GENERAL MEETING - Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 21 August 2012 from 6.30pm
Present: B Bates, M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, R Cowen, J Geyer, K Griffiths, K Haigh, G Kitson, S Raine, M Syer, S Walworth,
In Attendance: M Ridley
1.Apologies for absence: J Anson, PC Cockburn, D Paget, G Hutchinson, R Millerchip, A Richardson, J Sudder, S Sudder, S Thompson, M Williams
2. Police: PC Cockburn sent the following update on statistics since the last meeting.
Parkhill – 1 damaged door in Park Avenue and 1 outhouse broken into in Holmfield Villas when a mountain bike was stolen. Cassop – 1 minor assault outside Cassop School. Bowburn – 1 Arson in Griffiths Court when vehicles were set on fire; 2 Burglary - Garage broken into in Robert Terrace where two motorbikes were stolen
I phone stolen from house in Durham Road via insecure rear door; 7 Theft - 3 Diesel thefts from HGV in Bowburn Services; 1 Diesel theft from HGV in Bowburn South Ind Estate; 2 sets of wheel trims stolen from vehicles in Barrington Way and Charlesworth Close; 1 theft of scrap batteries from rear garden of house in Monteigne Drive; 1 Damage Vehicle scratched in Bowburn North Ind Estate
Members asked for the following questions to be put to PC Cockburn:
If there was an increase in crime in our area.
To give advice on parking for the Fun Day on 8 September as the car parks in the Community Centre would not be available on that day. (Action Janet)
Cllr Blakey reported that she had been on a walkabout through Bowburn estate with the PCSO’s.
It was said that there was a stop and search on the estate in the early hours of the morning – showing the attention the police are giving to our area.
3. Masterplan Updates – Project Leaders:
Ai) Highways: There is an appeal against the decision concerning Footpath 29 taken by the County’s Highway Committee.
The next meeting of the partnership’s Highway Committee is in November.
ii) Parkhill: There was no meeting this month.
iii) Community Centre: The new stage curtains, office furniture and proggy mat have been fitted. Once the upgrade of the small kitchen is finished the refurbishment of the inside of the building is complete.
The next phase is the entrance and frontage which the Partnership can contribute to, when the plans are ready.
Unfortunately the Community Centre were unsuccessful in getting funds from the AAP It’s Upt2U event, but Cllrs Blakey and Williams have kindly donated monies from their Neighbourhood budget to upgrade the front and entrance. The next meeting for representatives will be 26 September.
iv) Youth Centre: The garden project is nearly complete. The Under 13’s were successful in getting funds from the It’s Up2U event; sessions start in September. The football team won the Houghall tournament final 9-1, well done.
v) Environment:
> Street Lighting from Broadmeadows: An update will be brought to the next meeting.
The local members will fund new flower tubs, displaying the name of Bowburn, to go onto the grass in front of Mary Terrace and replace the flower beds, which will be grassed over.
vi) Park Project: It had been hoped that the Football club could have sight of the maintenance contract for the Park as the Community Service team could help out with general maintenance if required.
It was agreed that the Partnership seek to clarify the current position regarding maintenance of the Park. (Janet)
>The Bowls Group: Cllr Blakey was given the following reply from the Council, “There is currently no club use at Bowburn Park. Following a decision to harmonise green fees in 2011 the club members decided to disband the Bowburn Bowls Club and join the Kelloe Club. It is our understanding that the majority of Bowburn players were also members of Kelloe. I am aware that you requested Direct Services provide costs for bringing the green back into play and I have copied David Fishburn into this correspondence to remind him of this request. However, we would need to identify a demand for use of the green before committing any spend. It is intended that a full review of all bowls facilities will be undertaken next summer and that following this review a report will be presented regarding the future provision of these facilities. I would ask that any future provision in Bowburn be withheld until the outcome of this review, unless of course there is significant demand to bring this green back into use.”
After some discussion at this meeting Cllr Blakey agreed to request the cost for bringing the green back into play which could help a decision on whether to retain the £2,000 that was donated to P.A.R.C. (and is now held by B&PCP) for the bowling green, or to seek funders' permission to spend it on something else.
vii) Regeneration Fund: The final balance of Regeneration monies should be available for the next meeting.
Cllr Blakey left the room whilst the following item was discussed.
viii) Planning: > Although the application to remove the 30% quota of affordable housing on the Cape site was refused, the same application has been re-submitted in the light of the proposed Local Plan which is due to be released for consultation next month (see below) and gives a 20% quota for affordable housing.
Members again opposed the application as this new 20% proposal may not be agreed, and if it were all existing agreements for 30% affordable housing could be overturned leaving a shortfall of affordable housing. (Action Janet)
>Acknowledgements have been received to our objections of the wind turbines on the escarpment at Heugh Hall farm and at Low Butterby farm Croxdale.
Cllr Blakey returned to the meeting.
ix) Housing: Cllr Blakey had met with Durham City Homes for a walkabout in the Bowburn estate.
x) Integrate new residents: The ‘Bowburn Village Information Leaflet’ is being printed.
