General Meeting B&PCP Charity No 1112151 Tuesday 16 July 2019 From 6.30pm
PRESENT: M Bell, J Blackburn, R Cowen, J Geyer, M McKeon (From 6.25pm), G Parker, S Raine, J Richardson
(Until 6.25pm), M Syer In Attendance: Cllr Dunn Apologies: D Paget, Cllr Blakey
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST FOR THIS MEETING: Declare interests when appropriate
3. SECURITY: Police report 12/06 to 10/07
Burglary: 1 report at the Community Centre; investigations ongoing. Theft: 13 reports including meat and
other food products and 2 bottles of alcohol. This also includes theft of fuel from Bowburn Filling Station.
Investigations still ongoing. Criminal damage: 6 reports including several windows being put out of different
properties. Investigations are still ongoing. PCSO Stephanie Clarke commented that the criminal damage
reports are not the result of hate crime; it could be part of a neighbour dispute but investigations are
ongoing. Anti-social behaviour: 9 reports including noise nuisance, a fire being started, threatening
behaviour, bricks being thrown into a garden and issues with youths and off-road bikes.
;
Pact meeting: Next meeting Thursday 15 August 2019 at 6pm, Bowburn Community Centre.
If any residents have any information or anything to report, contact Steph via the email
Stephanie.Clarke@durham.pnn.police.uk or contact 101; or 999 in an emergency.
ii) Speedwatch: Cllrs Dunn and McKeon to co-ordinate a timetable. CLLRS DUNN AND McKEON
4. MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING 18 June 2019 agreed.
MATTERS ARISING: All on the agenda
5. FINANCES: i) Treasurer’s report: Jackie Richardson has been added as a signatory to the account and
Mike continues to be a signatory during the handover.
Updated finances include income from the Tea & Raffle of £9.00, and a spend of room hire for April, May
and June of £56.00 and a refund to J Blackburn of £40.83 for 50% of PC World toner.
The application to the AAP for Summer Holiday Activities has been successful.
Cllr Dunn informed that funds will be available for future Holiday Activities.
In October we’ll know if the Coop application for trees in Mary Terrace north has been successful.
Mike suggested that trees on the Ogden Estate could be available; he will enquire about permission to
remove these. MIKE
Donna supplied three house numbers in Durham Road that needed repairs to the gas boxes.
Richard Lloyd, plumber, is on holiday and will give a quote for the repairs on his return. JANET
ii) Raffle: M Bell won the raffle kindly donated by M McKeon. G Parker to bring the prize in July. GARY
iii) Quiz: New quiz ‘Bodycare’ £1 per copy, return by 17 August 2019.
6. ITEMS FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Trees in Tweddle Terrace, Waste bin.
7. LOCAL REPORTS: i) PLANNING: The Durham Plan has gone to the Inspectorate and all responses
have been passed on.
County Hall: A judge ruled all 5 challenges from the Durham City Parish were groundless and time has run
out for an appeal. Planning permission has been granted and work on the new County Hall will start soon.
Planning applications will be invited for the Aykley Heads site.
Hill Top View footpath: David Wafer (DCC) has suggested that the footpath may be constructed to Hill Top
View. Ownership of the land was queried and an advert can be used to overcome this.
Replacement of the rusty railings around the MW roundabout was again requested. STUART
Parkhill site Nature Trail: Geoff Scott is currently on annual leave and will respond when he returns on
Wednesday 24 July. JANET
‘Old’ Coop area: Building work is in progress.
OQ Barn: The application has been called into Planning for September / October.
Bogma Hall: Agreed to object to the application for 50 to 70 houses in Coxhoe on the grounds that there
will be a knock-on effect to Parkhill and Bowburn from increased traffic, and increase the argument to
construct the Bowburn Industrial Estates Access Road.
ii) Community Centre: At the Eve of Gala Evening the second mural was unveiled in the Lounge, and the
main hall was named the Ann Gething Main Hall. Next meeting Tuesday 23 July start time 6.30pm.
iii) Youth Centre: The Wednesday Girls Only Fitness Class is a new session that will start in September
2019 and is at the request of girls who want to do exercise in an all-girl environment. The Thursday junior
session is for School Year 6 and has recently increased in numbers. Gym usage continues to rise weekly;
some classes have as many young people as adults attending. This was always the overall aim to have all
ages doing exercise together as a community. In Half term there was a successful trip to Lightwater Valley
when the Young People behaved perfectly. Big Meeting Saturday saw a good turn out from the Children
and Young People who proudly carried the Banner through Bowburn. The air/con and heating, funded by
Cllr Blakey, has been fitted in the hall and is making a difference during activities. Joan Beck was
nominated to buy the bird equipment which has been put into the garden and is already attracting the birds.
iv) Bowburn Primary School: Richard has offered to give the schools a talk on local birds but has had no
reply.
