Knighton

ANNUAL MEETING -- The annual general meeting of Knighton and District Community Centre will be on Monday, May 19 at 7.30pm at the Community Centre.

CONTACTS -- All enquiries about community centre bookings should go to the bookings secretary, Gina Lynch, Little Lurkenhope Cottage, Knighton, LD7 1NE, telephone 01547 520164. All other enquiries and communications to the management committee should go to the secretary, Kevin Kell, 5 Swan Court, Knighton, LD7 1BG, telephone 01547 528011.

COALITION AGAINST THE WAR -- This Saturday, Knighton Coalition Against the War is organising a trip to London for anyone wishing to take part in the national demonstration against the war. So much interest has been shown that there will now be a third coach running, so places are still available for anyone wishing to take part in the demonstration. For further information please telephone 01547 520656 or 01547 528833 or Email amdskyborry@hotmail.com. Knighton Coalition Against the War raised £138.30 at a coffee morning held last Saturday in the schoolroom at Knighton Baptist Church. The coalition thanks the church for allowing the use of its premises, and members of the church for their help with setting the event up. The money will be used to fund the coalition's campaigning activities.

FESTIVAL OF BRASS BANDS --Knighton Festival of Brass Bands next concert will be on Saturday, March 29 at Knighton Community Centre with the Foden's Richardson Band. It has been three years since Foden's were last in Knighton and it will be the band's third visit. Their first concert in Knighton was under the name of the Britannia Building Society Band. Tickets priced £6 for adults and £1 for under-16s will be on sale from Friday, February 7, and will be available at The Bookshop and Offa's Dyke Centre, from committee members, or by telephone on 01547 528087.

PLANNING COMMITTEE -- Knighton Town Council planning committee gave a resounding thumbs down to an application to convert a single dwelling into four flats and the erection of six units with associated site works and new vehicular access at Wynstead, Penybont Road Knighton. Councillor Leslie Griffiths said that the proposed development was out of character in a residential area, and nearby residents had expressed concern that they had seen no site notice displayed. "I'm dead against it," said Cllr Derek Price. "It's a lovely house to be spoiled like that." He also expressed concern about the proposed vehicular access. "There's no way you can see over. I cannot see how Highways will pass this." Cllrs Bob Reeves and Bernard Hodnett shared Cllr Price's concerns about the proposed access. The committee unanimously recommended that the application should be rejected on grounds of access, inadequacy of sewer to take further dwellings, unacceptable density of the proposed development, and infringement of privacy of adjoining residents. Interest in this planning permission was demonstrated by the large number of persons in the public gallery, and by a petition against the proposed development which the Committee agreed to pass onto Powys County Council.

LARKEY LANE -- Knighton Town Council planning committee had mixed views on an application for outline planning permission to erect a dwelling on land off Larkey Lane. Councillor Jan Harris pointed out that the house would be connected to the sewer that ran along The Cwm which was the same as that which served Penybont Road. "We must go down the same line on this one," she said. She also thought the proposed access was inadequate. Cllr Leslie Griffiths said that the sewer along The Cwm was already overloaded. "I have had complaints about the stench coming up through the manholes, even in winter," he said. Cllr Bernard Hodnett thought the application should be approved. "If you pass this you will get the wood cut down. I have the feeling that the wood will not be cut down if permission is refused. There are worse accesses already in Knighton. I think we should pass this one." Town clerk Elizabeth Patterson pointed out that the wood was in a prominent position and affected the ambience of Knighton. Commenting on the sewerage provision Cllr Rob Reeves said that he did not think one more dwelling would make a significant difference. In the end the committee voted to recommend against the development four votes to two. The approval or rejection of planning applications rest with Powys County Council, the planning authority for Knighton. The county council is obliged to consider the comments of Knighton Town Council, as with all other community councils, but is not obliged to accept them.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE - Knighton Town Council has agreed to give £100 to the Citizens' Advice Bureau, and £100 to the Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice.

ENTERTAINMENTS LICENCE -- Knighton Town Council planning committee approved, with no-one voting against, the renewal of the entertainments licence for the Plough Hotel.

TREE SURGERY -- Knighton Town Council approved proposed tree surgery on a yew at The Laurels, Penybont Road, Knighton. The tree had been damaged in the recent storms, and the work involved a 30 per cent reduction in size.

WELCOME BACK ROGER -- Knighton's Mayor, Councillor Roger Bright, was back in the chair for the recent meeting of Knighton Town Council's planning committee. Cllr Bright is still recuperating from major surgery, but is now well enough to do some duties.

RELOCATION OF SORTING OFFICE -- Knighton's Royal Mail sorting office will be temporarily re-located to Knighton Enterprise Park, Ludlow Road for three months while the office in Wylcwm Street is given a major refurbishment. Town clerk Elizabeth Patterson told members of Knighton Town Council planning committee that temporary permission had been given even though the hours worked by the sorting office were outside those normally permitted for operations on the site because of its closeness to residential properties.

ST EDWARD'S CHURCH -- Knighton's Baptist Minister, the Rev. Stephen Wood, was guest preacher at last Sunday's celebration of the Eucharist at Saint Edward's Church. The Rev. Andrew Pearce, Vicar of East Radnor, welcomed Mr Wood, who will shortly be leaving the area to assume the pastorate of a church in Hemel Hempstead, to the service. Mr Wood said that he had greatly appreciated the links between the churches in his ministry in Knighton of nearly 20 years. When he first came to Knighton he was welcomed to St Edward's by the Rev. Harold Jennings and the five subsequent vicars, including the present incumbent, had also been most welcoming. Major Bob Maslen-Jones read the lessons, and Councillor Ken Harris led the prayers. Hilary Howcroft directed the choir of St Edward's, and Cecil Rudge was organist. Father Pearce presided at the Eucharist, and Mr Wood and Kevin Kell assisted with the distribution of the Communion. The Junior Church did a project on illness in line with the theme of the two lesson. There is Junior Church every Sunday except on the fourth Sunday when the Junior Church joins in the Family Eucharist at 11.00am.

COFFEE MORNING -- St Edward's Church will have a coffee morning tomorrow (Friday, February 14) from 10.30am to 12 noon. Proceeds will go to the work of the church.

SPECIAL GIFT -- For last year's take pART the Rev. Stephen Wood and his son Daniel created 'Eternity' for an exhibition in the Baptist Church. This work, which was the cause of much discussion at the time, is a large white board on which are mounted 48 identical black and white battery operated clocks in three unlinear rows of ten, alternating with two of nine. The clocks are all at wildly different rotations and tell different times. Mr Wood, who will shortly be leaving Knighton for Hemel Hempstead, has very kindly agreed to donate the work to Knighton Community Centre where it will be permanently displayed. Meeting last Monday, the management committee welcomed Mr Wood's generous offer. "There have been three take pART festivals so far, and it has the potential to become a really major event in the area," said management committee secretary, Kevin Kell. "We are very pleased that last year the Community Centre played an important part in the festival, and we hope that this will continue in the years to come. Mr Wood's and Daniel's work is a symbol of this link, and we are pleased to provide a home for it."