GENERAL MEETING - Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 18 November 2014 6.30pm to 7.30pm
Present: W Bates, M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, S Featherstone, J Geyer, K Griffiths, K Haigh, G Kitson, D Paget, M Ridley, F Salisbury, M Syer, S Walworth
1.Apologies: PC Cockburn, R Cowen, B Little, C Parker, M Plews, S Raine, M Williams
It was noted that Cllrs Plews and Williams had been asked specifically to attend this meeting to explain why Hallam would want to link Parkhill with Coxhoe, but had been unable to do so due to family commitments.
2i. Police: There have been 15 incidents of antisocial behaviour mainly around Bowburn.
Bowburn – 2 Criminal damage of glued lock to garden gate, and damaged sensor to Community Sensor door plus electrics box; Vehicle damage of hedge trimmer and petrol stolen from a van; Burglary of metal container broken into and items stolen. Parkhill – Vehicle damage of a car scratched and door dented; Burglary of attempted break in at a barn. Cassop – Theft of a wheelbarrow from stables behind Wilson Close.
2(ii) PACT meetings for 2014 – 12 November at 6pm in Bowburn Community Centre.
After a query about the disposal of waste on the allotment opposite the Community Centre Cllr Blakey informed that the Environment Agency is looking into the matter.
Members were also concerned about fly-tipping in the grounds of the Community Centre.
2iii. Neighbourhood Wardens: The new contact number for the wardens is 03000 261 000
3. Minutes:
General Meeting 16 September – The minutes were approved as a true record and agreed by members.
General Meeting 18 October – The minutes were approved as a true record and agreed by members.
Matters Arising – All to be discussed on the agenda.
4. Finances:
>Expenditure:- Unrestricted funds £125.80 (Refreshments, Interplan seals, Room hire, British Legion)
Restricted funds £4387 (Community Centre stage lights and lift)
Income :- Unrestricted funds £33 (Tea/Raffle, Fun Day); Restricted funds £470.37 (Fun Day stalls and rides)
Balances to date: Unrestricted funds £2257.27; Restricted funds £14,345.60
>Noticeboard repairs: The new rubber seals and Perspex have been fitted. The magnetic backing plate is awaiting delivery to finish the repair of the boards.
Update 24 November – the refurbishment of the noticeboards is complete.
>Raffle prize: G Kitson won the prize, kindly donated by W Bates.
>Quiz: Fantasy results:
1st S Walworth, 2nd D Nicholson, 3rd S Raine. New quiz ‘Celebrations’ at £1, closes 14 February 2015
5. Item for Any Other Business: Pavements
6. Current Masterplan:
6A. Regeneration Fund: Community Centre:
The works are complete and invoices have been paid from the Regeneration Fund held by the Partnership.
6B Reports:
6B(i) Planning: Richard Cowen sent the following report.
Reference the 470 houses for Bowburn:
There is assurance that this is not an allocation as such which is why there is no site allocated in Policy 30, and the Council has to reflect the commitments it has made, which is why it has to refer to this in Policy 4.
However there was a similar situation in Willington where some 270 houses were allocated under Policy 4 but nothing in Policy 30. A current application in neighbouring Sunnybrow refers to the Policy 4 allocation. There is concern that there may be a similar situation in Bowburn if the developers of Durham Green proceed with a housing application there or if Hallam decides that Parkhill is part of Bowburn; if they appeal against the refusal.
At Sunnybrow, apparently, developers misunderstood the provisions of the Plan.
The Council have agreed, however, that the situation may not be 100% clear and will look at the text again.
As indicated, it isn't just developers who may be misunderstanding the situation at present.
Cooperage- It is expected to be determined under delegated powers but as yet it remains undetermined. The target determination date was 8 Oct. No new date appears to have been set. (Richard)
Members at this meeting expressed a general concern about the lack of public consultation prior to a new developments being granted planning permission in our area of benefit. (Councillors)
(ii) Highways/Environment: The following are reports from DCC:
Durham Rd West: The side road junctions were not designed to modern day standards as vehicle ownership has increased. One junction related ‘personal injury’ accident was reported in the last 4 years, the standard search criteria, which is a favourable accident trend when compared to many other junctions in the County.
There is no easy solution to the problem other than to remove all the parking, leading to the question of where do residents and visitors then park as a result of the displacement that any parking restrictions would create.
