KNIGHTON TOWN FORUM

Minutes of the Forum

Minutes of the Meeting held on 27 July 2000

Knighton Town Forum Full Meeting opened at 7.30pm

Those present:
Mayor Trevor Johnson
Chairman Cllr. Roger Bright
Vice Chairman Mrs. Janet Oram
Secretary Cllr Angus Gilmour
Mr Islwyn Watkins
Mr Phillip Price
Mrs Lesley Wootton
Cllr Ken Harris
Cllr. Sarah Scotford
Mr Martin Adams
Cllr Ralph Evans

Apologies given for:
Mr Eddie Jones Treasurer Mr Kevin Kell Reverend Roger Moore Mr Ian Smith Mrs Jan Harris

Visitors: Miss Lisa Bedford - East Radnor Development Officer
Mr Dennis Moir - Forest Enterprise
Mr David Ball - Forest Enterprise

District Planning Officer Dennis Moir addressed the meeting

He is responsible for maintenance and management of forestry up to Shrewsbury. This is approximately 3,000 hectares. He came to this area 2 years ago from Staffordshire and is aware that Kinsley Wood is popular with the towns people. He is particularly keen to have our input and thoughts. The Forest Enterprise is reliant upon public funding for its activities in its core sites. These include picnic areas, and it is these facilities that the enterprise are seeking to develop in partnership. He illustrated this with 3 schemes locally, Hopton Castle, Bury Ditches and Castle Hill.

The partnership in these sites are really concerned with the long term maintenance. Maintenance in the past has been delivered with 4 foresters - this is now covered by just 1 forester. Funds are short for core business but as was the case for Wapley Hill near Presteigne, partnerships do make things happen. In this case it was Powys County Council, Forest Enterprise and the Countryside Commission that developed the site. Powys CC and the Countryside Commission developed the car parking and Forest Enterprise maintains the site.

There is a 5 year plan for Kinsley Wood and this is due for review from now until March 2001. They Forestry Commission are required to replant and there is commitment for broadleaf timber and open space. Felling will start next year. Question was raised on the ER which appears in the springtime. This was answered with the assurance that the site was due for felling in 2017. It was noted that car parks require Planning consent but picnic sites do not.

If a site were designated, then there would have to be a maintenance contract for the cutting of grass on a fortnightly basis from April until October. It was strongly suggested that there be a site meeting to hear our thoughts. This should be convened under The Forum, but galvanised to include Town Council and Shropshire County Council. Phillip Price agreed to chair this working party and include Barry Hartin of Shropshire County Council (Bucknell).

Concern was raised on the preservation of views. Forest Enterprise noted that as areas were felled, so a different view was opened up. The general feeling from the Forest Enterprise was that a joint initiative was the sensible way forward where Knighton in partnership with Shropshire County Council fund the capital costs and the Forestry Enterprise manage the running and maintenence.

Special grants were available where access is given to disabled persons and possible sources of funding included the Trust for conservation Volunteers, the Footpaths group. Shropshire is within Objective 3 funding and there could be funding under Objective 5b (funding for tourism). The Forest Enterprise were bullish on the possibility of dredging the pool on the hill. Costs of carparking could not be quantified, except that the Wapley Hill site cost around £6,000 and bench/table to the corporate design of the Forest Enterprise was around £300.

The gentlemen from Forest Enterprise were thanked.

The Minutes were accepted with the spelling corrected and minor amendments to take pART and inclusion of the additional fingerpost at the recycling centre, proposed and seconded.

Matters Arising Finger posts were now erected. A query was raised on the direction to the Powys Observatory now that it had been sold. Cllr Sarah Scotford cautioned that the new owners were settling in and might in time re-open. This was a private business and would be influenced by pressure. Islwyn Watkins urged sensitivity in the handling. The Mayor agreed that the Clerk to the Town Council would write to the new owners, couching a letter along the lines that the council wanted to know whether they should amend the signs.

Achievement of The Forum in the last 6 months The Narrows have been completed Knighton Tourism 2000 have organised and completed 2 successful events, the medieval pageant and take pART Knighton Tourism 2000 The Mayor praised the Committee of take pART for organising a second very successful event. Comments noted during the weekend included an elderly Knightonian saying that he had not seen the Narrows quite as alive for 20, 30,40 or maybe 50 years!

The Museum trust had received a donation from the Amnesty group of half of their nett proceeds. Sarah Scotford praised the organisers for their hard work. There was a very positive reaction to the event with a remark in the visitors book at the Tower House Gallery along the lines "brilliant, a first for Knighton" Islwyn Watkins said that the people of Knighton responded, some didn’t like exhibits, but it provoked reaction. There were 42 artists exhibiting - including representation from China, Portugal, South Wales and local. There were 19 separate events and everyone in the committee pulled their weight. There was a grant received from the Arts Council up to £900 Grant Application

The funding committee had completed their application form for Harvey Rose of PAVO (Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations) The Secretary had spare copies and confirmed that an application had been made for funding over £2,500 made. Nothing received yet. Secretary was not aware until the meeting that funding could be ongoing to meet annual premiums of Insurance and general running costs which were different from capital costs.

Forum Membership The Secretary and Lesley Wootton were not able to find a definative list of members. A separate sheet is attached with details of the Executive Committee and general members. Please let the Secretary know if there are revisions to be made to this.

There being no further business, the meeting was closed.

Dates for future meetings:
24 August 2000
28 September 2000
26 October 2000
23 November 2000