, Racecourse, Oswestry Hill Fort) 27 Green belt between Oswestry and rural settlements 19 Flood plains (eg Maesbury Marsh) 13 Footpaths and rights of way 3 No / none 3 Land outside of existing village perimeters 2

Q10. If development were to take place, where do you think it should be?

Respondents from across the parish mainly supported development of brownfield sites and replacement for existing buildings. Just under three fifths of survey respondents (58%) felt that if development were to take place it should be on brownfield sites, whilst half felt that any development should take the place of existing buildings.

There was very limited support for building on greenfield sites. 17 of the 493 survey respondents felt that if development were to take place it should be on greenfield sites. This represents 3.5%.

If development were to take place, where do you think it should be? 350

300 287 246 250

200 179 177

150 110 100

50 17 0 Infill between Replacements for Brownfield sites Small, individual sites Greenfield sites Development existing properties or existing buildings within existing village shouldn't take place groups of properties boundaries

Views within the different wards followed a similar trend to the total responses.

Maesbury with Aston responses were distributed slightly more evenly between categories. Among Maesbury with Aston, brownfield sites and replacement for existing buildings were most popular, but there also tended to be greater support for infill between properties and for small individual sites than across the parish as a whole.

Maesbury with Aston

45 42 39 40 37 36 35

20 16 15

10 5 5

0 Infill between Replacements for Brownfield sites Small, individual sites Greenfield sites Development existing properties or existing buildings within existing village shouldn't take place groups of properties boundaries

Responses from Morda with Sweeney mirrored those from the whole parish, with brownfield sites and replacement for existing buildings proving most popular.

Morda with Sweeney 120

98 100

80 76

58 60 50 46 40

20 2 0 Infill between Replacements for Brownfield sites Small, individual sites Greenfield sites Development existing properties or existing buildings within existing village shouldn't take place groups of properties boundaries

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda replacement for existing buildings was most popular followed by brownfield sites and small individual sites within existing village boundaries.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda 30

25 25 24

20 19

15 14

5 5

0 0 Infill between existing Replacements for Brownfield sites Small, individual sites Greenfield sites Development properties or groups existing buildings within existing village shouldn't take place of properties boundaries

In Sychtyn, most responses focused on replacement for existing buildings and brownfield sites.

Sychtyn 10 99 9 8 7 7 6 6 5 4 3 2 11 1 0 Infill between existing Replacements for Brownfield sites Small, individual sites Greenfield sites Development properties or groups existing buildings within existing village shouldn't take place of properties boundaries

In Trefonen with Treflach responses mirrored those from the whole parish, with brownfield sites and replacement for existing buildings proving most popular

Trefonen with Treflach 120 113

100 95

80 70

60 56 42 40

20 10

Q11. Please feel free to comment on your answer:

112 responses were received for this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Not on greenfield land / protect the landscape 23 Use existing developed sites / convert derelict sites 14 Infill developments can be detrimental (spoils appearances, makes villages part of towns) 9 Build on brownfield sites 9 Development should be sympathetic to existing village look / feel 8 Already enough development 8 Permit only small scale development / individual sites / not ‘estates’ 8 Pressure on existing facilities / infrastructure 6 Infill only 5 Stop ‘garden grabbing’ 3 Is there a need? / there are unsold properties on the market in the parish 3 Judge each development on individual merit 2 Maesbury school? 2

Q12. Do you think anyone in your household will need affordable housing in the near future in your ward?

Across the parish, most respondents (85%) did not feel anyone in the household would need affordable housing in the near future.

15% of respondents felt that someone in their household will need affordable housing in the near future. According to information from the 2011 Census, 10.7% of Oswestry Rural residents live in ‘social housing’, compared to 77% privately owned. Given these Census figures, the 15% of households across the ward which contain someone who may need affordable housing could indicate an unmet need.

Do you think anyone in your household will need affordable housing in the near future in your ward?

Yes 70 15%

No 391 85%

Throughout the wards, this figure varied slightly between 17% of respondent households in Maesbury with Aston needing affordable housing, down to 6% of Rhydycroesau with Llanforda respondents.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

Yes Yes Yes, 2 24 14, 6% 17% 16%

No No 127 69 No 84% 83% 32 94%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes Yes 2 28 20% 16%

No No 8 150 80% 84%

Q13. Would you like to see some new housing in your ward over the next ten years?

