MINUTES
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Charity Number 1112151
GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday 15 August 2006 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Present: M Bell, R Bellis, J Blackburn, J Blakey, K Calvert, S Colquhoun, R Cowen (From 7.00pm), M Dee, N Dixon, K Griffiths, K Haigh, J Halford, J Kane, R Millerchip, A Richardson, Maggie Robinson, Maureen Robinson, S Robinson, A Shutt, M Syer (Acting Chair), S Thompson, S Walworth, A Wilson, J Wilson
In Attendance: C Feenan, G Marsden, P Sinclair, M Williams (From 7.00pm)
Because Paul Dawe is ill Mike Syer stood in as chairperson. We wish him a speedy recovery.
1. Apologies for absence: PC Cockburn, P Dawe, G Hutchinson, R Jackson, S Raine, G Stoker, Sgt Turner, C Whitfield, D Whittaker.
2. Sgt D Turner, PC Cockburn: No report for this meeting.
3. Carol Feenan – Community Development Officer:
Adverts are out for the Apprenticeship Information Event in the Community Centre and it is hoped that there will be a good response for this scheme.
MP Roberta Blackman-Woods has given her support to the campaign for improving the Co-op site. The community safety officer and police inspector will also meet on this subject.
There is no update on the CCTV issues because Baydales have been on holiday.
J Tindale sent a verbal answer to the query about Carol as a dedicated worker for Bowburn. As one CDO is going on maternity leave and another resigning the team is weakened, John suggests that Carol uses the support team for the other villages in her area to free up time for Bowburn.
Masterplan – Leader of each priority group to give monthly update.
Highways: No report.
Environment: No report.
Unadopted Roads: A cost of £135 000, not including street lighting, has been estimated. Residents have been invited to a meeting in the Community Centre on 26 September to discuss future plans.
Recreation/PARC: All the consultation has taken place and information from the questionnaires is being analysed for September.
Community Centre: No further progress.
Church: New plans are now with the Diocese and will then go to the council. The lottery bid is on hold.
Parkhill: The new plans and quotes are ready and they wait funding.
Youth: No report.
Heritage: The group will discuss future plans with W Lavelle on Thursday.
Centenary: Janet thanked everyone for making the Birthday Sunday such a special event. In reply members gave a round of applause to thank the group and Carol.
23 September is the Art exhibition and competition in the community centre, with a closing date of 13 Sept.
Bulbs and shrubs will be planted in the autumn. Please give suggestions for areas to plant so that permission can be sought. The tickets for the Bush Big Band on 15 December are £5 and will be available at the next meeting.
A member was concerned that some groups have had no report for several months and would like to see a response at the next meeting from them.
The chair agreed and added that with JT’s response there was a fear that we might not reach our targets.
And added that it is not the case that we are not being told anything, but that nothing is happening.
4. Minutes of last meeting– 18 July 2006:
The following changes were made;
Page 1: K Haigh did not attend the meeting; the LSC funding is being ‘sought’ to pay the recruits; alternatives ‘could be’ investigated for setting up CCTV at Parkhill as members felt it was needed, however the local member had pointed out that it was felt there was no point unless a suitable meeting facility could also be established to provide a suitable control hub;
Page 2: If the Cape site goes ahead this may address one of the Masterplan highway’s projects.
When these corrections were made the minutes were taken as a true record.
Matters arising: Page 2 - £25 000 grant has been given for the sensory garden.
5. Report and matters arising – Trustees 25 July 2006:
P Ryan, the funding officer, and Carol have been asked to the next trustees’ meeting for a progress report on the funding applications.
The Guidance Notes are almost finalised which are part of the Application process for the Regeneration Pot.
Tara McNeil of Grimleys has been carrying out interviews for an Area Development Framework for Bowburn.
6. Items of Any Other Business – Register title of issue for item 11:
(i) RC would like the opinions of members on the proposal that the Freight Interchange at Tursdale has been recommended to be excluded from the Development Plan Regional Spatial Strategy.
(ii) JB was querying street names.
7. Treasurer’s Report:
The large amount of uncleared cheques is because the Community Chest and Centenary payments were made near the end of the month. The Centenary project still has further payments to make.
Janet introduced the new quiz, closing date 30 September, and asked for unsold quizzes to be returned at the next meeting.
