The Editorial Team

Alan Edwards - David Burton - Ken Farrell - Lesley Pugh - Christine Stead

Our reporters cannot be everywhere.

If you have a story contact any team member or ring 01978 710422

PREPARATIONS FOR JUBILEE GET UNDER WAY

Over 15 people representing 10 organisations attended the inaugural meeting of Overton's Jubilee Celebration Group on January 23. There was much support and great enthusiasm for a group to be set up to spearhead the celebrations over the weekend 1st - 4th June 2002.

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Includes Photograph

Youth Club gets new leader

Overton Youth Club has welcomed its new leader, Gaynor Spencer, an experienced youth worker appointed by Wrexham County Borough Council. Brought up in Worthenbury, where her parents still live, Gaynor attended both the Maelor School, Penley and Bishop Heber School in Malpas and then Radbrook College in Shrewsbury. She is therefore no stranger to Overton. She is married to Paul, and they have a son Richard (13) who attends Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham.

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The search for a place in the sun

Do you fancy giving up work and living in Spain? Well, Keith and Jan Palfrey have done just that.

Jan and Keith, who lived at 3 St Mary's Court, School Lane, had been thinking of buying a holiday home in Spain for a number of years and two years ago started looking with some conviction. Where they looked, what they found and the experiences they had along the way is a fascinating story in itself.

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NEW - NEW - NEW - NEW

NEW COLUMN - This month's Oracle features a new Column. STARGAZER is offering us the benefit of his thoughts and wisdom on topical issues which make him reach for the quill.

STARGAZER

Yew trees have, for centuries, been associated with church-yards and Overton's, as we all know, are no exception, with the added distinction that they form one of the Seven Wonders of Wales.

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School Football team delighted with their new strip

Overton St Mary's School Football team are over the moon with their new strip. This was purchased with the help of a grant from the Community Council.

POSTBAG

Dear sir,
The letters about the racetrack at Trench Farm are I feel a little dramatic, implying residents of Overton are being denied access to their gardens because of noise pollution. This sport provides youngsters with an opportunity to acquire driving skills that sadly many adults do not possess prior to being let loose on the roads. The people who take part in this sport are on the whole ordinary responsible citizens from all walks of life.

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COMMUNITY COUNCIL KEEPS BUDGET DOWN

At the meeting of the Overton Community Council on January 8, the budget for 2002/2003 was agreed at £22,376, an increase of only £6 over last year. Capital Projects for the next financial year include further work to the Avenue to establish a further phase of the wildflower meadow, restoration and painting of the cemetery gates in Church Lane, and a new safety surface beneath the aerial ropeway at the Wrexham Road Playing Fields.

At the meeting agreement was also reached on the design of the new pedestrian access to be erected at the Argoed end of the Avenue, and an order has since been placed for its manufacture.

Despite the poor road surface in Turning Street, the Council heard that the Highway Authority has no plans to resurface it, but would carry out patching in the near future.

Planning applications

Planning permission has been granted by Wrexham Council for the conversion of a redundant farm building to a dwelling at The Grange, Salop Road, Overton.

An appeal against the refusal of planning permission to erect a dwelling at Dinas Haron, 26 Salop Road, Overton has been dismissed by the National Assembly for Wales.

Photo with a difference

This month, instead of the usual "Photograph with the Famous", we feature a rather unusual photograph and ask you to guess what it is.

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IN BRIEF

• A number of farmers have reported sightings of a Puma in and around Penley. It was seen crossing the A539 above Penley Mill in early January and the following morning a perfect set of paw prints was found by a field gate. According to one farmer, its current favourite food is pheasant.
• "Delays in transferring the tenancy of the White Horse has put back works on its restoration and re-opening" says Neil Forkin of the Pyramid Pub Management Company. "The legal documentation should all be completed soon, after which I would expect to see some good progress", he added.
• Roger and Alison Handley of Peel Close, High Street, Overton, would like to thank all those in Overton who helped and offered support following Roger's unfortunate accident at the beginning of December. He is making steady progress and is now able to walk into the village with the aid of crutches, albeit rather slowly at the moment.
• An application submitted to the North Wales Health Authority by Boots the Chemist to obtain a contract allowing them to dispense NHS prescriptions from their pharmacy situated at the Plas Coch Retail Park, Wrexham, has been refused following much public protest of the effect it would have on the future of local pharmacies. Boots the Chemist has been offered the right of appeal against the decision.
• The editorial team welcomes Brian Pugh as its new distributor of the Oracle for the Bangor Road area. Brian has taken over from Glynis Farley, whom we wish to thank for her support since the Oracle was first published three years ago. Thanks also to those who recently contacted the Oracle and offered their help.
• Following a wide consultation exercise, Mrs Hart, Minister for Finance at the National Assembly for Wales, introduced an Order to the Assembly to defer the date of the next local government elections by one year. This means that the next elections to county, county borough, town and community councils will be in May 2004. Members of the Overton Community Council will therefore remain in office until 2004, unless of course they make a personal decision to retire, in which case the Council would co-opt new councillors.
• Overton Twinning Association will be hosting families from the twinned village of La Murette, France during the exchange week of the 20th - 27th July 2002. This is an ideal opportunity to extend the hand of friendship to the twinning partners. Anyone who is able to offer accommodation within Overton during that week is asked to send an e-mail to info@overton-on-dee.co.uk

