Crossgate Community Partnership: Minutes

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting, 5th February 2018

1. Attendance
Present: Roger Cornwell (in the Chair), Lesley Aers, Mike Costello, Margaret Jefferson, Brendan McKeown, Jean Rogers, Ann Stokes, Sarah Wilkinson
Cllr Liz Brown
2. Apologies for absence
were received from: Alan Doig, Ann Evans, Paul Jefferson, Simon Priestley, David Ramsden, Simon Squires,
Cllr Richard Ormerod, Cllr Elizabeth Scott

Annual General Meeting

3. The Annual Report
was circulated, and discussed. Mike Costello thanked Roger Cornwell for his work on our behalf through the year, and with this addition, the report was received.
4. Accounts
It was noted that, because of the Treaurer's scheduling issues, the accounts had been approved at our previous (January) meeting.
5. Trustees
The following had been nominated as trustees, and were appointed: Liz Brown, Roger Cornwell, Alan Doig, Ann Evans, Simon Priestley and Simon Squires.

Ordinary Meeting

6. Minutes
The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed as a correct record.
7. Report of NORA Committee Meeting
Mike reported from a committee meeting of NORA (National Organisation of Residents' Associations), of which the CCP is a member. Mike is Committee Member for Universities.
8. January PACT meeting
Cllr Liz Brown had attended the meeting, and reported that Police representatives present had been PCSO Leesa Bennison and PCSO Sean Tindale; University Liaison Officer PCSO Rebecca Carey had been catching up on paperwork). Since the last PACT meeting (13th December 2017) there have been 4 calls to noisy parties and 5 stolen bikes. 2 ASBs have been issued in Elvet Crescent due to parking. Clayport Library had called in the police, due to problems with rough sleepers (described as emphatically NOT homeless). The police were still seeking a Public Space Protection Order. Young people have been causing trouble in Starbucks. There had been 4 reports of criminal damage: a window broken in South Street, graffiti on St Cuthberts Chair, in Claypath and on a window on the bowling green.
Problems were reported with noisy students (chanting) coming and going up Church Street, and noise from Dunelm House last term. Police wondered these were people being served by bars in town, or whether they were "preloading"; bottles left behind suggest the latter (Sainsburys and Tesco). There was some discussion of what residents should do if disturbed by noise. PCSO Leesa Bennison suggested that before the 11.00 pm "curfew", residents should telephone the Council. Liz had since checked, and there is no evening service from the Council. Noise, particularly in the streets, is a public order issue, and should be referred to the police, so that an incident number can be obtained and an evidence trail built up.
Liz will also try to attend the February meeting.
9. Regulation 7: Control of Lettings Boards
This is an item on the Cabinet meeting for Wednesday 7th February, the proposal being to take it forward.
10. Cladding on walls and roof of Riverwalk (formerly The Gates)
Following complaints about the entrance to Riverwalk from Framwellgate Bridge, Roger had been in correspondence with Planning Officer Henry Jones, who confirmed that this is as he had approved it: the shiny black surface is glass, not plastic.
Mike added that some of the roofs of the development now seem to be finished, but these are of industrial roofing material, not the slate of the older buildings (as visible from Silver Street / Framwellgate Bridge). Roger suggested that this was something which might interest the City of Durham Trust and the World Heritage Site administration. In addition, he would refer it to Cllr Richard Ormerod.
11. Planning Application DM/18/00058/FPA (The Lodge, Laburnum Avenue)
The meeting asked Roger to write to the Council in support of the objection submitted to this application by Mike Costello.
12. Reports from local Councillors
Liz reported that:
  1. The "pillboxes" rising above the roof of the Berendsen Laundry site were not, as she had originally assumed, lift shafts, but decorative features which had been passed as a variation of the conditions.
  2. Bins at the top of Nevilledale Terrace had still not been emptied, because access for the bin lorries was blocked by the parked cars of student residents. She was pursuing this. Margaret Jefferson pointed out that in addition, a row of bins were being left permanently on the pavement in Allergate.
13. Date of next meeting
Our next meeting will be on Tuesday 6th March.