Worcestershire County Council has introduced a new more user-friendly public-facing service for Parish Councillors and Residents to report issues with highways, footways, drainage and flooding, overgrown or fallen trees and shrubs, spillages and many other issues. The “Report It” dashboard is designed to encourage customers to provide more detail so that WCC gets a better understanding of the issue, its location and whether other reports on the issue have been received.

You can access the “Report It” web page at:

https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20978/tell_us_about_road_or_highway_issues

The latest edition of Pershore Time is available for download here:

https://mailchi.mp/1a247319c221/pershore-times-november-2022-edition-6119530?e=3edcceb019

You can sign up to receive each month’s edition in your email inbox at:

http://www.pershoretimes.co.uk/

and enter your name and email address

The three South Worcestershire councils (Worcester City, Malvern Hills and Wychavon) are currently holding a six week public consultation on the SWDPR that runs from 1 November 2022 until 13 December 2022. This is the last public consultation on the Plan prior to it being submitted to the Planning Inspectorate for independent Examination. Members of the public can download full details of the consultation process at:

https://www.swdevelopmentplan.org/swdp-review/swdpr-regulation-19-publication-consultation

The latest edition of the Fladbury KIT includes updates on repairs to the pinnacle on Fladbury church, the 5 Village Proms, the establishment of a “Warm Space” at Fladbury Social Club, ticket availability for The Fladbury Players latest production “Murder by Mattress” and The New Year’s Eve Extravaganza, and much more. You can download the full KIT at:

https://mailchi.mp/ec619b6ddb33/kit-january-16653347?e=3501a6f3e4

The latest edition of Wychavon District Council’s Business newsletter includes articles on financial support for new business start-ups, details of the upcoming Business Development Day, organised by Women Who, Worcestershire, registration details for Worcestershire County Council’s autumn Business Worcestershire Conference and much more.

You can download the complete newsletter here:

https://securelinks2.cmadvantage.co.uk/linkapp/cmaview.aspx?LinkID=pageid100608477zrq9~xzjz99q~zxjx~qxzfx9~z~x~f~f~n

It was with a very heavy heart that I took the decision this morning to cancel The Five Villages Prom on Friday. As many of you know, there is a problem with the stone pinnacle on the top of one corner of Fladbury Church tower. To date, it has not been possible to assess the health and safety risk. Scaffolding has been arranged for Friday to help with the inspection and risk assessment, but a decision about the concert had to be made today before the final rehearsal this evening. With too many unknowns, I took the difficult decision to cancel the event, and to temporarily close the church.

It’s hugely disappointing for everyone, and for Mark and Linda most especially. The idea, that was theirs, to bring people from all five villages and beyond, and from different choirs together to sing at this level in six weeks is both fabulous and courageous, and has given us all a real buzz of excitement and accomplishment. It has brought singers of all abilities together and has included those of us who cannot commit to more regular choirs. Friendships have developed and new possibilities for future musical initiatives have emerged.

To say, “thank you, Mark and Linda”, and “thank you, all of you” and “thank you, Gus, for your accompaniment” and “how sorry I am to postpone the event” seems very inadequate, but I express it deeply. There were too many health and safety unknowns this morning, to decide otherwise.

It’s early to assess the possibilities for reconvening. I very much hope that conversation will come soon.

A decision about Sunday’s service will be made later this week. Access to the churchyard is possible via the side gate at the end of the wall.

Sarah

Revd Canon Sarah Dangerfield
Priest-in-Charge of The Five Alive Parish
Curate-in-Charge of St James’ Bishampton with Throckmorton
Area Dean of Pershore and Evesham

The latest edition of John Campion’s newsletter includes articles on the “Pin Your Poppy” project which celebrates the connection between the armed forces and police by asking community groups, residents and businesses to come together by creating and pinning poppies onto Unknown Tommy statues located all across West Mercia outside police stations at Malinsgate, Kidderminster, Malvern, Hereford, Shrewsbury and West Mercia Police’s Headquarters at Hindlipby Thursday 10 November, along with actions taken to tackle burglaries across the West Mercia region and also to combat violence again women.

You can download and read the full newsletter here:

https://mailchi.mp/westmercia/pcc-newsletter-august-5622015

The Consumers Association magazine Which? is warning about an increase in text messages purporting to come from Amazon that are designed to steal your personal details.

These phoney texts tell you to follow a link to secure your account following an attempted login.

They’re examples of phishing texts, which are designed to steal your personal data in order to scam you either now or in the future.

You can download and read the full article which includes tips on how to spot, report and avoid this scam at:

https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/amazon-text-message-scams-on-the-rise-how-to-identify-a-phoney-text-axMsy2Q2lKDn?utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=scam_alert&utm_content=Scam+alert+131022+A

This month’s edition of KIT includes details of a host of activities and events coming up in the three villages, too many to list here. So please download the complete newsletter here:

https://mailchi.mp/f18ef1e92197/kit-january-16638919?e=3501a6f3e4

The South Worcestershire Development Plan is now set to be considered by councillors during October.

The plan will first be considered by Worcester City’s Place and Economic Development committee at a meeting on October 3, and will then need to be approved by all three councils.

Worcester City Council will have their meeting on the issue on October 17, with Malvern Hills and Wychavon District Councils giving their verdict in the subsequent two days.

Should all three councils agree to the proposals, the SWDP will go through a six-week consultation period starting from November 1, where residents can give their views.

Following this, the plan will be submitted to the Secretary of State for scrutiny by the planning inspectorate to be reviewed next year.

The plan sets out the three councils’ vision for the area up to 2041 and includes a government target for an extra 11,000 homes on top of the 28,400 already planned for up to 2030 in the current SWDP, the majority of which have been built.

Most of the new homes will come through new settlements which will be close to existing or new railway links.

Worcestershire Parkway will see 5,000 new homes built up to 2041, with 50 hectares of employment land and another 5,000 homes are planned after 2041.

A new town centre, schools and other community facilities will be provided along with walking and cycling infrastructure.

Throckmorton will see 2,000 homes and 20 hectares of employment land by 2041, while infrastructure developments include walking and cycling links to Pershore Railway Station, which will also be improved.

Another 3,000 homes are planned in the second phase, which starts after 2041, alongside 40 hectares of employment land.

Rushwick will see 1,000 new homes planned alongside five hectares of employment land.

A new railway station will be built, with no other development allowed before the land needed to allow it and other infrastructure to be built has been secured.

A further 1,000 homes would be built on land identified near Mitton, with half of them helping neighbouring Tewkesbury Borough Council to meet its housing need.

A new primary school, community facilities and walking and cycling links are also included.

In Worcester, 866 new homes are planned along with 594 in Malvern, 10 in Tenbury and 376 across the Malvern Hills District.

Wychavon would see 916 new homes in Droitwich, 255 in Evesham and 212 in Pershore, with 1,069 spread across Parishes in the district.

Up to 40 per cent of all developments will be built as affordable housing.

You can read the full announcement from Wychavon District Council at:

https://www.wychavon.gov.uk/news-and-alerts/councillors-to-consider-bold-plan-for-south-worcestershire-s-future