Street Lights
We maintain some street lights.
Please note Whitchurch Town Council have not programmed their street lights to be switched off at night, it is the Shropshire Council owned lights that are turned off.
Community Facilities
We administer bookings for regular and special events, host charity coffee mornings and provide a meeting space for many local residents who visit a variety of classes and groups.
Visitor Information
Through our Community Hub Reception Area
Parks and Open Spaces
The Town Council runs a number of parks in Whitchurch including:
- Jubilee Park
- Edgeley Gardens
- Blackmore Grove
- Gambrell Avenue
- Wheatsheaf Park
- Deermoss Meadow
- Edgerton Road
Markets
Every week we have a Friday Market in the High Street and in the Market Hall (accessed from St Mary’s Street). The Town Council is also responsible for the Market Rights within a 62/3 mile radius of Whitchurch. A monthly Artisan Market takes place on the first Saturday of each month in the Bullring.
Christmas Lights
The Town Council provides and funds the town’s Christmas lights display.
Heritage Centre
The town’s museum at the Heritage Centre is owned and funded by the Town Council. This service is currently run by the Whitchurch Museum and
Archives Volunteers.
CCTV
We also maintain the town and park’s CCTV system.
Grants
The Town Council has an amount of money set aside each year for grants give benefit to all or some of the inhabitants of Whitchurch. Our Small Community Grant Scheme runs throughout the year, in several rounds, and is operated by our Oversight Committee on behalf of the Council.
Fixtures and Fittings
The Town Council owns all of the benches in the town and one bus shelter.
Public Toilets
The Town Council maintains Public Toilets at White Lion Meadow (nr Tesco) and in Jubilee Park.
Planning
As a local council, Whitchurch Town Council has no direct responsibilities or powers in the field of planning control. The local planning authority is Shropshire Council.
The Town Council is however entitled to be notified in writing of every planning application in their area and may make representations to the local planning authority. They may also be heard at planning inquiries or make written representations.
The Town Council may also make representations on consultations about Local Plan documents and supplementary planning documents such as design briefs.
The Town Council has a Planning Committee consisting of all 15 councillors, so that each of the three Wards in the Town can be adequately represented. The Planning Committee now operates for the majority of the time as a “virtual” committee, and only has formal meetings for major or controversial applications, where Town Councillors request that an application is considered by committee, or conflicting views arise from consultation with councillors or for strategic matters such as SAMDev. In such circumstances, theTown Clerk may call a meeting in consultation with the Planning Chairman.
A weekly list of new planning applications, reserved matters and Tree Preservation Orders for Shropshire Council is received via email. It is arranged in Parish alphabetical order so Whitchurch Town or significant applications just beyond its boundaries can be quickly identified. These are forwarded by email to all councillors.
You will find a link to the weekly list at Shropshire. You may also access details of any application on line via Shropshire Council’s Website.
You may prefer to make your comments directly to the Planning Authority, or may additionally wish to make Whitchurch Town Council aware of them. If you email or write in to the Town Council, these will be brought to Members of the Planning Committee. Any response sent by the Town Council to Shropshire Council will be available on this Website.
If a Planning Committee meeting is to be held, the Agenda will be available on this Website in advance and on the public notice board at the Civic Centre. Any member of the public may attend the meeting and will be welcome to make comments in accordance with the public participation rules set out in the Council’s Standing Orders (see Governance Section of Website).
Where members of the public participate at Planning Committee Meetings, the Chairman will ensure that equal opportunity is given to persons promoting an application, opposing an application and to civic/local representations. The Chairman will explain that only material planning arguments can be taken into account by the Committee.
Included below is a Planning Guide used by Members of Whitchurch Town Council.