General Meeting B&PCP Charity No 1112151 Tuesday 18 October 2022
PRESENT: M Bell, J Blackburn, J Blakey (Cllr), A Dolan, N Henderson, G Hutchinson (Cllr), M McKeon (Cllr), G Parker, S Raine, J Richardson, C Styles
1 APOLOGIES: R Cowen
2. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST: Declare interests when appropriate.
3. SECURITY: POLICE: Update for August 2022
40 crimes reported; Crime locations are within a 1mile radius of Durham Road.
Violence & Sexual Behaviour 17; Criminal Damage & Arson 2; ASB 6; Shoplifting 1; Other theft 6; Public Order 2; Vehicle 4, Burglary 1, Other Crime 1
Top location: Durham Services 6 Crimes – ASB 2, Other Theft 4, Public Order 1, Vehicle Crime 1
‘Keep in the know report’: We would like to remind residents to keep valuables well out of sight, lock your doors and windows even when you are in the house. Houses in darkness are more likely to be targeted by burglars so leave on a light (maybe on a timer) when you're out. Keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour and report it on 101.
October is tyre safety month. Please remember to regularly check your tyres and ensure they are safe and road legal. Checks will be conducted by traffic officers.
Cllr Hutchinson informed that when a fire is reported to 999, it must also be reported to the police – as instructed by the Fire Service.
It was suggested that this could be noted in the Interchange newspaper. JANET
4. MINUTES OF GENERAL MEETING 20 September 2022 Agreed
MATTERS ARISING:
Joint meeting with PCC, Parish Council and the Partnership; Cllr McKeon contacted Deputy Crime Commissioner Nigel Bryson who agreed to meet the Partnership and Parish Council on an agreed date.
Agreed: To discuss with the Parish Council on Wednesday 19 October to arrange a date. CLLR McKEON
Paint Noticeboards: Cllr McKeon has made enquiries and was recommended ‘Find and Fix’. JANET
Trustees: There are vacancies on the board of Trustees and Nicola Henderson has agreed to become a trustee of the Partnership.
5. FINANCES:
i) Treasurer’s report: Unrestricted Income since last statement from Quizzes £93 and Tea&Raffle £7.50 totalling £100.50; Unrestricted Expenditure since the last report equals /Affiliation and Room Hire £120 and Quizzes £15 totalling £135.00. Balance on Unrestricted Funds is £953.56.
Incomes in this financial year Quiz £182, Tea&Raffle £46, and Fun Day Tombola&Guess the Weight of the cake £126.80.
Donation to Ukraine Concert: A fundraising concert for Ukraine is booked for 9 December in Bowburn Community Centre. The cost of hiring the Centre is £96 for 4 hours. As this is to raise money for charity, the Partnership was asked to consider making a donation towards the cost.
After some discussion it was agreed to donate £50 to the Ukraine concert.
There could also be private monetary donations and possibly raffle prizes. There had been a suggestion to bake cakes for sale but members were reluctant to do this as they were wary of the danger of allergies.
Members would like to know who the £50 must be paid to for the hire of the Centre. JANET
ii) Raffle: C Styles won the raffle kindly donated by Jackie Richardson.
Prize for November - Janet Blackburn
iii) Quiz: New cryptic quiz ‘Hot and Bothered’ to return by Saturday 12 November available from Janet.
With regret Janet announced that the December quiz would be the last quiz that she compiled for fundraising.
She hopes that members will take on future quizzes.
Janet was thanked for her years of fundraising.
6. ITEMS FOR ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Length of trailers; Carpet Factory shop; Prizes for the Tea&Raffle
7. LOCAL REPORTS:
i) PLANNING ISSUES: None
ii) PARKHILL: The bench on the main road has been painted black. The ‘Toddler’ play area appears to be draining successfully.
iii) YOUTH CENTRE: Cllr Blakey reported that there is funding for improvements to the building. There will be holiday activities during the October Half Term. Residents have been extremely generous in donating £500 to the Youth Club. Arrangements are being made for face-to-face contact with the young people between Xmas and New Year not just contact by emails. The Youth Centre will be registered as a Warm Hub for 2 hours before the Bread N’ Butter food distribution.
The Youth Club hopes to include Y6 in January.
The Gym opens every weekday morning and three evenings a week, run by fantastic volunteers but currently there are no volunteers in the evening as the ones they had have gone to University. Joanne has been covering but she finds it difficult when she has fitness classes at the same time.
The lights are going to be changed to LED which use less energy. This will be funded by our local Councillors. The outside area has been cleared, to be grassed as a play area for the young people.
iv) FORMER INFANT SCHOOL: Cllr McKeon has requested a meeting with the Head of Education because the land has been ‘land banked’ by the Education Department. She hopes that the Education department move quickly for education or release for Social Housing, bungalows if possible, on the former playing field.
Cllr Blakey said that the shuttering had been fixed and explained that the land had already been sold to pay for the Primary School.
v) ENVIRONMENT: No report this month
vi) TRANSPORT LINKS: No updates this month.
8. REPORTS IN THE WIDER AREA:
i) AAP: Key Messages 27 September.
Cllr Chris Varty was Chair. The meeting was not quorate, therefore consensus for any decisions taken would be taken via email. Angela Stobbart and Jack McGurk gave an overview of ‘believe housing’. D Crinion from the Tenancy Community Lead Team was present; this is a new group helping to support residents. Neighbourhood Insp Sarah Honeyman provided an update on local policing issues.
