Fire crews have been tackling a large fire in the open near Oswestry Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said it had been alerted to the incident at Selattyn at around 11.17am today - Monday Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox with the Shropshire Star’s free newsletter Three fire crews including the Incident Support Unit were dispatched to the scene from Ellesmere and Oswestry while an Operations officer was also in attendance An update from the service said that the incident involved 100 square metres of fire which had spread across a hillside from an initial 'controlled burn' Ellesmere Fire Station posted about the incident on social media including a picture of the smouldering scene we were mobilised to support Oswestry Fire Station who had requested additional appliances at a fire in the open we could see that Oswestry had been faced with a significant fire which they had worked quickly and effectively to bring under control "We supplied additional water and personnel to ensure all hot spots were extinguished A review of last year's chaotic Oswestry fireworks event has blamed a 'lack of structured planning' People attending Oswestry fireworks were left frustrated and angry at the way the November 2 event unfolded The event organisers, Oswestry Town Council agreed a review into the evening would take place and those findings have now been made public In a statement the council said it welcomed the findings and would be considering all the recommendations outlines the 'confusion and distress' experienced by the crowd and says "it was evident that the event was poorly planned overall" It said: "After reviewing the report and witness statements we gained a comprehensive understanding of what transpired that night "The primary issue was the lack of structured planning "The emergency plan for potential incidents was untested and lacked a sufficient level of detail and the event's management structure was unclear leading to confusion about decision-making "The last-minute changes by the Fireworks Team and the large crowd only added to the confusion and distress "It is therefore clear from our findings that if such events are being planned The report details that the event lacked appropriate security for the number of people attending and says that potential risks and scenarios were not properly considered It states: "The Security Team (numbers) appeared inadequate for the number of people on site and we would like to review the security plan and how the site was managed "It is crucial to have the appropriate level of security for all events with clear plans and procedures to avoid these types of issues "We must ensure the safety of all personnel "The security team plays a vital role in this and how the team can move around the site to ensure everyone's safety "This planning should occur before any event and not be adjusted during or immediately before the event without reassessment "The site layout was part of the Event Management Plan however it is evident that potential risks and scenarios were not adequately considered." It states: "The size and location of the event also caused problems The expected numbers and site capacity highlighted key concerns with not everyone being able to gain entry "Movement around the site posed major issues particularly for people with children and disabilities "The primary concern was that the council had little control over capacity on the night given the space needed for such an event and the fact that it was free to the public "Our main concern is that while the council aims to hold a free event to give back to the public it is clear that this has caused significant issues there was little communication about expected attendance numbers "Communications should have stated that the event could only accommodate a certain number of people and that entry would not be allowed once full capacity was reached." It adds: "The council needs to plan for attendance numbers and collect data for emergency purposes to ensure capacity is not breached including those with small children and disabilities In a statement following the publication of the report on its website Oswestry Town Council accepted the issues highlighted in the report It pointed to the lack of appropriate security numbers for the number of people who attended and the lack of communication on the evening It said that the event was attended by "significantly larger than expected crowds" contributing to the problems The council says that as a result is has been urged to consider ticketing and charging a fee as an effective way to manage numbers in future The statement said: "The primary issue highlighted by the review was a lack of structured planning The significantly larger than expected crowds levels of security personnel for the number of people and lack of effective communication on the night added to the confusion and distress experienced "More robust event management planning in advance structure and training are needed to ensure everyone is clear on their responsibilities for future events "The report noted the suitability of the location and the fact that the event was free as also causing significant issues overcrowding will be an issue for any free event space "Ticketing and charging a fee to manage numbers were suggestions for the council to consider." Following the publication Town Clerk Arren Roberts said: “We would like to thank MBO Safety Services for this report and to all those who attended the event and gave feedback "We took immediate action to ensure our Christmas events went well and safely and are considering all the recommendations made "The last thing any of us want is for families to leave our events feeling let down and our priority must always be safety first.” The council added that the future of the event must now be determined by the newly elected council which will need to take account of the recommendations While the focus might have been on the goings-on in the Shropshire Council election voters have also been choosing councillors for towns and parishes across the county The votes in the town and parish councils were counted up the day after the Shropshire Council election The full results are as follows with those elected highlighted in bold Oswestry Rural Parish Morda with Sweeney Ward An Oswestry man who sent images of his genitals and conducted a series of sex chats to a police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl Robert Turner of Oswalds Close in Oswestry, had believed that he was chatting to a young girl on the social media app Kik Messaging, Miss Alexa Carrier Prosecuting told Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday (May 1) In reality, it was an undercover police officer, she told the court but said 35-year-old Turner had no knowledge of that She said that between July 25 and August 23 last year Turner and the decoy In one conversation Turner said that "I don't mind that you are 12" and told the decoy he want to lie naked with her Oswestry Town Council is joining the annual No Mow May campaign leaving designated areas in several of its parks and open spaces uncut throughout the month to support local ecosystems and enhance biodiversity championed by conservation charity Plantlife highlights the significant benefits of allowing grass to grow longer This includes providing crucial habitats and food sources for pollinators like bees and butterflies and facilitating carbon sequestration in the soil Oswestry Town Council will refrain from mowing swathes of grass in prominent locations including Cae Glas Park The council has carefully considered which sections to leave unmown to ensure that areas vital for public use such as those used for dog walking and sports commented on the council’s participation: “No Mow May is a simple way we can do our bit for nature and I’m keen to see the impact it has on our local environment.” Mr Roberts acknowledged that the approach is not suitable for all areas and stated “We will see how things go during the first year and listen to people’s feedback.” He added that if the initial trial is successful the council would consider reducing mowing frequency in these areas throughout the summer months as well Signs are being erected in the green spaces participating in No Mow May to inform the public Residents with concerns about specific areas needing to be mowed for practical reasons are encouraged to contact the council Shropshire Live has been providing Shropshire news and entertainment since 2009 We reach tens of thousands of readers per month making us the biggest online-only news publication in the county You can now also listen to Shropshire Live Read more about us For general enquiries and press releases email interact@shropshirelive.com or call 01743 818 095 For advertising opportunities call Fiona on 01743 816 817 or email sales@shropshirelive.com Shropshire Live is regulated by impress Read our Privacy Policy or find out more about our use of cookies and change your personal settings by viewing our Cookies Policy We and our {{count}} partners use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your experience on our website We may store and/or access information on a device and process personal data audience research and services development we may utilize precise geolocation data and identification through device scanning Please note that your consent will be valid across all our subdomains You can change or withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the “Consent Preferences” button at the bottom of your screen We respect your choices and are committed to providing you with a transparent and secure browsing experience Lib Dem candidates took all but one of the 18 seats up for grabs on Oswestry Town Council as the elections ‘Gold Rush’ for the party continued The only opponent to the 17-seat Lib Dem powerhouse is Green councillor Duncan Kerr as even the eco party’s current town mayor Mike Isherwood was swept out of office There are also now no Conservatives on the council after the party put forward three candidates for two seats in Cabin Lane ward Lib Dems called that a “strategic blunder” as the “Tories split their own vote” John Price came agonisingly close for new party Shropshire First two votes short of Lib Dem winner Darren Brindley on 154 No candidates stood under the Reform UK banner at the town council elections. The town council votes were counted at Shrewsbury Sports Village in Shrewsbury on Saturday (May 3) said the party now has to deliver for the people of the town “The people of Oswestry have given the Tories a chance and they failed They gave the Greens a chance and they failed,” said Councillor Moore “They have told us that ‘we will elect you and give you a chance and if you fail us you are gone’ People are holding us to account,” he added Among the Lib Dem winners were Bailey Head publicans Duncan Borrowman and Grace Goodlad who both won seats on Castle Ward The Bailey Head is the Camra UK Pub of the Year Senior Lib Dems are now in a position to carry through what they are calling a “devolution agenda” where they take responsibility for more services from Shropshire Council Councillor Kerr said: “There is some disappointment that the Green Party has lost a council I don’t think the town council is political and we can celebrate what we did when the Greens were in control for four years “We won the In Bloom competition and helped to insulate people’s homes As Greens we will continue to work for people in the community because we believe it is the right thing to do.” Councillor Kerr said he believed that the Lib Dems made full use of having Helen Morgan as MP and Lib Dems agreed that there is the ‘Helen Morgan effect’ in having an active representative at Westminster blamed his party’s defeats on national issues He said: “I think that people have voted nationally Town councils should be more about local issues “I have always tried my best for the people because I like helping people rather than sitting on the sofa complaining “I am a Conservative and will remain a Conservative,” he added There were no Reform UK candidates in any town council wards which commentators say was the reason for many hundreds of votes being unused as voters did not pick an alternative to their favoured party Police have recovered a damaged stolen vehicle near Oswestry Yesterday (April 29), officers received reports about a vehicle that had been abandoned between the Old Oswestry Hillfort and Hengoed Upon arrival, police found a red Volkswagen car with missing registration plates The vehicle also had damage to the offside and its interior was covered in dry cement the vehicle was confirmed as stolen and the rightful owner has been informed Peter Roberts said: "We found a car missing license plates After investigating the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Great teamwork and investigative efforts." Police investigating fuel thefts from Oswestry petrol stations have released a photograph of a person they'd like to speak to Police in Oswestry say they are investigating "a number of offences" where fuel has been stolen from petrol stations around the town As part of the investigation officers have shared a still image from a CCTV camera on a petrol station forecourt The image shows an individual putting fuel into a Hyundai