Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Meeting Minutes
Tuesday 24 August 2004 at 6.30pm
Before the meeting Officers from the Partnership and the Community Centre and the SRB6
Reps met to discuss the training event to be held on 17-09-04. ACTION LYN
Present at the meeting:
W Bates, M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, K Calvert, M Carey, P Dawe, P Dawson,
J Gray, M Jubb, S Millerchip, D Morgan, A Richardson, Maggie Robinson, Maureen Robinson, S
Robinson, A Shutt, M Syer, S Thackeray, S Thompson, W Tickell, R Walsh,
C Whitfield
In attendance: F Brettwood, D Cumming, J Doherty, P Gates, L Hinton, K Hogarth,
1. Apologies for absence:
J Beck, A Blakey, L Boyd, N Dixon, G Marsden, R Millerchip, W Temporal,
C Thompson, J Thompson, D Whittaker
2. Minutes of last meeting, 27-07-04:
The Parkhill Disco had been open to all the children of Bowburn.
Otherwise the minutes were accepted as a true record.
3. Matters arising:
Six children went on the ‘walkabout’ around Bowburn. They took photographs and commented
on them. Fiona Brettwood, Linda Hinton, members of the Partnership and the children felt it was
a useful and successful exercise.
Andrea Ainsley answered the query about a garage plot. Residents requesting a garage plot, a
council garage or experiencing difficulties concerning garages can contact the Housing Officer,
Mrs. Kim Corfield on 0191 3 018 481.
4. Reports:
Bowburn PARC initiative:
Carrie Whitfield asked the chair to read out two letters. Brian Splevins wrote that Durham City
Council’s Cabinet has agreed to grant a sub-lease to Bowburn PARC for a site on Bowburn
Welfare Park. It is conditional on completion of the council’s renewal lease, CISWO consenting
to the sub-lease, and the City Council approving the design and location of a new play area.
Claire Fewster of Durham County Council wrote that Bowburn PARC would receive a grant of
£6500 to carry out a feasibility study.
Regeneration Working Group:
£0.5m from the SHIP development will be used over the next two years to clear Philip Robert,
and David Terr. This amount will not be clawed back from profits made when new housing is
sold but used for home improvement grants, conservation work and issues around employment.
The Lawson Rd development starts 16 August and will have 8 units built by the end of the year,
which will release profits by April 2005. A percentage of the profits will be allocated to projects
in Bowburn. The Partnership may also want to consider spending money on a replacement for
SRB6, which has only three years left.
Meeting Minutes Page 1 of 3Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
The Lawson Rd scheme will continue as the houses in David, Robert and Philip are cleared for
building, including 24 units for rent, possibly 12 bungalows and 12 flats, although that has to be
decided on. The master plan for this plot will be formulated and discussed before it is finalised.
In the Phase One area, 25 tenants have not moved, 3 are about to receive offers and 7 want
bungalows. 26 dwellings are empty and demolition could start in September.
Treasurer:
The treasurer sent a report in his absence. The Partnership remains in the black at present and
is able to meet short-term commitments. Application has been made to various grant-giving
bodies for assistance, but this is a slow and uncertain business. The executive is very pleased
to hear from members with suggestions of organisations that can be approached for financial
assistance that they may be aware of.
12 Villages/SRB6 Representative:
An application for Charitable Status was discussed. A Child Protection Policy has been
accepted and Pauline Gates was elected as Child Protection Officer with support from Carl
Marshall (POW).
New College and the SRB6 Community Team have given second hand computers to the ‘Build
your own computer course’. Other courses are still available and will start shortly.
The Harehope Quarry Eco Project will be visited in the future. Bowburn History Society visited
Mansfield to view the Bowburn Colliery Banner with the intent of getting it back. Julie Hawthorn
(Local Heritage Initiative), who gave advice and discussed funding possibilities, accompanied
them.
The display boards representing each village at the October Conference on 2 October are
almost complete and are looking very impressive.
5. Three Rivers Housing Group:
Kay Hogarth, Customer Services Officer, answered a variety of questions.
If tenants complain they are asked to detail their grievances and write a diary of evidence. Other
witnesses will be sought. The information will be assessed; the culprit visited with the police if
necessary, and finally taken to court and possibly evicted.
Three Rivers is not obliged to house the homeless; that is the Council’s responsibility.
Dwellings are built to the standard of new building regulations. There is general mix of tenants
who are nominated by the local council but vetted by Three Rivers.
Linda offered to take those interested on a visit to a bungalow. ACTION L. HINTON
Linda gave the conditions for awarding a grant to the Partnership. ACTION L. HINTON
The partnership has leaflets from Three Rivers on tenants’ ‘Right to buy’ and ‘Right to Acquire’.
They will be available at each meeting. ACTION JANET
Concerned residents in Bowburn were told that the anti-social problems in Philip Avenue could
be because the properties were hard to let and are therefore rented by the anxious. The future
regeneration programme may lessen these problems.
Queries were made concerning the control of council properties if the council relinquish
ownership. A report will be made at the next meeting. ACTION A. RICHARDSON.
Meeting Minutes Page 2 of 3Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
6. Master Planner:
Fiona asked members to give detailed ideas for each of the Themed workshops and suggest
experts, who could be knowledgeable locals, to take the lead. There will be six fortnightly
workshops, beginning the week of 20 September 2004.
The Parkhill walkabout will be arranged with Angela Richardson as soon as possible.
ACTION FIONA & ANGELA
7. Durham City Arts:
Jan Docherty, director, explained that her department works with the community to use its skills
on group initiatives. It covers many specialities which may be useful to the village e.g. festivals
in the community, public art, business support, and digital art.
8. Correspondence:
None.
9. Any other business:
The Build Your Own Computer course starts 14 Sept. for 6 weeks, from 1pm – 4pm.
The Centenary Celebration Group meets on 20 September.
10. Date and time of next meetings:
Tuesday 28 September in Bowburn Community Centre.
Tuesday 26 October in Bowburn Community Centre.
The Partnership welcomes your attendance at the next meeting, which is open to all.
Please bring a companion. A lot is going on that everyone needs to know about.
Copies of the minutes can be viewed at:
Bowburn.net web site (www.bowburn.net), Community Centre, Lawson Rd, Library, Marlene
Ave, Post Office, Surgery.
.
Meeting Minutes Page 3 of 3