GENERAL MEETING - Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151
Tuesday 21 August 2018 from 6.00pm
Present: M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey, R Cowen, J Geyer, M McKeon, G Parker, S Raine, J Richardson,
M Syer , S Walworth In attendance: Cllr Dunn
1.Apologies: M Ridley
2. Declarations of interest: Declarations of interests would be made as required throughout this agenda.
4. Security: (i) Police update: No update from the police.
A member asked if enquiries could be made for an overview of local incidents recorded by the police. JANET
Use your postcode to get access to local news and events from your Neighbourhood Policing Team, at https://
www.durham.police.uk
5. Minutes: Minutes of the General Meeting 17 July 2018: The minutes were approved and agreed.
Matters arising: The third prize cheque for the ‘Astrology V Astronomy’ quiz was donated back to the
Partnership.
6. Finances:
i) Treasurer’s report: A list of transactions since the last meeting were presented to the meeting. £13.10 has
been collected at the meeting in Tea and Raffle monies, plus £62 quiz monies.
After discussing the printing of the book ‘History Dates’ it was agreed to charge £5 per copy; end the
information in the 1930’s; send the manuscript to the printers in November 2018 to be ready for Xmas sales.
After a discussion with Martin Briscoe it was agreed to put a row of cherry trees in front of Tweddle Terrace; a
row of birch trees parallel with the A177 at Mary Terrace and selected trees within the green.
At this meeting Cllrs Dunn and McKeon agreed to fund trees to the value of £5000 in upper Mary Terrace.
6ii) Raffle: J Blackburn won the prize kindly donated by M McKeon; J Geyer will donate a prize in September.
6iii) Quiz: The winners of the last quiz were 1st D Humble, 2nd J Redsell, 3rd D Janes.
The new quiz ‘Musical Interludes’ is on sale at £1 with a closing date of 18 August 2018.
7. ITEM FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Ball games; City Care
8. LOCAL REPORTS:
8i)Planning issues: The Durham Plan: The chair has sent representations to the Preferred Options and we
await the Pre-submission Draft.
Hill Top View footpath: When work goes ahead on the MW roundabout there will be a request to create a path
to the estate from the A177.
Bowburn Hall: A revised application has been submitted for the 5 lodges.
Parkhill site: The 28-day enforcement period to keep the immediate area free of mud and surrounding area
free of dust was not observed so the Enforcement Officer has been informed about these concerns as the
situation could become worse when work goes ahead on the MW roundabout and Integra 61. JANET
Nature Trail: A meeting was held today it was agreed to add historical information to the environmental
information on pillars around the site; the next meeting will select the areas around the site for the pillars.
Bowburn Hall lodges: Waiting a decision.
Oak Tree care home: Does not appear to be in use.
Former Coop area: Once the S106 payment is made then work can begin, which should reduce the amount of
anti-social behaviour in the area.
Road Chef drive-through: Agreed to support the Parish in their remarks that there are no objections to the
drive-through but emphasise the need for a left-hand turn when leaving the site.
Extend the car park: Agreed to support the Parish in saying that there are no objections to a larger carpark but
criticise the application for being retrospective.
Barn at Old Quarrington: The chair left the meeting at this point declaring an interest in this application.
Sylvia Raine, vice-chair, led on this item: The meeting objected as the access road is not suitable for regular
use by cars or as a link road to Parkhill. The barn is outside the village area of Old Quarrington, being in open
countryside. There would be a problem with power and water supplies. JANET
Cllr Dunn reported that we are awaiting information from CISWO concerning the Primary School.
A discussion took place to replace two benches in Mary Terrace with benches to commemorate the Armistice
Centenary and install 2 silhouettes of soldiers at the War memorial. Benches application Cllr Blakey;
Silhouettes application all local Councillors.
Cllr Dunn was thanked for his presence and left the meeting at 7pm.
8ii) Community Centre: The centre has been well used during the summer.