Across the parish, approximately three fifths of respondents did not wish to see new housing in their ward during the next ten years. This varies across the different wards. Respondents from Maesbury with Aston were most likely to support new housing (54%), with respondents from Morda with Sweeney least likely to support new housing (31%).

Would you like to see some new housing in your ward over the next ten years?

Yes 182 41%

No 267 59%

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

No Yes 37 48 No Yes 46% 31% No 16 16 Yes 106 50% 50% 43 69% 54%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes 69 No, 5, Yes, 5, 41% 50% 50% No 101 59%

Q14. What size of dwellings do you feel might be appropriate?

Across the parish, respondents felt that one to two bedroom properties were the most appropriate size of dwellings (35% of survey respondents), followed by bungalows (27%) and 3 to 4 bedroom properties (26%). Larger properties were less popular, with 3.5% of survey respondents feeling that properties with 5 or more bedrooms are appropriate.

What size of dwellings do you feel might be appropriate? 200 175 180 160 135 140 127 120 100 80 60 40 18 20 0 1 or 2 bedroom 3 or 4 bedroom 5 or more bedroom Bungalows properties properties properties

Across the different wards, respondents continued to feel that 1 to 2 bedroom properties were the most appropriate size of dwelling. There were some differences in the breakdown of responses.

In Maesbury with Aston, responses mirrored those for the whole parish.

In Morda with Sweeney, the responses differed slightly, with 3 to 4 bedroom properties proving more popular than bungalows. Slightly more respondents supported larger properties than in other parts of the parish.

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda, other than 1 to 2 bedroom properties, there was less support for other forms of dwelling. Bungalows were the next most popular choice.

In Sychtyn, the responses differed slightly, with 3 to 4 bedroom properties proving more popular than bungalows. Nobody supported the development of larger properties.

In Trefonen with Treflach, responses mirrored those for the whole parish.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney

40 36 50 46 45 35 33 45 29 40 30 34 35 25 30 20 25 15 20 15 10 9 10 3 5 5 0 0 1 or 2 bedroom 3 or 4 bedroom 5 or more Bungalows 1 or 2 bedroom 3 or 4 bedroom 5 or more Bungalows properties properties bedroom properties properties bedroom properties properties

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda Sychtyn 16 7 14 6 14 6 5 12 5 10 4 4 8 6 3 6 4 3 2 1 1 2 0 0 0 1 or 2 3 or 4 5 or more Bungalows 1 or 2 3 or 4 5 or more Bungalows bedroom bedroom bedroom bedroom bedroom bedroom properties properties properties properties properties properties

Trefonen with Treflach 80 73 70 57 60 50 39 40 30 20 10 6 0 1 or 2 3 or 4 5 or more Bungalows bedroom bedroom bedroom properties properties properties

Q15. Please give any additional comments you would like to make about housing:

125 responses were received for this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses There is already enough housing / no more is needed 26 Lack of suitable accommodation for older people / those wishing to downsize 13 Limit future development / only small scale 12 Facilities and infrastructure insufficient to support new development (eg roads, sewage 12 systems, school, parking facilities) Keep a good mix / balance of building to support a range of people 9 Only support affordable housing (inc for families, vulnerable people) 8 Ensure all new developments are built in accordance with existing appearance / construction 7 Housing should be prioritised for local need 7 Enough large houses already / large houses not selling 6 Housing for young people and first time buyers needed 5 Protect natural habitats and landscape (hedges, open countryside) 4 Lack of local facilities and provision to encourage families/diverse community 3 Only replace existing buildings / derelict sites 3 Planning applications should appear in local press 2 Eco homes should be encouraged 2

Local Facilities

Q16. Which of the following facilities do you feel will need to be considered in the next five years in your ward?

Across the parish, the most pressing concerns were towards road safety improvements (51% of survey respondents), local shops (49%), facilities for the elderly (31%) and youth facilities (30.5%).

Which of the following facilities do you feel will need to be considered in the next five years in your ward? 300 243 250 250

200 152 151 150 88 100 65 36 50 23 0

These four issues were reflected as concerns in the individual wards, though there were some differences too.

In Maesbury with Aston road safety improvements, local shops, facilities for the elderly and youth facilities were important for consideration in the next five years. However, the village hall was also identified as a concern.

