General Meeting
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 16 February 2010 From 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Present: B Bates, J Blackburn(JB1), J Blakey (JB2), S Colquhoun, R Cowen, J Geyer, K Griffiths, K Haigh,
R Jackson, G Kitson, S Raine, Maggie Robinson, S Robinson, J Shields, M Syer, S Thompson, R Walsh, S Walworth
In Attendance: J Anson, PC Cockburn, G Marsden, M Ridley
1. Apologies for absence: M Bell, S Featherstone, J Kane, R Millerchip, A Richardson, M Robinson, M Williams
2. P.C. Cockburn: Gave the report to date:
Cassop – 2 Theft Hill top Farm; Parkhill – 1 Theft at Kicking Cuddy, 2 Cases of Damage; Bowburn – 1 Assault
took place on a bus, 1 Burglary from an empty house, 3 Thefts from industrial workings, 1 Criminal Damage at
Bowburn Hall with two arrests, Clarence St and Steavenson St have had three cases of criminal damage and
one of common assault – there has been one arrest and remand in custody. There was a disturbance outside
Bowburn Youth Club involving young people and parents – there have been two arrests, one about to be
arrested, and a possible further five arrests. This incident does not reflect on the Youth Club even though the
young people do attend the youth club.
PC Cockburn was thanked for attending the meeting in his time off, and left at 6.45pm.
3. Masterplan Updates – Community Development Officer and Project Leaders:
(i) Highways: Meeting postponed.
JA informed the group that ‘quick drying’ tarmac can be bought from Meadowfield.
Parkhill: No report. The residents’ group is to inform on the lighting when they have had their meeting.
(iii) Heritage Room: On hold. This item will be removed from the agenda until the Centre has been renovated.
(iv) Community Centre: County Durham Foundation has acknowledged receipt of the funding application.
A meeting is to be arranged for an update on the funding applications.
(v) Youth Centre: See Police report Item 2. The Centre is closed until 1 March when there will be two sessions.
The practice sessions for the Youth Football Club have not been affected.1(vi) Church: No report. Members asked for an update from the church.
The upgrade of the insulation will be finished by Tuesday, 23 February. Extra roof supports are being put in
because of the height of the church roof. (Report from M Robinson, Church Warden)
(vii) Unadopted Roads: The group is still looking to get the Equity Share Scheme in place, but there is
unwillingness on the part of the officers in the County Council.
(viii) Park Project: Brownfield’s contractors are no longer in a financial position to finish the Park. Service
Direct will start on 1 March to complete Phase 2 - at no extra cost. The project manager, P Alderson, will
continue to oversee the project and maintain the high standard of work to completion.
The drainage is complete and 85% of the paths. It should take 2 weeks to complete the preparation on the
paths and 3 days to lay the top coat of tarmac. The landscaping should be done in April, which will include
filling the ‘lake’ above the trim trail – in the meantime this area will be cordoned off for safety reasons. The
lighting columns will be installed the week of 22 February; the CCTV will also be installed - and ready to
operate when BT connects the system.
The application to fund the Football Field will be ready to go to the June meeting. There should be an answer
the next day and the work would be ready to start immediately.
A member asked if the second tender had been considered.
Julie explained that the price increase and conditions excluded the second contractor.
Another member asked if the footpath to the Junior School would be prioritised.
And if there would be tarmac on the cycle path.
Julie said that the ‘school’ path would be done along with the main path at the beginning of March.
The cycle path would be tidied up, but not tarmac’d.
It was said that there are different options for the park gate – to stop traffic from going thro the park.
(ix) Environment and URRI: Durham Road: The bollards have been installed up to 15 Durham Road.
The bottom bollard and reflective strips will be fixed at a later date.
A member was frustrated that wagons are parking at the top of Durham Road, causing a back-log of traffic.
Reports that the ‘Durham Green Business Park’ land had been sold were noted.
(x) (a) Regeneration Working Group: No meeting.
(b) Walkabout: No meeting.
(c) Housing: The minutes of the planning committee for the Robson Crescent houses will be changed to
include the missing objectors.
(xi) East Durham Rural Corridor (AAP):
Out of the £50,000 unallocated monies for projects it was agreed to pay £15 500 to 3 of the environment
projects prioritised by the Bowburn & Parkhill Partnership: New streetlight ‘bulbs’ for St John’s Road; new
lighting columns in Parkhill; and new lighting columns and footpath between 127 and 129 at Parkhill.
