Present: MINUTES
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership
Charity Number 1112151
GENERAL MEETING
Tuesday 20 March 2007 from 6.30pm to 8.30pm
K Barber (left 7.30), M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey (left 8.15), R Cowen, P Dawe, M Dee, N Dixon,
J Geyer, K Haigh, R Jackson, J Kane, R Millerchip, Dennis Pilmoor, Doris Pilmoor, S Raine, A Richardson, Maggie
Robinson, Maureen Robinson (left 7.30), W Stainthorpe, G Stoker, M Syer, S Thompson, D Whittaker, A Wilson
Attending: G Marsden, M Ridley, P Sinclair (left 7pm), G Stuart, M Williams (left 6.50).
1. Apologies for absence: J. Anson, K Griffiths, P Nixon, A Shutt, J Tindale, R Walsh, S Walworth
2. Police Report: PC G Stuart gave a report on behalf of PC Cockburn. Incidents from 20 Feb to 19 Mar; Cassop –
2 thefts, Parkhill – None, Bowburn – 2 burglary, 5 assault, 15 criminal damage.
Gordon noted problems: Youth nuisance near ‘Action Replay’, Gravestone damage, Query about the theft of a car
aerial, Car damage in Horton Crescent.
The chair asked if there had been any reports of criminal damage from Haslam Homes regarding the Centenary
Park site. The PC reported that there had not been any.
3. Masterplan: In the absence of P Nixon, Pam Sinclair CDO read out the report on behalf of J Anson.
> Highways: Cllr Williams reported that the Wheatley Hill Link Road will go before Cabinet for full approval on
22 March then to Central Government. He was hopeful that the scheme would be approved.
Report: (J Blackburn): Highways subgroup 26 Feb; Wheatley Hill Link Road – Conditional approval has been granted.
Western Spine Road – A solution for getting the road constructed could come from the Cape Site appeal.
Transport to employment: The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP) could be effective in achieving this scheme under
Environment and Housing issues.
Traffic calming within residential areas – Traffic calming along Tail-upon-End Lane could avoid queuing at the filling
station; pinch points and chicanes are a possibility.
Road lay-out in new developments – The Tail-upon-End Lane houses could create a Le Mans type start from the
houses and this problem could be solved in ‘Traffic Calming’. There was a suggestion for a junction control at the
filling station.
Signage and road-narrowing – The construction of the Link road could solve the problem on the C12a, Grangepark
Crescent road.
Members should make themselves aware of updates in the Regional Strategic Strategy for the Road/Rail link at
Tursdale.
> Environment (MS): The list of suggestions, given out at the last meeting, are in the Interchange inviting comments
from all residents.
> Unadopted Roads (JA): Letters have been sent out to City/County/Parish Councillors on behalf of the group to
seek financial contribution towards the scheme.
RJ said there is still an offer from Tarmac to supply materials but, as yet, there has been no contact with I Smith.
> Park Project and Application (JA): Some residents in Broadmeadows have met to discuss the close proximity of
the car park, and S Hawley is looking to relocate the car park.
28/02/07 There was a meeting with A Wilson and S Carroll of Durham County Council to use the recreation field
adjacent to the Junior School whilst works to the football field took place. They were advised to discuss this with the
Head teacher, and County would not oppose this temporary use. A formal request to Mr. Carroll would have to be
submitted if the area of the field that does not belong to the school was used.
Letters have been sent to local businesses asking if they would consider offering sponsorship to the Park.
DVR have approved the release of £720,000 to the Park Project.
> Community Centre (JA): 19/02/07 Costs of £1,688,000 was tabled to the management committee.
07/03/07 Discussion with two reps of the centre concerning the amount of external funding required and the
likelihood of achieving this for both the Community and Youth Centres on the same site.
28/03/07 Consultation Event showing options for the two centres will be on show between 3:00pm and 8:00pm in
the Community Centre. Fliers will be circulated and the Interchange carries an article about this.
Members discussed the range of funders available and the possibility of CISWO bringing in developers to help
finance the scheme. The Chief Executive of CISWO had been contacted and said that the land would not be sold. A
member warned that rates would increase for a new build, and another member felt there was a need for a building
of sufficient size for emergency use e.g. the fire at Henderson’s.
1> Church (DW): No further progress.
> Parkhill (JA): The group have met with S Hawley who is amending the plans ready to submit a planning
application in due course.
The Parkhill rep described the revised plans for the play area and ‘bull ring’ to members, but the equipment on the
plan is shown in the wrong place.
> Youth (JA): 14/02/07 Plans presented to the management committee for discussion. 28/03/07 Consultation Event
in Community Centre.
A member noted that the new front door and shutter were being installed.