Maesbury with Aston 60 52 50 40 35 28 30 27 30 17 20 10 4 2 0

In Morda with Sweeney, the responses reflected those of the whole parish, although slightly greater concern was expressed towards youth facilities.

Morda with Sweeney 100 90 86 80 70 58 60 60 49 50 40 26 30 21 20 7 9 10 0

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda, respondents expressed greater concern about local shops compared to the parish as a whole, along with road safety improvements.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda 14 13 13 12 10 8 6 5 4 4 3 3 22 2 0

In Sychtyn, road safety improvements was the main concern, with lower numbers for local shops, facilities for the elderly, youth facilities and sports facilities.

Sychtyn 9 8 7 8 6 5 4 3 2 3 1 0 0 2 101 0

In Trefonen with Treflach, local shops were of greatest concern for respondents, followed by road safety improvements, facilities for the elderly and youth facilities.

Trefonen with Treflach 160 134 140 120 100 88 80 65 58 60 31 40 23 25 20 10 0

Q17. Please give details if you have any other suggestions for facilities:

186 responses were received for this question. Several responses gave a number of suggestions. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Village shop & post office (esp Trefonen) 43 Tackle speeding (traffic calming measures, policing, flashing signs) 35 Road safety improvements 14 Increased school capacity / improvements to school 13 Improved youth provision (eg youth club) 13 Public transport improvements / better public transport information 12 Existing facilities are adequate 9 Make use of former Maesbury School & field 9 Village hall improvements 8 Footpath and pavement improvements / extensions 7 Children’s playground 7 Facilities, activities and support for older people 6 Doctor’s surgery and clinics (eg chiropody) 5 Better road maintenance (fill pot holes, lumpy surfaces) 4 A sports centre (inc gym, squash, skate/bike park) 4 Café / pub serving food / chip shop 4 Better parking enforcement 3 Farm shop / local produce 3 Playing fields 3 Better broadband / mobile phone signal 3 Small businesses (hairdressers, chemist) 3 Bowling green 2

Q18. Is there anything that you would like to say regarding specific improvements in services & facilities in the ward?

138 responses were received for this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Better public transport and more frequent services 23 Better traffic calming / speed restrictions and enforcement 20 Road maintenance improvements & more frequent road surface cleaning 7 More / improved pavements 7 Better broadband & mobile phone coverage 7 Post office and postal collections 6 Improved sewage / drainage and ditch/drain clearance 6 Improved village shop / extended shop opening hours 5 More shops 4 Reopen the shop and post office 4 Tackle dog fouling (bins, signage & fines) 4 More frequent bin collection / collection of waste varied in summer and winter months 4 Village hall improve 4 Less traffic calming 3 A new school 3 Improve facilities in Oswestry (entertainment, shopping, youth) 3 Address parking problems / parking is getting worse / safety issues associated with bad parking 3 Facilities are adequate 3 More regular verge and hedge cutting 2 A surgery / medical centre needed 2 Youth activities needed 2 Facilities and activities for older people / infirm 2 Pylon proposal causing problems (devaluing homes) 2 More passing places needed on lanes 2

Local Business

Q19. What type of small business enterprise would you like to see developed or further developed in your ward?

Across the parish there was greatest support for a village shop, with 54% of survey respondents stating that a village shop was the type of small business enterprise which they would like to see developed. This was followed by farm shop (44%) and bed & breakfast (37.5%).

What types of small business enterprise would you like to see developed or further developed in your ward?

300 267

250 216 200 185

150 117 122 93 104 80 85 100 66 50 27 17 0

Responses to this question differed between the wards.

In Maesbury with Aston, canal tourism and village shop were the two enterprise developments that received greatest support, followed by farm shop and bed & breakfast.

Maesbury with Aston 60 49 49 50 40 33 34 30 23 26 18 20 15 15 13 7 10 3 0

In Morda with Sweeney, farm shop received the greatest support, followed by village shop, bed & breakfast and ‘none’.

Morda with Sweeney

70 62 60 54 50 40 40 40 33 32 28 30 30 22 20 17 7 10 4 0

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda, farm shop received the greatest support, followed closely by village shop, bed & breakfast and self‐catering tourist accommodation.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

16 14 13 14 12 12 11 10 9 7 8 6 6 6 4 4 3 2 1 1 0

In Sychtyn, bed & breakfast was most popular, followed by light industrial workshops, small office developments and village shop.

