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WHITTINGTON PARISH PLAN

AN INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF WHITTINGTON PARISH COUNCIL

It gives me great pleasure on behalf of Whittington Parish Council to present the 2016 Parish Plan to the residents of Whittington Parish. A lot of volunteer work has been carried out by many local residents, to ensure the plan represents the views of our parishioners and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the all the efforts they have put in. This plan will now go forward to Shropshire Council and will be used by both the parish and county council, to ensure that the views of people living in Whittington parish are taken into account when planning for the future. This will affect the supply of services, planning applications, support for local organisations as well as many other aspects of our lives. I encourage you to read the plan. It contains a lot of information about where you live as well as information on how we feel the parish may change in the future. Greg Hickman Chair Whittington Parish Council

OPENING FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PARISH PLAN STEERING GROUP

As a result of a Parish Plan ‘Kick-Start’ meeting held on 18th June 2013 a Steering Group was formed

to produce this document, which hopefully is a reflection of the views and aspirations of the residents

of the parish of Whittington based both on those present at that first meeting, combined with the

results of a questionnaire sent to every home last year and the children of Whittington School.

The aim of this document is to communicate the views of residents to the various responsible authorities, vis: the Parish Council, Shropshire Council and the Government, in regards to matters of concern. Some matters are more easily resolved than others but by putting this plan together with a mandate from the community we are showing that we do care for the wellbeing of this our parish.

I would like to thank all those who live in the parish and contributed to this Parish Plan and the

Steering Group who were charged with putting it all together.

John Carroll Chairman Whittington Parish Plan Steering Group

CONTENTS

1. Whittington Parish and Introduction Page 3

History Page 4

Today Page 5

The Whittington Parish Plan Page 6

2. Life in Whittington Parish Page 8

3. What the Children Said Page 9

4. Community Facilities and Services Page 10

5. Our Local Environment Page 13

6. Planning and Infrastructure Page 15

7. Local Employment/ Developing Opportunities Page 18

8. Transport Page 19

9. Tourism and Leisure Page 20

10. Future Priorities for Whittington Parish from a resident’s perspective Page 23

11. Action Plan Summary Page 24

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WHITTINGTON PARISH AN INTRODUCTION

History

Whittington appears to have been a prehistoric site with major earth works dating from the Iron age (2000-2500 years ago); once more extensive, they can be traced on aerial photographs extending north and in recorded times under what is now the car park of the White Lion, it is not known if they once extended across the road to the east. The site may have been the Dark Ages stronghold of King Cynddylan. There was a settlement here, with 15 villagers and 6 small holdings with 12 ploughs recorded in the Domesday Book.

Whittington belonged to the area known as the Marches, legally neither part of England nor Wales, where the local landowners were expected to defend themselves against Welsh raiding parties. The first recorded castle being built around 1114 when Henry I granted the village to William Peverel. The castle was captured and burnt by Llywelyn ab lorwerth the Great, and when recaptured, Henry III granted Fulk FitzWarin permission for the castle to be rebuilt in stone. King John had denied the right of Fulk FitzWarin to the castle and he lived for a time as an outlaw, with many romantic stories becoming associated with him, he may even have been the origin of the story of Robin Hood. After the act of union in 1536 Whittington became part of Shropshire, although the parish remained part of the Welsh diocese of Asaph for a period of time. In the 19

th century two railway lines came to Whittington, the low level on the GWR Shrewsbury to

Chester line and the high level, on the Cambrian line between Oswestry and Whitchurch with an interesting ¼ mile walk if you wanted to change lines. During the first world war the country house Park Hall became a large army camp, which was reopened during the second world war and remained as a training camp into the 1970s, it is now used for housing and light industry. The army hospital just outside the parish became the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital. The Parish church of St John the Baptist can trace its history back to 1218 when David Vewan is mentioned as Rector of Whittington. The church would have been a wooden building at this time. The first stone church was commissioned in 1630 by 1st Fulk FitzWarin. The Parish registers date from 1591 providing a wealth of information and these are now housed in the County archives. The church‘s wooden tower was taken down in 1736 and the present one completed in 1747. The present Church was built in1802/5 of red brick to match the tower. The Chancel, Lady Chapel and Vestry were built in the 1860‘s and extensive changes were made in 1894. The Church seats approximately 350. The tower houses 6 bells and a clock which dates from Queen Victoria‘s Golden Jubilee Celebrations. The Church is known to have had 2 organs a “barrel organ” built in 1810 superseded by a Brevington organ in 1867.

