GENERAL MEETING - Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 17 January 2017 from 6.00pm
Present M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey (Chair), G Kitson, D Paget, S Raine, M Ridley, M Syer
1.Apologies: R Cowen, B Little In attendance: Cllr Plews
2. Declarations of interest: Declarations of interests would be made as required throughout this agenda.
3. Security (i) Police: PCSO Pattison - no contact for last month:
3 (ii) PACT: Not available
3 (iii) Neighbourhood Wardens: Contact the wardens is 03000 261000 and report environment offences online
to DCC or to your local County Councillor Jan Blakey 03000 268685.
4. Minutes: Meeting 15 November: The minutes were approved as a true record and agreed by members.
Matters arising: Janet Maitland has been congratulated on the refurbishment of the former papershop to her
hairdressing salon.
5. Finances: Income: November Tea/Raffle £10.50; November Quiz income £72; Parish Council grants £300;
contribution to bank charges £4.
Expenditure: 4 months room hire £85; Quiz prizes £30; Transfer of the Parish grant of £100 to Polka Dance.
Regeneration Pot: A request has been made for the funds in the Regeneration Pot to be used as payment for
the replacement and painting of the gas boxes in Durham Road. See ‘Gas boxes’ Item 7A.
Co-op Local Community Fund: The funds raised to date for the B&PCP history book are £339.32. ALL
5ii) Raffle prize: J Blakey won the prize kindly donated by Mike Syer. In February M Bell will donate a prize.
5iii) Quiz: The new quiz for fund raising, ‘It’s magic’ at £1, closes on 18 February 2017.
6. Item for Any Other Business: None
7. Current Masterplan:
7A Regeneration Fund:
Durham Road planters: The planters for the lower end of Durham Road, between numbers 23/24 and 27/28
are to be delivered on Wednesday 18 January.
Railings along C12A: Brian Kitching DCC is in charge of the project; the S106 money is secured and the order
has been commissioned. Ongoing. JULIE ANSON, JANET
Gas boxes: Julie Anson DCC looked into the Partnership’s request to fund the painting of the gas boxes in
Durham Road at 100% intervention. She referred to an extract from the Masterplan which refers to a grant
programme and sympathetic refurbishment.
Further to this Julie received advice and guidance from the conservation officer Nicola Duckworth who advised
that painting the gas boxes was unlikely to be successful and may peel off and suggested replacement with
coloured plastic boxes or coloured metal covers.
Julie made further enquiries and suggested if we purchase a very good quality paint that is suitable for
whatever material the gas boxes are made, particularly if they are plastic – that may be a possibility.
At this meeting members made reference to the Single housing investment pot (SHIP) money for Bowburn
which also makes reference to grants, “Assistance may be in the form of a renovation grant or an interest free
home repair loan, both of which are subject to qualifying criteria” and felt that such grants could come from the
Regeneration Pot which had been used as a grant making body for the regeneration of Bowburn.
A member advised that the metal covers were not suitable for the external meters in Durham Road as every
meter would need to be renewed to accommodate these covers.
It was agreed to seek advice from the firm Williamson, a paint specialist at Belmont.
The findings would be passed on to Julie. JANET
Grass/weed strimming: The hedges at Ogden’s have been cut back.
Project ideas
Project Notes
Tidy Prince Bishop B&B corner
Point houses in Durham Road DCC conservation does not recommend raking out pointing which is satisfactory
as it could harm the bricks and allow water to seep in.
Pick up a weed and a piece of paper every day to keep your pavements clear
Please suggest other environment projects. ALL
7B Reports:
7Bi) County Durham Plan (CDP): The government Housing White Paper is anticipated in January 2017. The
Durham County Council will need some time to consider it, which could take them into purdah re-elections, so
a new Durham Plan is not anticipated before May/June.
Planning issues:
Cooperage: The footpath at the ‘Cooperage’ alongside the A177 has been repaired and the scaffolding has
been taken down.
Janet Maitland hairdressers: The shop opened in December 2016 and a letter has been sent congratulating
Mrs Maitland on the quality of the refurbishment of the former papershop.
Parkhill site: Ongoing
Anaerobic digester: Claire Teasdale has confirmed that the planting season ends in March but at the time of
emailing Richard Cowen she had received no details from the developers. Keep under review. RICHARD
7Bii) Community engagement – Keepmoat and Riverside: Keep in touch when necessary.
7Biii) Highways/Environment Group: Replacement seating in Mary Terr plus the entrance to Leyland Close,
and installation of a height bar at the park entrance off the C12A is being progressed through the Parish.
Abandoned cars: The Smart car abandoned on Grangepark Terrace has been removed thanks to DCC and
the abandoned Corsa in the same street has also been taken away, possibly by the owner.
