Minutes of the Committee Meeting of the
Albrighton & District Civic Society
held on Monday 20th June 2022 at 2pm
at 32 High Street (PW’s house)
Present :
Peter Woodman – Chairman
Rod Smith - Secretary
Mike Pitchford – Trreasurer
Peter Illes
Ron Kidson
Roger Rudman
Phyl Woodman
David Beechey (ex-officio member representing Donington-with-Boscobel PC).
David Slatcher (ex-officio member representing Boningale PC).
1. Apologies Gaynor Richards and Patrick Richards
2. Minutes of Meeting of 9th May 2022. RS said that MP did not attend but had provided the balance to RS but it was not to hand at the meeting – balance at 9th May was £1757.24. After this addition the Minutes were approved.
3. Treasurer’s Report.– MP reported that a donation had been received from Cucumber PR for the Calendar, payment to the calendar printer made and that the Red House room hire (£11) for the Ramp Team meeting had been paid. Balance is £.1247.44.
4. To consider progress in regard to following main issues
a. Progress with gaining SC Planning Application Consultee status for all four parishes. RS had tried to register but needed to do so while connected by phone to SC staff as difficulties were experienced. ACTION: RS - the process will be tried again. RS will ask Webmaster to have emails to the Society at “chairman@ etc” to also be copied to RS.
b. . ‘Welcome Pack’, MP reported that after handing the bulk of the remaining packs to Mark Yeomans he had about 17 copies for delivery to other incoming new residents.
c. ADCS Annual Calendar Project.. DS reported that the printer is on course to provide the calendars in time for sale at the Fayre on 9th July..ACTION:DS
The committee thanked DS for donating the cost of the price lables/cover sheet.
The committee thanked Russell Cockburn for his help and support and agreed to present him with Life Membership of the Society
d Fayre Day (9th July)
RS reported that the Fayre Committee feels that all is in hand for the day.
ACTION: Day before the fayre we need to collect the plants donated by John Bulmer. RS will also provide plants for the stall.
5. Matters arising
a. High vehicle speeds in the central part of the High Street. . PI reported that APC are currently reorganising its committees and working parties and he will follow up with the appropriate committee/WP.
b. Crown Pub. PI reported that he had received a prompt response from Marstons saying they are now considering his request that the two boiler vent pipes at the wall on the High St be extended upwards.
c. Station Access. RS reported that:- the Ramp Team had met on 23rd May to review the letter dated 5th May 2022 from the Rail Minister to Mark Pritchard which endorsed the previous letter from RailwaysForAll which refused the granting of a dispensation for the pedestrian access ramp. The Ramp Team concluded that unfortunately it was not possible to recover from this position and that the project, after all the work by many people over 9 years, was dead, The Ramp Team was disbanded.
Mark Pritchard/Nigel Lumby had called a meeting on 17th June for some of the organisations involved in the Ramp Team Project to see what other steps could be taken. Present were: APC (Cllrs AR, SP, MM, PI, RC, BW, DB), DBPC (Cllr DB), BPC (Cllr DS), Civic Society (RS, RK), Friends of Alb Stn (PO), Cllr NL, Alan McGill of West Midland Trains.
MP recommended that an application should be made for new funding now available for making easier access to stations. RS advised the meeting that, only the week before, the construction industry had announced a proposal for a new innovative and more economical design footbridge incorporating new lift pods - the AVA Footbridge – and passed round some details. However RS said this was likely to cost several £ million and it was probably unlikely that Albrighton station, with its footfall, would qualify. Alan McGill agreed. MP suggested that this may be a “first division” solution and Albrighton needed a “second division” and less expensive solution. RC suggested a level crossing for pedestrians to walk across the tracks – the WMT representative said this would not be allowed. SP suggested that a ramp could be built on the Heartwood yard land – RS reminded the meeting that this would also need a dispensation as the height from Stn Rd to platform level was about 5m. Someone suggested that the land at the foot of such a ramp be built up by 3m of soil so that the ramp above complied. .NL suggested that a ramp there could be in separate parts with horizontal landings between to avoid not complying. RS reminded that a set of such ramps would also need a dispensation. MP asked if an access from the Maddox car park to platform 1 could be made. RS said that Maddox had refused to allow use of their car park and that in any case a person leaving their car there would arrive back at platform 2 and would have a long walk all round the area to get back to their car.
MP wondered if we should revisit the re-opening of the pedestrian access ramp project.
After some discussion it was not so clear what practical improvements could be made short of something like the AVA footbridge. MP felt that a first division solution may be successful if made at Cosford Station and backed by both APC and Shifnal Town Council and also backed by RAF Cosford (and its defence contractors such as BAE etc), RAF Museum and the Air Ambulance. At MP’s request the Chairman of APC agreed to follow up such a proposal and also as the WMT representative said he was not familiar with Albrighton Station he agreed to seek advice from his colleagues, who deal with the station assets, on what solution they would recommend.
d. Pepper Hill Solar Farm. DS reported that meetings with the developer had been held but many suggestions made by BPC appear to have been ignored by the developer. Once formal drawings are available a further public meeting will be held – in a month or so.
e. School Awards Scheme. PW reported that two schools had confirmed that entries will be submitted by end June. It was still hoped that Birchfield would also join in.
Awards to be presented at our stall at 3.30pm on Fayre Day 9th July.
6. Any Other Business
- MP read out an email from Mrs Lowe thanking the Society for the good work in improving the appearance of the area and asking the Society to try to i) get the deteriorating street signs in Bushfield Estate fixed and also ii) removal of weeds at the various entrances to the village. ACTION: PW will forward the email to NL to seek his help in having SC deal with the issues.
- Possible ADCS Notelets. RS suggested that now we have photos for the calendar and a good relationship with a local printer we could produce packs of Notelets for sale. RS tabled a few rough mock-ups – name of the local feature and the ADCS name on the back, blank inside. .ACTION: DS will take them and seek a quotation from the printer. Perhaps we could sell that starting at the AGM in October?
7. Next meeting:- 2pm on Monday 4th July 2022 at 31/32 High Street
Following Meeting will be at 2pm on Monday 1st August 2022.
Note for your Diary
Public Meeting & AGM is at 7.00pm
on Monday 10th October 2022 at the Red House
All future AGMs are on the second Monday of October
NEW “AVA” MODULAR FOOTBRIDGE
WITH NEW LIFT PODS