Sychtyn

7 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 0 0

In Trefonen with Treflach, village shop received the greatest support, followed by farm shop and bed & breakfast.

Trefonen with Treflach 160 146 140 120 93 99 100 80 54 57 60 28 27 40 25 17 19 20 11 7 0

Q20. If you chose other, please give details:

23 people responded to this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Safeguard post office 5 Pubs, restaurants 3 Measures needed to encourage tourism (eg parking, shops, a café) 2 Support village shop / more village shops 2 Petrol station 1 Home office / workshops 1 Clinics operating from Village Hall in Trefonen (eg chiropodist) 1 Redevelop redundant buildings for offices / light industrial use 1 Focus on canal and railway 1 Improved telecommunications for business 1 Nothing that creates extra traffic 1 More community involvement 1

Q21. If you would like to add a general comment about local business, please do so:

87 people responded to this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Post office / shop (and with better opening hours) 25 All amenities I need are available in Oswestry / focus business development in Oswestry 8 Traffic issues associated with industrial businesses 7 Small business should be encouraged 5 No need for business development 5 Lack of employment opportunities 3 Noise issues associated with business development 3 Praise for Morda corner shop 3 Poor internet coverage / speed 2 More support for local produce 2

Local Matters

Q22. Please note here what you believe to be of significance in giving your ward its identity and what should be preserved or improved:

201 people responded to this question. A number of respondents made reference to several aspects of the ward. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Open countryside, woodland, landscape and wildlife 53 Small local village feel 29 Independence / separation from Oswestry / protect parish from urban creep 22 Rurality 21 Preserve and improve key community facilities (village hall, church, sports) 19 Canal 16 Offa’s Dyke 15 Farmland and agricultural nature of area 9 Local shops 9 Peace and tranquillity 8 Local schools 8 The community (close‐knit, supportive, friendly) 8 Improve public footpaths / facilities for walkers 6 The village green areas (eg Chapel Green) 5 More planting of trees and flowerbeds 4 Village activities and events (eg hill walk and run) 3 Improve the broadband coverage and power supply 3 Research parish history and industrial heritage 3 The stone walls 3 Reduce traffic on quiet narrow lanes 2 Diverse population / community 2 Children’s play areas 2 The variety of buildings 2 No more housing development 2 No more business development 2 Encourage more people to use local pubs 2

Q23. Which of the following do you consider to be a problem in your ward?

Across the parish, speeding traffic was the primary concern for respondents, with 59% of the survey respondents identifying speeding traffic as a problem in their ward. Also concerning were dog fouling, availability of public transport, mobile phone links and litter. Less concerning were areas of criminal activity such as mugging, theft, drunkenness, vandalism and drug misuse.

Which of the following do you consider to be a problem in your ward? 350 290 300 250 192 200 172 148 143 150 103 100 35 50 25 22 29 1 11 0

Speeding was a common concern for respondents from all wards.

In Maesbury with Aston, in addition to speeding traffic, respondents were concerned about fly tipping, dog fouling, mobile phone links and litter. Grouped together, one might interpret there to be a localised problem with control of litter.

Maesbury with Aston 70 66 60 50

40 33 32 29 31 30 21 20 9 10 5 7 6 0 1 0

In Morda with Sweeney, in addition to speeding traffic, dog fouling was identified as a key concern. Litter and the availability of public transport were also identified as concerns.

Morda with Sweeney 100 88 90 80 72 70 60 60 50 46 40 31 30 25 20 13 12 10 10 8 10 1 0

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda, fly tipping and litter both comprised the greatest areas of concern. Again, this could indicate a localised problem with litter control. Speeding traffic, availability of public transport and mobile phone links were also key concerns.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

18 16 15 16 14 14 14 13 12 10 8 6 6 4 22 2 2 00 0 0

In Sychtyn, mobile phone links were of greatest concern to respondents, followed by public transport links.

Sychtyn 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 1 1 00 0 000 0

In Trefonen with Treflach, speeding traffic was the main concern, followed by availability of public transport, dog fouling and mobile phone links. A greater proportion of people in Trefonen with Treflach identified dog fouling as a particular concern, which may indicate that there is a localised issue within this ward.

