General Meeting
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 15 September 2009 From 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Present: M Bell, J Blackburn, S Featherstone, R Jackson, G Kitson, S Raine (Till 6.50pm), A Richardson, J Shields,
M Syer, R Walsh
In Attendance: J Anson, PC Cockburn, G Marsden,
1. Apologies for absence: B Bates, J Blakey, R Cowen, N Dixon, J Geyer, A Gregory, K Griffiths, K Haigh, J Kane,
R Millerchip, V Richardson, Maggie Robinson, M Robinson, S Walworth, D Whittaker, M Williams
2. P.C. Cockburn: The report is for the 4 weeks to the date of this meeting.
Cassop – 1 Burglary; Parkhill – 1 Criminal Damage; Bowburn – 2 Burglary, 2 Theft, 5 Criminal Damage, Youth
Nuisance in Griffiths Court/ Horton Avenue/Philip Avenue is being addressed.
PC Cockburn was thanked for his attendance and left the meeting at 6.40pm.
3. Masterplan Updates – Community Development Officer and Project Leaders:
Highways: A strip of land has been reserved for the Western Spine road to the rear of the former Cape site; the
existing entrance is to be reduced to take cars rather than wagons; a Puffin Crossing will be constructed when 25
dwellings are built; there will be a designated Right-hand turn into the site - from the northern approach.
The refuge at the Cooperage allows larger vehicles to turn safely.
The Limestone Linx Cycle way has gained funding for Phase 2.
Suggestions for the AAP Travel/Transport Group were to add the Industrial Highway in LTP3; repair Bus Shelters.
Parkhill: Angela Richardson gave the following report on the findings of the consultation for a Communal Room.
20% of residents did not want the room; 60% of residents agreed to the room provided there were organised
activities. As it is difficult to staff activities the final decision was not to go ahead with the Communal Room.
The Play Areas, now in place, was Phase One of Three Phases in Parkhill, and the Communal Hall was a Stand
Alone Project. This means that the money allocated for the Communal Room could be used for Play Equipment.
Young people, aged 9 to 14 years, have been meeting on the Toddler Play Area because they feel intimidated by
youths on the Senior Play Area. This means that toddlers feel intimidated by the 9/14 year olds and do not play on
their designated area.
To overcome the problems above, research showed that the 9/14 year group would like their own Equipment.
There are four possible schemes which are being investigated, for the possible monies from the Communal Room.
1Discussion took place questioning the change of application from a communal building to play equipment.
AR explained that the plans always included further phases for the children’s area.
Parkhill also felt they had been pressurised to produce the consultation, as there had been no time limit to complete
the project.
It was queried whether the terms of the Bowburn Regeneration Fund grant allowed money intended to be spent on
a communal building to be spent, instead, on more recreational equipment and it was agreed to check the
Application, DVR and Cabinet Reports and report back to the next meeting. (Action Janet, Julie)
The Chair apologised for the impression that pressure had been exerted on Parkhill during the past 12 months.
Heritage Room: The room has been prepared as far as is possible until after the Community Centre is refurbished.
Community Centre: A funding application has been successful and an offer made of £10 000 for kitchen equipment.
The Entrust Application requires the details of the management committee before applying to Biffaward.
It was agreed to participate in the ‘On Broadway’ concert on 4 December. K Haigh or R Cowen will be asked to
attend the next committee meeting on 23 September for further details.
Youth Centre: Refurbishment works have started on the centre. There is no VAT to pay on the work so the money
saved can be spent on decorating the centre and laying new floor covering.
Church: Quotes have been received for the Partition Doors. Julie is to meet with Maureen about a grant application.
The church group are very pleased with the help received from Henderson’s and would like to thank them publicly.
Unadopted Roads: Dave Wilcox, Council, has now taken over the project. It is hoped that the Council are able to
start the Equity Loan Scheme quickly as it has been agreed by Cabinet and would add kudos to the Council.
Park Project: The damage to the Wet Pore material is due to vandalism and will cost £1200 to repair. If it is not paid
from the Council’s Maintenance budget, the cost would have to come out of the Park budget.
It was agreed to see if the repair is to be done by Maintenance; and leave the work until after the CCTV has been
installed if that is in the next 12 weeks. Otherwise it would have to be done earlier.
A member felt that the contractor Brownfield was doing quality work.
Environment and URRI:
> Durham Road: Tamsin has contacted Julie to say that there are sufficient funds to install a bollard at the bottom of
Durham Road next to the dropped kerb, and bollards can be inserted along Durham Road between house numbers
15 to 23. The weeds will be treated when the work at the Cooperage is finished.
