General Meeting
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 20 October 2009 From 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Present: B Bates, M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, K Calvert, S Colquhoun, R Cowen (Chair), S Featherstone,
K Griffiths, K Haigh, G Kitson, R Millerchip, A Richardson, Maggie Robinson, M Robinson, M Syer, S Thompson,
S Walworth, D Whittaker
In Attendance: PC Cockburn, P Henderson, G Marsden, M Ridley
1. Apologies for absence: J Anson, N Dixon, J Geyer, A Gregory, R Jackson, J Kane, S Raine, V Richardson,
J Shields, R Walsh, M Williams
2. P.C. Cockburn: The report is for the 5 weeks prior to this meeting:
Cassop – 1 Theft, 1 Criminal Damage; Parkhill – 1 Attempted Burglary, 2 Thefts; Bowburn – 1 Attempted Robbery
followed by an arrest, 1 Burglary, 8 Thefts with an arrest for a garage door but there have been repeated caravan
thefts, 2 Criminal Damage. Youth Nuisance is being investigated and addressed locally; however local youths
appear to travel into Durham City and gather together along the river banks.
PC Cockburn was thanked for attending the meeting on his day off, and left at 6.45pm.
3. Masterplan Updates – Community Development Officer and Project Leaders:
(ii) Parkhill: Angela Richardson reported that there had been detailed discussion at their last residents’ meeting
about alternatives to building a communal room. The local councillors suggested buying a house in Parkhill for use
as a community building. The original application did not refer to ‘Phases’ but the term has been used in the Parkhill
reports. Mr David Marrs had told the Parkhill committee that it was ‘our money’ to be used for a communal room.
Julie Taylor, CVS, had advised Parkhill Residents’ Group about applying for charitable status.
Peter Henderson, CDO for Parkhill, reported that he had advised the residents group that from his enquiries to
Lynne Boyd, housing manager, there would not be any social housing available for a change of use to a communal
building because there was a scarcity of such housing.
The Chair made reference to a recommendation by the trustees on 6 October:
“““1. Masterplan Projects: Parkhill Community Room: After a discussion on the Parkhill application to the
Regeneration Pot for their Park it was noted that: - it was for a list of ‘equipment’ not three phases; there was no
reference to further phases in their application, the City Cabinet Report or that to DVR; the request for further play1equipment should require a new application; examples were given where money had been returned to the
Community Chest, part of the Regeneration Pot; the money should be returned to the Pot and used for remaining
or further projects.
Discussion took place about the £180TH to spend on remaining and further projects.
At this meeting (Trustees):
It was agreed to recommend that the Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership allocate the £180 000.00 in the
Regeneration Pot and the remaining monies from the Parkhill project to the Community Centre in Bowburn.”””
At this general partnership meeting, 20 October the Chair made reference to a letter from ‘Bowburn Community
Association’, dated 13 October 2009, asking for ‘advice and assistance in obtaining’ a shortfall of £124 000.00
because the total cost of Phase 1 is £360 000.00. The Centre was originally approved £500 000.00 but due to the
economic climate could only draw £226 000.00 from the Regeneration Fund.
Members went on to discuss: money being allocated to specific projects or being returned to the ‘Pot’; giving time
to other groups to consider an application for this new money; if there is money available - make a quick decision
and spend it.
It was queried whether the remaining monies from Parkhill were available to spend immediately. (Action Janet)
Angela Richardson answered that if there was not agreement to spend the money on a different project in Parkhill
their association had agreed that the surplus funds should be allocated, after the lighting scheme was paid for, to
the Community Association in Bowburn.
At this meeting:
1. It was agreed that the Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership allocate the £180 000.00 held in the
Regeneration Pot and the remaining monies from the Parkhill project to the Community Association in Bowburn.
2. It was agreed that this did not increase the £500 000.00, already allocated to the Bowburn Community Centre
from the Regeneration Pot for the refurbishment of the community centre in Bowburn, but meant that a larger part of
that sum would be quickly available.
Peter Henderson was thanked for his attendance, and left the meeting at 7.20pm.
(i) Highways: Next meet 26 October 2009
(iii) Heritage Room: Nothing new to update
(iv) Community Centre: Four tenders have been received as follows for Phase 1 of the works to the centre:-
The sub group met on 12 October and opened the tender as follows:
Vest Construction £267 611.54 P F Burridge and Sons Ltd £284 977.00
Dunelm Property Services £285 648.00 Direct Services £294 390.26
Please note the tenders have not been checked by the project manager to date.