Trefonen with Treflach 140 117 120 100 80 87 80 71 60 32 40 20 11 11 20 00 6 1 0

Q24. Please give details if you would like:

121 people responded to this question. A number of respondents made reference to several issues. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses No adherence to speed limits / inappropriate speed limits 33 Dog fouling (on footpaths and rights of way) / lack of dog bins 25 Buses not often enough / wrong times / don’t fit with onward connections / poorly accessible 15 vehicles / poor travel information Slow broadband speed / inconsistent connection 12 Poor mobile phone coverage 9 Litter a problem in hedges and roadsides, particularly fast food cartons 7 Inconsiderate /dangerous parking compromising access to properties and endangering 6 pedestrians Village shop and post office facilities 4 Heavy goods vehicles using narrow lanes / causing damage to buildings 4 None of the above are a problem 4 Better youth provision needed 3 Traffic volume is a problem 3 Road maintenance needs improvement 3 Fly tipping is a problem (made worse by restrictions on tipping) 2 Problems with mud on road / drain clearance 2 Vehicles encroaching onto and damaging property 2

Q25. Would you support any of the following initiatives to improve the local environment?

Across the parish all of the proposed initiatives gained the support of a quarter of the survey respondents or more. There was strongest support for improvements to bridleways and footpaths (51%) and maintenance of road verges (44%).

Would you support any of the following initiatives to improve the local environment? 300 251 250 215 188 200 184 178 177 149 150 117 100

0 Improved Local volunteer Improvements to Restoration of More trees to be Recycle bins in Maintenance of Development of hedgerow scheme e.g. bridleways and the canal planted the village road verges River Morda management picking footpaths, e.g. litter/cleaning kept open and clear, signs, maps of area

Responses differed between the wards, indicating how environmental improvement activity can be a localised issue.

In Maesbury with Aston, the restoration of the canal received greatest support, followed by maintenance of road verges, improvements to bridleways and paths and tree planting.

Maesbury with Aston 60 52 50 43 39 39 40 32 28 30 25 23 20

In Morda with Sweeney, development of the River Morda received greatest support, followed by bridleways and footpaths.

Morda with Sweeney 100 90 90 83 80 70 65 67 60 60 54 50 43 38 40 30 20 10 0 Improved Local volunteer Improvements to Restoration of More trees to be Recycle bins in Maintenance of Development of hedgerow scheme e.g. bridleways and the canal planted the village road verges River Morda management picking footpaths, e.g. litter/cleaning kept open and clear, signs, maps of area

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda, a local volunteer scheme received the most support followed by improvements to bridleways and footpaths, maintenance of road verges and more trees to be planted.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda 18 17 16 16 15 14 14 12 12 10 9 8 8 8 6 4 2 0 Improved Local volunteer Improvements to Restoration of More trees to be Recycle bins in Maintenance of Development of hedgerow scheme e.g. bridleways and the canal planted the village road verges River Morda management picking footpaths, e.g. litter/cleaning kept open and clear, signs, maps of area

In Sychtyn, maintenance of road verges received greatest support followed by improvements to bridleways and footpaths, improved hedgerow management and more trees to be planted.

Sychtyn 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 2 1 1

In Trefonen with Treflach, improvements to bridleways received greatest support followed by maintenance of road verges, tree planting and improved hedgerow management.

Trefonen with Treflach 120 103 100 79 80 72 73 63 60 52 40 43 40

Q26. Please give details if you have any other suggestions for improvements to the local environment:

98 responses were received for this question. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Appropriate, well informed hedgerow management (tidy but wildlife friendly) 11 Verge and ditch maintenance to address blockages and flooding 7 More local walking routes for leisure/pleasure 7 Build / reinstate footpaths (for pedestrian safety) 7 More dog bins to control fouling 5 Better recycling facilities (doorstep and community) 5 Maintain open areas (including planting, mowing, tree maintenance) 5 Focus on heritage projects (eg Cambrian Railway) 5 All of above well managed (inc. praise for current volunteering activities) 5 Footpath clearance and maintenance / improved accessibility (stiles etc) 4 Speed restrictions and traffic calming measures 4 Stop building / development 3 More cycle routes / paths 3 Do not develop the River Morda 2 Road maintenance and cleaning mud from farm vehicles 2 Reduce light pollution 2 Protect natural environment (eg AONB status) 2

Q27. Which of the following ideas and activities would you like to see in your ward?

