Bewdley Town Council

Councillor Stephen Clee

Bewdley Town Council

All the information provided on this page is done so by kind permission of Town Councillor Stephen Clee. The information reflects his views and not that of the Town Council.

BEWDLEY TOWN COUNCIL REPORT

Bewdley Town Council met on Monday 27 October 2003, at 6.45 p.m. to comment on 12 planning applications that had been sent through from Wyre Forest District Council. These ranged from an erection of a detached garage through to the request by residents that live in Threlfall Drive, the new development at Catchems End for Tree Preservation Orders to be removed on various horse chestnut trees.

Following the Planning Committee meeting the main Council meeting took place where there were 18 items on the Agenda. The most important item was the authorisation of the scheduled accounts for the month of October which amounted to £5,003.37 being spent. The Council unanimously supported the schedule of accounts which included grants to the WRVS and the Wyre Forest Citizens Advice Bureau.

The Town Council had a lengthy discussion relating to the transportation and traffic issues in and around the town. The Council unanimously objected to the recent closure of the Bewdley By-pass and resolved to write to Worcestershire County Councils Head of Service expressing our anger at the by-pass closure and the effect it had, not only on the businesses in the Town, but also individuals trying to leave their homes to get to work in the morning. Town Council had various ideas that could have been introduced but it was pointed out by Members that it seemed civil servants who were responsible for this decision ignored common sense and just ploughed their own field on this one.

The Town Council is still pursuing a skateboard park for Wribbenhall and the possibility of a youth café in Load Street is also being looked at by Members of the Town Council.

The Town Council was presented with various photographs that had been taken of fly posting in and around the town and unanimously backed a recommendation that the County Council be written to on this matter so that unauthorised fly posting does not take place in our town.

The Council was presented with a paper relating to the traffic calming measures that have been placed in the Dog Lane car park by the Wyre Forest District Council. This followed anti-social behaviour problems. However, several Members expressed concern that elderly people and disabled people were hindered at the installation of rubber speed ramps. Council resolved to write to Wyre Forest District Council to see if something else could be installed other than the measures that they have put in place now.

The Bewdley Twinning Association had written to the Town Council requesting that they move their twinning artefacts from within the Mayors Parlour so they could place them within the Bewdley Museum where more people could see them. Town Council supported this request (bearing in mind we do not own the artefacts in the first place it was nice to be asked).

Alcohol free zone was discussed and following a meeting with the Police on the 6 October and at their suggestion the Town Council supported the recommendation that the alcohol free zone be extended to include the area in and around the Leisure Centre and Sports Club on the Stourport Road in Wribbenhall. This request will now be sent through to Wyre Forest District Council who will be asked to support the extension of the alcohol free zone.

Council was presented with a letter from a resident of Severnside South objecting to the bandstand being removed. It was pointed out that when planning permission was granted to the Environment Agency for the flood alleviation works, part of their application was for the removal of Bewdley bandstand. There are discussions taking place for re-siting what is left of the bandstand in Jubilee Gardens. However, Council is equally aware that many residents that live on Severnside South and within the Town would like the bandstand to remain where it currently resides. The Town Clerk was authorised to write to the Environment Agency and ask them to reconsider their decision to remove the bandstand from its current location and this was unanimously supported by all Members present.

Finally, Members noted the excellent work that had taken place of Mr Alf Genner, who has been a Town Mace Bearer for many years. Councillors agreed to honour the occasion in a small way. However, it was also agreed to place advertisements calling upon Members of the Parish to write in to Mr David Flack, the Town Clerk, if they would be interested in being considered to become a Mace Bearer within the Town. Should anybody reading this report be interested then please write in to the Town Clerk at 6 Load Street, Bewdley, DY12 2AH, requesting that your name be forwarded for consideration to be a Mace Bearer.