Bowling green hedge: A member will tidy the top of concrete post. To Do MARTIN
Park Bungalow: The possible demolition of the bungalow is still with both the Council and CISWO. JANET
Durham Road: Inform the secretary of B&PCP of any parked vehicles on the pavement of Durham Road with
photographs, date and time. JANET
Old Quarrington/A688 access: A meeting of the Old Quarrington Association is to be arranged. RICHARD
7Biv) Community Centre: The pantomime was very successful. The New Year’s Eve family night was
successful, but not as many people attended as in previous years. A new door has been fitted in the foyer and
is waiting for the automated electric system. The application to refurbish the Left Hand games room from AAP
funds was unsuccessful.
Grass strimming and weed
strimming
Check with DCC; Pay Parish Council to do this.
Weeds growing in front houses look unsightly and blight the area; with the help of
the Parish litter pickers it is proposed to strim the weeds.
20/09/16 There was to be a site meeting in Durham Road with Jimmy Bennett and
Martin Briscoe on 21 September to discuss the strimming.
18/10/16 The Partnership was given permission from DCC to strim the grass verge
from the Methodist Chapel to the bus stand opposite the Hare & Greyhound, and
advised to write to Ogden to ask them to cut back the hedges to make the highway
safe and tidy up the area. Awaiting a reply.
15/11/16 Agreed to contact Jimmy Bennet about making the hedges safe as there
had been no response from Ogden’s.
15/11/16 Cllr Blakey informed that there will be a ‘Village Spruce Up’ in April 2017.
15/11/16 Cllr Blakey has requested that the flower beds be removed from the front
of Mary Terr and shrubs be taken out of the corner of Prince Charles Avenue.
17/01/17 First suggestions were made for the ‘Village Spruce Up’ of
clearing the pavement of weeds along the C12A to the Hallgarth
Estate; Paint outdoor seating where necessary.
Members were invited to submit further ideas via the Secretary.
Gas meter boxes in Durham
Road
19/07/16 After agreeing that the Partnership could contribute a reasonable sum
towards improving this problem, it was agreed to contact all residents in Durham
Road to gain ideas as to how to smarten up the gas boxes.
16/08/16 Three residents from Durham Rd are in agreement with the
refurbishment of the gas boxes.
20/09/16: Costing new gas boxes is in progress.
18/10/16: RJL Plumbing gave a quote of £192, including VAT, to replace each gas
box after checking for gas leaks.
It was agreed to contact the residents of houses in Durham Road which have a
damaged gas box about their replacement, and contact all residents in Durham
Road to agree to the painting of the boxes.
15/11/16 There have been no objections to refitting damaged gas boxes; one
person does not want the gas box painted.
17/01/17 It was hoped to paint the gas boxes if suitable quality paint
could be found that was acceptable by DCC and could then be paid
for by the Regeneration Pot along with new gas boxes where needed.
Pick up a weed and a piece of paper every day to keep your pavements clear
7Bv) Youth Club: All sessions are continuing this term and have been busy in the winter nights. Resources
from the lottery funding will start the mental health awareness sessions in February. The young people
performed a successful Christmas Carol Service Bowburn care home. The Family Christmas Party, at 50p per
ticket was well attended; there was positive feedback from both parents and young people. Thanks to the
generosity of the Youll and Stone family the Youth Club now own disco equipment for more events.
The Youth Club is working with Durham Community Action (DCA) in the transition from DCC funding.
The drama group run by Durham University students, due start date 20 January, has been very challenging
and Joanne has had to intervene. She will continue to attend these sessions and offer support to the students,
which also means that she can plan and organise sessions for the following week so it is working well.
Gym: New members have joined in the last few weeks and hopefully these numbers will continue to grow.
Times: Monday to Saturday AM 9.15 - 11.30am; Evenings Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 6.00 - 8.30pm.
Contact the Youth Club on Facebook; coxhoe&bowburndistrictyouthclubs; Visit any time; Phone 07788277321
7Bvi) Coal column (Report by Mike Syer): Richard Cowen, Jan Blakey, Janet Blackburn and Mike Syer, on
behalf of B&PCP, met Stephen Reed, Development Manager, Planning Development, Regeneration and Local
Services, DCC, & Jackie Donnelly, Community Economic Development Team Leader, DCC, and Cllr Maria
Plews, at County Hall, on Thursday 15 December 2016.
The purpose of the meeting was to clarify:
(1) how much money was available from the Percent for Art contribution required to be made by developers of
the former Cape site in Bowburn – believed to be 1% of the estimated construction costs of the housing
element,
(2) how, and to whom, that money would be made available to commission the proposed Coal Column,
together with associated costs (short and long term), and
(3) who can or should be responsible for commissioning that art structure and then for its long term
maintenance, insurance etc.
