Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the
Albrighton & District Civic Society
held at 31/32 High St, Albrighton,
on Monday 6th November 2017 at 2pm

Present :       Peter Woodman - Chairman
Rod Smith – Secretary
Mike Pitchford – Treasurer
Bob Hickson
Peter Illes
Ron Kidson
Gaynor Richards
Phyl Woodman
David Beechey (ex-officio representing Donington-with-Boscobel PC)
David Thomas (ex-officio representing Boningale PC)

1. Apologies All members attended

2. Minutes of Meeting of 2nd October 2017 were approved.

3. Treasurer’s Report.– MP has applied to Veolia for a grant of £200 for bulbs. He confirmed the bank balance of £2,272.86

4. To consider progress in regard to following main issues

a) Village Entrances Scheme.
Patshull Lane/A464
DT reported that Boningale residents will dig up the roses on 25th November and asked the Society to be ready to receive them and transport them to Newhouse Lane School for re-planting.
ACTION: PW to advise school caretaker to accept them.
[Post meeting note. MP had organised a trailer to transport them. Later DT advised that the Boningale residents were now unable to dig up the roses on 25th November].
MP had organised the planting of 50000 bulbs on the village green and thanks are due to Tom Maguire, John Foster, Les Sugden, Pat & Gaynor Richards and MP. He reported that more volunteers had been expected.

b) Swimming Pool. 
PW reported that the lottery has received approx £8k and that some £4k has been handed to Albrighton PC which pays the bills. So far the PC, as funder of last resort, has not yet had to use its own funds.
The Gala Concert on Sat 14th October at Alb Primary School raised approx £1600 for FASP.
Roger Rudman has now proposed a Swim Marathon, including a BBQ, to raise more funds.

c) Eyesores.
Ex-Barclays Bank. ACTION: PW and Malcolm Pate will raise the issue with Ian Kilby (SC) at their forthcoming meeting re the East of Shaw Lane Development.
BH reported that after having had no response from Steve Browne he now had contacts for SC at Bridgnorth and would try these.

 d) 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.

5. Matters arising
a) Possible new Village Leaflet. ACTION: GR will discuss the matter with the Albrighton Village Forum (new name for the Traders’ Association) which is already considering an update to the existing leaflet.

b) Friends of Albrighton Station. LM have agreed to paint their building and Alison Taylor is trying to get the Ale House painted at the same time and is seeking a contribution from the owner. A formal inauguration will be held at the Stn on 28 November.

c) PI reported that Dr Matthew Perry had suggested that the Society should consider establishing a Civic Society Community Chest so that people may leave a legacy or a donation. He explained that some people leave legacies to the Medical Practice but they are only able to accept under certain conditions and it may be that some could be accepted by the Society.
ACTION: All to consider this good idea.

d) STAR Housing Grants. George Evans had again reminded the Society to make a application for a specific item.
We have had to put up with very poor audio equipment at many public meetings and sometimes so bad that some people leave as they cannot hear the invited speakers. We have complained many times but an acceptable audio system seems unlikely to be provided by the Red House itself. The Historical Society has the same issues.
It was agreed that we should explore the possibility of purchasing our own equipment. ACTION: PW to ask Peter Phillips if his colleague could provide some initial advice. MP and RS to meet him.

e) Questionnaire re SC’s proposal to charge 30p/hr for the Crown Car Park.
Hundreds of copies of the simplified questionnaire produced by RS were handed out including by the Chairman of the Alb Business Forum on Saturday morning at the car park. Copies were also available in the Crown. We await to see the outcome.

6. AOB
a) Public Meeting & AGM 9th October – post mortem
More than 200 people came and all the chairs in the Red House were used including those from the small room and even those from upstairs! Many people had to stand at the back and down the side of the hall and even in the lobby! It was felt that the tree topics (E of Shaw Lane Dev, Crown Car Park Parking charge & Friends of the Stn) were seen by residents as important and there was good audience participation.
ACTION: PW and Cllr Malcolm Pate to meet again with Ian Kilby and Richard Fortune at SC.
(Neither of these officers bothered to even reply to RS’s invitation to attend the public meeting).
Michael Ward is writing to Severn Trent to invite them to come to meet councillors soon.

b) The new Banner and its set of alternative day/date patches is now stored in the attic of BH.

c) MP reported that the newly formed Friends of Albrighton Station expect their formal launch to be in November 2017.

Next  meeting:  2p.m. Monday 4th December 2017 at 31/32 High St. (Peter Woodman’s house). 

Following Meeting will be at 2pm on Monday 8th January 2018. Please note this is the 2nd Monday in the month.

 

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY: -
Next Public Meeting & AGM is at 7.00pm on Monday 8th October 2018

All future AGMs are on the second Monday of October