Crossgate Community Partnership: Minutes

Minutes of the meeting 26th July 2010

Attendance:

Roger Cornwell, Carole Reeves, Jean Rogers, Dick Fong, Odile Fong, Jackie Litherland, David Ramsden

Apologies:

Desmond Evans, Ann Evans, Colin Green

Appointment of Chair:

Carole Reeves

Items 3 and 4 of the circulated agenda:

3. (a) arrangements for secretary from July 2010 - no secretary was appointed

3. (b) arrangements for signing CCP cheques - this had already been settled at an earlier meeting

4. Neighbourhood Warden report: no neighbourhood warden was present, and to the best of our knowledge Gemma has not been replaced as neighbourhood warden for Crossgate.

The minutes of the last meeting were approved as a correct record.

Matters arising: Stuart Timmiss's presentation on the County Plan

Most of the meeting was devoted to a discussion of the Plan, based on the presentation given at our last meeting and examination of the Core Strategies dcument. The meeting had been disappointed that the 'consultation' had consisted of a presentation which people had not felt able to discuss; was critical of the short time allowed for submitting comments on the plan, at a time of year when many members were unable to participate; disagreed with the Council's preference for Option A, with its favouring of development in Durham City rather than the rest of the County; opposed abandonment of the Green Belt so soon after its introduction; believed that the figures for new housing requirements were completely unsound and agreed that Carole Reeves will write a letter to the Council outlining our comments on the Plan.

Item 7: failure of the Council to answer letters: we have no further information on this point.

Grant application from St Margaret's Allotments Association (Roger Cornwell took the Chair for this item):

Carole spoke to the Association's application. They have found a company in the Stanley area who make benches from recycled plastic (Marmax Products) at a price in the region of £300 per bench.
Roger proposed that we give a grant of £400, on condition that the Association contribute enough from their own funds to buy a total of two or more benches. Jackie seconded the proposal, and it was agreed unanimously.

Item 9: in the absence of Nigel Martin, no reports were available.

Date of Next Meeting:

The meeting discussed the problems of our current practice of meeting on the last Monday of each month. Not only do we lose our May and August meetings to Bank Holidays, the July meeting falls so late in the month that people tend to be on holiday, while our December meeting, even if it is not itself a Bank Holiday, falls between Christmas and New Year. We therefore agreed that when we reconvene in the autumn, we will meet instead on the second Monday of each month.
The next meeting will therefore be on Monday 13th September.