Action: Market Drayton¸ Hodnet and Shawbury

Residents living in the Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury area will soon have another opportunity to get involved in decisions affecting their community, at the third meeting of Action: Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury. The meeting will be held on Wednesday 9 January at Lyon Hall, Hodnet, starting at 7.00pm.

Action: Market Drayton, Hodnet and Shawbury is a part of a series of local meeting pilots, which give local people the opportunity to raise issues of importance with their local councillors.

Items expected to be discussed at the meeting include proposals for funding local community projects and the provision of adult social care services, plus a discussion about Shropshire County Council’s budget for 2008/09 with the Leader of the Council.

Karen Calder, Shropshire County Councillor for Shawbury, said: “Our first two meetings have proved to be an excellent way for local people to get involved in decisions about their local community, and to decide how money can be spent to benefit the area. I have been pleased to see that these meetings are making a difference, and have provided an excellent opportunity to discuss some important local issues with local people.”

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.

Over 60 people attended the most recent meeting held at Victory Hall in Woore on 19 September.

At the meeting the committee agreed to the following suggestions for spending the budget:

- £1,800 for a youth shelter in Hinstock.
- £3,500 to upgrade the heating system at Jubilee Hall in Norton-in-Hales.
- £550 to purchase a multimedia projector for Festival Drayton in Market Drayton.
- £7,500 for renovation work to the roof at Victory Hall in Woore.

The £1,250 bid for Community Speedwatch facilities was agreed conditionally, pending a police review.

21 December 2007