As Your New Chairman I Thought That Time Was Right for a Brief Introduction from Me
As your new chairman I thought that time was right for a brief introduction from me.
I moved to Field Aston in 2006 with my wife and finallyretired from a multi-national company in 2015 having spent the previous 15 years attempting to support 11 plants around Europe!
The change to retirement has brought new challenges and I wanted to become involved with the local community again, so I went to the Newport Society’s first annual lecture at the Girls High School and found like-minded individuals who were very welcoming to a stranger. This prompted me to become a member and then part of the committee, who have welcomed my input as a newcomer to Newport and ithas led to me becoming your chairman.
At this point I should say a mighty thanks to the outgoing chairman David Parker for his inspired leadership over the years and his continuing input to the Society to come. I only hope I can maintain the level of excellence he has set for the Society with its involvement in local issues and links to the national ‘Civic Voice’.
I believe that the Society is at a cross roads, the town of Newport has seen much development since I arrived in 2006 and the Society needs to find a way to entice this ‘new’ blood to become active members of our Society.
It is this task which I will be concentrating on with the committee by bringing varied and hopefully interesting subjects to our autumn, Winter & Spring events.
David Griffin
Chairman (Newport Society)
Newport Societywill host the Third Annual Newport Lecture
on Monday 30th October 2017, at Cosy Hall in Newport at 7.30 pm.
Last year the subject of the lecture was 'What will BREXIT mean for Shropshire'. This year, as one of the many questions about our future in a post-BREXIT Britain, ‘education’ is the theme: looking at how education should be delivered, political interference in education both as to curriculum and to the quality/standard of education delivery in both content and method, as well as how education should be funded - from tuition fees through to parental contribution both financial and qualitatively from infant school to Higher Education.
The debate on the night will centre on:-
“EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION"
We probably know who said that there were only three priorities? Unfortunately or fortunately, that individual will not be with us but....
Jim Collins (ex Associate Director Education & Corporate Parenting with T&W Council and former Secondary Head Teacher) will spend the evening discussing the current priorities and challenges facing the people responsible for delivering "Education" to our young people.
Jim will help untangle the mysterious and rapidly changing world of education. He will not only explain the issues but also provide advice as to how your children can gain maximum benefit from their education.
As our economy becomes more and more knowledge-based (has it ever been anything else?) it is imperative that our education services are competitive with the best in the world - this will be a professional glimpse behind the scenes about what we as a nation and what our children need to do.
Come and take part in the debate and add your voice to one of the most critical challenges facing the future of our country.
Civic Voice Executive Director calls for an
end to the cutting of local conservation staff
Civic Voice launches survey saying, “Tell us the impact of conservation cuts”
Ahead of a speech in London on Tuesday 3rd October to an audience of heritage professionals, Ian Harvey, Executive Director of Civic Voice has called for an end to the continued cutting of local conservation officers in local government and launched a survey to investigate the impact.
Research by Historic England and the IHBC shows that one in five local authorities now do not have their own conservation officer. Many authorities, at best, have limited part- time advice. Civic Voice says that the scale of the local government cutbacks means that we really must question the capacity of many local authorities to cope with even their statutory conservation duties.
As the nation celebrates 50 years to the day that Stamford, Lincolnshire was designated as a Conservation Area under the Civic Amenities Act 1967 Ian Harvey said:
"The conclusion is simple; fewer staff providing advice to local authorities is threatening the future of our historic environment. As we celebrate 28th September 2017 and 50 years to the day that Stamford became the first conservation area, this is wrong. With conservation staff numbers being so hard hit by cuts, we have to ask how councils are coping with their duties to manage the historic environment.
“In order to conserve and enhance the historic environment local authorities need sufficient resources to manage their statutory obligations. We are calling on national government to ensure that any review of the National Planning Policy Framework makes it clear that local planning authorities should ensure they have access to sufficient in-house resources, including suitably qualified in-house staff to advise on matters of conservation policy, to ensure that works are carried out as approved and enforcement can be undertaken. Our new publication in partnership with IHBC explains the importance of conservation skills in further detail.
Civic Voice is writing to the Housing Minister and Heritage Minister, local planning authorities and all MPs with the new publication “Conservation Professional Practice Principles” demonstrating the importance of the need for in house conservation skills.
Harvey added “Conservation Areas are as much a part of the fabric of this country as the Green Belt is in shaping our towns, cities and villages. London School of Economic Research shows that houses in conservation areas sell for a premium of 9% on average, after controlling for other factors. It shows the value of conservation areas. We now need to stand up and say 50 years ago, communities were calling for help in protecting the historic environment. Duncan Sandys and others responded with the Civic Amenities Act 1967. 50 years later, communities are again asking for help. We have a choice to make. We either realise that the historic environment and conservation areas add value to the character and identity of the country and resource it accordingly or future generations will ask “why did we let this happen” as we see more examples of our historic environment seeing death by a thousand cuts. The civic movement is ready to hear that call".
Should it be left to civic societies and other community groups to fight and make the case for the nation's historic environment? Civic societiesalready are and the Civic Voice Annual Convention will show how you can too. You can see the dedicated workshops for the annual convention here.
The Deal Society, Ilkley Civic Society, Sevenoaks Society, Wakefield Society, Sheffield Civic Trust..... just a few of the civic societies confirmed to speak at the Annual Convention and are ready to share their experiences about how they are making change happen.
The weekend will bring together a range of speakerswho represent different background and professions from national policy makers to community groups whose have helped inspire change in their local Conservation Area.The workshops, walks, talks and speakers will highlight specific lessons and consider and showcase innovative responses that are showing a common theme: local engagement; local civic action.
This is a great opportunity to discover practical ways communities can work to improve and manage their conservation areas.
Be part of the solution and help shape the future of conservation areas. Register to attend the Civic Voice Annual Convention here
Planning
Proposed Employment Development on Land South of the A518, Newport
T&W are holding a Public Exhibition at the Cosy Hall, Wednesday 25th October 2017, between 3 pm and 7 pm in respect of the Proposed Employment Development on land south of the A518 (opposite former Countrywide store between the "Sheep" island and the A41).
The public are invited to the exhibition to view the plans for the development and changes proposed to the local road network.
T&W are keen to hear the views of the public and there will be members of the Project Team on hand to answer questions.
Examination - Telford & Wrekin Local Plan 2011-2031
The public consultation on the Proposed Major Modifications to the emerging Local Plan (eLP) closed at 5 pm on Friday 22nd September 2017.
Unfortunately, T&W omitted to send to the Planning Inspector a copy of our response to the consultation. Following strongly worded representations, T&W sent direct to the Inspector our response.
A copy of all the responses can be accessed from the link below:-
Newport Neighbourhood Development Plan (NDP).
We understand that at the 8th November council meeting, the Town Council hopes to be in a position to recommend the Neighbourhood Plan proceed to Regulation 15 and submission to Telford & Wrekin Council for Publicising the proposed Plan.
Peter Chadwick
For any further details please contact:
Martin Elkes - 01952 810656
or Gill Watkins -01952 810419