Date of next meeting - Monday 1^st December 2003, commencing at 6.45 p.m. when the Planning Committee sits first followed by the main Council meeting at 7.30 p.m. It is worth noting that the Council at its meeting on 27^th October agreed to allow public speaking at all future meetings. If there is a matter dear to your heart and you want to come and discuss it with Members of Bewdley Town Council you can do so by contacting the Town Clerk. I would recommend that you give him advance notice. You can contact the Town Clerk on the address above or by telephone - Bewdley 400157. All members of the Parish are welcome to attend and in future discuss any matter that falls on our Agenda.

The meeting ended at 9.35 p.m.

The latest Town Council Report.

Bewdley Town Council met on Monday 30^th June 2003. The Planning Committee preceded the main meeting at 6.45pm. They had 8 applications where the District Council (who are responsible for granting permission) had asked the town council to comment on the applications. All the town councils decisions were unanimously decided upon.

The main council meeting was chaired by the Mayor Councillor Ferguson and had 24 items on the agenda. Council every month approves the schedule of the councils accounts (our monthly expenditure) this month (June) amounted to £2,537.52.

The Wyre Hill play area would now be saved and funding from the precept granted by the district council earlier in the year would be used to secure its future. The Council are concerned at the traffic calming and safer routes to school proposals or lack of them! It was agreed that the County Councils proper officer be present at our meeting in September to advise us of there intentions.

Members were pleased to see the alcohol free zone signs had been erected in various locations throughout the town. It was noted that one or two have been vandalized already. The purpose of the ban it to give additional powers to the police to stop and confiscate alcohol off youngsters who roam around the town drinking and causing a nuisance all the while.

Council discussed the Skateboard Park proposals that we have for the Stourport Road Youth Centre Site. Council were disappointed that there is a lack of interest from organizations to take a led and drive this project forward. It was unanimously agreed that the Mayor should take a prominent led and drive this scheme forward.

The Council unanimously opposed any developments of additional aircraft movements at Wolverhampton Business Airport. The Council noted the consultation document on Educational Review but decided not to make an official response.

The District Council had consulted the Town Council on the proposals for electoral review and polling stations to be used in future elections. It was unanimously agreed to recommend to the district council that Wribbenhall Parish Rooms on the Kidderminster Road be used for future elections in preference to that of the Community Centre on Shaw Hedge Road. The Council felt that the Parish Rooms are situated in a more central location for the residents of Wribbenhall.

The Street Lamp in Spencer Avenue was discussed following a letter from the district council asking if we would maintain and pay for its energy consumption. The town council unanimously resolved to write to the district council and remind them of there statutory duties when they took over from the former Bewdley Borough in 1974.

The council agreed to repair two vandalized bus shelters in Wribbenhall following four polycarbonate panels being smashed. We also agreed to rub down and teak oil 5 Shrewsbury seats on the riverside.

Bewdley Town Council met on the 24 February 2003. This was the first meeting that was attended by the newly returned Town Councillor, Nigel Knowles, having won the Wribbenhall By-election that had been held on 6 February 2003. The Town Mayor was again absent from the meeting and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ferguson, took the Chair.

Bewdley Town Council write a report for the Bridge Parish Magazine which is delivered monthly to every door (or nearly every door) in the Parish. The February Bridge article had been written by town Councillor, Paul Gittins, but several of the "Hospital" Councillors objected to his detailed breakdown of expenditure for this years Parish precept. With those objections noted the Town Clerk decided to remove the information contained within Mr Gittins Bridge article. However, several Councillors, including myself objected immensely to this criticism in light of the fact that the Bridge article is written by individuals in their own way and a vote of thanks was given to Councillor Gittins for the unedited version prior to the involvement of inexperienced Members of other parties.

A letter had been addressed to the Town Mayor, Councillor F Baillie from Mr Stuart Reynolds, the Highways Partnership Manager at Worcestershire County Council pointing out that a great deal of officer time had been spent looking at Severnside North and the request for pedestrianisation made by one or two residents living along there. However, Mr Reynolds felt that having considered the views of everybody, and taken the matter to the Highways Partnership Forum meeting, it was decided that pedestrianisation of Severnside North would not go ahead and this had been agreed by the Forum.

