Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Tuesday 14 December 2004 at 6.30pm.
Present:
W Bates, J Beck, J Blackburn, J Blakey, K Calvert, P Dawe, N Dixon, J Gray, Judith Kane, R
Millerchip, J Patterson, A Richardson, Margaret Robinson, Maureen Robinson, M Syer, ST
Thackeray, C Whitfield, D Whittaker
In attendance: L Boyd, M Ridley, J Tindale
Apologies for absence:
C Brown, A Blakey, B Cockburn, D Morgan, S Robinson, W Temporal,
C Thompson, J Thompson, R Welsh
Minutes of the last meeting, 4 November, 2004:
Under ‘Correspondence’ it was necessary to add that Maggie Robinson had sent a letter signed
on behalf of herself and certain members of the Parish Council. The amended minutes were
agreed.
Matters arising:
A member asked if there was a deadline for the submission of the Action Plans and was told
that there was not. Lyn brought a completed plan as an example and further blank forms for
groups to complete. Lyn will meet with Fiona Brettwood, the master planner, to write a report on
the workshops. This would be presented to the Partnership at the next meeting.
Action Lyn and Fiona.
Correspondence:
Brian Spears (Chief Executive of DCC) replied to a resident’s concerns on the misuse of an
empty bungalow. He outlined the following action plan.
In David Terrace the final 4 residents should be relocated by early December and demolition
should begin in late November/early December. Everything will be done to ensure empty
properties are properly secured.
Rehousing staff will target Phillip Avenue/Robert Terrace to enable further phases for demolition
with a view to clearing the site by April 2005.
Rehousing and Building staff will assist in co-ordinating the response to the issue raised, along
with a request for additional resources from the Crime Reduction Partnership, in the short term,
to help with the problems.
Maggie reminded Janet about her Thank You card to the Partnership for the arrangement of
flowers.
Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 4Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Reports:
Treasurer: The expenditure to date was listed as £153.68, which leaves a balance of £4731.32.
Before the next meeting, bills for the children’s party and office equipment will be paid.
Regeneration Working Group: Mike reported that he had asked the Working Group to amend
their previous minutes to include the £1m from the income generated from the Lawson Road
development allocated to schemes in Bowburn in the Durham Villages Regeneration (DVR)
Business Plan. This led to a discussion in the Working Group on points raised in the last
meeting of the Partnership concerning Bowburn not seeing the proceeds, and it had been
emphasised that Bowburn has ‘got to trust people’.
Mike is uneasy about the fact that money from the sale of land in Bowburn could go towards
building a new swimming pool in Durham, which is being prioritised by the City Council. It had
been stressed that the Regeneration of Bowburn was a long-term project during which time,
both land prices and house prices depend on market value and the Council claims the right to
spend the money.
A member questioned how the final amounts were calculated but the only firm commitment is
the money from the land values. The profits from the sale of houses are divided between the
builder and the Regeneration fund.
Mike feels it is essential for Bowburn to be advised of the sum, otherwise it is difficult to plan for
future investment in the village.
The Partnership were counselled to represent the wishes of the whole community, and
whatever schemes were put forward would be rubber-stamped by the DVR and likewise by the
City Council.
John Tindale gave as an example the Lower Deerness Valley Regeneration (Ushaw Moor,
Bearpark and New Brancepeth) where the sale of houses increased and generated extra
money for local schemes. He emphasised that not one project had been refused in that area.
Mr. Tindale does not hold the formula for calculating the money but it is in the business plan,
however it is important for the Bowburn & Parkhill Partnership to focus on the priorities of the
community and put them forward for approval. The swimming pool is part of a bigger picture of
revenue being funded through the sale of land throughout the district.
Maureen Robinson expressed great disappointment in the way the money was being allocated.
It had started off for the people by the people but now the spending issues are being made by
the Council and carried out by the Master Planner. She felt that all power had been taken from
the people of Bowburn and there was no reason for coming down to the meetings.
Lyn felt that in her opinion Brian Spears was suggesting there would be a lot of money coming
into Bowburn even though the exact figure was not known. However the Partnership should be
bigger than the Regeneration Process as other partnerships exist without the incentive of huge
sums of money. Bowburn & Parkhill Partnership is rightly looking for the maximum benefits from
the money but it is the Council who makes the decisions by law. The Partnership must be
organised and have clear priorities ready for the local schemes under consideration; otherwise
the money will go elsewhere.
Mike followed up on the land assembly money of £0.5m from the SHIP development (Single
Housing Investment Pot), part of which is allocated to employment. The Esh Group has
provided job training in Ushaw Moor Comprehensive School and may do the same for Bowburn.
