Wilford Community Group

 

Minutes of the committee meeting

held on Monday 12th September 2005

at Wilford Social and Bowls Club

 

 

 

Present:            Brian Hardy (BH)                                    Chairman

                        Bill Roughton (BR)                                 Vice Chairman

                        Sheila Atherton (SA)                              Treasurer

                        Chris Allsopp (CA)

                        Maggie Hamilton (MH)

                        Roger Steel (RS)

                        Stephanie Taylor (ST)

                        Frank Wakelin (FW)

 

Guest:              Councillor Brendan Clarke-Smith (BC-S)

 

 

1                     Apologies

Brian Clark (BC), Kate Clark (KC), Dave Boulton (DB)

 

2                     Minutes of Previous Meeting (18th July 2005)

Approved.

                                                                                                                  Action

3                     Review Outstanding Actions

a.       Cheque Signatories

both BH and BR had had difficulty at the bank when trying to submit

proof of identity etc. but SA can now take the relevant paperwork to

the city centre branch to register the new cheque signatories.                    SA

b.      Letter to Diane Topple re school transport

BR has invited Diane Topple to attend a committee meeting.  He will

also write to the Head Teacher with a copy to Diane Topple’s manager.

Ashley Holland is now the transport manager in place of Jason Clifford.

DB noted that there is a national initiative to encourage children to walk

or cycle to school which should help us in our aim to achieve less traffic

congestion in the village.

c.       Contact Housing Committee and Area Committee about boundary

change

DB had written to the Housing Dept. but has not yet had a reply. DB to

chase. BH has provided DB with contact details at the Housing

Department. This contact needs to be established before  contact can

be made with Silverdale Community Association.                          DB

d.       Apply for top-up grant

SA told the meeting of a new contact in the council, namely Cheryll

Rawlins who is now the Tenants and Residents Associations’ Liaison

Officer.  SA will speak to her as soon as possible as the application

may not have been received.  SA has received confusing answers so

far about this.  This is to be carried forward to the next meeting.                 SA

e.       Request for Information regarding Tram Route

DB had written to Notts. CC as agreed about running the tram route

on the top of the railway embankment and had received a reply saying

all information is available via the County Council website. This report

did not tell the Group anything it didn’t know already.

f.        Group Contact Details

All relevant departments and organisations have now been informed of

the changes to the committee officers and their contact details. RS           Action

reported that Group mail is still being sent to him but BH said they are

already aware of the change and the error is due to too many people

being involved at the council.

g.       Open Gardens Review Meeting

Invitations were sent and ST had purchased the refreshments.

h.       Open Gardens Outstanding Actions and Correspondence

DB wrote a pro forma letter for raffle prize donors and these had been

sent by KC. DB had written letters to other contributors to the day.

i.         Open Gardens Outstanding Monies

BH reported very disappointing progress on re-claiming funds from the

Plant Stall and was at a loss to know what else to do.  It was agreed that

we needed to learn from this experience and ask future stall holders etc.

to sign a form before they take part agreeing to donate money raised to

the nominated charities.  RS felt we should build bridges in order to

secure the garden for next year but BH pointed out she had ignored

contact from DB and BH, only ever having contacted the Treasurer.

This had been a most unpleasant episode.

j.         Banners

DB had contacted RS and the latter had agreed to the sum.

k.      Proposed Boundary Change

See c above.

l.         Letter to Experian

Carry forward.                                                                                        DB

m.     Harvester Licence Variation

Letters had been sent to Chancery Court residents. Only one

response (against) had been received by DB and they were writing to

the licencing authority. In the absence of any other views (particularly

from those addresses backing directly onto the Harvester) no

communication was sent from the Group.

 

4                     Chairman’s Report

      There are no photos of Group members on the website as yet and there

was some dispute about publishing names and addresses of Group

members. Clearly, residents are entitled to know who members are.

Most Group members are happy to have their name published.

 

      Following a comment made at the post Open Gardens even about possible

fall-out from the Eastcroft incinerator unit, BH contacted them and

received an invitation to tour the site.  As a result the next committee

meeting will be held there (see end).

 

      Nothing further has happened in relation to improvement of the library.

BH is considering who to invite to speak to the Group about it.

