Albrighton Civic Society

Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the
Albrighton & District Civic Society
held at APC Office, 82B High St, Albrighton,
on Tuesday 3rd September 2013 at 2pm

Present :

Peter Woodman - Chairman
Rod Smith - Secretary
Sarah Baker
John Bulmer (part)
Ron Kidson (part)
Peter Leigh
Alan Wilmot
David Beechey (ex-officio representing Donington-with-Boscobel PC)
David Thomas (ex-officio representing Boningale PC)

1. Apologies received from Mike Pitchford, David Hughes

2. Minutes of Meeting of 5th August 2013 were approved.

3. Main Issues

a) Treasurer’s Report.
MP had provided a copy of the accounts. Balance stood at £2,167.22 (some of this is LJC funds ring fenced for use for the Entrance Scheme)

b) Station Heritage Centre.

i) Station Centre Task Group (SCTG) – no activity reported

ii) Albrighton Arts & Heritage Forum (AAHF) – SB reported that the proposed October Craft Fayre was postponed to allow more time to generate support and it is likely to be held in March 2014.

c) Albrighton Station
Temporary Access Ramp to Platform 1
RS gave an update - the outcome was that the ramp had been reprieved until end of January 2014 and would be sealed off and the temporary lights removed. Thanks to all who helped in this campaign where we won the battle for a stay of execution but we now need to win the war to retain the ramp permanently. We now have this short time to overcome the obstacles placed in our way by NR. A meeting to decide strategy and tactics will be held later today at 4pm when RK and JB arrive. See notes of that meeting.

d) Planters.
MP’s note confirmed that a new planter had been received by him to replace the slightly damaged one – at no cost. Further that the supplier had agreed to let us keep the damaged one at no charge and it would be repaired. All passed thanks to MP for his work and success with this outcome
Many residents had made good comments about the Planters. PW said that some plants needed deadheading.

e) Village Entrance Scheme
JB reported that he had bought 2000 bulbs. DT reported that SC had not cut the grass at Patshull Lane/A464. ACTION: PW to continue pressing Anne Breakwell at SC to get their contractor to cut the grass here.
ACTION: SB will discuss with Matt at the Ironmongers to see if his offer of help would extend to cutting the grass at Kingswood Rd/A41junction – JB suggested that the two triangular areas at each end could be cut. JB could go to show Matt his suggested plan.

4. Matters arising
a) School Awards 2014
As 2014 was the centenary of the start of WW1 It was decided that the theme would be the First World War. PW would first discuss this with the School Heads to have it confirmed and he would suggest some associated ideas such as finding any local connections with our district, names on the Albrighton war memorial (PL noted that John Stretton was already researching the names), RAF Cosford Museum has some WW1 exhibits, Copthorne Barracks, Shrewsbury was used during WW1 and may have information about Shropshire involvement, while St Cuthbert’s church yard has WW2 graves are there any from WW1?

b) Public Meeting and AGM – Monday 14th October 2013.
Possible programme discussed – see separate document with suggestions.
Should poster be “Public Meeting” or “Reception” with drinks and snacks provided free?
Can we find a building refurbishment to feature in our version of a Grand Design type presentation which was very popular last year and attracted in some people? Suggestions were Elm Farm House (PL thought we needed to wait until the outside was refurbished or Lea Hall Farm – JB will speak to the owner to ask if they would be interested – and a few of us would need to go to see it.
[Post meeting Note: it was thought that if we could have one major presentation it may be appropriate to follow it by a short one on Rose Cottage, Cross Rd which JB said now has a part built in every one of the last three centuries and where the owner has built a nice “stone” topped boundary wall]
A preliminary Programme needs to be fixed so we can send it to Parish Magazine editor before 10th Sept.- so all need to respond with comments on the draft programme asap
It was agreed that we would make more out of the usual Q&A session and turn it into a longer Discussion Forum or similar for people to suggest what they wanted the Society to do next. [This part would need good control to avoid us spending time on items not appropriate for the Civic Society and we don’t want to get in conflict with our audience some of whom may raise general complaints not in our area of interest – this has happened at previous Q&A sessions] .
A flier will be made where residents can write their suggestions and bring to the meeting
SB suggested that we provide free drinks and snacks as an inducement to attend. £150 was though an appropriate sum.
ACTION: RS to make a flier which will be sent to members whose email address we have and delivered to the letterbox of those we dont.
ACTION: who will deliver them? please volunteer
DT suggested we provide these fliers at the Coop and the Pharmacy
ACTION: PW and DT to ask Coop and Pharmacy respectively to put a flier in every bag for 1 day only
[Post Meeting Note: if they are happy to do so why not let them do it for more days?[
ACTION: DT will also deliver the flier to every house in Boningale before he goes on holiday on 22nd Sept.
RS had chased up Mandy who had confirmed by email that our booking of the Red House for the AGM is secure. It was agreed that we would run our own bar at the back of the hall as before but we would try to get Mandy to finalise purchase costs of the drinks we have to buy from the Red House well in advance.

5. AOB
a) Item not acted on since last meeting:-
Members reported that a Gas company had erected a very high steel fence, grey colour, on three sides of their equipment at the north side of the footpath of Kingwood Road just beyond the old Blacksmith’s forge building. Some thought this was too high and unsightly.
ACTION: ALL to look at it before the next meeting

Next meeting: 2 p.m. Monday 7th October 2013.

Following Meeting will be at 2pm on Monday 4th November 2013

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:
Public Meeting & AGM is at 7.00pm on
Monday 14th October 2013