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TODAY

The civil parish of Whittington is in North West Shropshire. It had a population of 2,592 at the 2011

census. The village of Whittington is in the centre of the Parish, with four smaller Hamlets, Park Hall

to its west, Hindford and Lower Frankton to the north-east and Babbinswood to the south.

Part of the Whittington parish includes Park Hall. This was previously parkland for the Park Hall

Mansion, it was then an army training camp, but now is residential and farming land.

There are a number of small shops and public houses within the Parish and B&B establishments

which are well supported.

Whittington Castle, The Shropshire Union Canal and the Parish Church of St John the Baptist are all

a tourist draw to the area.

Map showing the Boundary of the Parish of Whittington.

Residents like living in the Parish because it is a relaxed place to live with easy access to the

countryside and local environment, which in itself they value highly. Residents also value the good

local transport links and connections and in particular the local school.

Residents see the volume and nature of the local and through traffic and speeding as negative

aspects of living in the Parish, followed closely by the poor mobile network and car parking issues.

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THE WHITTINGTON PARISH PLAN

What is a Parish Plan?

Communities are rarely given the opportunity to say what they really want for the future of where they

live. It is even rarer for them to be able to do so themselves in a form that has a formal meeting.

It is essential that the Parish Plan reflects the needs and desires of the whole community, both for the

benefit of the community but also if it is to have legitimacy in the wider planning framework and in

trying to secure funds. It needs to express the opinions of everyone who wishes to have an input and

not those who regularly sit on a committee or attend public meetings and must not forget minority

views.

Although the planning process was initiated and supported by the Parish Council, the Parish Plan is

very much an independent document created by the Parish as a whole.

Why create a Parish Plan?

There are three main reasons for developing a Parish Plan:

Primarily, the plan is for the community’s own use. It identifies the issues considered to be of

most importance and this allows effort to be focused on the areas of most benefit to the

community itself.

The plan represents the views of the Parish and not just, for example, that of the Parish

Council which represents the community. It can be used to feed into and inform wider

planning strategies at unitary council and above, and also to provide external organisations

with more detail, ensuring that the community’s voice is heard.

Funding requests require demonstration of genuine and widespread community support for

projects.

Who is it for?

Much of the plan is for the use of the local community. However there are messages and actions for

others too:

Parish and unitary Councillors and our Member of Parliament.

Parish Council and Shropshire Council.

Local businesses and landowners.

Local Police, Health and Educational authorities.

Bus companies and the highways agency.

Electricity suppliers, internet providers and other utility companies.

Other stakeholders and the Voluntary sector.

Through the Parish Council the Parish Plan has an input into the Shropshire Council “Place

Plan”.

What is a Place Plan?

In Shropshire, 18 Place Plans have been produced which identify the infrastructure and investment

needs within each community. They are aimed at ensuring that Shropshire Council and our partners

understand the local priorities within each community and that resources can therefore be targeted

appropriately. The Place Plans are based around the 18 main market towns/key centres and for the

Whittington Parish it is Oswestry.

The place plan for the Oswestry area can be found in the link below.

https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/place-plans/Oswestry/

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How was the Parish Plan produced?

Funding for a residents survey was provided by a grant from Shropshire Council. This covered the

cost of hall hire for meetings and stationery, together with the printing and postage of the initial

questionnaire. Supplementary funding has been provided by Whittington Parish Council.

Volunteers from within the Parish, all with an interest in creating a community voice, formed the

Whittington Parish Plan Steering Group in June 2013. The Steering Group worked hard to produce a

resident’s questionnaire that would capture the views of the community, including current concerns

and also ideas on what could improve the community as a whole.

During the spring of 2015 a questionnaire comprising 59 questions about a range of topics was

posted out to 1128 addresses. The questionnaire was designed to combine the views of everyone in

the household. However, additional questionnaires could be filled in on-line.