 

The attention of the meeting was drawn to a meeting of the Clifton and

Wilford Area Committee on Wednesday 14th September at Green Lane

Community Centre.  FW agreed to attend.

 

5                     Secretary’s Report

Due to the Secretary’s absence, no report was given.

 

6                     Treasurer’s Report

                  The Group has a bank balance of £460. 

 

SA has contacted the Group’s insurers about public liability cover which

can be obtained from Notts.CC with a saving of £150 p.a.  We will be

getting a refund. Notts.CC provide such cover for all resident and

tenants’ associations.

 

7                     Planning Application 123 Main Road                                                         Action

There are 2 applications regarding the above property.  One is for demolition

in a conservation area and the other for constructing two semi-detached

properties that fit in with surrounding properties.  Josie had looked at the

plans and said they were very similar to the new homes already in the village.

It was agreed that no objection be made.

 

8                     B679 Clifton Lane Speed Limits

BC-S told the Group there had been 19 accidents between the traffic lights

at the top of Main Road and the roundabout in 5 years.  4 were serious

accidents.  10 of the accidents had occurred at the mini roundabout.

BC-S supplied a map to show the exact locations.  Police log details of

each accident but sometimes state that it is a 40 mph stretch when, in fact,

the speed limit is 30 mph.  BH said the Group had asked for repeater signs

to show 30 mph but these had not been supplied.  BC-S said that

Nottinghamshire Police save money by not installing them.  FW mentioned

excellent illuminated signs used in Burton Joyce.  CA asked if we could

propose that either traffic lights be installed instead of the mini roundabout

and that repeater signs are erected too or there is a 40 mph sign on Clifton

Lane and 30 mph on Wilford Lane.  CA has a contact who will be able to

say which proposal might be acceptable and who to approach.  He will

report back.                                                                                                 CA

 

9                     2006 Summer Event

It was agreed that the Group wants to have another event next year and

it will be on the last weekend of June.  A separate committee will again be

set up.   SA reminded the Group that we could either take proposals for

charities to support or raise funds the Group itself in case a ‘fighting fund’

is needed for any issues in the future.  She also pointed out that the kidney

unit had been very helpful in providing people to staff garden entrances

and it would have been difficult to manage with that support.  SA will write        SA

to the scouts, guides and any other groups to invite them to a future

meeting.  DB will write to all who were involved last time and ask them DB

for ideas etc.  Any ideas Group members may already have should be

brought to the next committee meeting.  RS suggested that Gleeds

might want to be involved.

 

10                 Eastcroft Incinerator

      All local waste is burned here and there is a suggestion that Eastcroft

might also take waste from Leicestershire and Derbyshire.  The fall-out

could affect this area.  BH had contacted the Unit and they invited the

Group to visit.  An air monitor will also be speaking to us.  Therefore

the date of the next committee meeting is Monday 10th October 7.30

at  Eastcroft.  The full address is:

 

                                                Incinerator Road

                                                Off Cattle Market Road

                                                Nottingham NG2 3JH.

 

The facility is accessed via Incinerator Road (near the Notts

County Football Ground).  Group members meet at the gates at

7.25 prompt.  BH suggested returning to the Bowls Club afterwards if

members want some social time.

 

FW will collect relevant press cuttings and a list of questions will be put

together ready for the visit.     BC-S informed the Group that there was FW

to be a public meeting about environmental issues at Sneinton

Hermitage on 20th September 2005 and it would be attended by

Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth etc..

 

11                 Any Other Business

                  (i)   Footpaths – SA said the footpaths mentioned on notices in Holly Avenue refer both to the small path behind the houses and the track running beside the allotments.  There had been concern about this and confusion as to which paths the notices referred to.  SA’s firm view was that if these are designated public footpaths then they should have ‘footpath-like’ access i.e. not locked gates etc.  The single post at the end of the track by the allotments seemed to work well.  John Lee has confirmed that access to the allotments for vehicles will remain.

 

                  (ii)   SA agreed to organise the planting of more spring bulbs this year.  The council will donate some and SA will ask Jonathan Shewell-Cooper if he has any to donate.  BH, ST, SA and BR all agreed to help with the planting.

 

(iii)      BS-C offered his help at any time should the Group need it.

 

 

The meeting closed at 9:00pm

 

 

Approved………….……….……….(Chairman)

 

Date………………………………….