Annual Village Meeting hears about ADAS and Parish Plan

Following Audlem Online's reports on Friday about the Annual Village Meeting and how residents had heard that Audlem was now included in the Weaver Valley Regional Park and the Audlem Village Traders' Association (AVTA) had been formed, the meeting also heard presentations from Ralph Warburton of ADAS and Bob Cartwright, who chairs the Audlem Parish Plan steering committee. Andrew Smith, who had earlier talked about the Traders' Association, also returned to the platform to talk about ASET and its success in organising Audlem's big events, including the plans for this year's Proms on the Park, Festival of Transport and Bonfire & Fireworks.

Ralph Warburton told the meeting how he had become involved in ADAS and how the various past chairmen and many supporters had made the organisation such a success over the years. ADAS is responsible for the purchase and planting of the many troughs in the village and Buerton as well as planting out the border at the Lord Combermere. They organise the popular Open Gardens and Scarecrow weekend and raise funds through the Silent Auction. ADAS organises the 40 foot Christmas tree, sponsored by a resident, and the forty or more illuminated trees on virtually every village centre building. These ensure Audlem has the best Christmas display for many miles around. The Carol singing around the Christmas tree is always a very special evening and the finale to the year is the fireworks display at midnight on New Year's Eve, organised jointly by ADAS, ASET and Audlem Parish Council.

Bob Cartwright said that the Parish Plan had attracted much interest around the county and that he and Mike Hill had given presentations to various councils and organisations on how Audlem had pulled its plan together. He told the meeting the really hard work was now only beginning as we had to ensure the plans were turned to reality. The most ambitious plan was for a new sports hall behind the Public Hall which would need over a million pounds in funding but if that could be found would be open by 2012 when the Olympics come to Britain.

Other plans covered improved footpaths – and a new working group had been formed to work on footpaths and cycleways – signage, woodland planting and much more. A small group was pulling together a detailed submission to the Transport Minister to de-prime the A525 in an attempt to reduce the number of HGV's driving through the village, mounting pavements and blocking the roads. Stopping the planned 60 tonne vehicles made this all the more necessary as we want Audlem to be a vibrant, not a vibrating village! This submission would be presented to the Minister by local MP Stephen O'Brien. Bob also talked about the success of Audlem Online and the re-launched Parish Council Newsletters. The planning group on the Plan was also working on a Village Design Statement.

The Parish Plan group had already applied, with the help of the Nantwich Now project, for a £107,000 Rural Enterprise Grant and £17,500 from Cheshire Community Council who receive Defra money. Further bids would be made to sports funding organisations. The inclusion of Audlem in the Weaver Valley Regional Park could help with these applications, he said.

The meeting closed with a Public Forum. A further report on this will appear on Audlem Online later.

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