>Somal/China Delight: It was agreed to send the hand-over letters and ask them to maintain the car park areas at
the front of their properties, paid for out of the Regeneration monies.
Regeneration Working Group:
The next meeting is on 23 September; unfortunately Richard Bass is unable to attend.
> Ogden’s site: A plan of the revised floor space for the proposed retail building was passed round to members.
Walkabout: Re previous site visit – Julie forwarded a copy of the group email to MR, which invited members to the
Walkabout; this included P Thorpe. It was assumed he would pass on the invitation to the members of the Parish.
Housing: Tail-upon-End Lane – there will be a site visit on 24 September at 3pm.
East Durham Rural Corridor (AAP):
The next Board meeting is on 16 September in Trimdon Grange Community Centre at 6.00pm.
Future Board meetings are bi-monthly: In 2009 – 18 November in Trimdon Station Community Centre at 6pm.
A Forum meeting will be held after this meeting, before the end of November.
Pass on questions to the Board by email or telephone: jane.bellis@durham.gov.uk Tel 01388 816166
As there was no further business to discuss with Julie, she was thanked for her attendance, and left the meeting.
4. Minutes of last General Meeting and: 21 July 2009
The minutes were approved as a true record.
Correspondence written by the Secretary in accordance with decisions of the meeting were noted.
Item 4 Correspondence - Cape site: There is provision for the Western Highway to the west of the Cape site but not
to the north.
Matters arising:
Item 9: Prince Charles Avenue - 3 Rivers have been informed about the anti-social behaviour
25. Report – Trustees’ meeting: 1 September 2009
There was an enquiry to PC Cockburn about adapting a post drug raid leaflet for general distribution.
The trustees expressed concern that the ‘Cape’ planning application had been dealt with by Delegated Powers,
even though there had been a major objection.
During the meeting with G Hall and N Foster it became apparent that the City Council had been paid £180Th not, as
yet, specifically allocated to any of the remaining projects.
The trustees discussed parking on footpaths.
A member present at this general meeting said that she had recently been given a ‘ticket’ for parking on a footpath.
The next Trustees’ meeting is on Tuesday 6 October 2009.
6. Correspondence:
> Best Community Partnership – It was agreed to consider the amount of effort needed for the application
compared with the rewards for the Partnership. (Action Janet)
> The Energy Saving Trust Green Communities service is looking for community groups to host their own Green
Communities course, at no charge. Visit www.est.org.uk/community for further information.
> Eye Health Exhibition is held on Thursday 8 October in County Hall, 10am/4pm; contact Andy Nuttall – 387 6181.
7. Items of Any Other Business: None
8. Treasurer’s Report and Fundraising:
Accounts: Treasurers update: A list of transactions to 31/07/09 were noted, giving balances of Restricted funds
£2359.92 and Unrestricted funds £2549.
Quiz – Summertime: The latest quiz is available for £1. All answers and questions relate to summer.
Raffle for Fundraising: The raffle was won by M Bell. With thanks to the R Cowen for donating the prize.
9. Reports and matters arising:
Mabey housing: Nothing new to report.
Parish Council: S Raine provided the following report for the meeting.
Seats at Parkhill and Old Quarrington removed during the build of the new link road are to be replaced a.s.a.p..
There will also be seats on the verges of the link road.
‘Charity’ collection bins (for clothing etc) do need planning permission. The Council is to write to the businesses
involved and invite them to apply for retrospective planning permission (NB this will cost them money).
‘Edith Cavell’ roses are now planted by the side of the mining memorial (tub) – thanks to Cllrs Blakey and Williams
for their donations from their Members’ Initiative Funds. Thanks to Maggie Robinson for other shrubs planted there.
The Parish Paths Partnership grant of £4030.00 awarded in July will repair the West Bowburn Way when the
contractor is available – possibly in October.
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS): The report has been published in draft form for consultation,
Quarry Liaison Committee: No update.
12 Villages Representative: No report.
10. Group Noticeboard:
Banner (Mike Syer): The Heritage Open Day of banners was very successful. There were 41 visiting banners and
between 200 and 300 visitors. It covered its costs.
Parish Cllr G Marsden expressed his thanks for the exhibition and said he was very impressed by the display.
Members present at this meeting agreed wholeheartedly.
BVC The next edition goes to press end of September/start of October.
Church: No report.
Football Teams: No reports.
History (Mal Bell): There was a general meeting. The Calendar is being prepared for 2010 (with people).
Website (G Hutchinson): No report this month.
11. Any Other Business: None
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting on the third Tuesday of the month is 20 October 2009 at 6.30pm:
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Future meetings. Please make a note of these dates: 2009: 17 Nov, 15 Dec. 2010: 19 Jan, 16 Feb, 16 Mar