The lowest quotation, Vest Construction, was expected to be chosen. When VAT, Management Fees and
Contingency Fees were added the total came to £360 000.00, which was a shortfall of £124 000.00 on Phase 1
funds (See Item 3 Parkhill)
It was said that refurbishment works will not start until after Xmas which means that the ‘On Broadway’ concert will
go ahead on 4 December, tickets £2 and concessions £1. There was a request for Tombola Prizes and Food
donations from the Partnership for the concert as they are benefiting from the fundraising evening. (Action All)
(v) Youth Centre: Decorating after recent alterations will be done the during half-term holiday. There will be an Open
Day when all works are complete.
(vi) Church: JA met with Maureen to make amendments to the application and is awaiting finance information from
the Church, which Maureen now has ready.
(vii) Unadopted Roads: Dave Wilcox, Durham Council, has now taken over the project and it is hoped that the
Equity Loan scheme can be progressed as quickly as possible.
(viii) Park Project: Bowburn Park Sensory Garden was officially opened on 13 October; the event went well.
Bowburn Park Working Group met on 2 October – the contractor is on schedule, and the main drainage works are
almost complete. The main footpath works commenced on 6 October; they include street lighting and CCTV.
Landscaping works will start on completion of the above, with final grass seeding etc being completed early April.
Additional works to-date include: field drainage works (uncovered during excavations) and upgraded specification,
resurfacing works to the rear haul road (to the rear of Broadmeadows) and footpaths.
The current costs of these is £8450.33, which is within the contract contingency sum of £15 576.47.
A member asked about the use of the huge drainage pipes being installed in the Park. It was explained that they will
act as an attenuation chamber, tank, to control the flow of water into the beck from the play area and football ground
2(ix) Environment and URRI:
> Somals/Chinese Delight Car Park enhancement is complete and has been handed over to the owners.
> Durham Road Phase 2 is finished, but the contractor will need to come back to install additional bollards as
requested by the community via the Partnership. Michelle White has emailed to say that the bollards are on order.
There may be a possibility of clearing the chippings off the paving stones, as requested by Janet.
(x) (a) Regeneration Working Group: Meeting 23 September 09
> Julie is to enquire about the patching the footpath at the Co-op area.
> Road re-instatement will be done when the Prince Charles Avenue site is finished. Although full re-instatement will
only apply to areas Keepmoat have accessed, any other sinkage will be patched.
> SHIP Development: Julie met with New College on 14 September to discuss the progress of the apprentices. She
was informed all are doing well at present. Out of the 11 apprentices going through the scheme 7 are currently still
on the programme. Four bricklayers have now qualified and had achieved their NVQ Level 3 in bricklaying and one
had been appointed by a subcontractor working for Keepmoat.
> A new informal residents group had been set up in Bowburn.
> Glyn Hall, head of housing, gave an overview of a successful grant application for £1.5M to be spent on new
council housing in Pittington, Croxdale, Witton Gilbert and Robson Crescent in Bowburn.
At this meeting Cllr Blakey said the Residents’ group represented those from Griffiths Court and Philip Avenue, but
will try to get the group to make representation to the Partnership themselves.
The holes have been filled in; parking on Tail-upon-End is causing a blind spot so information is going to be
gathered re traffic calming, and the footpath will have a temporary surface if works on the front houses are not
complete after 6 months.
Concern was expressed about the infill housing in Robson Crescent and it was agreed to make representations to
planning that this was not a wise use of land, and to request that this case went to committee not delegated powers.
(Action Janet)
Cllr Blakey declared an interest but informed the meeting that she has requested that houses be built elsewhere in
Bowburn instead of Robson Crescent, which is used as a play area.
It was agreed to support the build of council houses in Bowburn but not on the Robson Crescent site.
(b) Walkabout: None since the last meeting.
(c) Housing: Anti-social behaviour is being dealt with in Horton Crescent.
(xi) East Durham Rural Corridor (AAP):
The next Board meeting is on 18 November in Trimdon Station Community Centre at 6.00pm.
Future Board meetings in 2010 – 20 January, 17 March, 19 May, 21 July, 15 September, 17 November
A Forum meeting will be held on 10 December – everyone is invited. Trimdon Station Community Centre.
Pass on questions to the Board by email or telephone: jane.bellis@durham.gov.uk Address: Council Offices. Seaside Lane, Easington Village, Co Durham, SR8 3TN
4. Minutes of last General Meeting and: 15 September 2009
The minutes were approved as a true record.
Matters arising:
> Item3, Parkhill: See Item 3 (ii) of these minutes. > Best Community Partnership will not be done this year.
A member asked if the repairs had been done on the Wet Pore finish.
Another member said that the hole had been filled in but no other details are known. 5. Report – Trustees’ meeting: 6 October 2009
The trustees made recommendations, which were discussed at this general meeting.
Janet apologised for not having copies of the previous trustees’ meeting prepared.
