General Meeting B&PCP Charity No 1112151 Tuesday 18 January 2022 from 6.00pm
PRESENT: M Bell, J Blackburn, R Cowen, A Dolan, G Parker, S Raine, N Ridley, C Styles
1 APOLOGIES: J Blakey, G Hutchinson, M McKeon, J Richardson,
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST FOR THIS MEETING: Declare interests when appropriate.
3. MINUTES OF LAST MEETING: The minutes of 16 November were agreed.
MATTERS ARISING: Item 7b - To arrange a sub-group meeting of Partnership, Parish and Councillors to discuss spending the various S106 monies available.
A joint meeting to discuss S106 monies has been agreed by the Parish Council and Councillors, but a date will be agreed after the Bellway discussions are complete.
Item 9ii: Cllr Mary Foy may come to an extraordinary meeting in January
Cllr McKeon has not been able to arrange a meeting. It may be in the next parliamentary recess.
4. POLICE: Crime statistics in November: Violence 11, Anti-Social Behaviour 8, Public Order 3, Drugs 3; Burglary 3, Other Theft 3; Criminal Damage 2.
From the ‘crime statistics’ website – Although violent crime represents the largest incidents category in Bowburn, this category is usually the largest in any urban area. This is partly because 'Violent Crime' covers so many offences compared to say Burglary.
‘Keep in the know’: Sign up to www.keepintheknow.co.uk to find out what is happening in your neighbourhood. This is an online messaging service where local alerts are sent out to keep you up to date on what is happening in your area of County Durham. It’s completely free and you can receive crime updates, road closures and see what the Neighbourhood Team is doing.
5. FINANCES:
i) TREASURER’S REPORT: Finances total £10,063.56, of which the majority is restricted, leaving £921.54 of unrestricted funds. £15 has been paid in quiz prize money and £38 to Richard Cowen in Zoom contributions.
Agreed: To stop the contributions to Richard Cowen for Zoom, because the effect of the covid pandemic is decreasing and no virtual meetings have been held since July 2021.
ii) QUIZ FOR FUNDRAISING: New quiz, ‘It makes Sense’ £1, to return by Saturday 12 February 2022
iii) TEA RAFFLE PRIZE: Gary Parker won the raffle prizes kindly donated by S Raine.
February 2022 Jackie Richardson to donate a prize for the raffle.
6. ITEMS FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
Donut skids on grassed areas.
7. LOCAL REPORTS:
i)PLANNING ISSUES AND UPDATES: a) Operator’s Licence Parkhill – no update, however the children’s nursery unit is now open.
b) Storage area at John Hare’s Wood – Application is still pending consideration
c) Bus Stop Crowtrees Lane – Waiting for an update from Cllr Hutchinson.
d) The appeal for the Barn at Old Quarrington has been allowed; this may result in more vehicles on the bridleway
e) Tursdale Lay-by – The barriers have not been erected to close the layby to lorries, but cones are in place over the openings at each end of the layby and double yellow lines have been painted along the main road.
ii) PARKHILL: a) There was nothing to report this month apart from the bushes have been uprooted from the children’s play area, however they have not been removed.
iii) COMMUNITY CENTRE: No update
iv) YOUTH CENTRE by Joanne Eden: All Youth Clubs are back after the Christmas break. A Student from Sunderland University is on placement until May 2022. The current staff and volunteers ensure that all sessions are open. COVID amongst Staff closed the youth club at the end of last term and the beginning of this one. Table Tennis coaching stops at the end of January when some Young People will be able to do a Table Tennis coaching course. The Gym is busy and from Saturday 22 January it will open on Saturdays from 5-7pm. We have applied to the AAP for funding for February half term.
v) SCHOOLS: a) Bowburn Primary School – no update this month
b) Former Junior School: The old building is demolished, and the ground is cleared.
c) Former Infant Schools: Awaiting news on the sale of the site.
vi) ENVIRONMENT: a) Trees at Parkhill – A variety of trees will be planted at the front of the estate once the invoice of £5,114.98 is received and paid by the treasurer.
