PUBLIC MEETING 22 September 2015

SPRINGWELL SOCIAL CLUB

MINUTES

Present: Chair A. Templeman

Vice Chair E. Hardy

Secretaries P.Cooper

Treasurer G. Martin

Other committee members H. Fife

S. Gray M. Johnson

E. Gatens

M.Lambton

D.Lambton

Apologies: L.Pickup Councillor B Scaplehorn

Cllr D. Trueman

Cllr.H.Trueman

Approx 60 members of the public attended

1. The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed

2. Village Issues

• Council:

26 Beech Grove road sinking outside –inspected by Highways officer and found to be ok. Trees at side of school – can they be pruned (height)? Awaiting response from Tree Officer

Hedge overgrown path rear Fell Road -No issues found

Ice cream van fire on Stoney lane -Passed to Highways Inspector for Inspection and road and footpath found to be in good condition. Resident reported extremely dangerous debris remaining ML to report to Council.

Vas sign locations and is it on Springwell rota -Passed to network management and response is that is on the rota and 1 VAS Sign has been placed on Springwell Road junction of Windsor Road on 17^th August for a 3 month period

Signage for Mount Lonnen speed limit -Passed to Network Management and response is that conditions under which traffic signs can be erected on the highway are strictly governed by the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 1994. Under these regulations it is not permissible to erect repeater signs inside a 30 mph speed limit. This restriction also applies to markings on the road surface. Other speed limits will be indicated by the provision of plates at regular intervals on street lighting columns showing the speed limit. Given this information, we are unable to erect such signs to Mount Lonnen.

Bin wagon was seen going through village on Friday 7^th August -Vehicle was sent back by manager to estate for missed bins

What’s happening with poplars in Seldom Seen park -Tree officer will try to reduce height as part of winter prune Oct 15- Mar 16

Northumbria in Bloom – Seldom Seen got Silver Gilt – There was a proposal to improve the planting in the sensory garden at Seldom Seen with help from the Council– the vote was overwhelmingly in favour. Ten people came forward following a request for volunteers to help. Attendees showed appreciation of Beech Grove being given a gold award

Beech Grove area flooding: funding to resolve the issue has been put back by the Environment Agency to 2020/21. A new overarching scheme (drainage area model) is being undertaken now in conjunction with NWA and will look at the village as a whole, results expected in January 2016. This will be the subject of a new funding bid to the Environment Agency. Funding is expected to be released 2020/21, but a further application to bring it forward can also be made.

Dog fouling- in the area of the Guide Post was reported. ML to report to Council.

• Police: Parking – crimes – historic theft from m/v (occurred wk end 16/8/15 but not reported at time),
  asb – 6/9/15 natural stone quarry (youths throwing stones), 12/9/15 rowdy customers pizza rominos
  warrants executed – 28/8/15 missue of drugs act / nothing seized or found.
  cctv seldom seen park – the issue of cctv was discussed at the multi-agencies meeting Lmaps, Community Insp Pescod represented police. CCTV funding was declined at this time. The IP and family have been updated. The costs involved are guide, £2000 purchase 10m pole and sink to ground. Required to work the cctv would mean a laptop to be purchased and training for an appointed person to be able to monitor/download footage. These costs are all approximate and a survey of residents residing in the park area would have to be made.
  inconsiderate parking Fell Road – police parking notices placed on vehicles parked on the bend next to the community centre by PC Vicki Noble.
  20mph speed restriction Springwell Road – Parking/waiting restrictions- can’t be put on Fell Rd, same criteria apply throughout village ie Charlbury Close, Stoney Lane & Mount Lane. Criteria used: no problem with access for emergency vehicles, no reported collisions/accidents in 3 yr reporting period ending April 2015, residents & their visitors need access to their homes. Council currently reviewing its 20mph programme and will ensure Springwell Village is included for consideration as a future proposal.
  PC Noble will actively monitor this area.
  community speed watch cameras – it was mentioned that the speed watch gun may be of use in the village, however this does not record the number of passing vehicles. Anyone wishing to become a trained community speed watch operative should seek guidance and apply online on the Northumbria Police website. Police have had some interest in this.

There was a request that PACT meetings be joined with residents meetings and an explanation that this was not possible because of police shift patterns and other commitments.

• Thompsons: In a response to complaint about dust in the afternoon it was explained that sweeping is now done in the morning but could be moved to another time of day but that there is a need to respond to road and weather conditions.

Position of the fence on the restored area of land available to the public is being discussed. Wetland areas will be better managed beginning with some work done on overgrown areas. There is to be an extension of the bunding to the south east of the site to improve already good noise levels and visual amenity. Bunding will be clay capped and greened. In response to a question about when landfill would be finished it was explained that 98% of waste is recycled so it will continue long into the future. A resident proposed that Thompsons be invited to send a rep to residents meetings to discuss greenbelt issues – not operational matters which should remain the remit of the current working group. This was agreed by a majority vote.

3. Greenbelt:

Local Plan: No progress

Consultation with Council .Residents urged to register online. Instructions had been printed and offer made for SVRA to draft letters if residents preferred to be consulted by post.

Village Project: project to record what people feel make the village a special place. Things they want to keep and their ambitions for the future. There was a request for input from residents – photographs, documents, maps, stories, interviewees and open to any other ideas. There was much support for the project and a suggestion that funding be made available “say” from the Council’s Community Chest. A meeting is to be held tomorrow with the Head Teacher to involve schoolchildren

Eighton Banks residents: Thanks to the volunteers who helped deliver info and draft lets to Gateshead Council.

4. AOB – There was a complaint about the bin adjacent to the bus stop/Community Venue. ML to take up with Council.
5. Date of next meeting – to be arranged. Will be posted on facebook an website