Wilford Community Group

Minutes of the Committee Meeting

held on Monday 19th November 2007

at Wilford Social and Bowls Club

Present: Brian Hardy (BH) Chairman

Roger Steel (RS) Vice Chair

Chris Allsopp (CA)

Sheila Atherton (SA) Treasurer

Stephanie Taylor (ST)

Frank Wakelin (FW)

Bill Roughton (BR)

PC Nigel Brown, and Councillor Brendan Clarke-Smith kindly attended the meeting.

		Action
1	Apologies Diane Moore, Josie Foster, Ed Armstrong
2	Matters Arising from Minutes of Committee Meeting on 15 October 2007 - Wilford Library – BH had arranged to meet Joan Bray (Library Service Delivery Manager) on 26 November 2007 in order to discuss additional opening hours paid for by money allocated by Area 9 for the purpose. Any committee member is welcome to attend and support would be appreciated. ST will email all with date, time and venue. BH noted that the allocation of £5,000 had been mentioned in The Arrow newspaper and in a labour councillor’s leaflet circulated locally. He told the meeting that the Area 9 Committee was considering the possibility of Wilford having some Section 106 money but the rules linked to this money are being changed so we do not know how this will affect future decisions. Only the Meadows had been given lottery money. However, there is plenty of support for an improved library from Area 9. FW drew the meeting’s attention to an article in the Nottingham Evening Post on 13 November 2007 that encouraged Nottingham villages to apply for a lottery grant if they can prove some link with Sherwood Forest. This is a possibility for Wilford. - Motorbikes and quadbikes – the incidents mentioned in the last minutes have resulted in a pending prosecution. PC Nigel Brown was grateful for information received. An excellent new scanning machine at the police station means identification of offenders from photographs is now much easier. PC Brown also mentioned that emails had been sent to all community groups recently about Neighbourhood Watch. There is only one group in Wilford. Anyone interested in forming another could attend a meeting at Silverdale Community Centre on 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 4 December 2007. - Litter – Police Community Officers had given BH 2 litter pickers (long claw-like contraptions) which anyone is welcome to borrow. RS noted that the Cubs had done an excellent job of clearing the rugby club pitch etc. after the 5/11 bonfire. - Bee Bank vegetation - DB still to write to the Environment Agency about this. - Workmen had been active on the site again last week. No one in the group understands the logic of clearing the bank. - Pork Farms Ammonia Tanks – no further information on this. CA’s wife, however, is a chemist and she believes there would be no danger to Wilford in the event of a leak. - Cycle barriers – the barrier erected behind Vernon Avenue is not very effective, PC Brown commented that such barriers have to accommodate wheelchair access so can’t stop bikes. They do slow them down, however. - Crime Figures – PC Brown reported that there had been 18 crimes in Wilford in October and 2 burglaries in the last 2 months. Other crimes included theft from motor vehicles and the co-op, some assaults and one robbery. There had been a total of 202 incidents in Wilford and Silverdale in 60 days ranging from litter dropping to robbery. In response to a question about the empty Boots Homes in Wilford Village, PC Brown said he had checked that people seen going in with sleeping bags, etc. are employed by the owners as security guards. RS noted that security lights at the rear of the homes don’t work any more and some had seen dim, possibly candle, light in the building and were worried this could be hazardous. PC Brown agreed to ring the security company and see what is going on. - Christmas Lights – put forward as an idea for next year. Cllr. Brendan Clarke-Smith says there is money available for such things. WCG needs to make a good application. RS had contacted E-on who used to give grants but they no longer do this.	DB
3.	Secretary’s Report An invitation had been received to attend an Open Day at Clifton Community Centre on 28 November 2007. WCG is to make its representations to the NET public enquiry on 5 December 2007 at Britannia Hotel, St. James’ Street, NG1. DB to attend and probably RS on behalf of the Rugby Club. Cllr. Andrew Price had had a response from NET in respect of the absence of a flood risk assessment. WCG needs to have a copy of this. Brendan to chase. Iremonger’s Pond – Diane had done a good presentation to Area 9 Committee meeting and BH had told the meeting that WCG would be seeking financial support from them in due course.	BC
4	Parking Issues in Wilford Village FW was concerned that commercial vehicles were being parked in a residential area. Flower tubs had been suggested as a way of blocking the area being used for parking on Grange Close and this would improve the general appearance of the area too. A similar suggestion was made for the area outside the old Village Shop which becomes very congested around school times. FW offered to write to the relevant authority about this. Several people present complained about the constant presence of a British Gas van on the edge of the village green. PC Brown said no offence is being committed but the group could write to British Gas to complain. It was also noted that the double yellow lines, as predicted, had resulted in many more cars using Vernon Avenue as a parking place.	FW
5	AOB PC Brown reported that there had been another anti-social incident near the Co-op involving users of The Maypole pub. He had met the Manager of the pub and a ‘crime design person’ has been called in to advise about measures that might assist when the pub is re-furbished in the new year. PC Brown also reported that there will be no filter light on the traffic lights at the top of Main Road. The Highways Dept. will consider again once the road layout changes are complete on the A453. PC Brown agreed to prepare a leaflet for the notice boards with contact details of PCSOs on. There is a mess next to the Co-Op were the recycle bins used to be. These are now located in the Maypole car park. RS said that a resident had previously complained about the rear loading yard which was unsightly. Could not the Co-Op put ' mesh screens' on their rear gates & fences to obscure this ? The Players factory is currently installing new plant that will eliminate any tobacco smell	PC Brown

