Present:
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Tuesday 19 April 2005 at 6.30pm
M Bell, R Bellis, J Blackburn, J Blakey, K Calvert, R Cowen, P Dawe, N Dixon,
J Gray, K Haigh, R Millerchip, S Millerchip, J Patterson, A Richardson,
M Robinson, A Shutt, M Syer, S Thompson, R Walsh, C Whitfield, D Whittaker
In Attendance: F Brettwood, L Kirby, J Tindale
Apologies for absence:
W Bates, C Brown, M Ridley, Maggie Robinson, S Robinson, W Temporal,
C Thompson, J Thompson
Report: 12 Villages/SRB Rep
• Premises: After the restructuring of SRB6 12 Villages Network has moved,
temporarily, to Ushaw Moor & Sherburn.
• Training: C Whitfield has passed her alcohol licensing course.
• Ongoing: web-site design course at Deerness School; Committee Skills
Course at Ludworth Community Centre. Proposed First Aid courses at
Brandon and Bowburn will be open to all 12 villages. Contact Jan Blakey.
• Adult Training Week: Bowburn 26 May, Community Centre, where different
taster sessions will be held e.g. hair & beauty. Community Groups can be
involved in fundraising events.
• Network: The Local Strategic Partnership will be speaking at the next meeting
in Kelloe. The Network may select one Director per village. If Sherburn Road
joins there would be a total of 13 directors, the odd number required for a
limited Company and Charitable Status.
• P.O.W: The funding bid failed because the Network was judged too
inexperienced to handle such a large project even though there was an
established group run by C Marshall and his team. Some part time work is
being done. C Marshall is now a Community Development Worker.
John Tindale added that they are going to appeal. There is a meeting with Leisure
Services about how to go forward, and POW are contracted till the end of May.
Minutes of the last meeting, 15 March, 2005:
The minutes were accepted as a true record by K Calvert and seconded by J Gray.
Matters Arising:
There were no matters arising.
Correspondence:
• Request to Fiona Brettwood for a meeting with the Partnership at her
convenience. (E-mail 15/03/05)
• Fiona Brettwood apologised for missing Partnership meetings. Her monthly
meeting in Liverpool coincides with the Partnership meeting, but she is happy
to arrange an alternative date. (E-mail 22/03/05)
• Carol Brown enquired if Bowburn Residents would be interested in using the
Kelloe pool and whether a member would be interested in joining a Board of
Trustees to resurrect the pool. (Letter 17/03/05)
• Suggestion to Brian Spears that £100 000 be released to cover the essential
bids for the Community Organisations. (Letter 31/03/05)
• Request to Brian Spears for information concerning the Community
Development Officer for Bowburn and the primary contact for administration
support. (Letter 18/04/05)
• Forwarded from a resident a notice of an asbestos check by City of Durham
Council to enable repairs and improvements. (Letter 18/04/05)
1It was suggested that a letter be sent to show that there was overall support for the
re-opening of the Kelloe Pool. Angela Richardson put forward her name to represent
Parkhill on the Board, and Carrie Whitfield agreed to represent Bowburn.
On the question of transport to the Pool; this could be catered for in the Master Plan
Reports:
Master planner: Fiona explained that the Draft Action Plan took issues from the
Themed Workshops and the Community Projects. It has been discussed at the
Regeneration Working Group, and comments requested by the end of the month. It
itemises tasks to be done before funding would be available for some organisations
as Public Money has to be audited and accountable.
Christ the King Church has been taken out of the bids because there is a question of
using Public Money for religious projects, but this must be confirmed.
John Tindale said that the Church project had not been dismissed and Lee Kirby
agreed to check the Guidelines.
It was pointed out that the project for the Church included a Parish Hall, which had
been allowed in the Belmont Bid, and the Bowburn Methodist Church’ bid had gone
through.
Fiona was asked to E-mail copies of the Action Plan to the secretary for distribution
to members, but the Halsall Lloyd Partnership program is not compatible with other
machines so, at the moment, this is not possible.
It was asked for the date for comments to be put back till after May.
Lee Kirby – for Carol Brown.
Carol has checked the she will be able to block book Eden Camp and to book The
Bush Big Band. She is gathering further information for the final draft bid.
John Tindale:
(i) With reference to the correspondence to Brian Spears,
The City Council services have been restructured. SRB is part of a bigger team
which will have funding for the next 2 years and the SRB6 programmes will continue.
Funding and matched funding will be spent in the 12 Villages through Lee Kirby as
Community Co-ordinator.
Carol Brown will be the Community Development Officer for Bowburn, in the short
term, until a new appointee is made. Administrative support would be given by Kelly
Davies through Carol Brown.
There are six Community Development Officers plus nine support staff who are
giving a huge commitment to the Development Team.
Lee Kirby will supply the contact details of the six Community Development Officers.
When questioned about the position of Lyn Boyd, John Tindale explained that Lyn
had not made a final decision on her future. It was then requested that a letter of
thanks be sent to Lyn and this was greeted with heartfelt agreement from the
members.
