MINUTES
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday 15 May 2007. From 6.50pm to 8.30pm
Present: K Barber, B Bates, M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, I Coates, S Colquhoun, M Coultas, R Cowen, P Dawe,
K Griffiths, K Haigh, R Millerchip, S Millerchip, A Richardson, Maureen Robinson, A Shutt, W Stainthorpe G Stoker,
M Syer, S Thompson, R Walsh, S Walworth, D Whittaker, A Wilson
Attending: J Anson, G Marsden, M Ridley
1. Apologies: S Robinson, P Sinclair, M Williams
K Calvert, B Cockburn, N Dixon, I Hunter Smart, R Jackson, S Raine, Maggie Robinson,
2. Police Report: PC Cockburn emailed the following incidents: Cassop – Nil; Parkhill – Nil; Bowburn – 3 burglary,
1 assault and the person responsible has been arrested, 7 theft with two persons arrested for one of the incidents,
and 4 criminal damage.
‘Streetsafe’ has started in the Bowburn area and hopefully it will tackle some of the problems. Residents should
have noticed increased patrols, which is only a small part of the scheme.
3. Masterplan Reports: Julie Anson, CDO, led the discussion on the reports.
> Highways: No progress. The next meeting is 21 May.
> Park Project: Local firms have been asked for donations; so far they have given four raffle prizes and one financial
contribution. Not all the relevant people were there so Julie will keep trying for more responses.
A member asked who was being contacted so that Parkhill could avoid those when they do their own fundraising.
Julie would provide the database, and mentioned that their CDO was always available to give them assistance.
Members agreed that the trustees should discuss this subject and attempt to co-ordinate funding with so many
groups from the same village needing support.
Members confirmed that the signs for the dog fouling and safety issues were still in the Park.
A member informed the meeting that there was a photograph taken for the City News to publicise the funding of the
Park showing J Anson, J Blackburn, D Carmichael, J Kane and M Ridley.
> Parkhill: The scheme is still awaiting costings from the funding officer and if they do not come through immediately
they will lose the funding already obtained.
> Heritage Room: No change because of the situation with the Community Centre.
> Centenary: A plaque will be set next to the oak tree to celebrate the Centenary of the village. A Christmas Dance
is being considered.
> Community and Youth centres: At the 28 March consultation 67 people completed forms and 51 were added later.
P Ryan the funding officer thought it highly unlikely that separate funding would be available. The Community
Centre decided not to go ahead with a rushed decision to proceed with the Big Lottery. The Youth Club committee
reached the conclusion that the Youth Centre should be refurbished as a separate building and also that no
application to the Big Lottery should be made at this time.
A smaller combined subgroup of both committees from the Community and Youth Centres will discuss future plans.
> Church: No progress.
> Environment: Met last week and have a meeting on 31 May with Julie Anson to discuss local surveys.
> Unadopted Roads: Julie was unsuccessful in getting funds from the local councillors in the last financial year for
this scheme, but will try again. The group met last Wednesday to plan remedial work and find ways to gain funding.
Julie reported that 7 young people are interested in the Apprentice training scheme through the money from the
SHIP fund (Single Housing Investment Programme). Five fit the criteria and have been assessed by New College
and two are waiting to be assessed. Haslam Homes will then say if they can accommodate them.
4. Tail-upon-End Lane Site:
The trustees have passed on comments to the planning department concerning the proposed building of the 86
houses on the site.
Members discussed the loss of green spaces, and the possible increase in traffic along Tale-upon-End Lane.
The chair asked if the ‘Highways’ group could find out if any action had been taken from the County Council to
ensure their traffic flow statistics were up to date.
(Action Highways)5. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising: 17 April 2007:
When the error in Item 8, ‘Mac Williams (MP)’ was corrected to ‘Mac Williams (Councillor)’, G Stoker proposed and
M Coultas seconded the minutes, which the members agreed unanimously.
A member reported that the local county councillor is following up the lack of dropped kerbs in Prince Charles
Avenue.
Another member commented that there had been a delay in the demolition of the bungalow in Horton Crescent.
6. Minutes and Matters Arising from last Trustees’ meeting: 24 April 2007:
The minutes for March were distributed.
The Tail-upon-End Lane site and Unitary Local Government were discussed on 24 April and 9 May, and comments
were sent to the Planning Department and the government website.
7. Correspondence:
> E-mail from J Anson re Cabinet Report on DVR releasing funds for Bowburn Park.
> Letter from J Hillary, City Council, re press release for Bowburn Park.
> Letter from D Wilcox, Area Engineer, raising no objections to the erection of a noticeboard at Tursdale.
> Letter to L Lyons, Head of Bowburn Junior School, forwarding the donation for St George’s Day.
> Letter from L Lyons thanking the Partnership for the donation to the St. George’s Day celebration.
> Letter to Mr. Richardson asking for more crossing controls on the traffic lights at the Post Office in Bowburn.
> Letter from D Battensby acknowledging receipt of the above letter concerning traffic lights.
> Letter to M Murdon registering support for the enforcement of Footpath 29.