Board members agreed to include the £10,000 withdrawn from the Durham Savers Project (linked to Credit Unions) into the Area Budget pot to be allocated to a project in keeping with the original project.
Board members agreed to fund all Half Term Fun and Food projects, which includes DJ Evans Youth Club, subject to decreasing the Groundwork application or finding funding to cover the £197.77 shortfall.
Board members agreed to fund from Area Budget: Coxhoe Primary School – Community Hub / Gardens £27,250 towards a project cost of £37,250; and from Neighbourhood Budget Coxhoe Primary School – Community Hub / Gardens: Clls Blakey / Hutchinson / McKeon paid £10,000 to match the £27,250.
Jane Bellis gave a presentation on the funding streams available and reminded the Board about the aim, objective and criteria for the Towns and Villages Fund. It was agreed that the Review of Community Engagement be a standard Board meeting agenda item until it reaches its conclusion.
There is one application for a public rep on the Board, who will attend an interview.
Angela Stobbart, representing the Business sector provided a verbal update from the County Durham Partnership Forum meeting she had attended on behalf of the AAP Chair.
Emma McLoughlin, Community Development Project Officer provided a verbal update on the Towns and Villages project(s).
Next Meeting: Tuesday 22 November at 5pm
ii) COUNTY COUNCILLOR ROUNDUP
Cllr McKeon: Leaves have been cut back to clear lampposts; She has given support to a resident because the Universal Credit Payment was not paid; Joanne Eden and Andrew Shutt are working to refurb the Computer Suite, and there is interest in a Coding Club which would be run by the University for free. It would be for all ages but a start has already been made on the young people’s project. Although Cllr Blakey reported that there was very little interest in the Coding Course, a Partnership member thought it was worthwhile to have the computers upgraded. The Pantry is doing well and supported by residents from Parkhill and Ukrainian families who are settling into the community.
Cllr Hutchinson: Clean and Green are short staffed and as the grass is still growing; this means that there is limited work on hedges and trees. To prevent parking opposite the bollards at the top of Durham Road yellow lines will be painted from the Tattooist’s to the layby at Janet Maitland’s, and yellow lines will be painted in the North and South Industrial Estates. The recycle bins will be inspected for the correct items to improve recycling, so collections may be delayed.
Cllr Blakey: Fires in the housing estate have been addressed. Clean and Green are to inspect the new trees that have died at Parkhill. Hanging baskets and brackets that have been removed from the old lampposts have not been replaced or returned to the Parish Council or the Nursery. Speed humps are to be placed in Parkhill and Cllr McKeon would be happy to support this project if extra funding was needed.
iii) PARISH: Report from 21 September
Further discussion took place about the People’s Lamp ceremony: Stephen Guy, President of DMA would attend and speak at the event; Andy McKeown would also be attending; children from Bowburn Primary School would come along and we were trying to find a band who could come on a week-day afternoon.
DCC had provided notice of the Council Tax Base for 2023/24. It was now 1821.0, an increase on last year. We must confirm our precept request by 20.1.2023
Park Hill residents were hoping to instal a notice board for Park Hill, and a Park Hill Councillor had been seeking quotes. Prices ranged from approx. £1050 to £1869 plus installation costs. Other notice boards in the Parish, apart from the ones on the Community Centres, which were “Parish Council” had been provided by the Community Partnership. Members discussed other possible providers, including the AAP, local councillor funding and grants from the local housing provider. Further investigation would take place and be reported to the next meeting.
Someone had tried to start a fire at the cemetery, and the fence was slightly scorched but not structurally damaged. Some of the trees were overgrown and it was agreed that Dean Mackley would be asked to provide a quotation for the works on the trees and some small fence repairs.
Next meeting 19 October 2022 Bowburn Community Centre from 6.30pm
iv) QUARRY LIAISON: No update
9. GROUP NOTICEBOARD:
i) Banner Group: On Saturday there will be a Gala Day update.
Thanks were expressed for the three banners joining the ceremony to dedicate the Miners’ Lamp.
ii) BVC: Interchange 100 Articles and photographs to Janet by to the end of October.
If you have any stories connected to the number 100, they would be most welcome.
A request was made for deliverers to put on a reserve list as each quarter delivers are unable to give out the papers for their round
iii) History: Thanks were given to Gary Parker who has organised student volunteers from the University to catalogue the assets in the History Room.
Monday 14 November: Richard Annis will talk on The Tilery uncovered on the Integra site.
10. AOB: Cllr McKeon drew the attention of the meeting to an article in the Northern Echo on the Devolution Deal with the 3 North of the Tyne Authorities and 3 South of the Tyne Authorities.
Cllr Hutchinson is organising a litter picking group on the first Saturday of every month starting at 10.00am in the car park of the Community Centre.
Sylvia Raine complained about the enforcement of the law on 1 October that measures a trailer from the hitch lock and not just the length of the trailer. There is a fear that this will encourage fly-tipping if a trailer is turned away for the matter of 20cm. JANET
The Carpet Factory shop (former Hare and Greyhound pub) is in an appalling state of disrepair which could be a danger to passers-by.
Cllr Blakey will talk to the shop assistant to find out if the owner is going to do these repairs CLLR BLAKEY
Raffle prizes: Trustees are asked to donate prizes for the Tea&Raffle. Next month the rota begins again with Janet Blackburn followed by trustees in alphabetical order.
11. NEXT GENERAL MEETING: 15 November at 6.00pm in Bowburn Community Centre
There is no meeting in December