GENERAL MEETING
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 17 May 2011 from 6.55pm
Present: M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, J Geyer, K Haigh, D Hindshaw, John Kane, G Kitson, S Raine,
A Richardson, W Rumney, J Sudder, S Sudder, M Syer, S Thompson, R Walsh (Chair), C Zand
In Attendance: J Anson, PC Cockburn, M Ridley
1. Apologies for absence: J Shields, S Walworth, M Williams
R Cowen, S Featherstone, K Griffiths, D Paget, M Robinson, S Robinson,
2. Police: PC Cockburn reported the following – Parkhill 1 Crime; Cassop 2 Theft; Bowburn 1 Burglary,
3 Theft, 3 Damage, 2 Drive Offs of cars from Bowburn filling station which has been advised to install CCTV.
9 homes, 1 of which was in Bowburn, were targeted for drugs in the Durham City area – there was 1 arrest.
PC Cockburn was thanked for his report when he left the meeting.
3. Masterplan Updates – Economic Regeneration Team Leader and Project Leaders:
Highways: Residents at the north end of Henry Avenue are awaiting the consultation process about the speed
calming. Cllr Blakey has obtained permissions for a 40 mph speed limit on the C12a to the Heugh Hall Farm.
Peter Herbert, Principal Planner, informed Janet that there are no obstacles to the signal controlled crossing
pedestrian refuge island and protected right hand turn for the former Cape Site.
The Limestone LinX route has been suspended on the Quarrington Hill to Coxhoe section because greater
crested newts have been found, even though a pond would have been put at the end of the cycle route. This
may bring forward the Wheels to Work section to Bowburn North Industrial Estate.
1The consultation process about lighting the footpath in Parkhill will take place this month.
The locally elected member for Coxhoe was thanked for getting the potholes filled on the Old Quarrington Rd.
ii) Parkhill:
To date Parkhill have not received the consultation leaflets concerning the footpath to the park. (Action Janet)
The AGM is on 14 June in Brown’s Close Coxhoe.
Graffiti needs to be removed from the play equipment.
A sign displaying contacts and funders has been discussed with Parkhill residents as it is needed for the
expected Big Lottery inspection, unless a sign on the Tots Play area is sufficient.
JA said that county signage was being looked into and it was possible that the one sign would be enough.
iii) Community Centre:
A meeting is to be arranged to discuss and agree who to appoint to upgrade the servery and roof.
iv) Youth Centre:
While there are doubts about the availability of county funding in the coming year, the number of youth workers
and sessions will not be cut in this round of cuts. Achievement targets remain the same as last year.
The possibility of a new problem with the building, in the sports hall roof, has been identified. So another,
unexpected building project may need to be considered in the near future.
The AGM will be held on Wednesday 7th September. New volunteers are very much needed to join the
management committee.
JA informed the group that T Harrison is available to discuss the outdoor project, so they could contact her.
v) Environment: JA distributed the updated costs and information for the environment schemes.
She informed members that residents in each area where appropriate would be consulted.
The 5 additional lights along the C12a add weight to the argument to decrease the speed limit to 40mph.
Mabey Road has no lighting and is recognised as a safe route to school.
Scheme 1 (Original Plan No. 7): Footpath/Mud tracks to be upgraded to adoption standard from Newburn
Avenue to Mary Terrace. Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership Regeneration Fund £7200
Scheme 2 (Original Plan No. 2A): 5 new street lighting columns between Broadmeadows and Tail-upon-End
Lane - Revised Cost £25 000. Funding breakdown Local Members £9000, Parish Council £2500.
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership Regeneration Fund £13 500
Scheme 3 (Original Plan No. 7): 6 new street lighting columns Runcie Road/Mabey Footpath.
Cllrs Blakey and Williams are considering a contribution to the scheme.
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership Regeneration Fund £28 000
10% variance to be allowed to cover patch/making good of lighting scheme sites.
Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership Regeneration Fund £4150
To be funded from: Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership Regeneration Fund – Up to £52 850
The meeting thanked JA for the update and said that the three schemes would be of benefit to all residents.
It was agreed to progress the three schemes as described.
Unadopted roads
The Three Streets scheme is being re-costed.
A member asked if progress had been made with the council’s ability to loan through an Equity Share scheme.
JA said that we need to know the full costings and the difference between the funds and costs before such a
scheme is considered. As it has never been used to upgrade unadopted roads a case would need to be put
forward.
A member said that new lighting should not be necessary.
It was suggested that the price of the job should be fixed for at least a month because of rising costs.
vi) Park Project: The consultation was mostly positive and agreed with the proposals to grass the old tennis
courts and install outdoor gym equipment. There were requests for more seating near the arched sign, dog
bins and a tarmac path around the pavilion. There were complaints about the road flooding to the back of
Broadmeadows so the drainage is being inspected. Some or all the outdoor gym equipment will be bought
2after any necessary repair work to this road is paid. If there is any remaining money it is proposed to put it
back into the Partnership’s regeneration pot.