Events were also held at the Parish school, Fort Business Park, Village Fete and the Senior Citizens

Hall to canvass the views of residents and businesses.

Each questionnaire was sent out with a freepost envelope for return to Shropshire Rural Communities

Charity (Shropshire RCC), a leading local charity which aims to improve quality of life and strengthen

communities in the county.

Of the 1128 questionnaires distributed, 313 were returned (including 8 online), resulting in a response

rate of 28% which is a little lower than other similar communities.

The responses have been analysed independently by Shropshire RCC and the results are

summarised in an Analysis Report available on request.

Gender of the residents in the participating households was evenly distributed and the combined views of at least 666 residents are included in the Shropshire RCC report. The majority of residents in participating households are between 65 and 75 years of age.

The Whittington Parish Plan Steering Group have reviewed the Analysis Report from Shropshire RCC

and have worked together to produce the Parish Plan. It is estimated that the Steering Group

members have saved the Parish Council the equivalent of £9,600 by volunteering to do this onerous

task.

The Members of the Whittington Parish Plan Steering Group are:

John Carroll ( Chairman)

Jill Whitby – (Secretary)

Romer Hoseason (Parish Councillor)

Sue Cowley (Clerk to the Parish Council)

Corrie Davies (Shropshire Council)

Neil Robinson (Volunteer: Castle Representative)

Sarah Burton (Rector)

Kath Griffiths (Resident)

Ian Johnson (Resident)

Frank Davis (Parish Council)

Brian Savage (Resident)

Cheryl Blount-Powell (Resident)

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LIFE IN WHITTINGTON PARISH

Likes of living in the Parish

The residents were asked to consider what they liked most about living in the Parish.

From the answers given it appears that people really value the relaxed countryside feel of their local environment and landscape.

Dislikes of living in the Parish

The residents were also asked to consider what they least liked about living in the Parish

From the answers given it appears that over half of respondents see the volume and nature of traffic and speeding as negative aspects of living in the Parish, closely followed by a poor mobile phone network and parking in the village. These elements will be explored further in the following sections.

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WHAT THE CHILDREN SAID

On Thursday 5th March 2015 a voting session for the Parish youngsters was held at the school. Electronic pod voting sessions were done with years 3, 4, 5 and 6 involving 116 children. Below is a list of main findings from the pod voting session:

The majority of children rate the FitzgWarine play ground as ‘good’ but the Oaklands Estate playground appears much less used. Over half of children have used the equipment at The Castle.

Just under a quarter use the mobile library.

The majority of children feel safe when walking around Whittington but 25 (21.6%) say they do not.

Over 50% of children travel to school by car and just under three quarters of children think there is a problem with parking around school.

Over 75% of children said they use a bike and just under 60% think that they (and their family) would use a cycle path to Oswestry.

The majority of children think it would be a good idea if there were bike racks by the Whittington village shop.

Over 65% of children say they have a bus available where they live but over 40% do not use the bus. The bus service to Oswestry is most popular with 23% more saying they use it over the bus to Shrewsbury.

Opinions about living in Whittington when they grow up were fairly divided with 45% ‘yes’ and 55% ‘no’.

Children rated ‘open nature spaces’, ‘school’ and ‘friendly people’ the highest when asked what they like most about Whittington.

Opinions about the least liked aspects of life in Whittington were fairly clear as 49% said it was dog mess on pavements.

When asked what they would like if they could choose something new for Whittington, 28% suggested a BMX track.

The activities the children would most like to take part in would be football, swimming, rugby and dodgeball with these getting the majority of votes.

Many of the points above have been echoed in the survey and are addressed in the following

sections.

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COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES

Access to Superfast Broadband

As work styles evolve to more people working from home, access to the Internet is becoming very important to the residents. 39% say they have access to Superfast Broadband. 42% of the residents said that that they have access to the internet but would like access to Superfast Broadband. 19% of the responders did not want access to the Internet. Much work has been done by the Parish Council and Shropshire Council to lobby service providers to roll out Superfast Broadband. Further information can be obtained from the “Connecting Shropshire forum”. http://connectingshropshire.co.uk/

Are you connected to Superfast Broadband?

Facilities

The Parish hosts several key facilities namely the Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Whittington C

of E Aided School, Whittington Castle, the Community Centre and the Senior Citizens hall.