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John Tindale updated retail issues. The City Council may offer a small business grant to a shop,
which is suffering loss of takings because of the demolition in Bowburn. Ogden’s are discussing
bringing a supermarket to Bowburn.
The Esh Group is proposing to extend facilities into the Cape Site. The former factory site is still
contaminated but the land in front of the site could be developed for leisure facilities or retail
use, to the benefit of Bowburn.
Mike gave the information that 10 bungalows would be demolished in David Terrace before
Christmas. A security fence is constructed around the block but there isn’t a cabin. Mike will
check on the name of the demolition company.
Master Planner: Fiona sent the following report, which was read at the meeting.
The Themed Workshops concluded on Monday 6 December. They have been very useful and
well attended – many thanks to those who attended – ‘experts’ and residents alike, who showed
real enthusiasm for the future of the village and community.
Ideas discussed were varied – some simple practical improvements, others major long term
infrastructure projects. Feasible projects will be added into the Masterplan and others will be
recorded in the Masterplan Report for future reference.
The revised Masterplan and Report are being prepared and will be discussed at future
Partnership meetings in the New Year.
12 Villages/SRB6 Representative: New courses starting in the New Year are; ‘Building Self
Confidence Through Music’, ‘Involving Women’, ‘Website Design’ - New Brancepeth. ‘A Digital
Archive Course’ – Quarrington Hill.
A ‘Sensory Project’ and ‘Ethnic & Cultural Awareness’ courses are to be arranged.
Contact Kelly on 0191 3018753 to book a course or for information.
After a successful Christmas craft course, the idea may be repeated.
Each village has a copy of the Network Policy on Child Protection and the Partnership may want
to consider their own Policy.
Keith James will try to organise in the Community Centre workshops from the excellent
Community Enterprise Seminar for Network members and 12 Villages will invite community and
village hall activists.
Community Transport is being organised by Cassop, Coxhoe and Kelloe with each village
contributing £200. Lyn suggested that Bowburn & Parkhill Parish Council and Partnership may
want to consider joining this scheme.
‘Wheels to Work’ provides scooters to the unemployed in the west of the city. The Head of the
Primary School, 2 SRB representatives and Dennis Morgan are backing the opening the ‘school
swimming pool’ in Kelloe. After a visit to the successful Community Pool in Jesmond they
realised that there would be a demand for swimming lessons. Lifeguard Training could be
available to support the pool. The idea is being held back by the lack of money for a feasibility
study. Kelloe would like other communities to join them in this enterprise.
Three Rivers Housing Group: Linda sent examples of two bedroom flats from other areas to
show the height and design of such units.
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Group Reports:
Banner: There are two banners; there is slow progress in acquiring the last (1959) Bowburn
Miner’s Lodge Banner but pressure is being applied;
the new banner will start in August of 2005.
Both banners are subject to the Community Centre agreeing to locate them in the foyer, one
with its back to the main hall and the other with its back to the main door. Timber from the Christ
the King church will be used be Jackie Johnson to construct the frames subject to its suitability
from the conservation point of view.
Dennis Morgan is aiming to have a new composition of band music written called ‘March
Bowburn’ for Gala Day 2006.
The Banner Group will hold its Inaugural Meeting on 17 January 2005 in Bowburn Community
Centre.
Until the old banner is returned, the cost of conservation cannot be calculated and if it cannot be
funded for 2006 the group will concentrate on separate funding for the new banner, which may
mean having two separate bids.
There are going to be local fund raising events.
Partnership Party: The children’s party is on 22 December from 3.30pm until 5.30pm. A second
distribution of leaflets has been put into the school to encourage more parents to bring their
children along.
A Party for Junior School age children will be held sometime at the beginning of next year.
Any Other Business:
After describing the events in an empty bungalow at the last meeting the member has had
‘Informer’ shouted after them in the street. It could have been an indiscriminate remark to a
Partnership member, but even so people’s names should be kept in the meeting to prevent the
targeting of members, and the matter should be reported to the police.
SRB6 will be running a Paralegal course at Introductory and Advance level in the Spring. It is an
exceptionally useful course for those involved in community groups and it results in a
qualification. Interested members were able to borrow a DVD to see what the course involves.
Anyone interested contact Kelly Davidson, 0191 3018753
The Durham City Calendar, ‘Images of Durham’ was available to members.
Date of next meetings:
Future meetings will be held on the third Tuesday of each month; 18 January, 15 February, 15
March, 19 April.
The Annual General Meeting is planned for 17 May.
The Partnership welcomes your attendance at every meeting, which are open to all. Please
bring a companion. A lot is going on that everyone needs to know about.
Copies of the minutes available from:
Community Centre, Lawson Rd, Library, Marlene Ave, PO, and Surgery.
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