Reducing crime and anti social  behaviour in Whitchurch will be top of the agenda for the town's new Local Policing Officer, PC Chris Peel.

PC Peel, who has just taken up his new role, is looking forward to meeting local people and linking  up with others who have the town's interests at heart.

He said: "I am determined to continue the good work done by the previous  Local Policing Officers, Sergeant  Mike Keen and PC Tony Jones, who has been covering both Whitchurch Rural  and the town for the past few months.

"Whitchurch is a low crime area but I hope to further the reduction  of crime and anti social behaviour with a partnership approach using the local council, schools, clubs etc as partners with the same goal."

PC Peel, who is aged 40 and married with one child, has lived in North Shropshire all his life.  He joined West Mercia Police in 2002 having spent several years as a Prison officer.  Initially, he worked on Response in Shrewsbury before moving to Market Drayton in 2003 and then to Whitchurch early last year.  He left Response policing last month to start his Local Policing role.

He said: "I want to get out on foot as often as possible to enable people to recognise me and the Community Support Officers.  I have already spent a large amount of my shift time walking the beat in the town, meeting shopkeepers and business people and have also attended the June PACT meeting to be introduced to local councillors.

"Through building up local contacts and getting to know people, I hope to encourage communication between myself and the community so issues can be raised and efforts made to find solutions."

Reducing crime and anti social  behaviour in Whitchurch will be top of the agenda for the town's new Local Policing Officer, PC Chris Peel.

PC Peel, who has just taken up his new role, is looking forward to meeting local people and linking  up with others who have the town's interests at heart.

He said: "I am determined to continue the good work done by the previous  Local Policing Officers, Sergeant  Mike Keen and PC Tony Jones, who has been covering both Whitchurch Rural  and the town for the past few months.

"Whitchurch is a low crime area but I hope to further the reduction  of crime and anti social behaviour with a partnership approach using the local council, schools, clubs etc as partners with the same goal."

PC Peel, who is aged 40 and married with one child, has lived in North Shropshire all his life.  He joined West Mercia Police in 2002 having spent several years as a Prison officer.  Initially, he worked on Response in Shrewsbury before moving to Market Drayton in 2003 and then to Whitchurch early last year.  He left Response policing last month to start his Local Policing role.

He said: "I want to get out on foot as often as possible to enable people to recognise me and the Community Support Officers.  I have already spent a large amount of my shift time walking the beat in the town, meeting shopkeepers and business people and have also attended the June PACT meeting to be introduced to local councillors.

"Through building up local contacts and getting to know people, I hope to encourage communication between myself and the community so issues can be raised and efforts made to find solutions."

A new Pubwatch scheme has been launched in the Shrewsbury area today to safeguard the interests of landlords and customers alike.

Fourteen pubs and hotels have signed up to the Shrewsbury Rural South Pubwatch scheme to compliment similar schemes operating in the town centre and neighbouring areas.

It has been organised by the Local Policing Officer for the area, PC Dave Harte working with licensees.

He said:  "Everyone has been totally behind the scheme and we go live from today.  Members will also share information with the Rea Valley scheme and Shrewsbury Pubwatch scheme.

"All the licensed premises in the Rural South area have joined and eventually I hope to link it to schemes further afield such as Bishop's Castle and Church Stretton."

Member premises are the Bridge Inn and the Horseshoes Inn at Dorrington, the White Horse at Pulverbatch, the Red Lion at Longden Common, the Tankerville Arms at Longden, the Royal Oak at Cardington, the Bottle & Glass at Picklescott, the Pound Inn at  Leebotwood, The Fox at Ryton, the Plume of Feathers at Harley, the Eagles at Cressage,  the Riverside Inn at Cound, the Horseshoe Inn at Uckington and the Wroxeter Hotel at Wroxeter.

PC Harte added: "The new Pubwatch scheme will allow all the members to share information.  Any person who abuses staff or customers, either through physical or verbal abuse, will face being barred, not only from all member premises, but also  from pubs throughout the Shrewsbury and Rea Valley area."

A study of the likely impact on local traffic of the proposed co-location of the two Shrewsbury colleges will cause delays in the planning process according to the local authority.

The planning application has generated a great deal of public interest and involvement. Because of the complex effects on the local and strategic road network of the traffic arising from the co-location it has not been possible to take this planning application to a planning committee as speedily as the Council would wish.

In order to provide a detailed assessment of the traffic impact on the strategic road network, particularly Emstrey Roundabout the Applicants, in close consultation with the Highways Agency, will be undertaking more detailed modelling of the potential traffic flows.

This will take some time to produce and assess. It is unlikely that the completed modelling and conclusion will be completed before early autumn.

The Council is issuing this press release in order to inform local residents and interested groups of the regrettable but necessary delay in taking this planning application to a committee.

When the additional traffic information is received it will be placed on the Council's website for public viewing. The information's receipt will be highlighted on the homepage.

The recently introduced direct rail route to London has been the unique source of inspiration for the writer of a Shropshire musical play, which opens today in the garden of Fordhall Farm, Market Drayton, Shropshire.
 
Chris Eldon Lee has written a number of songs for a new production of "Arthur's Plough" whilst travelling to and from the BBC in London on the new Wrexham and Shropshire train service.  
 