In relation to the last of these, it was stressed by Stephen Reed that the County Council itself could not take on
any long-term responsibilities for the proposed art work. DCC’s policy was now to pay S106 moneys
(including Percent for Art contributions) to other organisations, to spend on projects which they agreed
complied with the relevant planning conditions. In the case of this project, that organisation might be B&PCP
or the Parish Council.
However, Stephen Reed appeared to agree that it did not seem sensible to expect a project, using DCC
money and requiring DCC permissions (as planning authority and landowner) – as was the case with
Bowburn’s proposed Coal Column – to be paid for by another organisation, if that meant that VAT and other
on-costs would be incurred, which could otherwise be avoided.
No commitment was made, however, other than to try to make sure this didn't happen.
He did believe that a licence to occupy the site, once permission had been obtained, would be for no more
than a peppercorn/nominal ground rent.
Stephen Reed also agreed to check on the amount of S106 money available. It was recognised that an earlier
estimate of costs for commissioning the art structure was £35,000 and that more than this would be needed to
cover the one-off costs of planning permission etc. and longer term costs. It was noted that the latter could
include, not just maintenance and insurance, but also a ground rent to DCC.
He has since then (on 16 January 2017) reported that only £35,000 will be available. No explanation of that
has yet been received.
We have queried this, pointing out to him that £35,000 is 1% of only £3,500,000, which seems likely to be less
than the construction costs of this residential development. MIKE, JANET
At this meeting it was said that this would mean that the construction cost would be approximately £10,000 per
unit of housing.
A member gave the information that Persimmon Homes estimate that their construction costs are £27,000 per
unit of Social Housing.
Stephen Reed has since then (20 January 2017) reported:
In addition to the 35k for art work from the Esh, Cape works site we have £11,739 remaining from the art/
environmental improvement projects from the Agreement entered in on the Keepmoat Homes site. As such
this gives an overall total for arts / environmental work of £46,739.
Apologies for any confusion that my earlier message might have given.
I can confirm that no money received from developments in Bowburn has been spent outside of Bowburn.
7Bvii) School parking: Cllr Blakey explained that Bowburn Junior School and Coxhoe Primary will receive
funding from Cllrs Blakey and Plews for signage indicating a reduced speed of 20mph. A consultation will take
place in the streets approaching the Junior School in Bowburn.
Installing a reduced speed of 20mph approaching Bowburn Infant School is on hold. JANET
Our local councillors have contributed to The Health Express Rest House located in Hackworth Park in
Shildon, owned by Shildon Town Council. Health Express is working with the some Bowburn residents.
Pick up a weed and a piece of paper every day to keep your pavements clear
8. Correspondence: Thinford road will be closed in an easterly direction from 16 January for approximately
twelve weeks. A full closure of that section of A688 will be required for 2 days towards the end of the works
period and will be pre-signed on site.
“Stop the rot” is an online petition to call on supermarkets to end food waste.
9. Reports and matters arising:
9i) EDRC AAP: AAP
Priorities 17/18 (Email 29/11)
Children, young people & families 298; Older people 239; Health & wellbeing 186
Online votes are to be added to these figures from Saturday 26 November.2016
Its Up 2 U: The AAP Team thanked all who came to the voting event when nearly 500 people attended.
Receiving Funding Amount Votes
Fishburn Academy Band £ 7158 286
Future Leisure in Coxhoe £14825 264
Trimdon - St Albans Luncheon Club £ 7343 242
Fishburn Allotment Association £ 5445 238
Fishburn Youth & Community Centre (Part funded) £ 5229 226
TOTAL ALLOCATED £40,000
Next Board meeting Tuesday 24 January 2017 from 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm at Kelloe Primary School ALL
9ii) Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council: Next meetings: 18 January, (Bowburn); Litterpick 4 February
Neighbourhood Plan: The results of the questionnaires are being collated.
9iii) Quarry Liaison: Awaiting the next meeting date. SYLVIA/RICHARD
10. Group Noticeboard:
(i)Banner: Nothing to report
(ii) BVC Interchange: The next issue is being prepared for printing in March and articles would be welcome.
The next Quiz Night will be held on Friday 3 February in Crowtrees Club at 7.30pm.
(iii) Credit Union Bank: The bank is open on Fridays from 11 am to 12 noon in the Community Centre.
Both schools have opened a Credit Union Bank for children and family members.
(iv) History: Three talks have been arranged the first of which is in February.
The Resources Room is open every Wednesday 1pm till 3pm.
(v) Fun Day: It was hoped that funds could be raised for another such event on 2017.
A meeting will be arranged soon.
11. AOB: None
12. Date/Time of Next Meeting: 21 February 2017 at 6.00pm in Bowburn Community Centre
Pick up a weed and a piece of paper every day to keep your pavements clear