Residents vote to improve local environment

Shropshire County Council’s budget proposals, and ways to tackle the problem of dog fouling, were just two issues that local people discussed with their local councillors at the latest Action: St Oswald and Ruyton-XI-Towns meeting held at Trefonen Village Hall last Thursday (10 January).

More than 30 people attended the meeting, which also agreed to spend up to £5,000 on equipment and facilities to help improve the environment in the St Oswald and Ruyton-XI-Towns area.

This was the third Action: St Oswald and Ruyton-XI-Towns meeting, one of five local meeting pilots being held across the county to give local people a greater say in decisions affecting their community.

At this latest meeting, Councillor Ann Hartley, Deputy Leader of Shropshire County Council, and Laura Rowley, Director of Resources at Shropshire County Council, gave a presentation about the council’s current and future spending plans, as part of the council’s 2008/2009 budget consultation. People at the meeting were then able to have their say on the proposals using electronic handheld voting devices, and their views will now be fed into the council’s decision-making process.

Officers from Oswestry Borough Council gave an overview of current legislation relating to dog control orders, including dog fouling, and an officer from the county council’s Countryside Service explained how the issue of dog fouling was managed at countryside heritage sites throughout the county.

There was also an update from Shropshire County Primary Care Trust, and Inspector Jim Stafford of West Mercia Police Constabulary answered questions from members of the public.

June Drummond, county councillor for St Oswald, and Dilys Gaskill, county councillor for Ruyton-XI-Towns, said: “This was another excellent, informative and productive meeting, and we’re pleased that a large number of people attended to find out more – and have their say – about issues that affect people in this area.

“We do still need local residents to let us have their ideas and recommendations about how the committee could spend its budget, in order to benefit the St Oswald and Ruyton-XI-Towns area. We will then make a final decision about these suggestions at our next meeting in April.”

A special meeting to consider bids made into the youth opportunities fund will be held at Trefonen Village Hall on Monday 25 February at 7.00pm.

The next full Action: St Oswald and Ruyton-XI-Towns meeting will be held at Knockin Village Hall in April.