Chance to improve north Shropshire local area

Parking at Hodnet School, and scrutiny of the market in Market Drayton, will be just two items on the agenda when the next meeting of the Action: Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury local committee is held on Wednesday 19 March. The meeting will be held at Shawbury Village Hall, starting at 7.00pm and all local residents in the area are invited to attend.

The meeting will give people in Market Drayton, Hodnet, Shawbury and the surrounding area another chance to meet with local councillors, get involved in decisions affecting their community and help decide how the committee spends its budget.

The most recent meeting, held in Hodnet on 9 January, agreed to spend money to provide facilities for young people in Shawbury, to reinstate a waterlogged football pitch in Hinstock, to provide outdoor pursuits for young people in Market Drayton, to improve signage and visitor information, and to contribute towards the Festival of Lights in Market Drayton.

Funding was also granted for renovation work to Victory Hall in Woore, Cheswardine Village Hall, and the Maurice Chandler Sports Centre near Market Drayton.

Karen Calder, Shropshire County Councillor for Shawbury, said: “Action: Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury is giving local people a real chance to say how they think services and facilities in the area could be improved.

“On average, more than 90 people have attended the meetings held so far and they have helped determine how and where the committee should spend its budget. A number of big decisions have already been made, but we are keen for people to come to our March meeting to tell us what else they think we could or should be doing.”

The Action: Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury meetings have a committee of county, district, town and parish councillors drawn from the area, and a small budget which the committee allocates in response to issues raised by members of the public.

Action Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury is one of five local committee pilots that have been meeting in Shropshire for the past year.

On 29 February the Shropshire Council Implementation Executive agreed that, following the success of the pilot, each should continue for at least another twelve months, and that 6 further local committees should also be set up.

11 March 2008