with a registration ending in MSU A spokesperson from West Mercia Police said: "Oswestry officers are investigating a number of offences where fuel has been stolen from petrol stations in the town "The vehicle with registration ending in 'MSU' is involved and we would like to speak to the person shown as they may be able to assist us with our enquiries know where this vehicle may be or have any other information that might help please get in touch." Those with information are asked to email PC Naylor at harry.naylor@westmercia.police.uk The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) is building on the success of three previous community drop-in information sessions and visiting Oswestry on Monday 13 January The SVWMS is an initiative led by a partnership of the Environment Agency Powys County Council and Shropshire Council which aims to enhance water management and create resilient environments across the Upper Severn catchment businesses and landowners along the upper Severn Valley are being invited find out more about how the scheme plans to manage water and enhance communities in the area Three sessions have already been held in Powys and have been very well attended with the team reporting a wide range of audience interest and some interesting and informative discussions being held The team will be in Oswestry at Oswestry Memorial Hall from 2pm to 7pm on Monday 13 January and are hoping to engage with more people to learn from their experiences and gather informal opinion ahead of more technical consultation scheduled for 2025 Ian Nellins Shropshire Council Cabinet member for climate and the environment “The Severn Valley Water Management Scheme represents a significant step forward in our efforts to protect communities and enhance our natural environment  This project not only addresses the immediate flood risks but also supports biodiversity and our fight against climate change “We encourage everyone to participate in the community information drop-in to learn more about the positive impacts this scheme will bring and especially as the SVWMS is delivering one of its Demonstrator Projects “This is an opportunity to come along and speak to the project managers about how they are looking to work with Shropshire Wildlife Trust to make Oswestry’s urban public spaces water-friendly.” The Morda Depave project focuses on adapting urban spaces by implementing green infrastructure such as green roofs These features help increase water permeability which means they allow water to soak into the ground more easily reducing surface water flooding and improving climate resilience The project is one of many Demonstrator Projects helping inform the wider SVWMS goal of bringing numerous benefits to communities and businesses across the Severn catchment in England and Wales The project is investigating a combination of sustainable land use management and sensitive engineering methods to improve flood risk resilience and water management in the catchment area The drop-in session is free to attend and no appointment is necessary which seeks feedback from those with an interest in the scheme About the Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) Severn Valley Water Management Scheme (SVWMS) is led by a partnership of the Environment Agency Shropshire Council and Powys County Council It has been developed in response to significant flooding of the River Severn in recent decades which has damaged homes and businesses impacted local infrastructure and disrupted travel This project aims to better protect over 3,000 homes and 1,000 businesses from flood risk across the upper Severn catchment in England and Wales The project also seeks to support the management of long-term water resources with recent periods of prolonged dry weather having resulted in the need for action to minimise the environmental damage from low water flows in 2022 the Upper Severn catchment went from winter flooding to drought within the space of 8 months with groundwater and reservoir stores being used to support the people and wildlife who depend on the water supply provided by the Severn the SVWMS is adopting a regenerative approach meaning that interventions will seek to positively contribute to addressing the climate crisis and halting biodiversity decline whilst also providing significant flood risk benefits It will investigate interventions including natural flood risk management measures that slow the flow of water upstream such as the creation of leaky dams and other land management practices as well as engineered solutions such as the construction of flood storage areas and embankments Email: communications@shropshire.gov.uk Phone: 01743 252826 Email: customer.service@shropshire.gov.uk Phone: 0345 678 9000 An additional service is to be added to the existing Oswestry town bus service from Monday 9 December [2024] the new service – operated by Tanat Valley – will provide eastern areas of the town with more choice of travel early in the morning and in the early evening The  new service has been made possible by the award of £1.8m from the Department for Transport (DfT) to Shropshire Council following the submission of its updated Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) in July 2024 It’s one of many planned improvements to bus services across the county – all of which are included in the BSIP Follow this link to see the 406 Oswestry town service timetable A town map issued by Tanat Valley Coaches can be seen below Cabinet member with responsibility for public transport “I’m sure this change will be welcomed by current and potential bus users in Oswestry made it clear that Oswestry town service was in need of investment and improvement and I’m delighted that the money we have received from the DfT has helped to make this change possible “We will continue our efforts to secure further funding in the future to enable further improvements across Shropshire.” The award of £1.8m of Government funding has also made it possible for Shropshire Council to halve the park and ride fare in Ludlow and Shrewsbury and improve the Shrewsbury to Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury to Market Drayton services Improvements to  the Unicorn Road recreation ground in Oswestry – and to the Greenway that runs through it – are set to begin on Monday (18 November 2024) The work will be fully funded by £500,000 awarded to Shropshire Council from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) The Greenway connects the Cabin Lane and Unicorn Road residential areas to The Meadows Primary School and local recreational facilities Initial plans were announced earlier this year but have since been developed