GENERAL MEETING - Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 17September 2013 from 6.30pm
Present: W Bates, J Blackburn, J Blakey, R Cowen, D Chambers, S Featherstone, J Geyer, G Kitson, B Little, M Little, D Paget, A Richardson, M Syer
In Attendance: Cllr M Plews
1.Apologies for absence: M Bell, J Chambers, PC Cockburn, K Haigh, S Raine, F Salisbury, M Williams
2i. Police: No report this month.
2ii. PACT meetings: Bowburn Community Centre at 6pm on 16 October, 13 November and 11 December.
2iii. Neighbourhood Wardens: Contact Wardens on 03000 261 018; Option 3. Report incidents of enviro-crime and anti-social behaviour by contacting the Council on 03000 261 000.
August report for the Durham area: Dog fouling - 9 reports investigated; 18 stray dogs removed
Littering - 8 reports investigated; 12 fixed penalty notices served
Fly-tipping – 105 incidents reported; 43 investigations
Untidy gardens – 4 advisory letters served; 2 litter clearing notices
Antisocial behaviour – 18 incidents reported by the public; 54 via the police airwaves system
3. Minutes: >The minutes of 17 September were approved as a true record and agreed by members.
Matter arising
>Item 3 Matters arising – Noted that the recent floods at Burn Street ‘blew’ the manhole cover in the Youth Club grounds for the second time this year, polluting the outside area of the club with sewage.
>Item 6B(ii) Lighting consultation – R Cowen has responded to the consultation.
>Item 6B(v) Benches in the park – Cllr Blakey is to consult with T Collins DCC, but it was suggested that the benches should be removed from the park and offered to the Youth Club or the schools. (Cllr Blakey)
>Item 10: Coxhoe tip – Cllr Blakey is to meet with T Collins DCC on this matter and the secretary has sent an email to DCC. (Cllr Blakey, J Blackburn)
>Item 10: Lamp posts - Note email from N Richardson, lighting officer DCC, sent via Wilf Newell, street lighting manager DCC: “As can be seen from the drawing (not attached in the email) there is clear indication that there is a road bend in the vicinity of these columns. It is good practise to sight columns to the outside of a road bend for two main reasons:-
1) Always good practise to sight lighting columns on the outside of the bend so that drivers can see the line of columns on the approach which promotes awareness of a road bend ahead
2) Illuminates the outside of the bend so that drivers can visually see the road bend clearly and drivers will slow down on the approach from both directions
With regard to the proposed housing development, I had no prior knowledge, or in fact was not given any notification of such a development proposal during the design process, so to suggest “insider information” is totally ludicrous. With regard to additional cost, I do not think this is an issue, simply because our operations division hired a directional drilling team to carry out the ductwork installation so a consistent rate would have been applied for the work”.
At this meeting it was accepted that firstly the plan followed ‘good practice’ guidelines and secondly was not for the proposed ‘Daisy Field’ development.
Furthermore, £25,000.00 was reimbursed to the Bowburn Regeneration Fund from this lighting scheme.
4. Finances:
> Income Tea/raffle (August) - £10, net of £1 costs; Last quiz receipts £75 and current quiz £5; Reissued cheque of £20 from the Community Centre for PAT testing.
>Expenditure: Prizes of £20, £10 and £5; Room hire of £34 for July and August; Toner cartridge of £47.99 to J Blackburn, the secretary.
>Fun Day sum of £210, agreed on 18 June 2013: At this meeting it was agreed to pay for the Fun Day attraction direct. Any surplus would be restricted for the next Fun Day.
Cllr Plews kindly donated £200 to the restricted funds for next year’s Fun Day.
It was noted that each society has its own insurance for the event.
> Raffle prize: The prize was kindly donated by W Bates and won by Cllr M. Plews who generously donated it as a prize for the next meeting.