Across the parish, events for young people received the support of just over one third (34%) of survey respondents. Also popular were an annual outdoor event and a local website.

Which of the following ideas and activities would you like to see in your ward?

180 168 160 137 140 120 120 97 100 87 80 69 60 45 40

20 10

0 A local A local website An annual A regular lunch Events for young Regular daytime Regular evening Other (please newspaper with news, links outdoor event club people e.g. youth activities e.g. events/activities give details) and events e.g. fete, clubs, social social events, barbeque, events education, etc. bonfire

Within the wards there were slight variations. The three settlements with the larger response rates (Maesbury with Aston, Morda with Sweeney and Trefonen with Treflach) provided responses consistent with the responses for the parish as a whole.

In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda a local newspaper, local website and an annual outdoor event received an even amount of support.

In Sychtyn, a local website, an annual outdoor event and regular evening events/activities received the greatest support.

Maesbury with Aston 35 29 30 27 25

20 17 15 11 9 10 10 8

5 0 0 A local newspaper A local website An annual A regular lunch Events for young Regular daytime Regular evening Other (please give with news, links outdoor event club people e.g. youth activities e.g. events/activities details) and events e.g. fete, clubs, social social events, barbeque, bonfire events education, etc.

Morda with Sweeney 70 61 60

50 43 40 37 31 30 25 27

20 15

10 7

0 A local newspaper A local website An annual A regular lunch Events for young Regular daytime Regular evening Other (please give with news, links outdoor event club people e.g. youth activities e.g. events/activities details) and events e.g. fete, clubs, social social events, barbeque, bonfire events education, etc.

Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

555 5

4 4

3 33 3

1 1

0 A local newspaper A local website An annual A regular lunch Events for young Regular daytime Regular evening Other (please give with news, links outdoor event e.g. club people e.g. youth activities e.g. events/activities details) and events fete, barbeque, clubs, social social events, bonfire events education, etc.

Sychtyn

22 2 2

111 1

0 0 0 A local newspaper A local website An annual A regular lunch Events for young Regular daytime Regular evening Other (please give with news, links outdoor event e.g. club people e.g. youth activities e.g. events/activities details) and events fete, barbeque, clubs, social social events, bonfire events education, etc.

Trefonen with Treflach

80 73 70 60 60 56 50 50 45 40 30 30 18 20 10 2 0 A local newspaper A local website An annual A regular lunch Events for young Regular daytime Regular evening Other (please give with news, links outdoor event club people e.g. youth activities e.g. events/activities details) and events e.g. fete, clubs, social social events, barbeque, bonfire events education, etc.

Q28. If there was one thing you could change in the ward, what would it be?

178 responses were received for this question. Responses indicate a wide range of opinions and aspirations about things that could be changed. The most popular comments have been analysed, grouped into a theme and summarised below:

Response Number of responses Stop / limit further development (esp on greenfield sites) 24 Better speed restrictions / enforcement / calming measures 18 Happy with the ward the way it is 10 Reduce traffic through villages and narrow lanes 10 Reliable bus services (more frequent, better timings) 8 A village shop / greater range of produce at existing shop 6 Reopen the shop & post office 6 Reopen Maesbury school & play area 6 Road safety 6 Fast broadband & mobile phone coverage 5 Parish Council renewal / elections / more representative 5 Improve communication within village and with Parish Council 4 No pylons & power lines 4 Shropshire Council to take greater notice of local people (including the Parish Council) 3 Appearance and upkeep of villages 3 Dog fouling 3 Keep properties tidy (gardens, hedges) 3 More community spirit / village atmosphere 3 Restructure the parish and ward boundaries 3 Impact of diverting traffic off the A5 and through villages / narrow roads 3 More policing / greater visibility 2 Better road maintenance, verge & drain clearance 2 Keep school and pre‐school safe from closure 2 More consultation / longer consultation periods / act on the findings 2 Youth / teenagers using the village pub 2 Better hospital facilities in Shropshire / do not reduce facilities further 2

A number of points were raised in this section regarding this survey exercise. These were: • residents of the same address do not always share the same views and further copies would have been welcome. However, in writing this report it is noted that in the introductory section of the survey residents are invited to contact the Parish Clerk for additional copies, which clearly provides a cost effective means for households to access multiple copies where required. • one respondent reported only having two weeks from delivery of survey to closing date • two forms were sent to the same address (yellow and white), a perceived waste of money

Q29. Do you support proposals to construct a large number of wind turbines in the Powys uplands?

