WILFORD COMMUNITY GROUP
Minutes of the Committee
Meeting (Closed)
held on Thursday 8th
July 2004 at 7.30 pm
at Nottingham Moderns RFC
(Ward Lounge)
Present: Roger
Steel (RS) Acting
Chairman
Sheila
Atherton (SA) Treasurer
Josie
Foster (JF) Minute
Secretary
David
Boulton (DB)
Mike
Cathcart (MC)
Kate
Clark (KC)
Brian
Hardy (BH)
Jonathan
Shewell-Cooper (JS-C)
Apologies: Brian Clark (joined meeting at
9.00 pm)
Brendan
Clarke-Smith – co-opted member
None Action
1.
Gardens
RS
thanked everyone for making the Village Garden Trail such a
tremendous
success.
There
were plenty of ideas forthcoming with regard to the event
being
held in the future such as the Church being opened, and
involving
the History Society, schools and other associations connected
with
Wilford. Serving refreshments in
individual gardens was thought
preferable
to being served in the Church Hall or the paddock. If this
was
the case then definitely more help ‘on the day’ would be necessary.
Planning
would have to be started very early if it was being done on a
larger
scale. Our own contacts to be
approached personally about
opening
their gardens next year. ALL
Allotments – to have a more prominent role next time –
early approval
required.
Photographs – BH was thanked for his photography and KC for her
arrangement
of photos. It was agreed they should be
displayed in
the
local library and at the School Open Day.
KC offered to see KC
they
were taken to the different venues.
Action
Monies
raised – SA reported that after
expenses a cheque would be
sent
to Marie Curie for £1,133.65. The
tombola raised £243.40 for
community
funds. The presentation of the cheque
was being
arranged
to take place in KC/BC’s garden as it offered views of
the
Trent and Wilford. DB is co-ordinating
dates with Evening Post,
KC
and JF. (Newsletter Item), DB
2.
Neighbourhood Watch
At
this point PC Nigel Brown joined the meeting.
He
reported an increase in burglaries, where car keys are being taken
from
homes and the owners car being stolen.
These are usually quality
cars
with a ready market and are soon disposed of.
It would help if
information
could be cascaded down by telephone to residents, asking
them
to lock away valuables, keep car keys upstairs and keep windows
and
doors securely locked and closed and to garage the car overnight.
Neighbourhood
Watch has been well advertised but no take-up, apart
from
Neil Gregg at ? Main Road and Brian Hardy, in Holly Close.
BH
wished to pursue this matter in his own time. BH
6.
Pillar Box/Telephone Box
(Agenda
item 6 bought forward due to PC Brown’s presence)
Pillar Box – After
consultations with residents RS asked the question –
do
we want the original box returned, a modern pillar box on a stand or one
similar
to that at present by the Post Office?
BH suggested it would be more
appropriate
to have one similar to that at the Post Office, this would be large
enough to take more mail, be more
secure and take large size envelopes.
PC
Brown would back our efforts to have a replacement pillar box. RS RS
suggested
the grey box be re-sited next to the wall around the Boots’ Homes.
JS-C
would like to see the old GR letter box preserved and kept in Wilford.
Telephone
Box – JS-C had spoken to the Planning Department and they
confirmed
that this was a ‘Listed Building’. They
wanted to know what
condition
is it now in, if the cast iron structure is damaged, it would not be
possible
to have it returned. It is now stored
at Eastcroft. The ‘listed
building’
factor was questioned and RS would investigate. DB would print RS/DB
out
a Listed Buildings List for RS. PC
Brown thought it was invaluable to have
a
telephone box replacement in whatever form . There was an increase of
pedestrians
and cyclists passing through Wilford Village plus we had a
large
elderly population, and he would back any application we made.
PC Brown was thanked for his contribution and he left
the meeting.
The old red telephone box was considered to be a
‘landmark’ in the village
Conservation
Area.
Action
3.
