Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership

Welcome to the Latest Meeting Minutes web pages of Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership.

Bowburn & Parkhill Community Partnership - Charity Number 1112151

Tuesday 18 October 2011 from 6.30pm

 

Present:  J Blakey, S Featherstone, K Griffiths, K Haigh, G Kitson, S Raine, A Richardson, M Robinson,

S Robinson, R Walsh (Chair), S Walworth.

In Attendance:  G Marsden, M Ridley

 

1. Apologies for absence:     J Blackburn, PC Cockburn, D Paget, M Syer

 

2. Policeent By PC Cockburn via email after his holidays - period 19/09/2011 to 21/10/2011.

Parkhill - 1 Damage to hay bales; Cassop - No Crime; Bowburn - 2 Burglaries, 4 Assault, 5 Theft, 5 Damage

 

3. Masterplan Updates – No reports received by R Walsh, but those present were invited to give verbal reports where appropriate.

 

i)Highways:  no report

 

ii) Parkhill:  A Richardson reported that safety matting in the Play Area (for younger children) had been removed/vandalised. In the past this had been replaced by the County Council, but when it was reported this time, they were told it could not be replaced as no money was available: this was regarded as a crucial health and safety issue.

 

iii) Community Centre:  M Ridley reported that the roof should be completed that day; cladding for the building had been donated free of charge by the company doing the roofing, and they had only charged for the battens to support it. He had attended a consultation organised by the County Council about the future of community buildings; the outlook for many of them was bleak, and for those still to be supported by the Council, funding would probably be dependent on “sustainability” issues. A report stated that the County would not invest in Community Centres where another centre was sited within 800 metres: it was said that this would not include buildings under other ownership, eg church halls etc. but this had not been the case with the Leisure Centres.

 

iv) Youth Centre: The garden/outside project was now complete. M Syer was to be asked to ensure the “droopy” trees reported by a member were looked after.

 

v) Environment: No report

 

vi) Park Project: Outdoor gym equipment to be installed starting 7 November; installation approx.1 week.

 

vii) Regeneration: No report

 

viii) East Durham Rural Corridor AAP:

 

 AAP Board meeting to take place on Thursday (20 October) at Cassop Community Centre

 

ix) Future Plans for the Partnership:

 

Still under consideration

 

4. Minutes:

Minutes of the General meeting, 20 September 2011, were approved as a true record and agreed by members.

 

Matters Arising:  Item 3 i) tipping in lay-by on Sherburn Road had been reported;

3 iv) problems with staff tipping litter over the fence from Youth Club garden had been dealt with;

3 ix) various suggestions for protecting green areas from development had been received, eg, planting trees, providing play areas;

Item 5) rubbish bin at Hare & Greyhound bus stand: all bus shelters to be reviewed under Transit 15, so bin could be provided. NB a member reported the bin at the “Cooperage” corner had disappeared.

 

5. Trustees meeting 4 October 2011:  no reply as yet re Community Infrastructure Levy; Mabey street lighting scheme had been signed off by Cllrs Blakey & Williams (but Cllr Blakey reported there might be changes to the scheme following residents’ consultation); integration of new residents: it was suggested that “Welcome” notices could be put on the B&PCP noticeboards in  languages used by foreign residents moving to Bowburn: R Walsh and J Blakey to find out from Junior/Infant Schools which languages would be most appreciated; a member reported that newly planted trees in the Youth Club garden area looked “droopy”; Cllr Blakey suggested that subsidence near the Co-op could be connected to cracking in the Co-op wall, and agreed to investigate.

6. Correspondence:

 LINK News - from County Durham Local Involvement Network - was circulated at the meeting.

Residents at Park Hill had received information about the proposed Free School for Durham: meetings to be held at Bowburn Hall Hotel, Monday 24 October, and The Kicking Cuddy, Park Hill, on Tuesday 25 October (other meetings planned for Durham and Croxdale)

 

7. Items of Any Other Business:

 

i) Chairman’s announcement

ii) Robson Crescent

 

8. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer not present

 

> Raffle prize: M Robinson won the prize donated by J Blakey but kindly agreed it could be put back in for the next meeting.

 

9. Reports and matters arising:

i) Parish Council: The vacancy on the Parish Council was filled by co-option as the requisite 10 electors did not demand an election: there were 2 candidates, Sally Johnson of Old Quarrington and Paul Leake of Bowburn; after a secret ballot Paul Leake was co-opted as the new Councillor; Elaine Field, Parish Paths Partnership officer, spoke about grants available to Parishes for footpath improvements/repairs; emergency repairs were carried out to newly-installed perimeter fencing on the garage site, as a section was stolen on the night of 16/17 September; work on the garden of remembrance at the cemetery was to begin on 3 October.

 

ii) The County Durham Plan re Localism: no update.

 

iii) Quarry Liaison: no update this month: next meeting scheduled for December.

 

10. Group Noticeboard: Please contact the representatives after the meeting if you have any questions.

 

>Banner: the banner had been taken to a meeting at Heworth; the Kippax Band (West Yorkshire) had been booked for Big Meeting Day 2012

 

 

>BVC: The September Interchange had just been distributed.

 

>Football Teams: –  Bowburn FC (ex- Cooperage) are doing well, as are all the Youth teams: Under 13s top of their league and Under 12s third in theirs; other teams continue to progress well.

 The Halloween disco is 28 October and any members willing to help out would be very welcome.

 

>History: No meeting

 

>Website:  No report

 

11. Any Other Business:

 i) Richard Walsh announced he would be leaving the area and so would be resigning as Chair. He would be present at the November meeting, but not after that. Members expressed appreciation for his work as Chair and the knowledge and integrity he had brought to the role.

ii) The question of the willow trees at Robson Crescent was brought up again: it was now 7-8 months since the problem of the trees had been brought to the attention of the County Council, but still nothing had been done; the trees are so tall they interfere with Sky TV receivers, so no signal is available, and are now blocking light from the solar panels installed on the new houses; residents feared they might also begin to break into the water courses of the houses, willows being very invasive.

iii) A Park Hill resident asked if Park Hill could have a grant for fencing round the park, to keep children from going into the woods: it was agreed that a grant application form should be supplied.

 

12. Date and Time of Next Meetings:     

 

15 November 2011 at 6.30pm in Bowburn Community Centre.