following conversations with the school and its pupils to find out what improvements they would like to see UKSPF has now agreed to fully fund the work which was initially subject to match-funding from the council The work aims to make the recreation ground more welcoming and will include improved entrances There will also be a new crossing to Unicorn Road and an ‘implied’ zebra crossing* to Cabin Lane Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for active travel “This project will allow Shropshire Council to better meet the needs of the local community by improving a key existing pedestrian and cycling link between residences and The Meadows Primary School – and providing an improved and much more welcoming recreation ground for local residents to use and enjoy “I want to thank the school and their pupils for letting us know how they think the recreation ground could be improved We’re grateful for their comments and many of these ideas and suggestions have been incorporated into the final plans “We hope that these improvements will enable and encourage more children and their parents/carers to walk and cycle to and from school; reducing the number of car trips to and from school and improving road safety and the local environment.” The Oswestry Greenway route has been identified in the draft Shropshire Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) as a top priority route for both Oswestry Work is set to be completed by the end of March 2025 Shropshire Council will lead on the delivery of the project *An implied crossing is a Zebra crossing without flashing beacons Oswestry Waste Paper has announced that it has changed its name to Papersort UK The company said that its depot in Oswestry has now started handling waste paper from local authorities and distribution centres across the UK but its input is predominantly paper which is sorted and graded before shipment to paper mills throughout the UK said: “The name change is more in keeping with the work we now do nationally in the UK and will help in growing our contract purchasing nationwide and supply opportunities world-wide through RUK group sales “We have moved away from being a local processing company we have grown the tonnages being handled to more than 1500 tonnes per week through the Oswestry site.”  The company took over its current site from the Davies family in 2012 with its tonnage being collected mostly from Shropshire It has grown substantially through the winning and servicing of several national supply contracts and the additionally tonnage has been channelled through the Oswestry site and other third-party processing plants throughout the UK The company own Recycling UK which has its headquarters in Tarporley Near Chester Alongside its national recycling activities Recycling UK trades 400,000 tonnes of recovered paper The group manages the recycling at several large industrial sites such as printers and packaging companies It also buys substantial quantities of recovered paper in Ireland for shipment worldwide Full contact information: HERE Get the latest waste and recycling news straight to your inbox We are using cookies to give you the best browsing experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again This website uses cookies to collect anonymous information such as the number of visitors to the site Keeping these cookies enabled helps us to fund and improve our website which is free to visit and use All such information remains confidential and we use only to determine which pages are popular with readers Please enable Strictly Necessary Cookies first so that we can save your preferences More information about our Cookie Policy Police in Oswestry are investigating after graffiti "of an extremist nature" appeared around the town West Mercia Police said that "several locations" around Oswestry have been daubed by offensive graffiti officers in the town moved to reassure residents that they were taking the matter seriously A spokesperson for the force said: "Oswestry Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) has been made aware of graffiti of an extremist nature appearing in several locations around Oswestry "We are treating this matter seriously due to the implications of what it represents and are conducting enquiries." Anyone with information about the graffiti is asked to Oswestry SNT at oswestryc.snt@westmercia.police.uk A drop-in event is being held in Oswestry on Wednesday 15 January [2025] as part of an eight-week public consultation into a draft Shop Front Design Guide for the town The draft Design Guide is aimed at current and future shop owners but will also support decision-making through the planning system It provides additional guidance in relation to existing planning polices and is intended to inspire and raise the bar of good design The consultation event is at the Memorial Hall Smithfield Street from 3pm to 6pm on 15 January It’s being held by the Future Oswestry Group – a partnership between Shropshire Council Oswestry Town Council and the Oswestry BID – and is a chance to discuss the document with officers from the three organisations produced in collaboration with the Oswestry and District Civic Society is a legacy of the successful Oswestry High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) scheme with Historic England It’s intended as a practical guide and includes examples case studies and links to useful resources Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning and regulatory services “We are really looking forwards to hearing people’s views on our Draft Shop Front Design Guide The Oswestry HSHAZ project has made a huge difference to Oswestry town centre helping to ensure it remains vibrant despite the difficulties we have experienced with Covid and the cost of living crisis “The Design Guide will provide planning guidance that will help us to continue this legacy poorly design shop fronts are creating problems in our market town across the county We see this document as a template that we could use to work with town councils and the business community and adapt for other town centres.” The HSHAZ programme finished in March this year and has delivered a £2.1m package of improvements within Oswestry town centre which included 16 enhanced and reinstated shop fronts Oswestry Town Council have now established their own Bringing Empty Properties to Life’ grants programme You can find details of the consultation on the Shropshire Council website Shropshire Council is consulting on the draft guide until 24 January 2025 and will then finalise the guidance in response to comments raised before looking to formally adopt the Design Guide in February