Youth activities such as Brownies and Ballet take place in either the Community Centre or the Senior

Citizens Hall as do coffee mornings, Whist Drives, line dancing and Zumba.

When asked to indicate attendance at these facilities, the largest response from the residents was ‘rarely’ and ‘never’.

`

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The survey responses indicate that they rarely use the venues, but as a community we are aware that

many activities take place ranging from organised classes to celebratory parties and fayres.

Clubs and Societies Within the Parish a range of clubs and societies are offered. Sport activities are provided by Whittington Cricket and Bowls club, Oswestry Boys and Girls Football club, Oswestry Rugby club and the Venue. The responders have indicated various attendance numbers at these clubs and societies but

attendance may be appropriate to the age of the household members.

Attendance at Clubs or Societies

A further 180 responders said that they did not attend any of the clubs or societies within the parish.

Commercial Enterprises The area is serviced by a number of commercial enterprises located within the Parish. Support for enterprises in Whittington: village pubs, shop and hairdressers are good but the pubs and

services in the hamlets are less well supported.

Parish Communications Communication of parish activities is generally done through “The Ripple” (a monthly magazine produced by the church) or through the School weekly newsletter “The Bell”. The proprietors of the village shop and the fish bar also support local organisations by allowing them to advertise within the shop.

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Suggested improvements to facilities and services

The residents have suggested the following as improvements to the Parish life.

More Police presence.

Better mobile phone coverage.

Better Superfast Broadband coverage.

The re-introduction of Scouts and Guides.

Football pitch or large playing field that children can use for sport.

Local re-cycling bank for cardboard etc.

An improved local shop as well as more small independent shops including a store in Park Hall.

Restaurant/cafe/coffee house with opening times that align with parents taking and picking up children from school.

More/readily accessible info on wide range of walks from the area e.g. circular routes 3-10 miles long with maps and instructions to promote local exploration.

Men’s Club with table tennis, pool tables etc.

Youth Group.

BMX Track.

Issues What can be done By whom When

Re-cycling facilities. Introduce kerbside cardboard re-cycling.

Shropshire Council Autumn 2016

Clubs and societies. To establish new clubs and societies e.g Men’s Club, scouts, guides etc.

Volunteers required Ongoing

Awareness of what is happening at the Parish Facilities.

Individual organisations to consider communication media to support their activities.

Parish Organisations Ongoing

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OUR LOCAL ENVIRONMENT

The residents were asked to consider what aspects of the parish should be protected.

The graph below summarises the responses.

The responses show that there is good support for all of the aspects mentioned.

The residents were asked to consider what affected their enjoyment of living in the Parish.

The graph shows that respondents feel the biggest issues are speeding and dog fouling followed by litter, building development and parking. Building development and parking are addressed in later sections.

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VOLUNTEERING WITHIN THE PARISH Within the survey the residents were asked to consider that if they could offer one hour a month to benefit the Village or somewhere in Whittington Parish, what would they use the time for. The responses are summarised in the graph below.

Nearly half of respondents would give an hour a month to help a neighbour with strong interest to preserve the horticulture and to provide activities for the youth and the elderly. A project was established in October 2015 with the aim of bringing the volunteers together with the organisations that needed support.

Issues What can be done By whom When

Dog fouling and litter. Educate the residents

in where litter and dog

waste can be

deposited.

Residents Ongoing

Volunteering. To promote volunteer opportunities within the Parish.

Volunteer required to act as volunteer

co-ordinator.

Ongoing

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PLANNING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

PLANNING

At present the Parish Council has a development plan for the Parish which allows for small

developments within the Village of Whittington and the Hamlet of Park Hall, with limited development

in the other 3 Hamlets. However, the Parish is recognised under the current Shropshire Council

SAMDev plans as an area for development in their 2016-2026 plans.

Further information can be found from the link below.

http://shropshire.gov.uk/planning-policy/samdev-plan-adoption/

The majority of respondents feel that the Parish does not need any more housing over the next 10

years, but a small proportion think that it does.

It is clear from the results that the residents do not want major development within the Parish. There

are concerns that the Parish boundaries will be eroded and it will become a suburb of Oswestry.

