Wilford Community Group

Minutes of the committee meeting

held on Monday 9^th January 2006

at Wilford Social and Bowls Club

Present: Brian Hardy (BH) Chairman

Dave Boulton (DB) Secretary

Sheila Atherton (SA) Treasurer

Chris Allsopp (CA)

Stephanie Taylor (ST)

Frank Wakelin (FW)

Kate Clark (KC)

Jonathan Shewell-Cooper

			Action
1	Apologies Roger Steel, Brian Clark, Bill Roughton Absent Maggie Hamilton
2	Minutes of 11^th December Committee Meeting Approved
3	Review Outstanding Actions
	a.	Boundary change DB reported that he had spoken to Andy Pendleton at the Environment Agency and a date of Thursday 23^rd February had been agreed for a General Meeting to present the changes to the embankment and also to seek approval from residents for a boundary change. Agreed actions were: · contact Silverdale Community Association · confirm availability of South Wilford School Hall on the evening of Thursday 23^rd February. · distribute first draft newsletter for review to committee by 17^th January · changes to first draft to be submitted by 27^th January · distribute final newsletter for approval to committee by 29^th January · committee to approve final version Friday 3^rd February · take newsletter to printers by Monday 6^th February · arrange distribution over the weekend of 11^th / 12^th February	DB DB DB All DB all DB JS-C
	b.	Neighbourhood Wardens DB reported that despite numerous emails and telephone calls, it has been difficult to make contact with the Team Leader. The website has been updated with the new details and he will continue to try and make contact. The invitation will now be made for the March meeting.	DB
	c.	John Deane Cannon See agenda item below.
	d.	Main Road Lamppost BR had reported to DB that the council were aware of the damage to the lamppost although it does not appear to have been repaired yet.
	e.	Wilford Library BH reported that Natalie Sellears (Library Services Manager, Nottingham City Council) would attend the meeting subject to an agenda and list of issues being produced beforehand. BH and JS-C will produce these. BH announced, however, that the original date of 13^th February is not now possible as he is on holiday. Therefore, the committee meeting is postponed until Monday 27^th February. BH will also inform the invited councillors. BH also pointed out that the latest Area Committee minutes recognise that the library is in need of replacement/refurbishment. The Community Group will lobby for this to be a community facility rather then incorporated into one of the two new school builds.	BH/ JS-C BH
	f.	Open Gardens Correspondence A reply has been sent to David Rowe.
	g.	Budget for Top-Up Funds Sa reported that this has been completed and sent with the application. She did warn that it may take several weeks for a response to be agreed.
	h.	Raffle Prize Letter DB reported that this has been completed and KC can use it.
	i.	Main Road Traffic Speed DB reported that he had emailed PC Nigel Brown about the feasibility of borrowing a Police handheld speed gun, but no reply had been received yet. He also reported that it would be possible to hire one for a week for an approximate cost of £40 or one could be bought for an approximate cost of £170. It was agreed that unless the Group could borrow one from the Police, DB would investigate further the hire of a gun. If the planned exercise were successful and useful, committee would consider the purchase of a speed gun at a later date.	DB
4	Chairman’s Report BH reported to committee an offer from CA to provide approximately £100 of raffle prizes to the 2006 Summer Event. The committee thanked CA for his very generous offer. BH reported that RS had suggested that Area Committee funds may be available for communities an suggested that the provision of pea-lights to decorate the trees outside the Maypole, Co-op and Library might be appropriate. Members of the committee expressed concern over the installation of such lights on these very tall trees and also the health and safety implications. Given other issues currently under consideration by the committee, it was agreed to defer this discussion to a later date.
5	Secretary’s Report DB reported that the footpath fence near the sewage pumping station has now been repaired. DB also reported that following last month’s meeting at which he notified committee that the Spirit Group were to appeal against the Licensing Committee decision but the nature of the appeal was not known, the appeal related only to an extension of hours of use of the beer garden from 10pm to 11pm. DB informed the committee that because this was not a restriction the Group had asked for, he had replied to the Council Solicitor saying that there was no objection to this change.
6	Treasurer’s Report SA reported that the lottery (raffle) licence renewal had been applied for.
7	John Deane Cannon BH had spoken with Dave Ball at the History Society and read a letter received by the latter from Richard Warner – an historian at the History Faculty of the University of Mary Washington – explaining the history and background of the recovery and restoration of the cannons. In principle, the committee agreed that the return of one of the cannons to Wilford was a good idea, subject to obtaining further details about its size, condition and how it would need to be preserved once in Wilford. BH agreed to contact Richard Warner to obtain these details.		BH
8	Main Road / Leander Close Road and Pavement Surfaces KC reported that she had tripped over at the junction of Main Road and Leander Close and considered this to have been caused by the poor state of the road surface there. She also reported that there was a significant amount if standing water at the junction of the private road by South Wilford School and Main Road. Although she had reported the former on behalf of herself, she suggested that it might carry more weight if a letter was sent on behalf of the Group. This was agreed.		DB
9	Bulb Planting SA reported that she was still in possession of two bags of bulbs. JS-C also reported that the Council were asking him for photographs of the bulbs being planted as it was they who had provided them to the Group and wanted to use them in some publicity. It was agreed that the remaining bulbs will be planted along the Bee Bank on Saturday 14^th January at 2pm, subject to weather conditions. DB will bring along photographs showing where bulbs are already planted. DB will bring his camera.		All DB DB
10	Proposed Meadows / Embankment Development The proposed development on Victoria Embankment was discussed at length by the committee and the main concerns were: · noise pollution from the broadcasting of events. · appropriateness of the height of the tower. · impact on river flow given that the Environment Agency had refused NET permission to build another bridge across the river as it would affect the flow of the river. · contingent measures for the building in the event of a flood · lack of consultation of Wilford residents It was agreed that at this stage, the Group would write to the Council expressing its concerns at the lack of consultation.		DB
11	Any Other Business KC reported that a resident had approached her with concerns about the traffic lights at the Main Road / Wilford Lane junction in that number of vehicles had appeared “stranded” in the middle of the junction recently. KC had reported this to the relevant department who had subsequently carried out a test of the traffic lights and found them to be in order. KC will inform the resident of this. KC also reported that the same resident had asked why the red telephone box had not been replaced. KC agreed to inform the resident that although the box was listed, BT was not under any obligation to replace it if it had been completely destroyed. BT had also said that the box was not commercially-viable in any case. KC will inform the resident of this. Brief discussions took place about the 2006 Summer Event. It was agreed that residents who might be prepared to open their gardens should be approached now so that they can plan in time for June. JS-C agreed to speak directly to one resident and DB would write to the remainder.		KC KC JS-C DB

The meeting closed at 20:55

Approved…Brian Hardy.…….(Chairman)

Date……10^th April 2006.……..