TALKING RUBBISH

Overton Community Council has for some time endeavoured, in vain, to appoint a Village Warden to keep the streets litter-free. Now, following recent discussions with Wrexham Maelor County Borough Council, a simple phone-call from anyone is all that is needed to achieve the same result. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part IV brought in powers to get Britain clean, particularly our streets and public open spaces. The Act also made littering a more serious offence, subject to a maximum fine of £2500. Under the Code of Practice of this Act, recently adopted by the County Borough Council, cleanliness grades are laid down for each area and also a response time for the Local Authority to clear any offending litter once it has been reported.

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News from St Mary's School

St Mary's C.A School wish to express their sincere thanks to those who supported the Christmas Fayre on the 7th December. £1506 was raised which will contribute to the completion of the playground area and help with Information Technology resources. They also wish to thank all those who attended the Christmas P.T.A Bingo evening held in the village hall which raised just over £100.

If your child is 3 years of age before 31st August 2002, they are entitled to a Nursery place. ADMISSION FORMS are available from the school and must be returned no later than FEBRUARY 20th 2002.

New light is shed on street light maintenance

Overton Community Council is looking to enter into a new contract for the maintenance of its street lighting.

At its last meeting, it received a presentation by Paul Sagar of Wrexham Construction Services Department - the Direct Works Division of Wrexham County Borough Council Highways and Transportation Department which recently won the contract to maintain all County Council street lighting in Wrexham. Currently the street lights in Overton are maintained by Alstom at a cost to the Community Council of just over £2000 per year.

Paul Sagar explained that following the award of the contract in the Town Centre, Councillor Crowcroft of Minera Community Council had approached him and negotiated a contract specifically aimed at Community Councils. He indicated that his department could now offer a contract that would result in significant savings in the annual maintenance costs of Overton's street lights. The Council agreed to write formally to Wrexham Construction Services for a copy of a draft contract for consideration at its next meeting in March.

HOW WOULD YOU IMPROVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT?

"What changes would you like to see in the local environment?" is a question asked by the Community Council.

Through the Oracle, the Community Council is asking what changes and improvements you would like to see in the community, what form these could take and where could they be undertaken and by whom.

Conscious of the need to always look ahead and plan for change, the Community Council is looking for positive suggestions which it can consider at a future meeting. These suggestions could then be built into a programme of action set out over several months or years depending on the size and scale of the project. Some ideas may be suitable for grant aid to voluntary organisations in the community, whereas others may attract grants from other sources. Some may not even be within the powers of the Council to carry out.

Suggestions that have already been put forward include inviting businesses or other organisations to adopt the sandstone planters in the High Street and maintain these throughout the year, to throwing wildflower seed or plant bulbs in highway verges, and giving a facelift to the bleak area of tarmac at the gable end of the Old Courthouse in Church Lane. Whatever thoughts you may have, please write your ideas down and send an e-mail to info@overton-on-dee.co.uk before 12th March 2002.

Wrexham Council approves new house

On Friday 25th January, Wrexham's Planning Sites Sub-Committee visited the site of a proposed dwelling at the rear of Penyllan Cottage, Penyllan Street, Overton. The Community Council had opposed the application on the grounds that the size and scale of the building would result in over-development of the site and have an adverse impact on the local environment.

Having heard the arguments both for and against the proposal, a unanimous vote was taken in favour of the application being approved. The decision is to be ratified by Wrexham's full Council later this month.

BOWLING CLUB'S SUCCESFUL SEASON

At the annual presentation evening of the Oswestry and District Bowling League held on Friday December 14, the following awards were made to Overton Bowling Club players.

Derek Edwards won the Division One Merit, and Gerry Owen was runner-up. The Tote Cup went to Dave Edwards and the Division 4,5,6 competition was won by Roy Lambert. Gerry Owen received the Veterans Award, and together with Derek Edwards won the Jackson Pairs.

Reg. Jones accepted the Division One runners-up award on behalf of the A team.

Pictured left to right: Chairman Reg Jones, Dave Edwards, Gerry Owen, Roy Lambert and Derek Edwards

Announcements

It is with deep regret we announce that Maldwyn Evans of Maelor Court and Jane Wynne of Salop Road, Overton, have passed away. Our sincere condolences are extended to their families and relatives.