Whitchurch and Prees residents to have their say

Residents of Whitchurch, Prees and surrounding villages will soon have another opportunity to get involved in decisions affecting their community, at the fourth meeting of Action: Whitchurch and Prees. The meeting will be held on Thursday 17 January at Higher Heath Village Hall, starting at 7.00pm.

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

For the first time, the January meeting will be combined with the Whitchurch PACT (Partners and Communities Together) meeting, which offers people the chance to meet officers from their Local Policing Team and have their say on how the area is policed.

Items expected to be discussed at the meeting include Shropshire County Council’s 2008/2009 budget consultation; the local residents panel; traffic and parking issues in Queensway, Thompson Drive and Caldecott Crescent, Whitchurch; and the listed building known as The Square in Prees. There will also be updates on Community Speedwatch and the Whitchurch & Prees Youth Opportunity Fund.

Tom Biggins, Shropshire County Councillor for Whitchurch, 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.”

Gerald Dakin, Shropshire County Councillor for Prees, said: “These meetings have provided an excellent opportunity to discuss some important local issues with local people. I look forward to welcoming people to our next meeting, when they will be able to talk to local councillors and put forward their ideas.”

PC Tony Jones, from West Mercia Constabulary, said: “I’m delighted that we have been able to incorporate our PACT meeting into the Action: Whitchurch and Prees meetings. This agreement means that this and future meetings will allow local residents to discuss matters of interest and concern with their local councillors, and the police, at the same time.”

The Action: Whitchurch and Prees 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.

The last full meeting, in September, covered feedback and findings from the local residents' challenge panel, litter, young people's issues, HGVs, and an update on Community Speedwatch.

There was also a special meeting held on 21 November.

20 December 2007