Gardner

It wasn't a meeting, just a drop in affair with reps from the company and a number of tables displaying maps and material about the company. A number of photos were on display, including one of sheep walking on grass between the solar panels. The reps were a bit...young. People could ask questions. There were leaflets on display that could be taken away. You could log your details onto a list to get further updates. I take your point about it being a "consultation", though. There would have been very little expense incurred by getting flyers delivered to ever home in Ednal.

Has anyone last a Yale house key with key ring on Gobowen playing field? The key ring has a phone number and website, but it's too worn to be legible. The area code number is for Shrewsbury. Private message me if it belongs to you. Thank you.

I have some information regarding this development: The company is called Elgin Energy EsCo Ltd and they want to use 78 acres of land owned by Farmer Evans at Ebnal to construct a solar panel electricity generating farm. Each solar panel is approx. 1.6m x 1m x 0.05m. The panels will be static. The site will be fenced by 2m to 2.2m high with gates and CCTV monitored. This development is not at the planning permission stage yet. Construction is expected to take between 3 and 4 months. The development is subsidy driven. The project has a lifespan of 25 years. There will be minimum staff on site following construction. I was at the presentation for approx. 20 minutes and spoke to and heard a few people who hadn't been contacted about the potential development, and one who had received notification by post. I offered to publish the main bullet points about the development on this site in order to give it a little publicity, but their response was that "they rather I didn't".

I can only tell you what I do. I cannot tell you whether it's right or wrong: Going from Gobowen to Oswestry I stay in right hand lane and indicate a RIGHT. I enter the roundabout and keep to the centre still indicating a right until I've just past the A5 exit, then I indicate a left to let people waiting to come onto the roundabout that I'm exiting. On the way back from Oswestry to Gobowen I stay in the LEFT lane but I don't indicate. I stick to the outside of the roundabout and indicate a left once I've passed the exit to Wrexham. In both cases I'm really keeping to the same road (in other words, going straight over the roundabout), but in the first instance I'm missing two exits off so feel the need to indicate. In the second instance I'm just passing the one exit. I think you may have opened a can of worms! It would be interesting to get the views of other road users (bus drivers, trucks, cyclists etc).

Weston Rhyn, St. Martins and Gobowen are all classified as "deprived", that's why we are getting £1,000,000 over the next 10 years from the Big Local. Gobowen is probably the largest village, and it is mostly residential. Both Weston Rhyn and St. Martins have industrial estates, and therefore local employment opportunities. Gobowen has the railway station, so attracts people coming and going to the village, but it doesn't seem to have any effect on the economic strength of the community. As to Oswestry as a whole, I can only guess as to why it is such a poor town. I can report a recent observation: I saw 3 young men who appeared to be rifling through the bins in the alley between the bottom of Bailey Street and Willow Street a couple of weeks ago. I didn't ask what they were doing.

I attended this meeting and would like to make a few comments in retrospect, and I apologise for perhaps being wise after the event: The Shropshire Council employees stated a number of times that if the cuts weren't made, Westminster would take control. Surely that's a watertight argument for all the cuts they are making. So, no matter what subject you decide to cover regarding the "cuts", they will always use that excuse. No reference was made to getting private investment into youth services. Although I wouldn't advocate it, perhaps the new retailers coming to our town would like to give something to the community (I'm thinking about McDonalds, KFC and Starbucks).

I've been told that the RNLI wont be doing a door to door collection this year because of some kind of risk assessment. They've been told that the only kind of collection they can make is by moneyshaking outside the local Co-op. This will vastly reduce the amount the money they'll be able to raise. I suspect that other charities will be in the same position. Does this situation apply to people/businesses doorstepping to ply their trade (like offering to cut down garden trees or clear guttering etc)?

St Chad's Shrewsbury is working with two experienced researchers to create a fully detailed WW1 roll of honour for Shropshire that will be available as a leather bound roll in the church, in softbound copies throughout the county and online. We will be holding weekly services to remember all who made the ultimate sacrifice on the 100th anniversary of their death. From the work over the past 15 years they have details for 5086 men and women from the 8000+ names on Shropshire memorials, but are still hoping to have more information for 181 men whom they have not been able to identify. The full list is available on the St Chad's website www.stchadschurchshrewsbury.com/ww1 Is anything known about the following men from the local area? Jones, Samuel of Selattyn Carol, A of St. Martins Hopley, John of St. Martins Davies, J. of Weston Rhyn Edwards, R of Weston Rhyn Evans, G of Weston Rhyn Jones, M of Weston Rhyn Thank you.

ARE YOU GETTING YOUR 15 HOURS OF FREE EARLY YEARS EDUCATION? All children aged 3 and over who live in England are entitled to 15 hours of free early years education a week for 38 weeks a year. The free sessions can begin in the term following your child’s third birthday and lasts until your child reaches the statutory school age. Places are available now at playgroups, pre-schools, nurseries and childminders in your local community. The Government is also starting to introduce free early education to some 2 year olds. Some free places are available now and they have pledged to extend free childcare to more families from September 2014. To qualify for a free place now you must be getting one of the following: Income Support income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) support through part 6 of the Immigration and Asylum Act the guaranteed element of State Pension Credit Child Tax Credit (but not Working Tax Credit) and have an annual income not over £16,190 the Working Tax Credit 4-week run on (the payment you get when you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit) From September, as well as the current rules, a child will also be eligible if any of the following apply: you get Working Tax Credits and earn no more than £16,190 a year they have a current statement of special educational needs (SEN) or an education, health and care plan they get Disability Living Allowance they’ve left care through special guardianship or an adoption or residence order To confirm if you are eligible and to find out how to access your free place you can e-mail Shropshire Council at 24U@shropshire.gov.uk or phone Shropshire Family Information Service on 01743 254400.

I've just heard on Radio 4 this morning that MPs will be awarding themselves a 11% pay increase in 2015. Some people are arguing that paying them an inflation busting wage increase will help attract the best talent to positions of power and influence, a bit like people who run banks and premiership football players. The 4 main party leaders all disagree with the increase, but I'm guessing they'll accept it when it's given to them. So... ...we have a local MP who has form at not responding to his constituants. What if your group asks local organisations who have recently had their budgets slashed to suggest better ways that 11% can be used than supporting a man confused by badgers moving goal posts? You can make a list and make it public.

Following complaints over the summer holiday about the amount of rubbish, a new litter bin has been installed on Gobowen playing field. Originally it was placed on Fernhill Avenue by the steps leading down on to the field, but following complaints by local residents it was moved down on to the field. However, Ringway - the independent company contracted to empty the bins by Shropshire Council - are refusing to go down the steps to empty the bin on grounds of health and safety. Make of that what you will!

I have heard rumours recently regarding plans by Shropshire Council to do something with out local library. I suspect that one option under consideration is to let volunteers run it. Would volunteers be able to provide the same level of service as the current staff?