"Arthur's Plough 2008" is a much revised version of the 1991 hit show about Arthur Hollins' organic Fordhall Farm near Market Drayton - famously saved for the nation from industrial development by Ben and Charlotte Hollins in 2006.
 
The new show tells the story of the fight for the survival of Fordhall Farm in Arthur's day, and the much-televised campaign by his son and daughter to sell 8000 shares to the public to secure the farm's 21st century future.  
 
The new production has several original songs and Chris says he found the best place to write them was a window seat on the Wrexham and Shropshire train.
 
"I was surprised to discover what a perfect environment an uninterrupted train journey is for writing lyrics. It also proved inspirational. For example, the rhythm of a song entitled "Nine Months" (which was how long they had to save the farm) is derived from a particularly percussive arrangement of bridges and points just south of Birmingham."
 
"One day - staring out of the window - I noticed the reflection of a woman who looked quite like Arthur's wife Connie superimposed on the rolling landscape. That inspired the lyrics for a ballad for folk artist Genevieve Tudor, who plays Connie in the show, to sing."
 
"And the words for the choir's final anthem "A Whole New Future" are based on the speed of the final approach to Marylebone. All these lyrics have now been set to music for the play by Shropshire composer Mary Keith."      
 
Richard Harper, Commercial Manager at Wrexham & Shropshire, says:  "Our on-board team works very hard to ensure that all passengers can sit back, relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the route. We're delighted that Chris has found his journeys with us so inspiring and we wish him all the best for his opening night."
 
Meanwhile Chris is already using train time to work on songs for his next show. "It's funny how if you sit in the corner of a train humming to yourself, people tend to leave you in peace," he says. 
Booking tickets for the play
'Arthur's Plough 2008' is being performed in the garden of Fordhall Farm, Market Drayton, Shropshire for two weeks from Wednesday 25th June; before transferring to Home Farm at Attingham on July 9th for four nights, as part of the prestigious Shrewsbury Summer Season. Tickets can be booked on 01743 281 281.
 
Wrexham & Shropshire operates direct inter-city trains from Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Telford and Tame Bridge Parkway to London Marylebone. There are five trains a day each weekday, with four on Saturdays and three on Sundays. For information on train times, fares, on-board services and travel connections visit Wrexham & Shropshire's website - www.wrexhamandshropshire.co.uk

Six motorists had their cars seized in a police operation carried out in Shrewsbury.

More than 30 others received penalties for various motoring offences and three people were arrested and given roadside cautions for minor drugs offences.

The enforcement action was carried out by 10 officers from the West Mercia's Shrewsbury-based Road Policing Support Team (North) on Ditherington Road yesterday afternoon.

Suspect vehicles were identified using Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), a sophisticated computerised system which spots offending vehicles and vehicles suspected of being involved in crime.

Five of the vehicles seized were  for being uninsured.  The owners now have 14 days to produce insurance documents, pay a £105 recovery fee.  They also receive a £200 fine and six penalty points on their licence.

A further six motorists without insurance were allowed to retain their vehicles but also receive a £200 fine and six penalty points.

One driver also had his car impounded for not having a driving licence.  He too has 14 days to produce a licence, faces a £105 recovery bill, a £60 fine and three points on his licence.

Other drivers received fixed penalty fines for  not having a licence,  being untaxed, failure to have an MoT certificate and for mobile phones offences.  And further police inquiries are being carried out with regard to 18 other vehicles.

Sergeant Pete Jones, who led the operation, said it was a busy afternoon with 5,657 vehicle readings taken on the ANPR system resulting in 239 "hits" on suspect vehicles.

He said: "Drivers who fail to have the necessary legal documents will eventually be caught out.  Driving without insurance is a particularly serious offence which is reflected in the penalty.

"There is no period of grace for any of the documents.  This idea is a complete myth.  We would advise people to make sure they have all the necessary documents for legal and safe driving.  It's not worth taking the risk."

Oswestry police today appealed for witnesses  who may have seen a mountain bike being stolen from a town centre street last night.

The black double suspension Carrera Banshee bike, worth £1,500, had been left unsecured near a dentist's premises in Church Street.  It was taken between 9.30pm and 11.30pm.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call the town's police on 08457 444888.

Oswestry police today appealed for witnesses  who may have seen a mountain bike being stolen from a town centre street last night.

The black double suspension Carrera Banshee bike, worth £1,500, had been left unsecured near a dentist's premises in Church Street.  It was taken between 9.30pm and 11.30pm.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call the town's police on 08457 444888.

A 13-year-old boy  was punched in the face by another boy as he was walking along Telford Way, Shrewsbury.

He was approached by three boys on mountain bikes, two aged about 15 and the other about 13.  The younger boy struck him in the face causing bruising to his check before all three rode off.

Police say the assault, which happened at around 7.50am on Monday, was unprovoked and have appealed for witnesses.  The number to call is 08457 444888.

Police are investigating the theft of a teenager's bike from his home in Shrewsbury.

The blue Scott Voltage mountain bike, valued at £250, was stolen  from the top of the drive at a home in Onslow Drive, Mount Pleasant between 5.30pm and 6pm yesterday.

It belongs to a 15-year-old boy who had saved his paper round money to buy the cycle.  Anyone with information about the theft, is asked to contact Shrewsbury police on 08457 444888.  Information can also be given to the anonymous Crimestoppers number, 0800 555111.