100 day Clean-Up Campaign
JF
would check the boxes in the library and Post Office to see if JF
there
had been any further response.
Many
residents had asked the committee to see whether larger bins could
be
provided at the bus stops. RS will
contact D. Stretton on this issue. RS
JS-C
had checked who was responsible for the grass on the cycle paths
and
it is the councils’ responsibility. Ask
D. Stretton if he will look into
this
matter. RS was pleased to report that
the graffiti continues to be cleaned up.
BH
had received a letter from Severn-Trent about the Sewage Pumping
Station
stating that it was being manually screened every week and this
Is
causing a stronger smell. They will be
doing a proper job eventually.
(Newsletter item).
4.
AGM
JS-C
suggested Nick Smith, who is canoeing in the Olympics is invited
to
speak at the AGM. A newsletter should
be issued giving details of
The
AGM to be included in this issue the Clean-Up Campaign, Open
Gardens
and the Neighbourhood Watch. etc. RS asked DB if he would edit
the
newsletter, DB was short on time due to holidays and work DB/SA
Commitments
but would be able to do the bulk of the work and SA
offered
to fill in any gaps such as dates and venue when these are
finalised. SA stated the accounts are audited.
Andrew
Price to be invited to be the Independent Chair and an invite RS
issued
to Damola as representing the Housing Liaison Team.
Venue
proposed – St. Wilfrid’s School RS
Date
– to be arranged – RS would e mail committee with dates and see RS
which
was the most convenient to the majority of members.
5.
NET
Bader
Road Tram Stop – DB had received a reply from NET and the stop
At
Bader Road would be of a staggered platform layout, and they would
Have
to remove 200 metres of embankment.
They were still concerned
with
security issues. Committee discussed at
length the best way in
which
to continue because it was obvious NET would not provide two
stops
between the Ferry and Wilford Lane. It
was agreed to lobby for a
route
behind the embankment as the priority concern.
RS
had received a reply from Kenneth Clarke sympathising with our
views
but could not directly intervene. RS
was asked to write again to RS
Alan
Simpson and Terry Butler urging them to respond to previous
communications.
Action
The
Second concern was the location and traffic problems envisaged with
the
stop near the Ferry Inn.
Thirdly
DB was asked to reply to NET challenging their DB
letter
and mentioning the property development that will be taking
place
on the Rushcliffe side of the embankment.
7.
Minutes of Previous Meeting
DB
and SA asked that a sentence be struck from the Minutes.
Item
3 – Open Gardens - “It was resolved
that …… …
‘also
that a Grant Request would be made via
Lesley Lowe’”
RS
agreed to amend the Minutes to read “it was discussed a grant may
be available through Leslie Lowe”.
8.
Outstanding Actions
There
were none from the May Minutes but DB asked for clarification to
outstanding
actions from the April Minutes.
Item
3.3.2 ‘Site line to Bellway Housing to Church”
Bellway
had not responded - No outstanding actions
9.
Committee Communications
DB/BH
asked that there be no late telephone calls after 9.00 pm.
All
Committee members agreed and secondly, again to which all
members
agreed, could Committee meetings finish at a reasonable time.
10.
Any Other Business
(a)
RS had received a request from Emmanuel School to the WCG to
submit
a list of suitable House Names from which the pupils could
make
a choice. RS had already compiled a
list linked with Wilford
and
had approached Roy Kershaw of the History Society who had
suggested
Henry Kirkewhite, who had lived locally and had written
a
poem and Hymn which could also become a school song. There was
no
other suggestion than those already proposed.
RS would forward these RS
to
Emmanuel School.
(b)
RS had various suggestions in which to involve the community i.e.
A
play at the Church Hall, a Christmas Pantomime – we need a volunteer
to
produce and direct a Xmas Pantomime. A summer garden party and a
charity
concert, all of which committee members thought were good ideas
but
would need plenty of enthusiastic volunteers. (Newsletter item).