For the responders who felt that more development was required when asked what type of housing is required bungalows and 1-2 and 3 bedroom houses get the most support. Indications are that the infrastructure should be able to support whatever is built and that the ‘affordable’ element is important.

No one single tenure i.e. privately owned, rented, care homes, stood out dramatically as receiving the

most ‘votes’.

PROTECTION OF AREAS FROM DEVELOPMENT

At the question if any sites should be protected from building development, 160 comments were

received. A number of locations were mentioned more than once: - Castlefields, behind the Castle,

behind the school, in the countryside, within the village.

Many of the issues raised over new developments can be addressed through planning policy.

The Parish will continue with the SAMDev Plan and consider any development using the existing

planning process.

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INFRASTRUCTURE

Local School

Out of 36 households with school age children, 28 have children at the local school. All bar one of the

eight households who send their children elsewhere do so by choice. One family had to send their

child to another school because the school was full.

The majority of children walk to the Primary School. No buses or taxis are used. Some find it not safe

to cycle.

The majority of those who take their children by car said they do so for safety reasons (narrow

pavements, inconsiderate parking, speed and size of the traffic), unwittingly adding to the volume of

traffic in the area at drop off and pick up times.

65 respondents have a disability and nearly 2/3 of them say they cannot easily use the pavements

around the Parish. This is mainly due to the poor state of the pavements, narrowness and sloping

towards the road with the added danger of cars being parked on them. There may also be an issue

around there being not enough dropped kerbs.

The Parish Council is aware that some of the pavements need improving. The Parish Council will

work with Shropshire Council to address the issues.

Flooding

The vast majority of households have not been affected by flooding. Burma Road and Park Hall are

mentioned as having flooding issues.

There is a recognised issue with flooding in Burma Road which the steering group have investigated

and conclude that it cannot easily be resolved. The Parish Council shall work with the relevant

authorities to continue to manage the impact.

Local Flood Risk Management Strategy

The Flood and Water Management Act 2010, enacted by government in response to the

recommendations of The Pitt Review, designated unitary and county councils as lead local flood

authorities (LLFAs) with new responsibilities for leading and co-ordinating the management of local

flood risk; namely the flood risk arising from surface water runoff, groundwater and ordinary

watercourses. This includes a statutory duty to develop, maintain, apply and monitor a strategy for the

management of local flood risk.

In the spirit of the act, and recognising the current economic climate, Shropshire Council and

Staffordshire County Council have entered into a collaborative working agreement to assist in fulfilling

their duties as LLFAs.

This Local Flood Risk Management Strategy formalises the longer term vision and shapes individual

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priorities that deliver the greatest benefit to the people, property and environment of Shropshire and

Staffordshire. The strategy covers local sources of flooding and is consistent with the Environment

Agency’s National Flood Risk Management Strategy.

The residents of the catchment areas within the Whittington Parish that are deemed at risk from

flooding from surface water, have been contacted by Shropshire Council and have been offered a

property flood protection assessment.

Further information can be obtained from the following link.

http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/drainage-and-flooding/drainage-and-flooding/local-flood-risk-

management-strategy/

Traffic Calming

Nearly 70% of respondents would like more traffic calming measures in the Parish.

The respondents offered ideas of how it could be improved. They focus on cameras and speed

enforcement, parking restrictions, lowering speed limits and size restrictions and ultimately a bypass.

The Parish Council is aware of the speeding issues and concerns over the current traffic calming

measures and will work with the appropriate authorities to address the issues.

Issues What can be done By whom When

Major Developments. The SAMDev planning

policy has been

adopted and the Parish

Council will work within

this policy.

Parish Council Ongoing

Pavements. To lobby the highways department.

Parish Council Shropshire Council

Ongoing

Traffic issues. Liaise with the appropriate authorities.

Parish Council Highways Department

Police

Ongoing

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LOCAL EMPLOYMENT/ DEVELOPING LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

CURRENT SITUATION

The Parish is a rural location, and most of the land is farmed locally. There is a small amount of light

industry based mainly on the Whittington Business Park on the road to Oswestry. A further group of

businesses operate from premises off North Drive, Park Hall. Industry and warehousing is also

located at the edge of the Parish, close to the main A5 road. There are a few retail outlets within the

Parish, comprising of a shops, post office and public houses.