> Quiz: The new quiz at £1 for prizes of £20, £10, and £5 is ‘It’s hot out there’. Please support your Partnership
5. Item for Any Other Business: None requested.
6. Current Masterplan:
6A. Regeneration Fund: Project updates submitted by Julie Anson and Gillian Parvin:
Parkhill Play Area Equipment: An application has been submitted and is currently being assessed. Durham County Council owns the land and maintains the existing equipment on this site. At present Sport and Leisure Services cannot advise whether they will allow new equipment and take on future maintenance until they receive a decision on the Fixed Play Report which goes to Cabinet in the Autumn. Until this decision is made we cannot make a formal offer of grant, however we can assess and make a recommendations subject to agreement by the landowner and maintenance being agreed.
DJ Evans Youth Club
Works have been carried out to the gym floor, the outside door, the electrics and the gym equipment has been delivered. A part payment was issued to cover this. External works are underway and should be complete by the end of September.
Improve access to the bus stop at Romaine Square
A second site visit with Jeff Stephenson and Gillian Parvin was carried out on 20 August and various options were discussed. Plans have been received and were attached for members; however the costs are £7,500. Jeff Stephenson is discussing possible financial contributions to support the potential Bowburn and Parkhill Regeneration contribution of £3,000.00 with Strategic Highways and Public Transport.
Bridleway Numbers 36 and 37 Drainage
A successful application was received and a formal grant offer has been made; works to the Bridleways will commence w/c 16 September, weather permitting.
Elaine Crow, the Parish Paths Officer, has ensured all necessary land ownership permissions are in place for site access and has instructed DCC Service Direct to carry out the works to improve the drainage and access to the bridleways and future maintenance is agreed. The scheme will take approximately 5 days to complete.
6B. Reports
i)Highways: The next meeting of the sub-group is 23 September at 6.30pm in Homeside.
>Noted: Tail-upon-End Lane survey by DCC which concluded that drivers class this road at 40mph.
Two surveys (Oct 2009 and Sep 2013) show similar results of average speeds 33-34mph where police action could take place for 35% of drivers – the information has been passed on to the police.
It was suggested that the complaint of speeding should be taken to a PACT meeting and locals support the Community Speedwatch scheme (AAP funding went into this). There were objections to chicanes in the original plan, which were upheld by the Highways Committee.
Further consultation would need to be taken to Highways to introduce a chicane
>The lights on the Old Quarrington road and the Cemetery Road should start this week.
ii) Parkhill: See Item 6A above.
The AGM was on 8 September when A Richardson was voted Chair and some new members attended.
iii) Community Centre:
The Partnership submitted its logo, photos of members, the park equipment and community centre projects
See poster for the September timetable and other notices of activities on Monday and Tuesday.
Noted: Visitors at the Toy Fair were impressed with the building
Next board meeting – 25 September at 6.30pm when group representatives should attend.
iv) Youth Centre:
Two grants have been awarded – one to fund the Junior Youthie for another year and one to renew computers.
On 28 September at the Fun Day the gym will be officially opened by Dr Pollard a previous international fencer, and 50 years of Bowburn Boys’ Club will be celebrated.
The AGM is on 22 October at 6pm.
v) Environment:
>Art work: Paul Armstrong (Technical Director Dunelm Homes) intended to carry out a public consultation for the construction of a coal seam column on the land on the A1M side of Bowburn prior to making a planning submission. After some investigation he is disappointed to report that there may be insurmountable constraints and costs to carrying out the project.
Paul has asked the Partnership to think about an alternative Percent for Art option considering if the best option would be to propose something on the CAPE site itself although he is aware that the artwork, if sited here, would not be enjoyed by the whole village.
He has contacted Colin Rose, the artist, who may be able to add to a proposal in the Point Of Sale in the centre of the former CAPE site along similar themes as the column and the mining history of the village.
Paul was sorry to have disappointed everyone with the coal seam column scheme not coming to fruition.
At this meeting it was agreed that Paul:
• Asks the Highways Authority for a detailed response to siting the proposed column at the A1M site.
• Costs the project with a view to a favourable response being received from the Highways Authority.
• Positions the column at the filling station, if the A1M site proves to be impossible. (J Blackburn)
> Flooding: John Reed, Head of Technical Services DCC, declined to answer the question asked by the chair, see July minutes Item 3. He advised that DCC cannot provide legal advice to the Partnership. However he would be pleased to clarify the responsibilities of all parties relating to flood risk management and sent a copy of the Environment Agency (EA) guide “Living on the Edge” for information.