6. Correspondence:
> Email from M White: The bollards for the bottom of Durham Road are on order.
> Email from DJCS Action Group: After a meeting with corporate Director, D Williams wrote to the adjudicator to
support ‘feeder schools’; received a commitment that when a reply is received the contents will be shared; however
the councillors are obliged to uphold the adjudication; the Council will monitor the situation but there will be no
admissions information between November and March; future meetings are not ruled out with the local councillors.
> Flyer from the County Council informing of Arts Development Small Grants Scheme.
> Flyer informing of Alcohol Free events in local schools.
> Letter from Mr P Wilson informing of the withdrawal of the Bowburn Judo Club from the area. The judo mats,
bought with a grant from the Community Chest, have been left stored in Bowburn Community Centre.
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Tel 0191 527 4764
(Action Janet)Members were informed that the Taekwondo Club in Bowburn had been in contact and would like to take ownership
of the judo mats. It was agreed that the mats should be handed over to that club with the condition that if and when
the Taekwondo club had no further use of the mats, they would come back into the ownership of B&PCP to be
donated to an agreed owner in the Area of Benefit, as defined by the constitution of B&PCP.
7. Items of Any Other Business: Statement of Community Involvement.
8. Treasurer’s Report and Fundraising:
Accounts: Treasurers update: Receipts of £8.00 for Tea/Raffle, and £200.00 from Cllrs Blakey and Williams.
Members expressed their thanks for the support of the local councillors.
Raffle for Fundraising: The raffle was won by S Thompson. With thanks to B Bates for donating the prize.
Quiz – Summertime: First Prize - S Raine; Second Prize - J Hughes; Third Prize - M Minto
9. Reports and matters arising:
Mabey housing: Nothing new to report.
Parish Council: No report available due to illness.
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS): No meeting.
Quarry Liaison Committee: No update.
12 Villages Representative: N Brancepeth held a harvest festival for Water Aid and the Hospice; Cassop are to
have a Xmas party; U Moor have gained £10 000 from AfA; W Rainton have village signs, problems with anti-social
behaviour from children excluded from school; Bearpark are preparing a Parish Plan, have a Grease-monkey Youth
Club; Brandon held a regeneration meeting; Esh Winning will have a new school on the old school grounds and a
play area on the village green, they have a stall at Chester-le-Street to raise funds for play equipment.
10. Group Noticeboard:
Banner (Mal Bell, Martin Ridley): The banner was among 21 taken to Heworth for the Tommy Hepburn memorial;
also to Houghton Feast for an inside display. Both events were very successful.
BVC The next edition goes to press at the start of December; deadline for articles is 30 November. This includes a
photographic competition - Unusual Views of Bowburn. The poetry comp was won by G MacCallum and Z Salkeld –
thanks to all those who entered.
Church: Harvest Festival in aid of the hospice; a container for furniture will be screened by planting; the Xmas Fayre
is 28 November 12pm to 2pm. The fallen spire is being dealt with by the insurers.
A member expressed regret at the loss of North Bowburn’s last distinctive feature and hoped that the spire can be
kept.
Football Teams:
> Bowburn Athletic (A Wilson): Teams start winter training outdoors on the Astroturf Pitch at Coxhoe. U13 Girls are
second in the Premier Division; the Development Team won their first game on Saturday and enjoy their football;
the Boys’ teams are improving and we have 80 players.
> Bowburn Cooperage (G Hutchinson): The team had a bad start to the season due to absentees and injuries, but
is in the next round of the cup. Gary Parle, manager, is retiring - we wish him well and thank him for his support and
commitment; if anyone is interested in taking the role or replace other retirees email cooperagefc@aol.com
> Bowburn Youth (G Hutchinson):
The club has over 100 members who are playing well, especially the U9s and U12s; the U17s are improving.
A penalty shootout raised funds for the club; members are going on coaching courses; the Flamingoland trip was a
success and plans are under way for more trips; 19 December Xmas disco at Crowtrees WMC.
New goalposts were bought for a 3/4 pitch next to the present one; winter training will be starting after half term.
History (Mal Bell): There was a general discussion at the meeting.
Website (G Hutchinson): Total figures: Members - 803, Posts – 1280, Topics - 196, Categories - 8, Boards – 15
October summary so far: Topics 5, Posts 45, Members 29, Most Online 7, Hits 3742
11. Any Other Business: Statement of Community Involvement.
It was agreed that the Partnership would express an interest in the consultation on how we would like to be involved
in the planning system. (Action Janet)
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting on the third Tuesday of the month is 17 November 09 at 6.30pm:
Future meetings. Please make a note of these dates: 2009: 15 Dec. 2010: 19 Jan, 16 Feb, 16 Mar, 15 April
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