A senior officer is looking into the possible demolition of the park cottage in discussion with CISWO.
Julie Anson was thanked for attending, and left the meeting at 7.20pm.
vii) a) Regeneration Fund: Nothing to report.
b) Regeneration Working Group: No questions.
c) Walkabout and housing Issues: The sign is back up in Phillip Avenue and building is on hold at Tail-upon-
End Lane. Cllr Blakey has asked that skips are removed as quickly as possible along this road.
viii) East Durham Rural Corridor AAP: Note the change of date.
Date and time of next meeting – Wednesday 25 May 2011 at 5.00pm in Kelloe Primary School when there will
be a consultation on the future plans of the county.
ix) Future Plans for the Partnership:
At the trustees’ meeting the Open Space Plan was updated to identify: remaining green areas; green areas
under threat of development; green areas with planning permission; green areas which have already been
developed.
A member informed this meeting that there is a housing development, Parkhill Village, proposed for Parkhill on
the opposite side of the road to the main estate.
It was asked if the Council or Regeneration Company could update the village Masterplan. (Action Janet)
4. Minutes of General meeting and matters arising 19 April 2011:
The minutes of the April meeting were approved as a true record and agreed by members.
First Industrial would not be attending the Partnership meeting in May to discuss the plans for Durham Green.
5. Trustees meeting 5 April 2011:
The Open Space Plan was updated (See Item 3ix).
Morrison’s Supermarket has no plans to come to Bowburn.
6. Correspondence:
> Stray Aid Gala Day on 22 May in Hardwick Park from 11am.
7. Items of Any Other Business: Community Centre
8. Treasurer’s Report:
> Finances: Income: Quiz £35, Tea and Raffle takings from 17 May £13.50, minus £2 for refreshments.
> Expenditure: £34 Room Hire
> Raffle prize: J Kane won the prize donated by R Walsh.
> Quiz: The ‘Wedding Fever’ quiz is now on sale for fundraising at £1
9. Reports and matters arising:
i) Parish Council: A tender was accepted for the provision of fencing /gates round the garage site adjacent to
the Community Centre / Medical Centre. The cheapest tender was by E & K Fencing Services of Crook, and
work will begin shortly.
The County Probation Service has cleared up large amounts of litter from Bridleway 36, by arrangement with
the Parish. They were thanked for their efforts.
It was reported that some areas of the “West Bowburn Way” walk cleared last year with the aid of a grant from
the Parish Paths Partnership, were once more becoming overgrown and in need of strimming/trimming. Money
could be set aside in the annual budget to keep this walk up to standard, but as this is legally the responsibility
of the landowner/s it was felt that in the first instance they should be asked to do this work. The Clerk was
instructed to write to them accordingly.
The AGM is 18 May, and the following meeting will be 15 June at 7pm in Bowburn Community Centre.
Redscape is the company involved in the Park Hill housing project; the planning company is the Davis
Partnership, of Darlington; land owner is M Redshaw; he and Jill Davis are attending the Parish meeting, as
are two members of Coxhoe PC. The plan is for 300 houses and various commercial/light industrial units.
ii) County Durham Plan and Big Society: The County Durham Plan will be discussed at the AAP meeting.
3iii) Quarry Liaison Committee: The next meeting is in June.
iv)12 Villages Rep: W. Rainton – sadly reported the death of Doris Fawcett; Ludworth – had a Big Litter clean
up, had complaints about the siting of speed humps; Cassop – had two Fun Days; E Winning – new zip-slide
has been vandalised, 18 May bingo night and buffet, the Parish bought £12000 worth of dog bags; Bearpark –
burglaries of old people’s bungalows; U Moor – Mobile Cinema was not well attended, want a Community
Garden; Brandon – play park going well, have fly tipping issues, community garden is well received.
10. Group Noticeboard: Please contact the representatives after the meeting if you have any questions.
> Banner: (M Syer) It is less than 2 months from the Gala celebrations – the Ohio Band will be performing at
the 8 July Concert, 9 July Gala, and 10 July Official opening of Bowburn football pitch at 9am.
>BVC (M Syer): The next edition of the Interchange is in mid-June. The deadline for articles is the end of May.
>Church: The two church wardens have retired.
>Football Teams:
Bowburn Youth (M Ridley): The season is finished except for the U8s who have one more week. There will be
summer soccer for the U8s. Concerns have been expressed about the patchy state of the football pitch. The
teams are looking forward to the presentation night.
>History (M Bell): The representative from Durham in Time brought software for archiving. Meetings are every
third Thursday – next one being 19 May.
>Website: (G Hutchinson) No report.
11. Any Other Business: The Community Centre will be closed for two weeks in July when the building will be
used for filming. The July Partnership meeting will be held in the Lawson Road Communal building.
12. Date and Time of Next Meetings:
21 June 2011 at 6.30pm in Bowburn Community Centre.
Meeting dates for 2011: 19 July in Lawson Road communal centre, 16 Aug, 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 20 Dec
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