A public meeting will be held on the future of an Afghanistan resettlement programme near Oswestry.

Nesscliffe Army Training Camp currently houses more than 200 Afghanistan refugees who helped the British Army when troops served in the country.

Local Councillor Edward Potter has organised a public meeting at the village hall next Tuesday (August 27) so people can have their questions answered about how facilities in local villages will be improved to cope with the increase in the population.

“There has been no information given by the Ministry of Defence since people started being settled at the end of last year,” said Cllr Potter.

“This has led to a vacuum of information and when that happens rumour and speculation grows.”

Representatives from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will answer questions submitted by members of the public.

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He added it will be an opportunity for people living in Pentre, Nesscliffe and Wilcott to bring forward any concerns they may have about the practicalities of having a larger population in the area.

“Most people have been welcoming, understanding that these are people who have helped the British Army,” said Cllr Potter.

“However, there are only a few hundred people living in the three surrounding villages so a new population this large coming into the area has caused some practical difficulties.

“For example, the local litter bins aren’t emptied enough, the local bus is fuller. Are the pavements safe from a road safety point of view?

“The playground facilities are only really designed for about 30 to 40 children and there is about double that now.”

Cllr Potter has stressed that the meeting is not about unrelated matters such as immigration and that poor behaviour or abusive language at the meeting will not be tolerated.

He added that no information has been given by the MOD as to whether the numbers at the camp will expand but is hoping the village will be updated on any such issue.

The meeting will be held at Nesscliffe Village Hall at 7pm.

Anyone wishing to submit a question has been asked to email Cllr Potter on his email: edward.potter@shropshire.gov.uk.