Action
(c)
RS asked if it was in order to apply to Area Committee for Pea Lights
in
the trees near the Co-op during the Xmas season. Committee agreed
but
wanted to know where they would be wired into, RS thought the adjacent
electricity
sub-station the most appropriate place.
(d)
RS asked if we wanted to repeat the fund raising table at the Bonfire
on
Nov 6th. Again it was a
question of manpower. RS said he would
arrange
for a shelter and table to be put in position.
No decision was
made
it would be an agenda item for the next meeting.
(e)
RS had spent £21.90 on bluebells which he had planted opposite the
garage,
could he be reimbursed? SA agreed to reimburse providing RS
produced
a receipt.
(f) KC had received a request from Janet Raymond for
a bus shelter on the
Green. No concencus was reached. This may be subject to vandalism.
(g)
KC mentioned making a donation to ramps for the Church Hall
out
of Community Funds. If not could she
take over the Tombola prizes
to
the school open day or keep for fund raising on bonfire night.
DB/SA
said WCG were not allowed to contribute to any specific
religious
body, we had to be non-sectarian. JF
responded that the Halls
were
used by all sections of the community with no thought to what
religion
the person belonged. No decision was
arrived at with regard
to
the Tombola prizes. It was decided not
to donate to the ramp.
Money
is available from the Co-op to fund local projects, to which the
Church
could apply separately for funding the ramp.
WCG could apply
on
our own behalf, KC would collect a
form, we can then read the rules KC
and
decide what we can apply for.
(h)
JS-C - As Andrew Price is Chairman of the Area Committee for
six
months would he be able to improve the bus services for Silverdale
and
Wilford.
(j)
Road noise on the A453. It is the
Councils’ responsibility from the city
to
Clifton Bridge and from Clifton Bridge it is the Highways responsibility.
JS-C
has asked the noise abatement department to check the noise volume
in
his garden n would like Queen’s Drive to be re-surfaced to reduce the
volume
of noise.
Bader
Road is being re-surfaced.
RS
asked “as a group, how do we tackle the noise problem? “ RS thought
Experian
security announcements are more of a problem.
JS-C suggested barriers MC
on
the other side of the river bank, however RS thought a row of trees
be
more in keeping with the area, to which JS-C agreed. – Carried over
to
next meeting.
Action
(k)
DB – Andrew Price as Chairman of the Area Committee, could push for
the
redevelopment of the library. Another
interested party, could be the
business
about to buy Fixings House. BH asked if
this could be made an
Agenda
Item.
(l)
SA – Insurance – we are not insured in any Hall and we should carry Public
Liability
Insurance. RS asked are other Voluntary Groups Insured?
SA/BH
offered to pursue this matter and get quotes. SA/BH
(m)
SA – school buses – JS-C said nothing had been resolved – it was now
an
urgent matter and he would e-mail RS with any information before 14 July.
(n)
BH - Electricity trench reistatement on Holly Avenue is really bad and pressure RS
needed
on Developers.
The
Meeting closed at 11.00 pm the next Committee meeting is possibly Monday
2nd
August. Await e-mail from RS with
confirmation of date and suggested AGM
Meeting
dates.
Signed ……Roger Steel…………….
Chairman (Acting)
Date
……2nd August 2004………………
POST NOTES to the JULY
MINUTES FROM ROGER
Item
1 –
(a)
- Josie to produce ‘aide memoir’ list of items for discussion in 2005.
Add
in RS for Hanging baskets for WCG sales and Ferry Inn promotion.
(b)
- Marie Curie: Donation now £1 338.65
Item
6 - Telephone Box (K6) is listed
Item
3 - 1 No. Litter Bin now installed at Bus Stop
Item
10(a) - Sent to John Bonner 14th July
Item
10© - Noted by Area Committee 13 July
Item
10(g) - Tombola Prizes given to Wilford Endowed School.
Item
10(h) - Request noted by Area Committee 13 July
Item
10(i) – Councillor Price advised of WCG demands due to large increased housing
developments.