C12a MW Bridge: There is no defect in the integrity of the structure. A nearby drainage channel at times pours water down the abutments and it will be repaired when appropriate finance is found.
Mount Joy cycle lane: Once the revised design is approved, the works will be ordered.
Hedges: The issues with over hanging hedges is now logged, and the relevant department will investigate and action this accordingly i.e. the bus stand opposite carpet shop, and the bend on Tail-Upon-End Lane
A177 Jet Filling Station to Hare and Greyhound to 30mph: Concerns about speeding traffic are now directed to Durham Constabulary as part of the PACT Meetings/Community Speed Watch Protocol. Any further action results in the Police making contact with the County Council through their Traffic Management Officers.
C12A Broadmeadows to Heugh Hall Farm from 40mph to 30mph: The Highway Development Control involved with Oakfield Crescent have advised that lowering the current 40mph speed limit was not considered necessary or feasible given that, the highway would still only have built-up property frontage development on one side of the road with a wide highway verge and only four out of 40 properties have gable ends facing the highway on the C12A. This arrangement is more in keeping with a 40mph speed limit therefore a 30mph speed limit would not be credible with the Department for Transport guidance.
Cassop Moor Roundabout to Heugh Hall Farm from 60mph to 40mph: DCC would be unable to justify the lowering of the speed limit on this section of road.
Construction Traffic to the Oakfield Crescent site: The Council is unable to recommend that construction traffic only enters from the north via Cassop Moor Roundabout.
I can only suggest the Parish Council make representations directly to the Housing Developer suggesting some type of informal agreement between the developer and their supply chain. (Janet)
Next meetings: 24 November at 5.15pm; and 19 January 2015 at 6pm in Bowburn Community Centre.
6Biv Community Centre: Unfortunately the sensor on the main door was vandalised and had to be replaced.
The pantomime is on 27 December and tickets are now on sale for £1.00.
6Bv Youth Club (Joanne Eden): Monday girls group 6 - 8pm; Tuesday Young people 16+ NEET 12 - 2.30pm;
Tuesday Junior’s Years 6&7; 5 - 6.30; Tuesday Mixed club 6.30 - 8.30pm ; Wednesday Mixed club 6.30 - 8pm
Thursday Toddler group 11am - 12 noon; Thursday Lads group 6pm - 7.30pm.
The Beach Trip was great fun and a good turn out from young people.
Tuesday and Wednesday youth clubs are particularly busy at the moment, this is usually the case at this time of year and we have a lot of activities on offer for young people; gym, boot camp, cooking, pool and table tennis competitions, arts&crafts as well as issue based work that affect our young people.
Junior club is also very busy and the change of day was defiantly the right decision. Again a lot of opportunity for young people to take part in a variety of activities; cooking, football and arts&crafts are the theme this term. Girls group is quiet as we have had staffing problems for a few weeks but that is sorted now so hopefully this session will pick up. Lads group on a Thursday is getting busy again and the staff are concentrating on appropriate behaviour and focusing on the dangers and consequences of their actions within the community.
6Bvi Artwork: Mr Woodcock of Esh, emailed to say that his company has discussed with officers of DCC siting the ‘Coal Column’ across the road from the Grange Estate, south of the Jet Garage at the north entrance of the village and would be happy to support this project in this location. (Janet)
6Bviii General housing: Nothing to report.
6C Area Plans
6Ci Masterplan: Continue to suggest ideas that meet the criteria which could be incorporated into a future Neighbourhood Plan or Parish Plan.
6Cii County Durham Plan – R Cowen:
There may also be some progress on the digester site at Old Quarrington (OQ) - the Policy was drafted to reflect current planning applications. There could be agreement that waste disposal will not be approved on Bowburn South or Durham Green on the basis that, at least until a relief road is constructed, it will cause inconvenience to residents. Such facilities may not be permitted on Bowburn North (which now includes the Cape site) as that is a more prestigious site - although hopefully Durham Green would also reach that status.
Other issues argued on behalf of the Partnership in earlier sessions are:
1) Allocation of the Daisy Field for education but this is now out of date.
2) Durham Green as at least a partial alternative to Aykley Heads. The Inspector is to make a site visit on Tuesday morning (18 Nov). This will include looking at the Tursdale site, when issues can be pointed out.