The next Board meeting is on 17 March at 6.30pm in Bowburn Community Centre.
Pass on questions to the Board by email or telephone: jane.bellis@durham.gov.uk OR Tel 0191 527 4764
Julie was thanked for her attendance and left the meeting at 7.10pm
4. Minutes of last General Meeting and: 19 January 2009
The minutes were approved as a true record.
Matters arising:
> Item 3 (ix) After a discussion concerning the Parish paying for the planning permission for the CCTV
cameras at the Co-op it was said that the Park were taking on this cost unless the Parish agreed to pay for it at
their meeting on 17 February.
(x) The role of the Economic Regeneration function has been cascaded to other local groups.
>Item 6: The chair wrote to the Environment Agency to express our concerns about the Anaerobic Digester.
5. Report – Trustees’ meeting: 2 March 2010
It was agreed to ask local members to vote against Transit 15, and inform H Harvey that the Partnership is not
opposed to traffic management, but sees no benefit in the Transit 15 scheme and would like the monies put
into a Park and Ride scheme off the A177.
2Members at this meeting agreed that: the scheme would destroy mature trees to save seconds yet the bus
company wastes minutes in a change over of the service X1 to X2; as there is a pot of government money it
should be spent - but on something more productive. (Action Janet)
Tarmac has made a commitment to prepare Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) for their operational sites. All
those interested are invited to an open day at the Premier Inn, Washington, on Friday 19 February between
1pm and 4pm with a presentation at 1.30pm.
6. Correspondence:
> Invite from Tarmac, above.
> Concerns to the Environment Agency about the Anaerobic Digester.
7. Items of Any Other Business: None
8. Treasurer’s Report and Fundraising:
Treasurer’s update: Income £117.20 - Quiz, Tea/Raffle; Tonight £12 - Tea/Raffle: Expenditure £35 – prizes.
Raffle for Fundraising: The raffle was won by J Shields. With thanks to G Kitson for donating the prizes.
Quiz – “Simply Red” on sale for £1 – The colour ‘red’ is mentioned in the clues or answers.
9. Reports and matters arising:
Mabey housing: Nothing new to report.
Parish Council: Wednesday 20 January. (i) Dr Hyder reported about the possibility of an NHS Dental Practice
in Bowburn, currently under consultation; Mr P Johnson spoke at the meeting about the Anaerobic Digester,
but more information was sought; at a special meeting on 4 February, attended by two officers from the
Environment Agency, it was agreed to support the environmental licence application; next year’s precept was
discussed and when agreed at this week’s Parish meeting will be reported to the Partnership.
Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS): No report.
Quarry Liaison Committee: See Item 5 above.
12 Villages Representative: The AGM elected the same reps and officers.
A member asked about missing monies allocated to the Community Centre for an internet connection.
The Rep answered that no monies had been received, and more enquiries would be made about this matter.
10. Group Noticeboard:
> Banner (M Syer) Next meeting 15 March.
> BVC: The next edition of the Interchange will be out in March - deadline for articles is the end of February.
> Church: No report.
> Football Teams:
Bowburn Athletic (A Wilson): U8 Development Team start the Cup League later this month. U13 Girls are third
in the Premier League, playing home matches at Q Hill because the Coxhoe pitch is unplayable. U13 andU15
Boys have only played 2 games since December, and have trained in Maiden Castle, thanks to the University.
Bowburn Youth (M Ridley): Bowburn pitch is not suitable for games and it is hoped that another can be found.
The teams are doing well and train 2 nights in the Youth Club; the U17 use Ferryhill Comp; coaching has
started at the Junior School.
There will be a competition for a new badge design – everyone will be contacted. (See March Interchange)
> History (M Syer): The 2010 Calendar is still on sale at £3. The talk on 19th C. collieries went well.
> Website (G Hutchinson): No report.
11. Any Other Business: None
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting on the third Tuesday of the month is 16 March 2010 at 6.30pm
Future meetings: 20 April, 18 May (AGM), 15 Jun, 20 Jul, 17 Aug, 21 Sept,19 Oct, 16 Nov, 21 Dec
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