The largest employer within the Parish is BT which has premises on the Whittington Road.

EMPLOYMENT

Out of 417 household members, nearly 45% are in full time employment, 40% are retired and the remainder being students or unemployed.

The majority commute to Oswestry and further afield. Broadband, mobile network (including 3G and

4G) and postal services are all important to those wanting to work from home. Suitable workspace,

training facilities and qualified staff appear well provided for.

DEVELOPING LOCAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The majority of respondents are in favour of local employment opportunities being increased, but

there is some concern regarding the appropriateness of the opportunities and the need to keep the

area residential and rural.

Many responses felt there was not enough local employment for the young in the area. Meaningful

employment for young people is seen as a priority. There is support for a local farm/parish farm shop

and café. There is a call to keep as many farming jobs as possible. Farming is seen as vital now and

into the future when global food transport is too expensive.

Health related services get good support, as do other retail outlets. Heavy industry and road haulage

are deemed least appropriate.

Respondents are most concerned about the increase in HGV and general traffic and parking, if

employment opportunities were to be increased in the Parish.

Issues What can be done By whom When

Whilst local employment

opportunities are encouraged the residents have

concerns about the impacts.

The Parish Council shall support employment

opportunities but will review each

opportunity fairly to minimise the effects

on the residents.

Parish Council During the life of the plan.

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TRANSPORT

There are currently 3 bus routes that serve the Parish with a regular service during daytime hours.

There is no bus service in the evenings after 20:00. The nearest railway station is at Gobowen with

regular services to Shrewsbury and Chester, however there is no direct bus link to Gobowen to meet

the train.

There is a partial dedicated cycle path to Oswestry, but no other dedicated paths along the

signposted cycle routes.

Whilst the majority of respondents think there is enough information about public transport in the area,

over 25% think there is not and from comments made in the survey it appears bus information could

be improved and people would like to see it available via various media.

Bus use is relatively low on all routes surveyed and takes place mainly between 9.30am and 4pm.

40% of the residents who use the bus regularly indicated that they would like to see new bus routes

and/or times, including a weekday/Sunday return to Whittington after 7pm and a regular Sunday

service.

The graph below is a summary of the responses. Outward is starting from Whittington and Return is

coming back to Whittington

As far as a new route, a bus between Whittington and Gobowen (to link with the train) seems to be

the most asked for option.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

Outward: Yes

Outward: No

Return: Yes

Return: No

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Cycling

The majority of households do not cycle but those who do, do so mainly for leisure purposes.

There did not appear to be one single measure which would make cycling more popular in the Parish,

but 96 respondents would like to see a dedicated cycle route to Oswestry.

Would you like a dedicated cycle route to Oswestry?

Regarding other improvements, the main themes are available routes and safety.

Only a very small number of households catch the train at Gobowen. Those who do, get there by

private transport.

If a bus service to Gobowen was available, at least 80 household members would use it on a monthly

basis, 13 daily and 26 weekly.

There appears to be support for a train halt at Whittington.

Most participating households have one or two vehicles and the vast majority has access to off-street

parking. A total of 59 vehicles are ‘declared’ as being parked on street.

Issues What can be done By whom When

Public Transport

Information.

To share these

comments with the

Transport providers.

Residents and

stakeholders

Ongoing

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TOURISM/LEISURE

The Shropshire Borderlands Visitor Survey Research reports the following:- 80% of visitors have been to the area before and within the last three years. 62% are quite frequent visitors. The high proportion of repeat visits suggests satisfaction with the area. Around two thirds of visits are day trips, one third are overnight stays. Most visitors to the area are with their spouse/partner or their family. This is a significant increase in the proportion of overnight stays since 2007 in the Oswestry area. The top three words used to describe the area are: - Scenic, Peaceful, Friendly. Whittington Parish has numerous events during the year for all ages and tastes that draw tourists in, with the Castle and Church hosting the majority. The canal is well used by tourists both on and off the water. The heritage around the Parish brings in tourists and there is agreement that it needs preserving. Events include: - A music festival, several re-enactments, weddings and open air Shakespeare at the Castle. There are numerous events at the Showground, the Church hosts an annual music festival, and a trenches project (marking 100 years of WW1) has recently opened at Park Hall Farm.