3) Confirmation that the rump part of the Cape Site for employment is now included in Bowburn North
4) No representations were made, as discussed, regarding the retail hierarchy, but after taking exception to point ‘e’ of Policy 26 it now only reads "New retail provision within these centres should be local in nature".
6Ciii Neighbourhood Plan: Maps of the area were laminated for discussion purposes; national statistics were downloaded for future housing needs. An application will be made to fund a survey and consultation event. The questionnaire for the Neighbourhood Plan Survey will be in the next Interchange.
7. Correspondence: DCC Budget Consultation, Stop smoking clinic – Community Centre
8. Reports and matters arising:
8(i) AAP: East Durham Rural Corridor Area Action Partnership Board Meeting 29 October 2014
The Board Meeting was held on 29 October 2014 at Quarrington Hill chaired by Melvyn Carr.
Misleading signage from Sedgefield to Coxhoe was discussed. Ellie Seed, Investing in Children reported that 15 applications had been received in the ‘It’s Up 2 U Voices Project. Voting will take place in a series of roadshows being held in local schools followed by an AAP Forum event in Sedgefield on 6 December.
Gordon Elliott, Head of Partnership and Community Engagement gave a presentation on the Council Budget Consultation and ‘The Durham Ask’. Two key questions were asked; firstly whether anything had significantly changed that people felt affected the priority service areas identified during the public consultation in 2013; and secondly whether there were any Council facilities or services that could be managed by local people.
Council budget consultation leaflets will be available at the Forum event on 6 December.
Ian McLean gave a presentation about consultation on the Fire & Rescue Authority’s Integrated Risk Management Plan. View the three-year Strategic Plan online at: www.ddfire.gov.uk/sevice-plans.
The Forum event will be held on Saturday 6 December 12.00 – 2.00 pm in Sedgefield Community College.
The next Board meeting will be held on Wednesday 21 January 2015 from 5.00 pm at the Cassop Centre.
8(ii) Parish Council: Next meetings 26 November (Bowburn), and 17 December (Cassop); the Parish litter pick is Saturday 6 December from Bowburn Community Centre at 9.30am, weather permitting.
8(iii) Quarry Liaison – R Cowen: The meeting on October 23 discussed the future plans for the quarry. It has not been open for quarrying this year but has been used for disposal of some inert waste. Some issues need to be completed before they can commence work under the planning permission to extract sand from Cold Knuckles Quarry. The new surface to the lower track and “chicanes” were complimented apart from an issue regarding drains, which will be investigated. Quarrying must start before August 2015 when the permission lapses; this may only be token, but it cannot be said when full quarrying will take place.
There was concern about the wet nature of the permissive path around the fields where it joins the Nature Reserve. The protruding pipes along the path beside the cemetery will also need to be fenced. QH welcomed monies received for football shirts and to improve the Community Centre. It was confirmed that monies may be available for applications, which could benefit the Partnership. The next meeting will be on March 5 2015
9. Group Noticeboard:
(i)Banner: The Edith Cavell banner appeared in the Northern Echo. See the website to double your donations.
(ii) BVC Interchange: The next paper is due out in December. The Quiz Night in November was well supported, and the next Quiz Night will be held on Friday 23 January to support the printing of the Interchange.
(iii) Credit Union Bank: The bank is open on Fridays from 11 am to 12 noon in the Community Centre.
(iv) Football: U10s became national champions - fantastic. The adult team reached the semi-finals – well done.
(v) The Fun Day was a huge successful with many affordable attractions. Fun Day 2015 is on 26 September.
(vi) History: The talks on Bowburn men in WWI, and Bowburn from the 50s to the 70s were well received.
On 19 January a walk will take place round the sites of the old collieries of Quarrington at a cost of £4.
(vii) Website: www.bowburn.net carries information about the Partnership.
10. Any Other Business:
Some footpaths were not screened off around the estate when works were taking place, which was dangerous.
11. Date and Time of Next Meeting: 6.30pm on 19 January 2015
ACTIONABLE ITEMS
6B(i) Cooperage planning application (Richard)
Members request consultation with the public before an application is granted planning permission. (Councillors)
6B(iii) Refer movement of construction traffic for the Oakfield Crescent development to the Parish Council. (Janet)
6B(vi) Artwork – Contact Geoff Woodcock of Esh about a meeting concerning the Coal Column. (Janet)