> Letter of acknowledgement from M Murdon, and he will give “a substantive response by 7 June”.
> Letter from J Kevan stating changes in the law concerning the Gambling Act and our lotteries’ registration.
> Letters of thanks to R Millerchip, M Syer and M Williams for donations to the Noticeboard Fund.
> Copy of letters from D Pilmoor and PR Templar to the planning department concerning Tail-upon-End Lane site.
8. Items of Any Other Business: Register title of issue for item 12:
City Council’s letter concerning the Unitary Council.
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School’s catchment area.
9. Treasurer’s Report and Community Chest:
Income to the end of April amounted to £3474.06. Expenditure came to £1012.85. Leaving a Balance of £2461.21
There was one application to the Community Chest from the Hare & Greyhound Darts and Domino Teams for
equipment and shirts. As there was no written quotation for the team shirts the application will be considered when
this quotation is received.
10. Reports and matters arising:
> Regeneration Working Group/Walkabout – plus questions for next meeting:
There is no time limit to spend the SHIP fund loaned by GONE, the excess can be used for training for employment
in the village and need not be repaid. See the end of Item 3 for the report on the apprentice training scheme.
The Masterplan is not complete and therefore has not been submitted to the planners for the Tail-upon-End site.
JA will give the secretary a copy of the Masterplan as soon as she receives them from F Brettwood. (Action JA)
The Cape Site appeal was turned down. There will be a Public Enquiry from 10 – 13 July. A member had suggested
to the City Council that the venue could be Bowburn Community Centre.
There was a discussion concerning possible incorrect spacing of houses in Centenary Park.
The city councillor, CDO and secretary will check on this matter. (Action GM, JA, JB)
> Parish Council: New gates have been erected at Bowburn cemetery.
It was asked why the Miner’s Tub had not been erected and it was said that it now had planning permission.
>Noticeboard: Permission has been given for the Tursdale board. When confirmation arrives for the others one
application will be submitted to save costs.
> Quarry Liaison Committee: Although there would be disruption during the proposed new excavation area (at Cold
Knuckles), a lot of work is being done to co-ordinate the quarry and nature reserve.
It was reported that the quarry operators will begin consultation, before the planning application is submitted, in
June and there will be consultations in various venues, which could include the Partnership half an hour before the
beginning of the meeting on 19 June at 6.00pm.
> LSP: There has been a general planning meeting, and discussions are taking place on the Unitary Council.
> 12 Villages Representative: No meeting.11. Group Noticeboard:
>Banner: The Fishburn Band gave an excellent concert.
13 July – Eve of Gala Concert by the Shepherds’ Building Band is a free event.
14 July – Gala Day
There are commemorative goods for sale including pot mugs each showing one of four different banners.
>BVC: The next Interchange should be published in June, and the next meeting is Monday 21 May.
>Football Teams: The junior teams are training in Bowburn. The younger players have been very successful in their
league. Hope to set up an Under 15’s team. The Development Plan is complete which should give the club extra
status. A Whit Holiday Camp runs from 29 May to 1 June. The four days can be booked separately or in a block.
JA: The funding for the Park scheme for the football grounds was agreed at 50% but there are negotiations for 65%.
>History: A new illustrated book has been published called “Memories of Bowburn” priced at £5.
>Website: The site continues to be well use as shown by the issues over the football teams.
The Church has received training to set up their website.
12. Any Other Business:
(i) A member was concerned about receiving a letter from the chief Executive of the City Council asking for
opinions about the Unitary Structure of the local council as if the member represented an organisation, which is not
the case.
JA Would make enquiries about this. (Action J Anson)
The member was advised to return the correspondence as an individual if that is what they wanted to do.
(ii) This evening a member had learnt that Bowburn would fall outside the catchment area of the new build
Durham Johnston Comprehensive School. There was concern for the future schooling of the children in Bowburn
and the viability of the proposed houses on the Tail-upon-End site which, like houses already built by Haslam
Homes, would be advertised as being in the catchment area of Johnston.
A detailed discussion took place on:
> The history of the children in our area going to Johnson with assisted transport.
> Johnston being unique in having two sites for measuring the distance to school.
> The County Council is considering the possibility that the criteria be brought into line with the rest of the county
which would make assisted transport take precedence over the ruling for siblings.
> Strong assurances being made that the catchment area will not change, but concerns that the capacity will not be
enough.
> The anxiety of members in Parkhill that they would have to appeal for places, as in the past.
It was hoped that the promise of places would be kept, and by definition a ‘community school’ must include every
student on equal terms.
A member informed the meeting that there is an open meeting of Cabinet on 24 May when this subject will be
discussed.
had been postponed.)
(Immediately after the meeting officers were informed that the Item on the Johnston school at the above meeting
Members agreed that a letter be sent to all appropriate people expressing the concerns of the meeting.
(Action PD JB MS)
As there was no other business the meeting closed at 8.40pm.
13. Date and Time of Meetings: General Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month.
*****Awaiting confirmation “Quarry Presentation” 19 June at 6.00pm*****
Next general meeting is on 19 June 2007 at 6.30pm