If you are a member of the public who wants to contribute to the public engagement section of the meeting or who would like to find out more about what the council does, you can log into the meeting via Zoom using this link – https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83912982583?pwd=UVdlcTNhM2F2RGxyNnRzSFloc0hjUT09

A copy of the Agenda for the meeting is available here. 

The post February Parish Council Meeting appeared first on Pant Today - About the village of Pant in Shropshire.

When, this time last year, we wished you all a happy Christmas and looked forward to a new year, we couldn’t have imagined how the world would change.

Each year we look back at the changes that have taken place in the village – as well as the country at large – but the idea that the pub and village hall would be closed for a significant part of the year was certainly not something we had contemplated – or at least not due to a brand new virus.

The committee at the village hall have been very proactive during the year, not only in ensuring that the hall met COVID-19 regulations and was able to reopen with robust measures in place, but they have also taken the time to improve the hall. As well as a very deep clean, the hall has seen the installation of new energy-saving lighting, thanks to a grant from the National Lottery. The hall has also been successful in funding 40 new comfortable chairs thanks to money from the Tirgwynt Wind Farm Community Grant. 

Obviously, the hall has been used much less in 2020 than in more usual times, and we hope that people will support new events that will hopefully come on stream in 2021 – especially as the world returns to some sort of normality following the roll out of vaccinations.

The Cross Guns too has had an interesting year to say the least. With the lockdown affecting the hospitality sector so badly, Maureen and her team at the pub have had to do what many others have had to do and offer takeaway when they could, and open as per the guidelines. The ‘Friends of Cross Guns Pant‘ Facebook group, which was set up last year, is still there if villagers want to join.

We also reported this time last year that plans were progressing for work on Schoolhouse Bridge over the Montgomery Canal between Pant and Crickheath. If you have been down that way, you will see that a new temporary roadway was built this year to enable the road to be redirected to let building work commence – hopefully in 2021. The Friends of the Montgomery Canal launched a new website during the year at www.themontgomerycanal.org.uk which has much information about the canal and its restoration.

We were lucky in Pant, at the beginning of the pandemic, that a number of people in the village got together to set up the Pant Coronavirus Support Group. This bunch of fantastic volunteers has been there throughout the year to help local people needing assistance, whether that was with food and medicines deliveries, getting to medical appointments or just a friendly voice at the end of the phone. A huge thank you to everyone in our community who has been able to help.

Many of us have increasingly used online services such as Zoom and Skype for social contact and meetings, and even more have turned to online shopping. Pant Today remains a place where local business can advertise (only £20 a year). Not only will your support help us keep this village website going but it can help your business gain exposure to local customers. Please consider an advert with us.
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May we wish you Happy Christmas and Season’s Greetings!

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The hall is reopening in line with Covid-19 compliance requirements and is following the necessary guidelines laid down in law. That means it won’t be run in exactly the same way as it used to, but after a good deal of hard work and thought, the committee has decided that the hall is now in a position to take bookings once more.

Some of the new measures in place include no-touch sanitiser in the entrance hall, extended time for cleaning before and after bookings and reduced event capacity. Unfortunately, the kitchen will remain out of use (except for access to drinking water) for the foreseeable future. Face coverings must be worn at all times in the hall and two metre social distancing maintained as far as possible.

Hirers will of course be responsible for ensuring their own compliance with all coronavirus laws and guidance, before, during and after their events.

Sean, Chair of the hall committee, said: “We recognise that there will be significant constraints for any events and activities that take place in the hall when we reopen, but as a committee, we have worked hard to make sure that appropriate Covid-19 safety measures are now in place for those hirers who would like to return.

“Some events, such as those which involve singing or social dancing (rather than dance tuition), aren’t yet allowed, but we have had a number of enquiries from people who are looking to hire the hall, and we hope they will return when we reopen. It’s not going to be ‘business as usual’ for quite some time, but we believe that with the measures we have put in place, we are now in a position to reopen Pant Memorial Hall, which is a valued community asset for the village.”

While the hall has been closed over the last five months, the committee has remained active. A major new lighting system was installed in July, replacing the worn out old lights in the hall, with thanks to a National Lottery grant. In addition, a new Bluetooth speaker system for easy music connection is now available at the hall.

Adds Sean: “We understand of course that not everyone will want – or be able – to come back to the hall at the moment, but even if it is a slow start for us, we are just pleased to be opening our doors once again and we look forward to seeing people back again soon.”

For more information about the hall reopening, the measures in place and the steps that hirers now need to take, as well as how to book, please visit the Pant Memorial Hall website.

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Pant Memorial Hall is the village war memorial and every year an act of remembrance is held to honour those who served in the First World War, as well as those who have suffered and died in all wars.

The short informal service starts at 7pm and will include a wreath laying and The Last Post as well as hymns and readings. It will be followed by music, wartime songs, a singalong and refreshments.

Pant Memorial Institute was built in 1922 and originally held a World War I roll of honour, but this was lost many years ago during one of the hall’s refurbishments. However, we are pleased to say that this year, for the first time, a copy of the Morton Parish World War I roll of honour, which was kindly gifted to the hall last year, will be on display.

