PUBLIC MEETING
26 July 2016
SPRINGWELL SOCIAL CLUB

MINUTES
Present:
Chair: A. Templeman
Vice Chair: M. Johnson
Secretary: P. Cooper, L. Pickup

Other committee members: M.Lambton, D.Lambton, H. Fife, C. Brown

Council: Cllr H Trueman, Cllr B Scaplehorn

Police: PC V Noble

Northumbrian Water: A Downer, S. Johnson

Apologies: G Martin, S Thomas, Cllr D Trueman

Approx 60 members of the public attended

1. The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

2. Attendees thanked the Committee for their hard work.

3. Police – Generally quiet with a one ASB issue, one theft of vehicle, thefts of wheelie bins. Plea to be cautious in the light of recent thefts whilst people have left property insecure in recent good weather. (Full report on website)

4. Funding: £550 grant approved from legacy fund of Washington Development Corporation – £400 for plants and £150 for running costs of SVRA.

5. Northumbria Water: Hellens has agreed in principle to sell 8 acres of their 30 acre site (where they propose to build houses) to Northumbria Water to build an underground reservoir for water storage. Hellens is keen to retain the remaining 22 acres. The price has not yet been agreed. The project will take around 2 years to complete and will be around 5 years before commencement. There are alternative sites – none meet the criteria as well as this one.

Once complete the land would be landscaped, would not be accessible to the public because of security and water quality issues and could never be built on. There will be a full public consultation in due course.
This information was welcomed by attendees with a round of applause.

6. Flooding: Work is progressing to resolve the flooding issues in Beech Grove and beyond.

Northumbria Water and their contractors have completed topographical surveys, flood risk assessments and drain mapping. Council engineers have now created a hydraulic model for the drainage system and overland flows and are in the process of verifying this using photographs of past flooding episodes provided by Beech Grove residents. The project is on target and work is expected to commence February next year.

Residents brought up the issue of flooding and blocked drains in Carlton/Kings Terraces and NISA shop areas – Cllr Scaplehorn offered to get drains checked.

7. Washington ‘Town Council’: Residents were informed of an approach made to SVRA regarding a proposal to set up a ‘Town Council’ for Washington. No further action to be taken.

8. General Village Issues: Seldom Seen – planting done by committee with plants that were donated. Planter by NISA also done with plants donated. Seldom Seen beds to be replanted in September on advice from Cottage Garden Nursery using grant money (see above).

Following complaint at last meeting residents have been asked and agreed to cut overgrown hedges.

Fly tipping off Peareth Hall Road – been reported to Council.

Resident reported that she had contacted the Council re the PRW at the rear of Heugh Hill and was told that following problems with a contractor the clearing work was being tendered but no indication of when work would actually be done. Committee expected at least 6 weeks before info on this would be available.

SVRA to follow up PRW issues with Council.

Potholes Springwell Road/Meadowfield – B1288 will be closed 8/9 August, Meadowfield 9/10 August
Councillors stressed the current financial constraints and general lack of resources available for maintenance eg planting, grass cutting and particularly the lack of staff available for jobs such as strimming. It was confirmed that Springwell Village was as well resourced as anywhere in Sunderland – volunteers had been taking over planting in areas that appeared more attractive (Concord and Washington Village). Councillors recommended contacting “Keep Washington Tidy” group for help with litter picking, confirmed tubs would not be planted and park would not be strimmed by the Council. Litter bins will be emptied less frequently. They suggested forming a “Friends of Springwell Village” group to afford possible access to funding.

Resident offered to organise a Northumbria in Bloom group – would need people to litter pick, collect dog mess, plant, water and maintain tubs and beds – stressed the need for volunteers to make a commitment to do this properly.

Residents were asked to take litter home wherever possible to avoid public bins overflowing.

Theft of black box inserts for recycling bins at Makepeace Tce – SVRA to report to Council.
Complaints about foul smelling bus stops should be reported to NEXUS.

9. News from Community Venue: The Sunderland XL Youth Village Bus will be in the village for a further six weeks on a Saturday evening and for two sessions it will be in the Bowes Railway car park as there are functions in Hall. Youth workers will engage with young people and address issues whilst providing a three hour activity programme and drop in session.

SVCV is hoping to set up a Friday evening coffee bar drop in maybe monthly to start and this will be targeted at mainly the older young people in the village. Hall hoping to get this in place by mid September.

Carnival: Programmes are done and they are selling grand draw tickets at £1/book with the first prize being £100.

10. Next Meeting: 6 September 2016