Parish Notice Board

Alfrick and Lulsley

Atlas Tower Ltd stop their investigations into sites in Alfrick and Lulsley

 

Following a request from the Parish Council, Atlas Towers Ltd have halted their investigations into potential sites for a telecommunications mast in the parish.

Atlas Towers had been working to solve the challenge of  black spots for mobile and internet connections in the area.   But there was a strong local reaction to the identification of the first potential site and as a result the PC has stopped their work to find any further sites.

The PC will be seeking further solutions, including masts with a less intrusive design in the future and consulting with locals about the issue.

As a matter of background the scheme that brought Atlas to the Parish is called the Shared Rural Network (SRN).  It is underwritten by the Westminster government, but franchised out to the County Councils in rural areas to research and develop proposals. 

The idea is to provide mobile signal coverage in time for withdrawal of PSTN (copper wire) telephone provision.  That's currently scheduled for Jan 31st 2027 (originally 31st Dec 2025), with some leeway for customers who don’t want broadband.

The PSTN rundown is already well advanced.  For instance, in Longley Green, only 1 operator will now provide PSTN and only to people who already have the service.  No new lines are being offered.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, that offer comes from BT and is considerably more expensive than any service being offered over fibre-optics.

The Shared Rural Network (SRN) is being worked with across many providers.  Some mobile suppliers are updating their own masts to provide enhanced coverage to meet the SRN needs but this cannot always be achieved from existing masts. 

Where coverage can not be provided from existing masts and new masts are need, the operator for those masts will be Digital Mobile Spectrum Ltd (DMS), a holding company originally owned jointly and equally by the four main retail mobile phone providers: EE, O2, Three & Vodafone.  DMS is now owned by the three remaining mobile retail providers: VMO2 (Virgin Media & O2), Three & Vodafone).  DMS will own, maintain and have any other responsibilities associated with the masts, including disposal if appropriate. 

In our area, the County Council has franchised out identification of sites to Atlas, having been approached by them.  Who actually applies for planning permission and/or builds the masts is open.  It could be sub-contractors under Atlas, or DMS or Worcestershire County Council, or one of the mobile operators.  It will ultimately depend on who can satisfy Digitalk Mobile Spectrum that the structure and its technical equipment meets their standards (i.e. Ofcom's).  Planning permission will still be needed for any site.

Lengthsman Advert

Could you be our Lengthsman in 2025 ?

The Parish Council are looking to contract with a self-employed parish Lengthsman to undertake a range of tasks to help maintain:

1. The Council's public open spaces alongside other contractors like grass cutters etc.

2. The various Public Rights of Way (PROW) across the parish alongside landowners

3. Drains and gullies on rural U and C class lanes and roads

4. Hedges and vegetation on visibility splays affecting road and pathway safety

5. Parish signs and street furniture etc.

A full range of tasks and other requirements will be provided to interested parties. The Council will let a three-year contract, subject to annual review, for an estimated average of 13 hours a month, to be worked flexibly to reflect the seasons/time of year and weather conditions. 

We are happy to hear from parties who might want us to support them with some aspects of training so that they could fully undertake this role safely and to the required standards.

Further information about this opportunity can be obtained by contacting our clerk, Richard Timney, by email aandlclerk@gmail.com or by phone to 07515 881231.

Interested parties will be required to submit an application outlining their experience and any other information they want Council to be aware of in making its decision, alongside their proposed hourly rate for providing the services required. 

Quotes/applications should be provided to our Clerk by post, hand or email by 5 pm on Tues 11th March 2025.  

The postal address is:

Alfrick and Lulsley Parish Council,

29 Lower Road, West Malvern, Worcs, WR14 4BX.


Our 2023 4 accounts have been approved by our internal auditor and the PC.

 See our publications page for copies of our AGAR accounts submission and approval and details of how you can inspect the accounts between 28 June and 8 August.

Accounts reviewed and passed for 2022 - 23 - please see publications sections for details.

 

Malvern Hills District Council Annual Survey

 MHDC's Annual Residents' Survey is now available for completion.   It's an excellent opportunity for residents to provide direct feedback into MHDC about how it operates.  It also provides part of the council's annual review of its performance.  MHDC's officers tend to pride themselves on historically good results, so if that pride is misplaced, now's the time to let them know! 
 
We've posted a link from our Facebook page, which you're welcome to share if you wish.  See https://www.facebook.com/rousewhatley/
 
The survey can be found directly via https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/MHRSFB23/ 
 
Regards
Peter Whatley
Councillor: Alfrick, Leigh & Rushwick Ward, MHDC
 

Completion of Annual Accounts

 ALFRICK AND LULSLEY PARISH COUNCIL

NOTICE OF PUBLIC RIGHTS AND PUBLICATION OF UNAUDITED ANNUAL GOVERNANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY RETURN

ACCOUNTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 Sections 26 and 27 The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 (SI 2015/234)

Please visit the Publications Section for full details.

Next Meeting of the Council

 PARISH COUNCIL
of
ALFRICK AND LULSLEY

Next Meeting of the Council

In the Village Hall, Alfrick

Thursday 18th May 2023 at 7.00pm

The public and press are cordially invited to be present

Members of the public may wish to raise matters of concern prior to the formal meeting from 7.00 – 7.30pm.

Clerk to the Council 30/4/23