The original of this unique roll of honour, which commemorates the sacrifice of the men of the village, is on loan to Oswestry Town Museum, but a facsimile will now be permantly displayed at the hall.

The memorial tablet in the hall, which commemorates those from Pant who died in World War II, was originally in the United Reformed Chapel in Pant. When the chapel closed in 2004, the plaque was moved to the hall and re-dedicated in its new home.

Earlier this year, Pant Memorial Hall unveiled its new Armistice 100 artwork, which was commissioned last year to mark the end of the First World War.

The ceramic sculpture, which was created by artist Neil Dalrymple, depicts the landscape, people and heritage of Pant and has proved a popular addition to the outside of the hall. The artwork was entirely funded with grants from Tirgwynt Community Fund and Oswestry Rotary’s Mary Hignett Bequest Fund.

Shaun Fisher, Treasurer of Pant Memorial Hall, said: “Our annual Act of Remembrance is a focal point for the village every year, taking place as it does at Pant’s war memorial.

“We will be delighted this year to have the Morton Parish World War One roll of honour on display in time for the service, and our new ceramic artwork, which commemorates the centenary of the Armistice, is also now in place.

“We hope local people will take the time to come along to remember all those who served in war, from our village and beyond. It will be an informal but respectful service, followed by a singalong and tea and biscuits.”

Visit www.pantmemorialhall.org.uk or find out more on Facebook @PantMemorialHall.

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As all of us who live here know, this is a  lovely part of the country with lots of great options for walking routes. The walk we have prepared takes in two countries, four pubs, Offa’s Dyke Way and the Montgomery Canal!

This walk is a superb way of exploring the Parish of Llanymynech and Pant whilst at the same time seeing some of the natural beauty of the area, its industrial heritage and local amenities. The walk starts at The Cross Guns Inn in Pant and is a distance of about three to five miles, depending on detours. As with all walks, please ensure you are fully equipped before you set off, as this is a guide only and some sections are off the footpath.

Click here to see the walk in full.

We hope to add more walks to the Pant Today website over the coming months and we would really welcome any suggestions. If you have an idea for a walk you would like us to try, or if you have put together your own route, please do contact us. We can’t guarantee that all walks will make it onto the website, but we will do our best to include as many as possible.

The post Enjoy a walk from Pant to Llanymynech appeared first on Pant Today - About the village of Pant in Shropshire.

The new water main will be laid mainly in private land but some of it will also have to be laid along public roads. The roads affected are Briggs Lane, Hillside, Rockwell Lane, Bronwylfa and U2052 (to Pen y Foel) . Severn Trent will have road closures in place to allow them to work quickly and safely, and the closures will either be daytime or full closure. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. Roads will be affected as follows:

• U2052 – start date 23/02/19, finish date 24/02/19: daytime road closure 8am – 4pm
• Bronwylfa – start date 11/03/19, finish date 29/03/19: daytime road closure 8am – 4pm
• Briggs Lane – start date 15/04/19, finish date 03/05/19: road closure
• Rockwell Lane – start date 15/04/19, finish date 10/05/19: daytime road closure 8am – 4pm
• Hillside – start date 15/04/19, finish date 26/04/19: daytime road closure 8am – 4pm

Please note that the above dates may be subject to change depending on progress.

Severn Trent is holding a drop-in session at Pant Memorial Hall on Tuesday 5 February from 3.30pm to 6.30pm for local people to find out more about the plans, ask questions and to provide their input and feedback.

Other ways to keep up to date with the work in our area include:

• By phone: Amey Customer Service Centre on 0800 521660
• Online: Severn Trent website www.stw.works

Please quote project reference 6127372.

If your call is about your water supply or sewerage service, call the Severn Trent Customer Operations Service Centre on 0800 783 4444.

The post Water supply improvements in Pant appeared first on Pant Today - About the village of Pant in Shropshire.

The consultation sets out the preferred sites to deliver the scale and distribution of housing and employment growth during the period to 2036.

In Pant, a parcel of land along the main A483, to the north of the village, backing on to Penygarreg Lane, has been identified as the proposed site for 45 houses. In Llanymynech, land to the east of Barley Meadows has been earmarked for 50 houses.

The site in Pant is currently agricultural land and, as the consultation document acknowledges, faces a number of constraints as a location for housing development, such as water pressure issues, protected species and the local historic environment. Access to the A483, managed by Highways England, is also likely to be an issue, as 45 new houses is certain to see an increase in traffic.

The site in Llanymynech faces the challenges of existing accessibility issues along Station Road, where it is already congested with a weight-restricted bridge over the former railway line, as well as protected species issues and the local historic environment.

The consultation allows local people, businesses and other interested groups to have their say on these major proposals, and responses are invited in the form of a questionnaire via the Shropshire Council website: https://shropshire.gov.uk/get-involved/local-plan-review-preferred-sites-consultation/. The deadline for responses to the consultation has been extended to Friday 8 February 2019.