DCC do not intend to produce a publication on the Council’s responsibilities as the EA publication provides a fair summary of all parties’ responsibilities.
The Partnership accept that: The EA has got it right, and the Council is the lead authority and has certain responsibilities if there was a flood.
Cllr Jan Blakey declared an interest in the following items.
vii) Planning: >At Cassop Grange Farm, Adjacent to the Heather Lad pub motorway bridge and opposite Heugh Hall Farmapplication for a change of use from a barn to living quarters. There were no objections to this application.
>Distributed to the meeting: The Isles Communities Turbine Action Campaign (TICTAC) newsletter to inform on wind farms at Bradbury and Mordon.
viii) Housing: An estate walkabout took place with Durham City Homes and Clean & Green; issues were noted.
C. Future Masterplan/County Durham Plan: The County Durham Plan should be produced in October, and will be shown at each AAP forum for consultation; 23 November for East Durham Rural Corridor.
7.Correspondence:
Bird watching course for 10 weeks: Start date 10 Oct 10.30am in Shakespeare Hall. Fee £84, Concessions £68 plus enrolment to the Natural History Association.
8. Reports and matters arising:
8(i) AAP – At the meeting on 11 September there was a complaint about the upkeep of the churchyard when it was noted that there was a limited number of occasions when the grounds could be cleared, and the Church Commissioners would not hand over the land to DCC.
The next Board Meeting is on 9 October at Bowburn Community Centre.
ii) Parish Council: The next meeting is 16 October followed by 20 November in Bowburn Community Centre.
Update of the Parish Plan:
> Sport, leisure, recreation: Play equipment at Tursdale, funded by Cllrs Blakey and Williams has been installed.
> Shopping, employment, economy: The merits of seeking the Listing as Community Assets of Value for Bowburn and Cassop PO buildings - the minimum purchase of a PO/Shop joint franchise is £50,000.
> Education & training: Bowburn Infant & Nursery School and Junior School have received £250 towards the cost of Anti-Bullying Policies and Projects.
Cllr Chambers submitted notes about various schools' treatment of bullying incidents on school transport.
> Influencing services and community decision making: Copies of the latest monthly meeting agendas are sent Parish Cllrs, the local MP, local county councillors, chair of Parkhill Residents' Association; AAP public reps, Co-ordinator and Support Officer. Discussions are taking place by which free or low cost modernisation of the Parish Council's Website can be achieved.
Litter picks Saturday 5 October and 2 November – meet in Bowburn Community Centre Car Park at 9.30am.
At this meeting Cllr Plews informed that Coxhoe Parish Council objected to Londis taking the franchise for Coxhoe PO and their preferred option was the Co-op shop in Coxhoe, but the Co-op do not wish to buy the franchise. Cllr Plews would like to say that any PO is better than none so Londis would be the best option.
iii) Quarry Liaison: The next meeting is on 19 September at Coxhoe but this is for the Raisby quarry rather than Old Quarrington Hill..
9. Group Noticeboard:
>Banner: The last meeting evaluated the Eve of Gala Concert and the Gala Day itself. The Kippax Band will play once again on Gala Day next year, and look out for something different for the Eve of Gala Concert. The banner has been out for the Heritage Open Day at Horden, and will attend the Remembrance Sunday service on 10 November.
>BVC: The next Interchange will be delivered this week.
It was noted that the newspaper???? Needs a bit of clarifying!: Lets everyone know what is happening in our area; Informs those who are isolated.
>Credit Union Bank: The collection point is open for banking and information on Fridays from 11am to 12 noon in Bowburn Community Centre, when new members can also join.
>Fun Day: The Fun Day organised by the Youth Club and the Community Centre is on 28 September from 11am to 3pm. There will be: a table top sale - £5 each, food, activities and information booths.
>History: The next meeting is cancelled.
10. Any Other Business:
11. Date- and Time of Next Meeting: 15 October 2013 at 6.30pm in Bowburn Community Centre