Springwell Village Residents Association
Meeting Held on 16th May, 2023

Present:
Angela Silk – Chairperson
Pauline Cooper – Secretary
George Martin – Treasurer
Christine Brown – Committee Member
Theresa Dalby – Committee Member
Helen Fife – Committee Member

In Attendance:
Liz Reid – Committee Advisor
Harry Trueman – Ward Councillor
Dorothy Trueman – Ward Councillor
Richard Johnston – Project Manager, Northumbrian Water
Sarah Jane Parvin – Customer Care, MMB
Paul Featherstone – NWG Project Manager

Apologies:
Maureen Lambton – Committee Member
Dennis Lambton – Committee Member
Jimmy Warne – Ward Councillor
Lesley Pickup – Committee Member

1. Minutes of previous meeting. Paul Featherstone’s job title was amended to NWG  Project Manager. Minutes then proposed and seconded. Approved. 

2. The Chairperson informed the meeting of the death of Bernie Scaplehorn. Whilst a Ward Councillor, Bernie had helped and supported Springwell Village Residents Association over many years and with many issues, including the Association’s fight to maintain the Green Belt. He is sadly missed by many Village residents. 

3. Update from Richard Johnston:- 

Richard reported that Northumbrian Water has held information sessions in the Village and for Mount Lane residents. Information is also available on their website. Initial work has now started on the reservoir site. CCTV has been installed. Work is  ongoing in Eighton Banks on the pipeline which will connect to the reservoir. Work is  also underway to ensure the Great Crested Newts in the area will be protected. Top  soil removal and tunnelling under the Bowes Railway line is due to commence next  week. They have now met most of Sunderland Council’s planning conditions. Fencing and archaeological work will soon be completed and then the major works will commence. Top soil will be moved close to Broom Court and there will be temporary  traffic management for the next few weeks. Temporary fencing and hoarding will be  put up in the next few weeks. Permanent fencing will be erected later. Land drainage  work is also due to start.

The issue of cars parking on the road instead of inside the compound was raised. Richard will ensure cars will be parked in the compound in future. A resident raised concerns over the nature of traffic management. Richard said protection mats would  be laid down for lorries to drive over and staff will monitor traffic. 

A letter is to be sent to residents of Broom Court and on the new build estate  informing them of the possible impact of the work. Photos will be taken of the houses before work commences and after work is completed. Residents queried whether photos will be enough and what if issues come up with the houses in later years. Richard responded that most new homes experience issues such as cracking  etc and these would be the responsibility of Esh, the builders. He acknowledged there may be disputes with Esh in the future and legal teams would deal with who  had responsibility. 

A portacabin will be in the compound and large cranes will be on site. The land will be restored after completion. 

Councillor Trueman noted concerns about the land formation, noting that developers had had to blast rock when nearby Beech Grove was built.  

The poor condition of the roadway on Mount Lane was raised. Richard said this was the responsibility of Sunderland Council. 

Sarah said she will pass any new information to SVRA to update their website and  Facebook pages. She asked residents to contact them with any problems and issues to enable them to deal with them as soon as possible.  

Liz Reid informed the meeting that with the Helens/Esh development the Environment Agency had been contacted – but this does take time. Residents should  also keep a diary of any events or issues. 

The Chairperson thanked Richard, Sarah and Paul for attending. 

4. Thompsons Quarry 

The Chairperson reported that there has been a lot of complaints about the Quarry recently. Thompsons say they are complying with all regulations and are monitored by the Environment Agency. The water bowser is in use every day. Thompsons say there is no asbestos on site. Neither is there any sandstone and that the yellow dust  some residents have complained about may be coming from the Esh development.  Thompsons has also complained to Sunderland Council about the state of the road. 

A resident who had contacted the Environment Agency over the state of the road  said the Quarry Manager had contacted him but he (the resident) felt he was indifferent to the issues raised. The manager had asked the resident to get someone from SVRA to contact him to discuss the issues. It is hoped that the Liaison Group between the Quarry and SVRA can be restarted.

A resident asked if there were any restrictions on the Quarry as they seemed to be increasing the height of works around the Quarry. The meeting was informed the Quarry had permission to raise the height for drainage purposes. 

A resident said he had evidence that lorries did not always go through the wheel  wash and was advised to take this up with the Quarry Manager. 

The resident who made complaints about Thompsons suggested residents contact James Kirkup of the Environment Agency and gave out the relevant telephone number. 

5. Bad behaviour by young people. 

Residents on Uplands Way and Heugh Hill had reported experiencing bad behaviour. This had been reported to Police. The Police have been invited to attend SVRA Meetings but due to lack of resources this was unlikely to happen. Councillor Trueman reported that the Chair of the Area Committee meets with the Police to discuss incidents. There is a new Police Inspector in the area and there is an Anti social Behaviour Team in Washington. They have talked to the youngsters involved. (subsequently Councillor Trueman supplied the contact details which have been sent to the complainant) 

6. Annual General Meeting 

The Treasurer’s Report was presented. This has been audited by external auditors and approved by them. There is £1400 in the account. Instead of two accounts the  SVRA now has one account. Most expenditure is on leaflets and information printing. 

A resident asked how the SVRA fundraises. The meeting was told that some comes  from the Local Authority Community Chest which Councillor Truman said had been  simplified to make accessing funding easier. The Meeting was informed that as there  so few volunteers willing to help there was not much point in fundraising for  amenities such as flowerbeds and plants as they could not be maintained. Grants  were not applied for unless there was a specific purpose for using them. 

A resident queried whether it was appropriate for the Village School to receive  money from the Council. It was noted by the Meeting that money received by the  School was both justified and monitored and that it was right that local children  should receive equipment that they need that is not provided by central  Government funding. 

The Chairperson reported that two Committee members were retiring after many  years of stalwart service to the SVRA. They were Maureen Lambton and Helen Fife.  The Committee thank them for all their hard work and Councillor Trueman  presented Helen with a bouquet of flowers. A bouquet was also to be taken to  Maureen who had been unable to attend tonight. 

The Chairperson said some new committee members had offered to join the Committee but volunteers were still desperately needed. The new members are:

Liz Reid – formally an adviser  
Alison Nairn
Keith Nairn
Gary Skuse 
Mark Curry 

The existing Committee then stood down and Councillor Trueman took the floor. He informed the Meeting that the existing Committee were prepared to continue and  asked if there were any objections. There were none so it was agreed by the Meeting to reappoint the existing Committee. Pauline Cooper stood down as Secretary and was replaced by Christine Brown. 

The Chairperson thanked Councillor Harry Trueman and Councillor Dorothy Trueman for attending. The Chairperson noted that Councillor Dorothy Truemen is to become Mayor of Sunderland and her two charities were the Special Lionessess and Hug In a Bag. Last year Councillor Harry Trueman raised over £12,000 for these two local charities. 

7. Date and Time of next meeting: To be confirmed.