Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the
Albrighton & District Civic Society
held at 31/32 High St, Albrighton,
on Monday 4th September 2017 at 2pm
Present : Peter Woodman - Chairman
Rod Smith – Secretary
Bob Hickson
Ron Kidson
Gaynor Richards
Phyl Woodman
David Beechey (ex-officio representing Donington-with-Boscobel PC)
1. Apologies received from Mike Pitchford, Peter Illes, and David Thomas (ex-officio representing Boningale PC)
2. Minutes of Meeting of 7th August 2017 were approved.
3. Treasurer’s Report.– MP on holiday
4. To consider progress in regard to following main issues
a) Village Entrances Scheme.
Kingswood Rd/A41.
SC’s contractor has only cut half of the area (the half alongside the A41). MP had chased up SC again without success so ACTION: PW would carry on chasing Anne Breakwell (SC) while MP is on holiday. A464/Patshull Lane - DT has arranged for Boningale people to dig out the beds of roses when JB is ready to receive them for re-planting at Alb Primary School.
b) Swimming Pool.
PW reported that FASP has paid almost £2k to Alb PC which will reduce the amount the PC will have to pay as funder of last resort. ACTION:PW will call a meeting of Albrighton Swimming Pool Action Group (ASPAG) and hopes to have the school there.
FASP’s fun raising Gala Concert is now organised for Sat 14th October at Alb Primary School.
c) In abeyance but here as a reminder - Traffic matters including Parking.
One of the Society’s projects is to try to have the Society’s request for a Comprehensive Review of Traffic Issues in the District included in County and/or Village Plans.
ACTION: We wait until the work for the new Albrighton Place Plan is started and then make a new approach. DB had previously advised that the Alb PC Clerk is responsible to start this work.
d) East of Shaw Lane Development. A new Planning Application by Jessup has been made for housing at the north end of the site (the area which had additional car parking for the Station and School under the original proposals by Boningale Homes).
The vehicle access is stated in their written report to be both from/into the Boningale Homes phase 2A and also along a widened school drive from/into Shaw Lane. However their drawings and plans show that vehicle access will only be along a widened school drive from/into Shaw Lane and without a road connection to the Boningale development. The committee noted that there are well known traffic congestion problems in Shaw Lane created not just by the School at defined periods of the day and by patients coming to the Medical Practice but also by users of the Station.It would appear that the Jessup traffic study on the effects on Shaw Lane was not at the time when the school children were being brought to/from school and not always when the Medical Centre was open.
The Jessup proposal seems to be for both foul and surface water drainage pipes to be run down the school drive & connected to the combined system single pipe in Shaw Lane which flows towards Station Rd & the High St causing additional loading on the existing system and increasing the risk of flooding. The Committee of the Civic Society has reviewed the Jessup proposal and will object on the grounds of the severe adverse effect of vehicle traffic on Shaw Lane and the adverse effect of the site drainage being connected into Shaw Lane.
The Committee also noted that residents commented or perhaps did not object to the proposal by Boningale Homes for the phases 1 and 2 but based on the proposal of providing additional parking at the north of the site (Boningale phase 3) as shown on Boningale Homes overall site concept. If the Jessup proposal is approved then the proposed additional parking, which is vital for this end of the village, especially after the new footpath for the Station Pedestrian Access Ramp is built, will not be provided. It was strongly felt that we needed Ian Kilby Head of Planning SC to meet us.
ACTION: PW to invite Ian Kilby to meet us.
e) Banner. It was agreed that we would buy 1 No. banner with patches to allow changes of day, date and month to allow it to be used at future meetings on different days. ACTION: RS to follow up with Voodoo Designs and get it ordered
f) SC proposal to charge 30p/hr at the Crown car Park.
The committee was strongly against charging as it would seriously affect businesses and also force more vehicles to park on the High St which is already congested.
The committee felt that the Questionnaires offered by SC were very long winded and very complicated so much so that it is likely that many people will not fill them – which will result in very few comments to the proposers of the charge. Why did SC make them so unfriendly?
It was felt that it may be possible to make a simple version of the questionnaire which could be offered to residents which may have more success in getting comments on the proposal. If we do manage to make one then DT offered to deliver some to the Traders (Sarah Cox, Chair).
5. Matters arising
a) Promotional Brochure. BH propose a revised edition for comment prior to the next meeting.
b) Margaret Brookes campaign for an improved bus service.
Congratulations to Margaret who had gathered more than 600 signatures to her petition.
The Society wrote to Arriva to support her request. Arriva has replied to say that they are now re-routing their No. 10 service from Wolverhampton to Telford through Albrighton as Margaret asked. We noted that Arriva say that they plan their routes to suit passenger numbers. So it will be important that to retain this service, fought for so well, that the petitioners do use the Arriva bus. “Use or Lose it”.
c) School Awards Scheme. As RAF Cosford celebrates its 70th anniversary then Topic for 2018: “RAF Cosford, its history and its relationship to our community”. PW has notified schools
d) Flower Competition. JB and team will judge tomorrow
6. AOB
a) Public Meeting & AGM 9th October Topics will be:-
- East of Shaw Lane Development - David Thompson. ACTION:RS will also invite Jessup to speak
- Proposed Parking Charges at the Crown – speaker??
- Adopt-a-Stn update – Alison Taylor from the newly formed Friends of Albrighton Stn
Next meeting: 2p.m. Monday 2nd October 2017 at 31/32 High St. (Peter Woodman’s house).
Following Meeting will be at 2pm on Monday 6th November 2017.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: -
Public Meeting & AGM is at 7.00pm
on Monday 9th October 2017
All future AGMs are on the second Monday of October