423 people responded to this question. Of the responses, over two thirds did not support proposals to construct a large number of wind turbines in the Powys uplands.

Do you support proposals to construct a large number of wind turbines in the Powys uplands?

Yes 128 30%

No 295 70%

The responses varied slightly across the different wards in the parish, though none of the wards responded mainly in favour of proposals to construct a large number of wind turbines in the Powys uplands.

Greatest support was from Morda with Sweeney, where over a third of respondents supported the proposals. A third of Trefonen with Treflach respondents supported the proposals. In Rhydycroesau with Llanforda and Maesbury with Aston, fewer than a quarter of respondents supported the proposals.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

Yes Yes Yes 8 15 52 24% 19% 37%

No No No 65 89 25 81% 63% 76%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes Yes 3 51 30% 33%

No No 7 105 70% 67%

Q30. Do you approve of National Grid’s plan to construct a 400v power line on 150ft pylons from a proposed substation at Cefn Coch via our Maesbury ward to Lower Frankton in Shropshire?

Across the parish, most people did not support proposals to build a power line and pylons from Cefn Coch to Lower Frankton via the Maesbury ward. Less than one fifth of respondents were in support of this development.

Do you approve National Grid's plan to construct a 400kV power line 150ft pylons from a proposed substation at Cefn Coch via our Maesbury ward to Lower Frankton in Shropshire?

Yes 71 17%

No 343 83%

Within the individual wards, Maesbury with Aston respondents indicated the lowest level of support, with only 13% of respondents saying they supported the proposed power line and pylons. In Trefonen and Treflach and Rhydycroesau with Llanforda the level of support was 15% and 16% respectively. 21% of Morda with Sweeney respondents and 30% of Sychtyn respondents supported the development. These results indicate that, whilst the power line would run directly through Maesbury ward, residents of other parts of the parish share strong concerns about this development.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

Yes Yes Yes, 5, 10 29 16% 13% 21%

No No No, 26, 69 108 84% 87% 79%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes Yes 3 23 30% 15%

No No 7 130 70% 85%

Q31. Do you feel you have been informed and consulted by National Grid on the power line and pylons?

408 people responded to this question. 55% of respondents across the parish felt that they had not been informed or consulted by National Grid on the power line and pylons.

Do you feel you have been informed and consulted by National Grid on the power line and pylons?

Yes 185 No 45% 223 55%

The responses to this question differed significantly between the wards.

Maesbury with Aston respondents felt most informed and consulted, with over two thirds answering ‘yes’ to this question. Half of Sychtyn residents felt informed and consulted. In Morda with Sweeney and Trefonen with Treflach approximately two fifths of respondents felt informed and consulted (42% and 40% respectively). Less than one third of Rhydycroesau with Llanforda respondents felt least well informed and consulted.

Maesbury with Aston Morda with Sweeney Rhydycroesau with Llanforda

No Yes Yes 27 57 10 35% 42% 33% Yes No No 50 79 20 65% 58% 67%

Sychtyn Trefonen with Treflach

Yes No Yes 61 5 5 40% 50% 50% No 90 60%

Conclusion:

The data collected via the community survey provides an evidence base with which to inform future community consultation and engagement, and to identify actions that can be taken to preserve and improve the parish for the future.

Filtering the survey data by wards has proved to be a valuable exercise. On a number of occasions the filtering identified localised issues at ward level, which may not have been revealed had the data only been presented for the whole parish.

The issues raised by local people indicate there are some ‘quick wins’ that could be achieved, such as those around improved communication and parish information. Some issues raised may present opportunities for members of the community to come together to develop community projects or enterprises, such as new shop facilities or the use of the Maesbury School site. Other priorities will be more challenging to achieve by the people of this parish alone, such as those relying on input, decisions or resources from other organisations like Shropshire Council (for issues affecting traffic calming or housing development).

As with many issues affecting a whole community, some will agree, some will disagree. Hopefully the data in this report identifies those areas over which there is a divergence of opinion and require further areas of probing with additional consultation, whilst also highlighting areas that have general community support/agreement.