Action

Apologies

Diane Moore, Josie Foster, Ed Armstrong

Matters Arising from Minutes of Committee Meeting on 15 October 2007

- Wilford Library – BH had arranged to meet Joan Bray (Library Service Delivery Manager) on 26 November 2007 in order to discuss additional opening hours paid for by money allocated by Area 9 for the purpose. Any committee member is welcome to attend and support would be appreciated. ST will email all with date, time and venue. BH noted that the allocation of £5,000 had been mentioned in The Arrow newspaper and in a labour councillor’s leaflet circulated locally. He told the meeting that the Area 9 Committee was considering the possibility of Wilford having some Section 106 money but the rules linked to this money are being changed so we do not know how this will affect future decisions. Only the Meadows had been given lottery money. However, there is plenty of support for an improved library from Area 9.

FW drew the meeting’s attention to an article in the Nottingham Evening Post on 13 November 2007 that encouraged Nottingham villages to apply for a lottery grant if they can prove some link with Sherwood Forest. This is a possibility for Wilford.

- Motorbikes and quadbikes – the incidents mentioned in the last minutes have resulted in a pending prosecution. PC Nigel Brown was grateful for information received. An excellent new scanning machine at the police station means identification of offenders from photographs is now much easier. PC Brown also mentioned that emails had been sent to all community groups recently about Neighbourhood Watch. There is only one group in Wilford. Anyone interested in forming another could attend a meeting at Silverdale Community Centre on 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday 4 December 2007.

- Litter – Police Community Officers had given BH 2 litter pickers (long claw-like contraptions) which anyone is welcome to borrow. RS noted that the Cubs had done an excellent job of clearing the rugby club pitch etc. after the 5/11 bonfire.

- Bee Bank vegetation - DB still to write to the Environment Agency about this.

- Workmen had been active on the site again last week. No one in the group understands the logic of clearing the bank.

- Pork Farms Ammonia Tanks – no further information on this. CA’s wife, however, is a chemist and she believes there would be no danger to Wilford in the event of a leak.

- Cycle barriers – the barrier erected behind Vernon Avenue is not very effective, PC Brown commented that such barriers have to accommodate wheelchair access so can’t stop bikes. They do slow them down, however.

- Crime Figures – PC Brown reported that there had been 18 crimes in Wilford in October and 2 burglaries in the last 2 months. Other crimes included theft from motor vehicles and the co-op, some assaults and one robbery. There had been a total of 202 incidents in Wilford and Silverdale in 60 days ranging from litter dropping to robbery. In response to a question about the empty Boots Homes in Wilford Village, PC Brown said he had checked that people seen going in with sleeping bags, etc. are employed by the owners as security guards. RS noted that security lights at the rear of the homes don’t work any more and some had seen dim, possibly candle, light in the building and were worried this could be hazardous. PC Brown agreed to ring the security company and see what is going on.

- Christmas Lights – put forward as an idea for next year. Cllr. Brendan Clarke-Smith says there is money available for such things. WCG needs to make a good application. RS had contacted E-on who used to give grants but they no longer do this.

Secretary’s Report

An invitation had been received to attend an Open Day at Clifton Community Centre on 28 November 2007.
WCG is to make its representations to the NET public enquiry on 5 December 2007 at Britannia Hotel, St. James’ Street, NG1. DB to attend and probably RS on behalf of the Rugby Club. Cllr. Andrew Price had had a response from NET in respect of the absence of a flood risk assessment. WCG needs to have a copy of this. Brendan to chase.
Iremonger’s Pond – Diane had done a good presentation to Area 9 Committee meeting and BH had told the meeting that WCG would be seeking financial support from them in due course.

Parking Issues in Wilford Village

FW was concerned that commercial vehicles were being parked in a residential area. Flower tubs had been suggested as a way of blocking the area being used for parking on Grange Close and this would improve the general appearance of the area too. A similar suggestion was made for the area outside the old Village Shop which becomes very congested around school times. FW offered to write to the relevant authority about this. Several people present complained about the constant presence of a British Gas van on the edge of the village green. PC Brown said no offence is being committed but the group could write to British Gas to complain. It was also noted that the double yellow lines, as predicted, had resulted in many more cars using Vernon Avenue as a parking place.

AOB

PC Brown reported that there had been another anti-social incident near the Co-op involving users of The Maypole pub. He had met the Manager of the pub and a ‘crime design person’ has been called in to advise about measures that might assist when the pub is re-furbished in the new year.
PC Brown also reported that there will be no filter light on the traffic lights at the top of Main Road. The Highways Dept. will consider again once the road layout changes are complete on the A453. PC Brown agreed to prepare a leaflet for the notice boards with contact details of PCSOs on.
There is a mess next to the Co-Op were the recycle bins used to be. These are now located in the Maypole car park. RS said that a resident had previously complained about the rear loading yard which was unsightly. Could not the Co-Op put ' mesh screens' on their rear gates & fences to obscure this ?
The Players factory is currently installing new plant that will eliminate any tobacco smell

PC Brown

The meeting closed at 21.30

The next meeting is at The Wilford Bowls and Social Club on Monday 17 December 2007 at 7.30 p.m.

Approved…Brian Hardy….(Chairman)

Date………17^th December 2007……………….