Parish council ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING: The retiring chairman Roger Price was re-elected and the joint vice-chairmen Mike Pegg and Russell Brookes were also re-elected. Planning application WO1/00696/PN Mr D Griffin resubmission of previous application for the retention of an agricultural workers dwelling as built with enlarged domestic curtilege at Besford Bridge Farm was received. The comments were as previously submitted with no objections being recorded.

Planning decisions received: WO1/00106/PP Mr and Mrs D Adams which was approved subject to matching materials and WOO/01125 Prowting Homes Midlands which was approved subject to extensive conditions concerning all aspects of the development.

The council had queried the open space at Besford Court formerly the playing field where some turf stripping had taken place. All work had finally been completed on the new sewerage and some reinstatement had been completed, notably footpath No 9 had been restored and resurfaced with stones. The village wall car park had been resurfaced with road scalpings. The confusion over the Defford Village Green had been clarified with Highways at Worcester who confirmed that their records had now been amended to record the green as a registered unit ref. VG8. Mr Geoff Cox had given a talk about the work of the highway department to the annual parish meeting which had preceded the AGM and the concern of Besford Court residents regarding the speed of traffic along Ladywood road and been registered. Special mention was made regarding the speed of buses! The chairman thanked all the officers for their contribution over the past 12 months particularly acknowledged Andrew Walls work on the Millennium Green Project and the back up provided by Adrian Hardman County Councillor and Peter Wright District Councillor. Finally, the evergreen problem of dog fouling was again raised and the situation regarding a bin on the A4101 would be pursued together with another for Upper Street.