(ii) With reference to the consideration for £100 000 for paying the small bids:
The normal vehicle for such bids is through the Flourishing Communities Fund, and
finally approved by the Steering Group. However, it had been suggested that the
small projects could dip into a £50 000 Community Chest, which would make a
difference to individual groups. Now, the Regeneration Working Group will form an
independent body, an Executive Group, with the County Durham Foundation, and
David Marrs who is keen to get involved, plus a Representative from the Partnership.
There is to be a meeting next week starting 25 April ’05. One of the Partnership
Officials will make themselves available for this meeting. Lee and John are to take
the Community Chest Forward.
2Treasurer: The balance at the end of March was £2813.09. Expenditure of £241.75
was spent on a get well gift for Maggie Robinson, Admin Costs, Carry-case for
computer, and Computer insurance premium, which leaves a balance of £1941.34.
It was explained that the computer insurance was a one off payment because, after
12 months depreciation, the equipment would not be worth paying for a second year.
The Partnership does not have Public Liability Insurance, because Partnership
events have been covered by the hosts e.g. the Community Centre and P.O.W.
The chair asked if the City Council could arrange enhanced police checks for
volunteers, if anyone was interested in the Partnership. John Tindale will find out.
Regeneration Working Group:
• The SHIP bid of £500 thousand used for clearance costs will be used, as
specified by GONE, for regeneration, conservation and employment issues,
from the profit out of future land sales.
• 50 out of 56 houses are vacant in Phase One of Regeneration. Demolition
contractors have moved onto the site, earlier than the given date of 25 April.
Demolition should take 6 weeks to complete.
• Security has been questioned in Phase Two of Regeneration. The make up
of this area is different from Phase One because it is less secluded and could
be fenced all the way round.
• For some, re-housing has been a problem in Phase One and with the benefit
of hindsight it could have been dealt with more sympathetically with different
criteria.
• Paul suggested that the Partnership could not endorse any changes, but Mike
thought that different criteria could be considered i.e. family composition, age,
residents who were left isolated and vulnerable. Fiona added that such
changes could speed up demolition.
• One member, who has been a Council Tenant for nearly forty years, stated
that he would not have been happy if someone had been re-housed in front of
him. There was also the question of there being sufficient bungalows for the
aged and infirm in Phase Two, who all have genuine needs and must be
moved immediately.
• Mike queried the composition of the rented accommodation in Phase One
(flats/2 bed bungalows) given the problems finding 3 bed houses. 3 Rivers
Housing did not have a problem changing this make up but the Housing
Corporation who accepted the first plan may not wish to. However changes
could be made to Phase Two.
Fiona explained that the bid form 3 Rivers would depend on a strict banding system
and the Housing Corporation would not like this change. A member pointed out that
the community could push for a change. Fiona urged that it must be put forward as a
matter of urgency in the discussions for Phase Two.
A resident has had problems with the contractors in Lawson Road leaving mud on
the road, and with vehicles turning off site. He was reassured that vehicles would not
be moving from the demolition site to the building site in Lawson Road because they
are two different contractors.
A member asked for assurance that Haslam Homes were following the code of the
Considerate Contractors Scheme.
Group Reports:
Banner: The Heritage Lottery bid for £47 025 has been sent off. A model of
Mr. Johnson’s design for displaying the banners was demonstrated to members.
3BVC: The next edition of the Interchange is due in May and the deadline for articles
is the end of April.
Centenary Group: The History Group will liaise with Carol Brown for the Centenary
Committee and they are asking for volunteers but none came forward.
Community Centre: There was a meeting with the Julie Graham Trust that evening.
A grant has been awarded for new windows. John Tindale will try to gain money
from the Heart of the Villages for the asbestos survey.
The Good Friday event for the children was an outstanding success. There is to be a
monthly disco, starting on 29 April: under 8’s to be accompanied by a parent.
The AGM is 25 April at 6.30pm.
History: The History Belongs to You event, County Hall, Saturday 14 May, at 10am.
The Centennial book will be discussed, and photos will be ready for this Thursday’s
meeting.
PARC: Gerry Steinberg was the last one to speak to CISWO and there is nothing to
report on the lease.
Youth Centre: The full time post is not filled and other measures are being sought to
fill a temporary post.
The building is open on Monday evening for the Youth Club and weightlifting.
Richard Cowen: asked if people would be interested in forming a Rural Affairs Group
on the conservation issues surrounding Old Quarrington.
Paths are being closed, which is causing concern and as the Council is taking an
interest in conservation it may be a good time to get people interested in walking the
paths and discussing relevant issues.
The Interchange will be willing to advertise the need for this group and ask for
volunteers, which the Partnership could then endorse.
AOB:
It was brought to the attention of the members that we were going to apply for
Company Limited by Guarantee status.
Mike pointed out that we would need to be registered with the Charity Commission to
do this.
It was thought that a time limit should be introduced at future meetings.
The officials will host a Junior Disco at the Youth Club on Tuesday 26 April.
The next meeting will be the AGM when the current officials will stand down.
Elections will take place for the committee of 2005/6.
Date of next meeting:
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month.
The next meeting is 17 May at 7.30pm
Meetings for 2005: 21Jun, 19 July, 16 Aug, 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 20 Dec.
The monthly meetings are open to all. Please bring a companion.
Catch up on what is going on in Bowburn, and have your say.
Minutes can be found in:
Community Centre, Lea’s Village Shop, Library, PO, Surgery
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