Mr Reynolds pointed out in his letter that previously agreed decisions may not be revisited for a period of two years. It is interesting to note that Councillor Baillie will no longer be the County Council representative for the town folk of Bewdley when this matter can be revisited.

The Town Council agreed to a request from the Severn and Teme Scout District for a St Georges Day Parade to take place on 27 April 2003. A letter had been received from the Chairman of the Bewdley Patients Participation Advisory Group relating to the Bewdley Practices Constitution. It was noted that the membership under the previous constitution enabled two Parish Councillors to attend whereas now only one may attend. The Town Council was extremely disappointed at the reduction in representation to the new Wyre Forest Primary Care Trust and decided to write to the Chairman in the strongest possible terms.

Following the main business of the meeting an informal meeting of the Town Council took place where an agenda item for who would be Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the coming Municipal Year was discussed. It was proposed by the Health Councillors that the Mayor be Councillor Ferguson, the Labour Group proposed the newly returned Town Councillor, Knowles. Being taken to a vote Councillor Ferguson won the vote and would be appointed Town Mayor at the Mayor Making Ceremony on 16 May 2003. The new Deputy Mayor proposed was Councillor Mr Tony Williams, again the Labour Group proposed their newly returned protégé. A vote was taken and Tony Williams will be the new Deputy Mayor. Councillor Louise Edginton was proposed as being the new Chairman of the Planning Committee. This was seconded and agreed. The Deputy Chairman of the Planning Committee will be Councillor Tony Ferguson. Councillors appointed members to five working groups from the War Memorial through to the Civic Awards Committee, together with making appointments to 15 outside bodies and organisations.

PREVIOUS REPORT - OCTOBER 2002

Bewdley Town Council met on Monday 28^th October 2002 in the Guildhall, Load Street, Bewdley. This was the 6^th Meeting of the Town Council since the elections in May of this year. The attendance record of various Members on the Town Council leaves a lot to be desired, indeed one Health Concern Member from Wribbenhall, Councillor Mr. Brian Denton, had now missed 5 consecutive meetings of the Council.

Following the last Town Council Meeting, when at my suggestion we had a Public Meeting and invited the Highways Partnership Manager along, a letter has been received from Mr. Stuart Reynolds dated 23^rd October 2002, where he ended the letter by stating "I do not feel that to air once again matters upon which the public have already had the opportunity to comment would serve no useful purpose and I must decline your offer to attend another Public Meeting".

At the Town Council Meeting, I and many other Members of the Council were furious at the comments, and the Town Clerk was instructed not to invite him but to demand his presence. If he declines to attend then the Town Clerk was requested to invite the Director of Environmental Services at Worcestershire County Council to attend and give a reason why the County Council are looking to carry out certain traffic calming proposals in Wribbenhall, which clearly do not fall in line with what the residents want who live along Kidderminster Road and Habberley Lane.

Mrs. Sue Barton, Chairman of Bewdley Chamber of Trade, had written to the Town Council advising of the Chambers support for the "Alcohol Free Zone" in Bewdley Town Centre including Load Street, High Street and North and South Riversides. The Town Council was presented with a drawing where various areas in the town were identified as being areas where there is anti-social behaviour, and where we would like to see a "Alcohol Free Zone" implemented. This is with the support of Bewdleys Beat Officer, P.C. Nigel Barter.

A letter had been received from Bewdley Civic Society relating to the (Piers Poles) that are still standing in Load Street. The Civic Society had expressed a preference that the poles should only be erected for 3 main events a year, namely Christmas, Carnival and the Festival. The Town Council, endorsing what the Civic Society have said, had taken the view this particular year, that as the Festival was so close now to the Christmas decorations going up, it seemed illogical to pay for someone to come and remove the poles, only for them to go back up in couple of weeks time. However, Town Council agreed that the Christmas Light Working Group would look at this matter and report back to Council in January. There is a great section of letters that had been received by the Town Clerk since the last Town Council Meeting from various organisations. A list was produced and copies of the letters are on file for Members to read. In fact there were some 19 letters in total that had been received in the last month, all of which are not circulated to Members only the pertinent ones.