8. Correspondence:
Letter to J Tindale - dedicated worker for Bowburn (20 July06)
Letter to P Thorpe - joint funding scheme for parish area notice boards (5 Aug06)
Letter from D Whittaker - thanks for the fun day (24 July06)
9. Reports:
Regeneration Working Group: No meeting to report on.
Mike noted that his name and Paul’s had been put down as contacts but not all residents have been informed. He said that they cannot take responsibility for them, but will pass on complaints. The sale’s office is moving to Philip Avenue. Questions and comments were invited to take to the next meeting:
The road sweeper is causing more mess than it cures.
There is an apology from Haslam on the website.
Will the damaged kerbs be replaced, but MS answered that not all damage had been repaired in Lawson Road.
A member asked if there were any terms in the agreement, but MS wasn’t sure.
The surface condition of Lawson Road is still poor and wagons continue to go there first, and have to reverse onto the grass to turn for Philip Avenue. MS would take both issues to the meeting.
Parish Council: John Tindale and Carol discussed the play area in the Park and there will be consultation concerning the lights through the allotments. The County Council have allowed extra flower baskets. Large mounds of clay deposits have been levelled at the side of Bowburn Cemetery near the gravestones. The ‘Parkhill’ stone has been repaired at the expense of the parish. The Business Park and the Digester Plant, recycling plant, were discussed. The parish paths will be discussed at the next meeting and a grant given. A set of gates has been stolen from the allotments.
RC asked if footpath 29 was to be discussed could it be reported on at the next meeting.
MgtR agreed it would be.
A member asked if there were no other means of paying for the ‘stone’, and was told that the Parish were not sure if this was possible, but the police are helping with the case.
Quarry Liaison Committee: The next meeting would be later in the year.
LSP: The schemes are focussing on mental health and substance misuse in the community.
A member commented that there had been a ‘drugs’ programme in the community centre but had been transferred to Durham because of lack of funds.
12 Villages/SRB6 Representative: Conference is 30 September on Community Development and Education.
Ludworth, 7 Sept Maths taster session. New Brancepeth, 13 Sept Parish Churches, fingerposts installed.
Names were taken from members interested in Dry Stone Walling. Brandon, awaiting news on funding for a heritage and sensory trail. The network hopes to help villages with banner projects. Bearpark have had a petition to reinstate a local bus. Cassop, new kitchen and play equipment, memorial for T Wilson. W Rainton were concerned that there could be another change in their CDO, BT is installing broadband, 15 Sept talk about mining in the community. U Moor, B Robson opened sport’s hall. QH gave thanks for attendance at heritage trail launch. Brandon, walkabout with Grimleys to start Masterplan. Banner groups are underway in U Moor, QH and Brandon.
MgtR asked about the installation of the internet by the 12 villages in the community centre, but that would have to be looked into.
Details were requested and given about the banner project in QH.
GM informed the meeting about the old joint Kelloe, QH and Cassop banner, the East Hetton banner, which was stored at the school. QH is to go for the Crowtrees Colliery banner.
10. Group Noticeboard:
Banner: The banner has visited the Centenary party, pit shaft, chapel, club, and Newcastle. In October it goes to Houghton.
8 September unveiling of the Edith Cavell banner. Tickets are on sale for £3 and £2 (concessions).
A member asked about the damage to the newly blessed centenary banner and was told that the poles and banner are to be repaired.
BVC: The interchange is being printed and will be ready for distribution at the end of the week.
Football Teams: 10 youth teams will start training in September. There was great concern at the state of the pitch. New posts, partly funded by the children, are now installed.
The adult teams are playing a derby game tonight.
History: Had a formal business meeting last month.
Website: No report.
Youth Centre: The children had a very successful and enjoyable residential week.
A request went out for volunteers to clean up the garden. They should contact Joanne at the youth centre.
11. Any Other Business:
(i) Freight Terminal. This is a large industrial development which was in the City Plan when the Partnership was formed and did members wish to make any comments on the decision.
A member suggested that there may be support for a community railway.
MS informed members that it is ports that are getting attention, and this is not the same development as the Business Park. Perhaps it would be a good idea to set up events where this can be discussed.
MgtR would like the Partnership and Parish to consult, so that they could work in harmony on this matter.
MS asked for further information to be brought to the next meeting.
(ii) Street names. A member asked what the streets in the new Centenary Park were to be called.
MS told her they would be as they were, Philip, Robert, and David plus Griffiths Court.
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting:
Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month
Next meeting is 19 September 2006