Crossgate Community Partnership: Minutes

Minutes of the General Meeting 6th May 2014

1. Attendance:
Present: Roger Cornwell, Jean Rogers, Mike Williams, Carole Reeves, Lesley Aers, Cllr Richard Ormerod, Mary Sales, Jackie Levitas, Pamela Thomas, Royston Thomas, Alan Doig, Sheila Knowles, John Knowles, Mairi Thompson, Steven Bell, Dot Patterson, Kev Turrington, Jean Meredith, Mike Costello, Simon Squires, Robert Banks, Ruth Chambers, Liz Brown, Ann Evans, Dick Fong, Odile Fong, William Hunter, David Miller, Barbara Ravelhofer, Clare Wright
2. Apologies for absence:
were received from Alexis Cleveland, Cllr Grenville Holland, Cllr Nigel Martin, John Jennings, Annie Brown, PCSO Steven Bell
3. PACT (Police And Communities Together) Session
a) PCSO had made unsuccessful efforts to find a substitute representative to the meeting; in his absence, his written report was discussed.
b) Liz Brown had been shown an inflammatory leaflet from the Northern Patriotic Front, which had been received by a Gilesgate resident. Since no-one present had seen anything similar, and there is therefore no evidence that leaflets are being distributed in Crossgate, Liz will independently refer it to the police.
c) Review of Priorities: Roger Cornwell pointed out that between this meeting and our next, Durham students will enter the post-examination / end of term period. The meeting therefore decided to substitute the seasonal problems of parties / fly-tipping and littering for burglaries in our existing list of priorities.
4. The minutes of the previous meeting
were amended to add apologies from Simon Squires, and with this change were agreed as a correct record.
5. Matters arising
a) Building nuisance in Waddington Street: Jackie Levitas reported that BAM have now leased land behind Mowbray Street, to help them unload lorries. However, they have made informal approaches about moving to 7-day working: they are attempting to liaise with Roberta Blackman-Woods MP, who referred the question to the Neighbourhood Planning Forum, whose response was that this was not within their remit and that BAM should consult local residents such as Jackie. All those neighbours she has consulted are opposed to this change.
Roger explained the procedure: if BAM wish to change conditions attached to their planning consent, they must apply to the council for a variation in those conditions. The meeting asked Roger and Ruth Chambers to ensure that the CCP's opposition to this is communicated to BAM.
Jackie reported that the new parking regime had resulted in an improvement: there was less disruption, although residents now found it impossible to park in Waddington Street. Further work on the gas pipes is imminent.
b) 51 The Avenue: Councillors have asked that the application for an HMO licence be considered by committee.
c) Work continues at Neville's Cross Social Club, in advance of planning consent. Liz Brown had raised this with the Council and been told that there was no justification for an enforcement stop notice as the level of work in progress does not in itself require planning consent. Building Control has however granted an injunction to stop weekend working. Royston Thomas felt that the building work was clearly illegal, and that the County Council is failing to support local residents.
The meeting asked Liz and Royston to approach Cllr. Grenville Holland on our behalf.
d) Vehicles blocking back lanes: Cllr Richard Ormerod reported that the Council has consulted residents about the proposal to erect bollards, and is now waiting for the results of that consultation, though there was no indication what the timescale is for this. Simon Squires has received the Council's e-mail, which specifies that the bollards will not be concrete but some black material, but they will not be the lockable variety as this is too complicated.
e) The University / City liaison meeting called by the Police and Crime Commissioner, Ron Hogg, had now taken place, but notes of the meeting had not yet been circulated, nor had any date been set for the next meeting. Ruth will send a reminder.
At the meeting, Simon Squires had asked the Vice Chancellor why the University supported the development of the County Hospital site as student accommodation, when it had opposed this use for the Fred Henderson site; subsequent correspondence had done little to clarify the University's position.
f) The Council has sent out letters about the revised planning application for the County Hospital site. These set a closing date for consultations of May 14th, but documents are still arriving from the applicant. Roger and Ruth have both raised this with Andrew Inch, who says that the intention of that short date is to encourage people to inspect the documents and make representations as soon as possible, but that representations received after this period will still be included in committee reports right up until the point of publication, and any received after that period are provided verbally to Members. Not all those who opposed the original application have yet received letters.
Barbara Ravelhofer made a number of suggestions about possible campaigning action, and asked people who were interested to talk to her after the meeting
It was understood that Roberta was in the process of organising a public meeting
The meeting felt that changes in the application did not affect the substance of our opposition to the scheme, and Roger proposed that, as when we prepared our initial objection, member should e-mail in any comments they wished to have included, and the team as before would put together the CCP's response. We should aim for this to be submitted by the due date, with the proviso that we might wish to make supplementary comments later.
6. Possible complaint about Council's procedure
Jackie and Mike Costello are each considering making a complaint; there was discussion of all the many grounds for this, but they preferred to continue with individual complaints.
7. North Road Regeneration
It was widely felt that both the proposals themselves and the "consultation" were entirely unsatisfactory, and agreed that the Trustees should write to the Council opposing the scheme.
Gavin Scott of the Council's Planning Department had offered to speak to the City of Durham Trust; it was agreed he should also be invited to speak to the CCP.
8. Bishop Langley
Several people have already objected to the proposal for recorded music and alcohol sales on the terrace of the Bishop Langley public house, and the meeting supported their opposition. The application goes before the licensing committee in Spennymoor on May 20th.
9. Reports from local councillors
a) Richard Ormerod felt that the major issues had been covered already. He is pushing to improve the condition of the cobbles in Back Tenter Terrace. The railings in South Street have now been made secure, but have not yet been painted.
10. Date of the next meeting
Monday 2nd June 2014
Start-time subsequently amended to 8.00 pm