A Parkhill resident asked if trees were to be planted in the PH play area, but Janet had been informed by Cllr Blakey that when the residents were surveyed there was no support for trees to replace the bushes.
b) Fence in Coxhoe Ponds Wildlife Area: No further information
c) Motorway underpass ‘feature mural’: There was some support for this project and others thought a mural might provoke more graffiti. Awaiting information from Cllr Hutchinson.
8. CORRESPONDENCE: Durham Libraries – Questionnaire to understand the needs of the community and how things might change on – www.durham.gov.uk/consultation by 1 April
Focus groups will be online where people will be able to get involved and have their say – book as above.
9. REPORTS IN THE WIDER AREA:
i)EAST DURHAM RURAL CORRIDOR AAP: a) 25 November 2021 via Teams Allan Blakemore was chair, and Kester Noble was appointed as a public rep. Angela Stobbart, Believe Housing, provided links for grants of £500 and £1000, as long as funds last. Area budget of £15000 (£5000 each) from our 3 councillors was approved to Make Coxhoe Village Hall Accessible. Inspector Honeyman gave an update on local policing issues. You are invited to become a public rep – an application pack is available from the AAP team. Next meeting 25 January via Teams.
ii) COUNTY COUNCILLOR ROUNDUP: a) Reports from councillors
Cllr Blakey reported at the Parish meeting that: Abandoned cars in Bowburn have been reported to the Police and Wardens; The Police are given constant information about cars making donut skids; Trees blown down in Storm Arwin will be cleared as soon as possible with the help of contractors; Discussions have taken place with the Doctor Patient Panel; Councillors have had a preliminary meeting with Bellway.
b) Leamside Line: See Item 3
iii) Cassop cum Quarrington PARISH: a) Report of the meeting held on 15 December
A planning application was received for reserved matters for 100 houses in Phase2B of Integra 61. Agreed to hold a meeting with Bellway, jointly with B&PCP. Tuesday 25 January was proposed. (TBA). There were now 3 vacancies on the Parish, for which members could be co-opted (ie, no-one had requested an election). A fourth Councillor had also resigned, due to re-location from Bowburn, but this could not be filled by co-option until 24 January (the time limit for a request for an election). Some poultry on the allotments were not being quarantined as required by DEFRA, to prevent the spread of avian flu. Allotment holders were to be reminded that this was a legal requirement. No contact with wild birds was allowed.
County Cllr McKeon reported: Proposed railway station at Ferryhill; NE Councils’ £800m bid for bus infrastructure; Cassop Primary Federation.
Next Meeting 19 January 2022. Next Litter-pick T.B.A.
iv) QUARRY LIAISON: QLC – It is hoped to have an update on the yellow route.
The ‘duckboard’ route is extremely muddy.
The next meeting is in March
Coxhoe Ponds Wildlife Site – There has been no response.
v) BVC: The new smaller version of Interchange 96 has been well received by the community who feel that there has been no noticeable difference in the quality of the paper, and it was easier to deliver. This means that all future issues will be in this A4 version.
Members were encouraged to enter the competition ‘Play Interchange Countdown’.
Contributors to Interchange 97 are asked to send articles and photos to Janet by Friday 25 February.
vi) BANNER GROUP: The group is negotiating to book the Kippax Band for the Durham Gala, which should take place on 9 July.
vii) HISTORY GROUP:
Monday 14 February 7.00pm; there will be a Zoom talk by David Butler on the ‘Durham Viaduct’.
Contact Mike Syer for the link to the talk.
10. AOB: Donut skid marks are damaging grassed areas around Bowburn and members would like measures to correct the destruction.
One of Mr Johnson’s fields, Old Quarrington, has also been damaged which creates a financial loss.
Suggestions were made to contact Graham Cozens (DCC) and Joanne Eden, Youth Club. JANET
11. NEXT GENERAL MEETING: 15 February 2022 6.00pm in Bowburn Community Centre