New Primary School application: Sport England has objected to the loss of playing field which is not being
replaced in the new site. COUNCILLORS
8. CORRESPONDENCE: None
9. REPORTS IN THE WIDER AREA:
i) AAP: At the meeting on 18 July in Trimdon Community College, Trimdon Village, the main item will be a
presentation on the County Durham Vision and there will be the opportunity to find out more about the
proposals for the Durham History Centre. Council staff will be in attendance from 4.30 pm with display
boards and paper copies of the consultation survey, seeking feedback on the design and service proposals.
The proposals will bring Mount Oswald Manor House into use and provide enhanced registration services.
The AAP Youth Fund Small Grants and the Capital Small Grants Fund are available for expressions of
interest; there will also be a further amount of Area Budget money launched in due course. Different criteria
are attached to each pot/ project call out, so a group can apply to all. However, applying does not
necessarily mean that groups will be funded; those that meet the criteria will need to be taken to the Task
Group and Board for a final decision, as well as going through the usual appraisal process.
Projects must address one or more of the AAP’s 2019/20 priorities and underlying key issues, and have
regard where relevant to the Public Health intelligence and further issues raised at the Task Group as
follows: Children, Young People and Families, plus Health and Wellbeing.
ii) COUNTY COUNCILLOR ROUNDUP:
Cllr McKeon: Described the problems at the Surtees Avenue development where DCC officers have been
called in to resolve the obstructions; correct signage is needed and must be visible.
DCC will cut back the mass of shrubs behind the library at the end of the summer.
DCC will look at options for the ‘Blue route’ at Old Quarrinton in October.
DCC have gained funding to support Children & Young People with Mental Health issues.
Cllr Dunn: Has been the lead in drafting a report to commit County Durham to a 60% reduction in carbon
emissions by 2030 and becoming carbon neutral by 2050; the 70-page report goes to full cabinet tomorrow,
Wednesday 17 July.
The report was passed by DCC.
Future cycle routes were discussed; one being from Newcastle to Darlington along the A167 in Croxdale
Parish as well as the situation regarding the cycle route along the A177 from Bowburn to Durham.
iii) PARISH: Cassop-cum-Quarrington Parish Council meeting on 19 June in Cassop
A special resolution was passed, rescinding the decision of the Parish to progress the erection of a Coal
Column artwork, following the results of the additional consultations carried out between March & May
2019. The due date for parishioners to request an election in the West Ward had now passed, and the
Council is able to co-opt a replacement member. It was felt that it would be beneficial to have a
representative from Tursdale if possible, and it was agreed that a notice advertising the vacancy should be
put up in Tursdale. James Taylor of Lichfield and Partners was unfortunately unable to attend the meeting.
The Parish received a request to underwrite part of the costs of the summer holiday playscheme in
Bowburn: it was expected that funding applications which were being made would cover the full £5,400
required, but not until too late to secure staff, plan activities etc. The Council agreed to underwrite the costs
so that this could be done.
Next meetings: 17 July in Bowburn and 14 August in Cassop Community Centre.
Next Litter-pick: 3 August meet at 9.30am in the Community Centre car park.
Neighbourhood Plan: Feedback from DCC on the ‘health check’ has shown concern about the proposed
protection of a section of John Hare’s wood, the façade of the Infant School building, and the Environment
Policy. Cllr Dunn stated that he considered the school matter would be resolved.
Discussions will take place to resolve the concerns, to enable the Neighbourhood Plan to proceed to a
referendum.
Art piece: The Parish has decided no longer to proceed with the Coal Column. See Item 9iii. Groundwork,
acting on behalf of the Parish, has submitted an S106 application for funding to employ an artist to
commission a piece of art commemorating Bowburn’s mining heritage.
Cllr McKeon said that Ray Lonsdale of Seaham’s ‘Tommy’ fame is interested in being considered to create
iv) QUARRY LIAISON: A meeting on 15 July discussed the “Blue Route”. See Item 9 (ii).
The chair mentioned that he had made representations on his own behalf in respect of Tarmac’s
applications for new workings. He stated that he had referred to the Blue Route in these representations.
10. GROUP NOTICEBOARD:
i) Banner: The Eve of Gala concert was a success with a good attendance. The Gala Day parade
ii) BVC: Issue 91 has been delivered to all houses in our area.
Quiz night: The next quiz night is 26 July 2019 from 7.30pm in Crowtrees WM Club.
iii) History: The History Room is open on Wednesday’s between 1.00pm and 3.00pm.
The 2nd Tuesday talks resume in October.
11. AOB: The newly planted trees in Tweddle need extra watering after the recent dry weather.
A request was made to have a litter/dog poo bin at the entrance of Leyland Close.
A comment was made about a trailer and pallet boards that appear to be abandoned oppposite Carlin
Close
12. NEXT GENERAL MEETING: 20 August at 6.00pm in Bowburn Community Centre