> Heritage Room (MB): A bid to AfA for running costs and equipment is ongoing.
> Centenary (J Blackburn): The daffodil bulbs are flowering in Parkhill, and almost flowering in Prince Charles Avenue.
The Chair thanked Pam for coming to the meeting.
4. Tail-upon-End Site: The Haslam noticeboard displays a possible plan for the proposed development on the
Tail-upon-End site, and contact names for further suggestions.
Members were given a list of queries and concerns that had been passed on to Brian Spears and Fiona Brettwood
from the trustees’ meeting, and they were asked for any additional comments tonight.
Residents in David Terrace: would like the bollards leading to the Tail-upon-End site to remain to lessen future
traffic congestion; complained of the small amount of green space left on the site.
A member would like services and leisure facilities in the village to match the housing regeneration.
Another member queried whether the land should be given up, as there was no mention by Brian Spears at the last
meeting of how much the Regeneration Pot would benefit financially.
As a point of information it was noted that GONE would not allow the development to proceed unless money does
come into the village, which is what Brian had said.
A discussion took place on the amount of money from the site being greater than £1.9M as the Tail-upon-End site
was twice the size of the Lawson Road site.
Residents in Robert Terrace think that the problems of parking they are experiencing should be addressed on the
new site. The chair asked for a letter from Haslam Homes to Cllr Mac Williams regarding current parking problems
in Robert Terrace to be read out which stated that ‘this is not a situation that Haslam Homes are in a position to
resolve’.
A member had noted that the compound in Philip Avenue was not being used for contractors’ parking, and although
he is in the same business in a nearby village he has been instructed by Highways as to where he should park.
The chair said that parking is mentioned on every ‘Walkabout’, and there had been a problem with vandalism to
contractors’ vehicles.
5. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising: 20 February 2007
There was an error in the year, it should be 2007. when this error was noted the minutes were proposed as a true
record by R Jackson and seconded by K Haigh, and passed by the meeting unanimously.
When it was asked if the presentation by B Spears had been followed up at the trustees’ meeting. It was said that
as well as the comments going to BS and FB all monthly minutes go the Regeneration Working Group Committee
for discussion.
6. Minutes and Matters Arising from last Trustees’ meeting: 27 February 2007
Trustees discussed the Tail-upon-End sit so that they could forward comments to the City Council and Halsal Lloyd
Partnership.
The role of Paula Nixon, settlement renewal co-ordinator, was described by J Tindale as working alongside J Anson
and P Sinclair, who are the first points of contact, on the Masterplan as well as having responsibility for new
initiatives such as a youth enterprise project with Durham Johnston School, a community transport project, some
capacity training and childcare schemes with the local schools and the private sector.
7. Announcement of Annual General Meeting – 15 May 2007
Members were asked to refer to the ‘Nomination Form’ of persons for the management committee. Such
nominations should be returned by 1 May 2007 as should any resolution for consideration at the AGM. The current
trustees, except N Dixon are willing to be re-elected.
8. Correspondence:
>Letter to Planning Inspectorate in answer to the appeal by D Butters (Cape Site) asking that he took a more active
role in supporting the construction of a Western Relief Road to alleviate the congestion on the A177 through
Bowburn, which would be greatly increased by the building of the proposed housing development.
2>Letters to MP’s R Blackman Woods and J Cummings plus MEP S Hughes asking for their support on behalf of the
construction of the A688 Wheatley Hill Link Road.
>Letter from R Blackman Woods informing of her support of the link road and notifying that conditional approval had
been given.
In fact the MP’s secretary had telephoned Janet to let her know as soon as the news had come through on 23 Feb.
>Letter to J Tindale confirming that B&PCP had accepted the application for the funding of £720,000, with the three
conditions discussed at the last meeting (20 Feb).
>Email from J Tindale informing of a report that he had sent to the Durham Villages Regeneration Company asking
the board to consider proposals for the regeneration of Bowburn Park.
>Letter to Parish Clerk asking if the Parish Council would give permission for siting a noticeboard at the top of
Ramsay Street in Tursdale as B&PCP was under the impression that there was no land belonging to City/County
Council.
>Letter from Parish Clerk informing that he could not recommend to the Parish Council that it would be safe to put a
noticeboard on Parish owned land. He had made enquiries to the effect that two pieces of land at the bottom of
Ramsay Street were County Council verge land and contact should be made with the Environment Department.
>Letter to library asking for permission to site a noticeboard on the adjacent verge.
>Letter to City Council asking for permission to site a noticeboard on Council owned land at Prince Charles Avenue.
>Letter from City Council enclosing plans to mark the intended site of the noticeboard in Prince Charles Avenue.