3b) Future Masterplan/County Durham Plan/Big Society:
The Local Plan is ready for consultation from September; events held locally are on 18 September in Durham Town Hall and 4 October in Coxhoe Leisure Centre both from 4pm to 8pm.
4. Minutes:
Minutes of the General meeting,
The minutes from 17 July 2012 were approved as a true record and agreed by members.
Matters Arising: 3 (viii) See Item 3(viii) above.
>There is no update on the Free Schools.
5. Correspondence:
> Have your say on opening hours for Bowburn Library: consultation forms were given out to members.
> Job vacancy – VCS support officer based in Lanchester.
> Directory of Social Change – nominations for awards are now open.
> The Romans Return event at Hardwick Park on 25/26 August from 11am
> Veterans at Ease charity evening is in Bowburn Club on 15 September from 7pm
> Annual Exhibition of Disability North takes place on 19 September at Newcastle racecourse from 10am.
> Bring a £1 to work day to raise money for Grace House NE Children’s Hospice on 20 September.
6. Items of Any Other Business: (i) Park (ii) Parking
7. Treasurer’s Report:
> Expenditure: Hire of stall for the Fun Day of £5; 2 months Room hire of £34.00
> Raffle prize: J Blackburn won the prize kindly given by M Bell.
> New Quiz: ‘Going for Gold’ for £1 with a closing date of 13 October.
8. Reports and matters arising:
i) East Durham Rural Corridor Area Action Partnership:
Participatory Budget event on 21 July:-
Two projects from Bowburn were successful:- Project 4Bs to encourage pollinators into our area, and Youth Club provision for under 13 year olds – Congratulations.
Key messages 13 June: J E Dickenson, Chairman’s medal for Community Champion for EDRC AAP was presented with a certificate; board members agreed to submit a letter of support to the Plain Packaging Campaign for tobacco products; T Devos gave an overview of the work carried out on the Limestone Landscapes project; S Thompson, DCC Traffic Section, gave a presentation on the changes to parking enforcement in Co Durham; p Carden gave an update on Digital Durham; A Wilkinson gave a presentation on Young Enterprise, a national business-education based charity; support in advertising the Its Up2U project was requested.
Date and time of next Board meeting – Wednesday 12 September at Cassop Community Centre, from 5pm.
ii) Parish Council: >The Parish Council discussed 2 planning applications for wind turbines: at Heugh Hall Farm, where the Parish expressed concerns about intrusion into the visual landscape, proximity to bridleway, and instability of local land, and asked for an Archaeological Survey of the location; at Low Butterby Farm, Croxdale, where the Parish agreed to support Croxdale & Hett PC’s decision on the application.
The Garden of Remembrance was now complete and a plaque to commemorate its opening was in place. Councillor M Robinson to open the new area at a time/date to be decided. All Parish Councillors invited to attend (this took place on 30 July).
The Parish Clerk had sent a cheque for £18,300 to the County Council on behalf of the Parish for new children’s play equipment at Cassop. This represented £8,300 from the Parish Council’s play equipment budget and £10,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, applied for by the Cassop Community Association and transferred to the Parish.
The Cassop cum Quarrington Parish Plan can be viewed on-line on the Parish website.
Next meetings: 22 August in Cassop Community Centre and 19 September in Bowburn Community Centre.
Litter Pick: Saturday 1 September - meet at 9.30am in Bowburn Community Centre Car Park.
iii) Quarry Liaison: The next meeting is 20 September.
9. Group Noticeboard:
>Banner: The Centenary Banner will be on view at the Heritage Open Day at Felling on 8 September. The Children’s Banner and the Tursdale Banner will be on view at the Fun Day on 8 September.
The Kippex Band will march the Banners into the Gala again next year.
>BVC: Interchange 64 is being prepared; articles and photographs should be to Mike for publication by the end of August but the earlier the better.
>“Bowburn Athletic”: The U18's Youth Team finished last Season mid table with sights set on winning the League ready for entering the Swinburn & Maddison Sunday League next Season. We are also managing Willington Ladies U16's Girls Team which has girls from our very successful girls team from two Seasons ago playing in the team.
>History: The group are sorting the Heritage Room and planning for the new programme of meetings
>Website: There is not much happening at all with hardly any hits, but it has not been updated recently.
>Bowburn Radio: Due to the school holidays and work commitments Gary has not been on much but there has been a good response to the programme. Hopefully it will be back to normal shortly.
>Fun Day 8 September: There are at least 25 stalls. Would stall holders please set up between 9.30 and 10.30; and wear fancy dress if possible.
Gloria and Janet offered to man B&PCP’s stall and would welcome any other help on the day.
11. Any Other Business:
(i) The surface under the swings in the junior play area has been damaged. (Cllr Blakey)
(ii) It was suggested that when the changes to parking enforcement started it may be useful to ask for an officer to check on the parking at the Infant School. However a member raised an issue regarding the bus and it was agreed that the situation regarding this needs to be clarified when considering parking issues at the school. (Action Janet)
12. Date and Time of Next Meeting: 18 September 2012 at 6.30pm. in Bowburn Community Centre.