Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the

Albrighton & District Civic Society

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

on Monday 2nd July 2012 at 2pm

 

Present :       

Peter Woodman - Chairman

Rod Smith – Secretary.

Mike Pitchford - Membership Secretary and Acting Treasurer

John Bulmer

Ron Kidson

Hugh Hughes

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

Michael Ward  – ex-officio representing Albrighton PC

 

1. Apologies  received from David Murray, David Hughes, Peter Leigh

 

2. Minutes of Meeting of 11th June 2012 were approved but awaiting comments by Chris Edwards/Ian Kilby SC.

 

3. Albrighton Public Toilets (in Crown Car Park)

DB reported that SC wish to dispose of the toilets and have asked if Alb PC wish to take them over. PC not keen as SC advise that the maintenance and servicing (done by a specialist company) costs £8000 per annum and that public toilets in many Shropshire villages are facing the same situation. Several members commented that this seems an excessive amount – one commented that a house could be rented for less than this. DB said that there may be a possibility of asking a local business, and the obvious one is the Crown Pub, to accept the public using their toilet for an annual fee paid by the Council – however this may not be acceptable to the brewery and members could understand that point of view. Members also felt that some people may not be comfortable going through a pub to the toilet. The meeting felt that the public toilet is a village asset and that it should be owned and maintained by SC and would campaign for this. It is an important facility for shoppers and visitors coming into the village. However, ADCS understood and agreed that SC had to reduce costs but that its removal was a step too far. The cost should be reviewed as it seems excessive. Members suggested that Alb PC send a request to SC for a detailed breakdown of the costs. It was inconsistent that closure of the toilet was being planned (which would inconvenience visitors) while at the same time SC had given a grant of about £40,000 for new signage to encourage visitors and shoppers into the village centre

ACTION: DB/MW to ask Alb PC to request SC for a detailed cost breakdown and more details.

SC had confirmed to PW that they will repair the pothole/drain in the Crown car park and

so ACTION: PB will pursue SC to carry out repairs and will also ask Marston to maintain the window sills of the pub which are deteriorating

 

4. Main Issues

a) Station Heritage Centre

ACTION: PB will chase up Fiona Fortune for help in seeking additional funders as requested by HLF. Then, more work to be done by SCTG and in particular to provide to HLF more details of the group who will run the Centre.

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b) Villages Entrance Scheme.

JB reported that the donated manure had been spread and areas spray-weed killed but this would be needed again next year but more volunteers are needed to help. PW reported that “SC Streetscene” group had taken over spray-weed killing and they will spray twice a year. PW reported that “SC Streetscene” group had agreed to now weedkill Patshull RD/A41 area.

ACTION: JB will make a rota for volunteer work

 

c) Schools Civic Awards Scheme.

Birchfield (1st prize) and Albrighton Primary (2nd prize) had produced a very good standard of entries some of which are exhibited in the library.

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d) Planters & Tubs.

MP reported that a grant of £600 had been awarded by LJC18 but the money not yet received. Application to Grassroots Fund had been turned down. DB said that Alb PC may be willing to provide a contribution and that this may be part of the already promised £1000 which needed our match funding (MW read from the letter which allowed the match funding could be cash or in kind). ACTION: MP will write to Alb PC with costs and details of our match funding etc

 

e) Hanging Basket Competition for Flower Show (7th July).

Civic Society’s Bulmer Cup to be the 1st prize. This was to encourage residents/businesses to set up many hanging baskets in order to improve the street appearance. The Flower Show’s advertising was not very well done and hence not many people are likely to have hanging baskets and hence not such a good competition.

 

f) Albrighton Fayre (14th July). Activity by all committee members as last year

Stall is in front of 33 High Street. RS provide a rota to man the stall.

The Committee expressed great thanks to the Flower Show Printers who had printed our flyer at no cost. ACTION: MP to contact them to express thanks.

 

g) Visit by Brewood Civic Society Committee.

We await Brewood Civic Society to suggest another date).

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h) SAMDev.

Deadline for submission noon 20 July 2012.

RK has prepared an introductory note.  ADCS Task Group to meet 11am on 9th July at Alb PC office to develop further our bullet points into a formal submission.

Alb PC has set up a Steering Committee to prepare a “Neighbourhood Plan Lite” (NPL) and RK has kindly agreed to be the ADCS representative. DB said that Jake Berryman of SC will accept the NPL as an Albrighton submission into the SAMDev consultation process. The NPL is expected to be completed Autumn/end 2012.

DB suggested that Jake Berryman or Helen Howie of SC be asked to speak at the ADCS AGM in October – this was agreed by all.

 

4. Any Other Business

a) MP suggested that one Lime tree in the High St is replaced by a Plane tree as part of the Jubilee Tree Planting Scheme. However DB reported that Alb PC has agreed that the Lime trees should be replaced by mature Plane trees at a rate of say 2 No. per year. As the first step in this procedure Alb PC has requested that SC produce a tree survey and this is awaited. ACTION: DB

b) PW reported that the Cinema Club/Albrighton Moving Picture Society has folded up due to the cinema’s high rental cost on loan of films. ACTION: RS to ask our webmaster to remove the club page from the website.

 

NO COMMITTEE MEETING TO BE HELD IN AUGUST

Next meeting:  2 p.m. Monday 3rd September 2012

 

Following Meeting will be at 2pm on Monday 1st October 2012.

 

All Committee Meetings, unless otherwise noted, are on the first Monday of each month at

Alb PC Offices, 82B High Street, Albrighton WV7 3JA (T: 375455).

 

(All future AGMs are on the second Monday of October

– NOTE FOR YOUR DIARY: this year’s AGM is at 7pm on 8th October 2012)

 

 

Copyright (c) 2013 ALBRIGHTON and DISTRICT CIVIC SOCIETY