The secretary is now dealing with the locations and any follow up to the above correspondence on noticeboards.
9. Items of Any Other Business: Register title of issue for item 14. There were no issues to discuss.
10. Treasurer’s Report and Winners of Quiz “Letter U”:
The accounts for the end of the financial year are almost complete and the secretary would appreciate any
outstanding expenses to be claimed. The balance of £2149.06 will be adjusted depending on any payments made
before the end of the month.
Winners of ‘Letter U’ quiz were 1st – J Ridley; Winning ticket sold by M Ridley; 2nd – P Burnett; 3rd – J Gray.
Profit amounted to £50 on this quiz and the next quiz will be distributed in April. Many thanks to sellers and buyers.
11. Community Chest:
There was one application from the Cooperage FC. J Blackburn, P Dawe had verified the application along with J
Tindale.
The funding for £800.00 is to purchase kit which is worn out and training tops.
A discussion took place on the repeat application for kit and the possibility of other sponsorship for the club.
However it was noted that the application is within the rules of the Community Chest and sponsorship is difficult to
obtain for adult football clubs.
The chair asked if there were any objections to the application and as there were none the application for funding of
£800.00 was granted.
12. Reports and matters arising:
Regeneration Working Group/Walkabout – plus questions for next meeting.
The Regeneration Working Group has not met since January, but there have been two ‘Walkabouts’.
The footpath closure in David Terrace had caused some confusion but it had merely been to comply with a formal
closure notice.
The chair had been asked to get the views of residents in Horton Crescent about dumping 20 ton of clay and top
soil for 1 month in the open land in Horton Crescent so that the ‘Centenary’ site can be completed.
A discussion took place concerning a definite time limit, and problems with wagons turning in Horton Crescent to
unload.
Parish Council: Police report has been updated at tonight’s B&PCP meeting.
Winners and runners-up of the Beautiful Durham Competition 2006 will receive plaques and certificates on 21
March at the Parish meeting from 6.45pm.
Messrs BDO Stoy Hayward has again been appointed to audit the Parish accounts for the financial year March 07.
Parish will have to pay the replacement cost of the ‘Parkhill stone’ damaged by an uninsured car.
Permission is being sought to hang flower baskets from poles in Bow & Burn Street, Parkhill, and to check the
availability of poles, as some poles were only granted permission for baskets in the Centenary Year.
3Need for more prominent signage by contractors, firm completion dates, penalties for non-compliance, and a
publicised list of works to be done, and for a continuation of a programme for the installation of dropped kerbs.
Expressed concern over the possible closure of Post Offices in the area.
Awaiting an estimate from the Water Board for a water supply to the allotments.
Looking into costs to tidy up the garage site at the Doctor’s surgery in Bowburn.
A member queried the reinstatement of Footpath 29, but MR did not have an update of this matter. There was a
hope that there would be an indication of what was happening in the future.
Noticeboard: This item had been updated in item 8, Correspondence.
Quarry Liaison Committee: There is to be a walk along the bridle path on Monday 26 March at 1pm starting at the
quarry gates. Please register an interest so that you can be provided with a hard hat as there might be a visit into
the quarry.
LSP: The Health focus group will meet in Bowburn Community Centre on Friday 18 May to discuss Mental Health.
Bowburn may also be the venue for a ‘World Mental Health Day’ event in October.
12 Villages/SRB6 Representative: The launch of the final report is on Friday 23 March in County Hall. There will be
a copy for the Partnership. QH calligraphy course is going well. The Dry Stone Wall course takes place on 24 and
25 March from 9.15pm and a form must be completed by all participants.
13. Group Noticeboard:
Banner: There are Band performances on 27 April and 13 July and a Brenda Collins Concert on 28 September.
BVC: The Interchange is published and will be delivered this week.
Football Teams: The Youth Teams have all been playing and are performing well. The pitch is looking good after
Alan filled in the holes and the City spiked and rolled the grass. After Easter there will be school links with Kelloe
and Cassop.
A member asked if signs concerning dog fouling have been installed, but that has not happened as yet.
Discussion took place on a refusal by P Lee to hold an Easter holiday football scheme in Bowburn.
It was decided to check with the City Council on the reason for this denial. Action Janet
History: MS led an interesting discussion based on maps from the Palace Green Library regarding Bowburn
Colliery.
Website: GS informed the meeting that the site was going well and the only problem was trying to keep all
information up to date.
14. Any Other Business: None.
15. Date and Time of Meetings:
General Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month.
Next general meeting is 17 April 2007 at 6.30pm
Dates of meetings in 2007: 15 May AGM followed by General Meeting,
19 Jun, 17 Jul, 21 Aug, 18 Sep, 16 Oct, 20 Nov, 18 Dec.
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