Latest news with #ShropshireCouncil
Powys County Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Powys County Times
Plans for dozens of homes beside canal in Llanymynech
Dozens of new homes could be built in a village near Oswestry under newly-revealed plans. Bradford Rural Estates has revealed the plans for 48 homes on agricultural land in Llanymynech, in the north east of the village beyond Barley Meadows, which in turn lies off Station Road. The site is between an old coal yard, the Montgomery Canal, and the existing village. It was put forward for development through the council's call for sites to be developed as part of the current review of Shropshire's Local Plan. The application submitted this month is an outline application indicating the site would accommodate 48 properties, which is fewer than the 60 which had been put forward during a pre-application consultation in the village. Should the plan be backed by Shropshire Council, the developers would then need to come back with detailed proposals for the site. A planning statement put forward with the plans by agent Berrys reads: "The masterplan proposal has been developed significantly following the pre application submission. "At the time of the pre-application submission a layout was provided indicating a development of up to 60 dwellings. "Following feedback received from Council officers at the pre-application stage and having regard to the technical constraints and policy requirements of the site, a revised indicative layout has been provided as part of this application submission which illustrates the provision of 48 dwellings." The planning statement also notes the current lack of an updated Local Plan in Shropshire after a review by Government inspectors led to the current plan being withdrawn this week, but says the proposal fits national planning policies. A design and access statement also provided adds: "We envisage that the proposed development will be no higher than two storeys to match the scale of the surrounding residential developments." The developers also say they would provide a play area for children aged four to eight. The statement adds that hedgerows and trees around the site are intended to be kept where possible, and replace those that are lost. An indicative layout plan provided with the application shows that it would connect to the existing cul-de-sac at Barley Meadows, and would be separated from the canal by at least 10 metres to allow for the legal boundaries of a sewage pipe which runs alongside the waterway. The plans also include a strip of land connecting the planned homes with the nearby "recreation areas" - which include the village hall, playground and bowling club, which are all nearby. The application is due to be decided by October 6.
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Shropshire Council sees increase in whistleblowing reports
There has been an increase in the number of whistleblowing reports made to Shropshire Council, a committee meeting has 2024-25, the authority received 28 reports compared with 23 the previous year. Whistleblowing provides a process for concerns to be raised in relation to work such as fraud, adult or child protection, or harassment and bullying majority of the reports in 2024-25 were received by email, with the most common theme being staffing. No cases were referred to an external third party. Other themes included council tax, non-domestic rates, safeguarding, tenancy fraud, theft or fraud, and planning or building these reports, 10 resulted in management action, with seven having "no case to answer", while 10 are ongoing and one has been listed as "not-applicable".Speaking at Shropshire Council's audit committee, Councillor Malcolm Myles-Hook asked what was going to change to bring the numbers down next year, and if members had learned the outcome of director James Walton said the council did not report what the management actions were, and they could be from "very minor to quite major"."There is an argument of whether more whistleblowing is good or not," he told the committee."It's about accessibility. If lots of people blow the whistle and no action is taken as a result of it, then there's something wrong. All we can do is report what it is."What we don't want going out is 'if you blow the whistle in some way, you're going to be identified'." Councillor Duncan Kerr, who was chairing the meeting, said that members needed to have some information about what the outcome was, "otherwise what's the point in having a policy?"He also asked if there could be an investigation into whether a call handling company could be used to handle reports over the phone, and if there could be some clarification to staff about what the policy was. That was approved by Councillor Kerr confirmed that in 2024-25, there were no whistleblowing reports related to the North West Relief Road. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Scaffolding installed to make derelict Wem pub safe
Scaffolding has been installed on a building that a council says is causing "blight" to a town White Horse Hotel in Wem was bought by Shropshire Council in 2023 after standing derelict for a number of years.A conditions and options assessment for the building identified movement in part of the rear of the building, caused by a longstanding authority said the side alley would open to pedestrians after the scaffolding has been installed, which will make the building safe. "This is a long-standing problem building in Wem that residents have been concerned about for many years," said Roger Evans, cabinet member for finance."The council is now looking for a long-term solution for it, and this latest work to put scaffolding in place is part of us ensuring it remains safe and the public is protected."Alan Holford, councillor for Wem, added: "Councillors are working with officers to explore funding opportunities for a scheme to repurpose this listed building and bring it back into use.""We'd also like to thank residents for attending the engagement event in the library back in March and providing their views on the options that our architects have proposed." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Shropshire Council to spend more money on new Ludlow biochar plant
An extra £1.3m will be spend on a biochar scheme in a Shropshire market Council's planning application for the pyrolysis plant on Coder Road business park was approved in a full council meeting on Thursday, members were asked to set aside more money to complete the development, with the total budget increased from £2m to £ councillors backed the increase, with 15 against and three abstaining. The Liberal Democrat-run authority said the increase was due to several reasons, including issues with preparation work for the site, increased construction and machinery costs, and "additional demand for external technical expertise".The new plant, which used to be home to an anaerobic digester, will process biochar, a form of charcoal. The renewable energy and biochar produced can be sold for many uses in agriculture, construction and industry.A paper delivered to council said that the project would return more than £466,000 within six years. The full £3.3m would be repaired by the 20th year of Dawn Hussemann, opposition leader for Reform UK, said members had not been given "sufficient information" to make a decision."If I walked into a bank with what I have been given and asked them to decide whether to lend me £1.3m on top of the £2m already agreed, I'd be chased out of their offices," she said."We are in a very precarious financial position, as we keep being reminded by the new administration. "Well in my world, you don't borrow money to go on holiday if you can't pay your rent."Roger Evans, the Lib Dem portfolio holder for finance, said: "I have criticised this council for many years of not investing to save.""This is a good investment. It pays for itself within six years, and we're getting hundreds of thousands of pounds during that time."This council needs to invest, whether it's borrowed or using its own capital, as long as there is a profit in it. This shows there is." Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Automotive
- BBC News
Shropshire team aims to repair potholes permanently
Getting to grips with the huge amount of potholes in the county is one of Shropshire Council's key council leader Heather Kidd made improving the state of Shropshire's roads one of her top priorities within the first 100 days in are 3,200 miles of roads in Shropshire, ranging from main A and B to smaller C and unclassified of the ways the authority aims to "get things moving" quicker is by using Multihog road planer machines for more complex jobs. The machines can plane off the road surface much quicker than having to saw-cut and break out the defective surface by hand."We've got two Multihog teams who will do 130 square metres of repair in a day," said Josh Sweeney, director of marketing at Multevo, which is contracted by Shropshire Council to carry out highways maintenance. "They are used on roads that are deteriorating and need that extra level of resource - we're responsible for permanently repairing any defect," he said."If we're going to make a visit to a location, we want to make sure that every defect is picked up and repaired permanently so we're not going back at a later date."Mr Sweeney said last week, the team had reduced the number of reported defects by 330."We look after everything from surveying the road and identifying the right treatment through to programming the works, raising permits, and making residents aware that work will be happening," he said."Some of the machines are multi-purpose so can be used in additional activities. "It's becoming more of a regular scenario where we've used the same machines to help with floods – pump water away in the night, then road repairs in the day." Forthcoming Multihog works Pentregear Issa to Croesan Bach - 16 to 17 JulyLlansaintfraid Road - 18 JulyB4397, Burlton to Loppington - 21 to 30 JulyNewport Road, Albrighton - 24 JulyAsh Road, Whitchurch - 24 to 30 JulyAll work will be carried out between 09:30 to 16:00 BST on news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Shropshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