Pick up a weed and a piece of paper every day to keep your pavements clear
8iii) Youth Club (Contact 0778827732): The Holiday Activities have been well attended with the children
enjoying and joining in all the activities. A defibrillator has been installed in the gym.
Fun Day: The poster competition has been judged and the winning posters will be displayed across the village.
The Bronto Skylift for the front car park of the Community Centre, is not guaranteed on the day; all shows will
be on the back-car park; the Climbing Wall will be in the Youth Club grounds; the stalls will be inside the Hall.
The finances are clear for this year with a contribution for next year.
8iv) Primary school: See above.
9. CORRESPONDENCE: Invitation from the church of Christ the King for 2 representatives to attend a
thanksgiving service to celebrate tenth anniversary of the dedication of the church.
10. REPORTS IN THE WIDER AREA:
10i)AAP: Date and time of next meetings Thursday 6 September from 5.00 pm – 7.00 pm at Sedgefield
Methodist Church Hall, North End, Sedgefield, TS21 3BT.
East Durham Rural Corridor staff have relocated to Office 0.2, The Manor House, West End, Sedgefield
10ii) County Councillor roundup:
Cllr Blakey Drainage problems are still ongoing at Parkhill
Cllr Dunn See above.
Cllr McKeon Clean and Green are being sent to Parkhill to investigate the drainage problems.
10iii) Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council Meeting 18 July 2018:
Planning applications: Ramside Estate lodges at Bowburn Hall Hotel – objection, same as per previous
application; Extra car parking at Roadchef – no objections, but concern that this is retrospective; Drive through
facility at Roadchef – no objections but insist on traffic turning left when leaving; Hill Top Farm Quarrington Hill
– objection, this should be treated as a new development.
Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council Meeting 15 August 2018:
Planning applications: conversion of barn into dwelling, south of Old Quarrington – objection on grounds of
inadequate access road, and development in open countryside.
A new Parish Councillor, Paul Leake, was co-opted onto the Parish, filling the vacancy caused by Geordie
Marsden’s death. Paul had previously been a Parish Councillor but had resigned due to family commitments.
Members discussed the possibility of a special gesture to commemorate the centenary of the Armistice (WWI)
and it was agreed to hold a special meeting of all interested parties to discuss this.
Neighbourhood Plan: The Neighbourhood Plan progress was reviewed, and the group is now ready to move
forward to drafting the plan and beginning the formal consultation period.
Coal Column: A meeting was to take place between Councillors and Joanne Ashworth of Groundwork to inform
her about progress on the Coal Column project. (Joanne has taken the project over from Grace Crawford who
is currently on maternity leave)
At this meeting the Partnership expressed an interest in taking part in Centenary Armistice meeting and
agreed to order an upgraded poppy wreath for the ceremony. MIKE
Next meeting 19 September at Bowburn
Litter pick: Saturday 1 September – meet at 9.30am in the car park of the Community Centre
10iv) Quarry Liaison: The next meeting will take place in October.
11. Group Noticeboard:
(i)Banner: Announced that a Heritage Open Day at West Cornforth will display banners.
The seats in the ‘Pitman’s Parliament’, located in Redhills Durham City, are being refurbished.
(ii) BVC Interchange: Issue 88 is in preparation with a variety of journalists. The deadline for stories is the end
of August for a September publication.
The next Quiz Night will be held on Friday 21 September in Crowtrees Club at 7.30pm.
(iii) History: The group is grateful for donations of photographs and memorabilia from local families.
The Resources Room is open every Wednesday 1pm till 3pm.
12. AOB: Ball games: A member was concerned that ball games were being played around the bungalows in
Lawson Road.
City Care: A member was disappointed with the response from City Care who did not have the power to
contact the emergency services about a neighbour who was not registered with City Care.
13. NEXT MEETING: General Meeting 18 September at 6.00pm in the Community Centre.
Pick up a weed and a piece of paper every day to keep your pavements clear