The Town Council Meeting had some 25 items on the agenda to discuss and the meeting did not end until 10.15 p.m.

The Town Council discussed nothing of any great interest. Again it was an Agenda that had been set by the Health Concern administration, and related to Town status reports. Each of the Town Councillors for Bewdley seemed to have a pet project i.e. Councillor Mrs. Baillie fronts children and young people issues, and Councillors Mrs. Elizabeth Davies fronts Health and Social Services on the Council.

It is interesting to note that Councillor Mrs. Davies who used to be a Member of the County Council Social Services Committee has recently come off that particular County Council Panel. This is the most Senior Social Services Panel in the County, and she has transferred across to the Education Panel, which shows her interest in the matter!

FIRST Town Council Report.

The new Bewdley Town Council met on Monday 27^th May 2002 for the first time. The Mayor and Mayoress were unable to attend due to pre arranged holiday commitments so the new Deputy Mayor Councillor Ferguson Chaired his first meeting very well indeed.

The new Council inherited several on-going matters from the previous Council, namely the Catchems End road junction. Pressure from the previous Council was being placed on the Highways Partnership Manager at the County Council to install an island or alternative solution to the left turning only junction at the moment. This matter will be on-going and reported to Council in subsequent months.

Greenacres Lane and a request for the Secretary of State to intervene and instruct the County Council to determine the lane as being a public right of way, was supported and will be on-going.

Vandalism on the Bark Hill Estate and problems associated around Blossom Hill were alluded to by several Councillors. Council felt it appropriate to invite the new Chief Superintendent of Kidderminster Division, together with Bewdley Beat Officer, PC Nigel Barter, to address Council on matters affecting the anti-social behavior and also an alcohol free ban for the town in weeks to come.

Council endorsed the request for a wall plaque to commemorate some important dates in Bewdleys history to be located beneath the Town Hall outside the Museum and warmly welcomed the financial contributions offered from the Rotary Club.

The Council appointed Mrs Liz Howles to represent the Town Council on Wribbenhall First School as a School Governor with immediate effect.

The previous Town Council were dismayed and appalled by the proposals of Wyre Forest District Council to pull out of the running of the Museum. At the last meeting of the previous Town Council, the Town Clerk was requested to write to Wyre Forest District Council to stress the vital importance of the Museum to the Town and to spell out the responsibility which the District Council have to maintain a vibrant Museum in the Town. Several Councillors spoke on this matter and it was unanimously agreed to write expressing the new Town Councils dismay at the threat of the loss of Bewdley Museum.

Council also discussed the play areas and provision, or lack of it, that Wyre Forest District Council are looking to impose on us. In light of the fact that a Section 106 Agreement had been placed on the Developer at Catchems End to provide financial assistance for the town people of Bewdley to enjoy play area provision, it was felt appropriate by Members of the Council to invite the Head of Leisure Services at Wyre Forest District Council, the Portfolio Holder for Leisure Services at Wyre Forest District Council and the Wyre Forest Community Housing Company, along to a subsequent meeting whereby their investment in the Town could be discussed.

The Environment Agency requested to divert footpath 22 and 23 in order to accommodate the new flood defence works on Severnside North. Council supported the request for this footpath to be diverted around the flood defence wall.

Council unanimously agreed to a suggestion by Councillor Gittins for a Memorial to Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The suggestion was to plant a Worcestershire black pear tree in the grounds of Jubilee Gardens, together with an engraved plaque to commemorate the life of the Queen Mother.

Finally, all members present on the new Town Council, on a motion proposed by Councillor Stephen Clee, unanimously supported a vote of thanks to the outgoing Councillors, that stepped down or had not been re-elected at the recent Town Council Elections.

Information provided by Councillor Stephen Clee, Three Gables,

Hop Pole Lane, Bewdley, DY12 2QH