The full consultation document can be found here: https://shropshire.gov.uk/media/11266/00-preferred-sites-consultation-full-document.pdf. The Oswestry Place Plan Area document, which also includes plans for Kinnerley, Knockin and other local communities, can be found here: https://shropshire.gov.uk/media/11252/15-preferred-sites-consultation-oswestry-place-plan-area.pdf.

A consultation event for the Oswestry area is due to take place at The Marches School at 7pm on Tuesday 15th January 2019. This is a public meeting which anyone can attend and, as well as providing the opportunity to find out more about the housing plans for our villages, which will affect the future development of our communities, will allow local people to have their say.

This meeting will then be followed up with a discussion at the Llanymynech and Pant Parish Council meeting to be held on Thursday 24th January at 7.15 after which the Parish Council will prepare a response . This meeting will be held at Llanymynech Village Hall and there will be a short time for the public to ask questions.

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Thanks to the award of a Big Lottery Fund grant of £9,500, work on the hallway, as well as a new wheelchair-accessible ramp from the fire exit, can now start, with the balance of the costs being met from hall funds.

The floor in the entrance hall and two store rooms will be removed and the void filled in with hardcore and concrete with a layer of insulation, which should help keep the entrance to the hall warmer in the winter.

During the works – from Monday 20th August to Friday 7th September – the hall is completely closed, with no public access.

After that date, it is possible that there will a period when the hallway is untiled, as the concrete needs time to dry out completely before tiling can start.

Over the past couple of years or so, the committee at the hall have been focusing on investing in the hall to ensure it remains a well-maintained space for villagers to hold and attend events. As well as the hallway improvements and fire escape access for disabled people, recent work has included updating the emergency lighting and installing a fire alarm.

According to Shaun Fisher, Treasurer at the hall, there are plans to further update the hall, subject to finance, including repainting and improving the bar area.

“As a community asset, it is important that we regularly invest in the hall to ensure it meets the needs of the community,” he said.

Villagers will have a chance to see the progress of the hallway refurbishment at this year’s Pant Autumn Bazaar which takes place in the hall on Saturday 6th October from 2 – 4pm.

The post New hallway coming to Pant Memorial Hall appeared first on Pant Today - About the village of Pant in Shropshire.

Yes, we know it is only just summer, but volunteers are already being sought to build on the success of last year’s Pant Autumn Bazaar.

Organised by Pant Memorial Hall, the Bazaar is now in it’s fourth year and aims to bring local people together in the village hall while raising vital funds for the upkeep of the hall.

Everyone in the village is welcome to become part of the organising group for the Bazaar – you don’t need to be a regular hall user – so that all views and ideas are represented.

The first meeting will be held in Pant Memorial Hall at 7pm on Tuesday 24th July and new ideas for activities during the Bazaar will be most welcome.

In previous years, the Bazaar – which takes place on the first Saturday afternoon in October – has featured a range of local stalls selling items from local honey to soap and plants, a tombola to raise funds for the hall and tea and cake. This year, the hall committee is keen that villagers let them know of any suggestions that will improve the event further.

Said Shaun Fisher, treasurer at the hall: “Over the past couple of years we have been investing in the hall to improve it for villagers and the Autumn Bazaar is a major fundraising activity that helps us keep it going. We are looking forward to putting on another successful event and to welcoming as many villagers as possible.”

If you want to attend the planning meeting, there’s no need to book, just turn up to find out more and see how you can contribute.

Once plans for the Bazaar have been finalised, you will be able to find details on the Pant Today website as well as at www.pantmemorialhall.org.uk.

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The latest round of National Lottery funding, which has just been announced, sees over 2,300 community projects across the UK receiving a share of over £45 million. The money, raised by players for good causes, is being distributed by the Big Lottery Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK.

Pant Memorial Hall is our popular village hall which also serves as the village war memorial, built as it was to commemorate the service and sacrifice of those who did not return in World War One. It is a registered charity run by volunteers for the community.

The funding will be used by the hall to help pay for the refurbishment of the entrance hallway. The floor of the entrance hall, which has been in place for over 30 years, is affected by woodworm and needs to be completely replaced. Part of the money will also be used to improve disabled access to the hall by building a ramp from one of the fire exits.

Shaun Fisher, Treasurer of Pant Memorial Hall, said: “This is great news for the village! Pant Memorial Hall has served the community of Pant for almost 100 years and we’re now at the stage where some major repair work needs to be done to the hallway. The National Lottery funding will help us to pay for this major undertaking and will also enable us to improve disabled access.

“The hall is a vital asset for the community offering a wide range of classes to local people as well as providing a popular venue for parties and get-togethers. The National Lottery funding will, we hope, help us to carry on for many more years.”

James Harcourt, England Grant Making Director at the Big Lottery Fund, said: “Whether in a village, town or city, National Lottery funding is helping to make a difference, bringing communities together to help people lead happier and healthier lives.”

To find out about the Big Lottery Fund and the latest round of National Lottery funding, click here. For more about Pant Memorial Hall visit www.pantmemorialhall.org.uk.

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