The vast majority of respondents think it’s a good idea to encourage more tourism but again some concerns were raised regarding increased traffic and parking. More walking and cycling routes would be welcomed by many. Over 86% of respondents think ‘exploration of the area and the area’s history’ are two aspects which could be developed.

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Nearly 80% of the 290 respondents think increased bed and breakfast facilities in the area may be appropriate. ‘Large campsites’ was the least popular option, giving rise to some concern expressed in the additional comments.

There is support for better tourist information (boards, maps, leaflets, web presence) but it is recognised that care should be taken regarding the medium to ensure best and inclusive reach. (possibly multiple media).

Issues What can be done By whom When

Promoting and

communicating

tourism.

Establish a community

group with local

organisations and

commercial

enterprises to develop

the most appropriate

communication media.

Volunteer required to

form the community

group.

Dec 2016

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FUTURE PRIORITIES FOR WHITTINGTON PARISH FROM A RESIDENT

PERSPECTIVE

Many interesting and constructive comments have been made and as with many issues affecting a

whole community, some will agree, some will disagree. However, the data in the report identifies

those areas on which there is a clear opinion, those that warrant further investigation, whilst also

highlighting areas that have general community support/agreement.

In summary, many of the concerns raised by the residents are covered in the previous sections. The

list below are areas not specifically covered but are seen by some of the residents as priorities for the

future of Whittington.

Building of a new Parish Hall.

Re-routing of HGV traffic.

A by-pass.

School and general parking situation investigation (already ongoing).

Medical facility in the Parish including siting of a defibrillator.

Shop in Park Hall.

Youth provision.

Improvements/expansion of the shop in Whittington.

Allotments or community garden (Grow and share and Ground Share are current initiatives

running in other areas).

Village information pack for new residents.

Readership/reach of the Ripple.

Village benches, e.g. Castle grounds.

Parking and other issues at the Venue.

New pedestrian crossings.

Bus shelter improvements.

Planting and flowers/bulbs.

Street lights and floodlighting (Priority for Council starting in 2016).

Improve the approach to Whittington and the hamlets.

Some of these items are very aspirational, others easier to achieve. Many do not fall within the

direct remit of the Parish Council, some mean working with private individuals and other agencies.

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ACTION PLAN SUMMARY

The following is a summary of the actions noted within this document.

Not all actions are the responsibility of the Parish Council. Some are appropriate to Shropshire

Council and some are appropriate to residents and stakeholders to resolve.

Whittington Parish Council endorses this plan and will support the residents and stakeholders in

resolving these issues.

Category Issues What can be done By whom When

Community and Facilities

Re-cycling facilities. Introduce curbside cardboard re-cycling.

Shropshire Council Autumn 2016

Clubs and societies. To establish new clubs and societies e.g Men’s Club,

scouts, guides etc.

Volunteers Required Ongoing

Awareness of what is happening at the Parish Facilities.

Individual organisations to consider communication media to support their

activities.

Parish Organisations Ongoing

Our Local Environment

Dog fouling and litter. Educate the residents in where litter and dog waste

can be deposited.

Residents Ongoing

Volunteering. To promote volunteer oportunities within the

Parish.

Volunteer required to act as volunteer

co-ordinator

Ongoing

Planning and Infrastructure

Major Developments. The SAMDev planning policy has been adopted

and the Parish Council will work within this policy.

Parish Council Ongoing

Pavements. To lobby the highways department.

Parish Council Shropshire Council

Ongoing

Traffic issues. Liaise with the appropriate authorities.

Parish Council Highways Department

Police

Ongoing

Local Employment/

Developing local employment opportunities

Whilst local employment

opportunities are encouraged the residents have

concerns about the impacts.

The Parish Council shall support employment

opportunities but will review each opportunity fairly to

minimise the effects on the residents.

Parish Council Ongoing

Transport Public Transport Information.

To share these comments with the Transport provider.

Residents and stakeholders

Ongoing

Tourism and Leisure

Promoting and communicating

tourism.

Establish a community group with local

organisations and commercial enterprises to

develop the most appropriate communication

media.

Volunteer required to form the community

group.

Dec 2016