Crossgate Community Partnership: Minutes

Minutes of the meeting, 3rd June 2025

1. Attendance
Roger Cornwell (in the Chair), Lesley Aers, Eather Ashby, Gillian Banks, Robert Banks, Alastair Edge, Ann Evans, Chris Hugill, Margaret Jefferson, Drew Lowrie, Pat Mussett, Simon Priestley, Jean Rogers, Ann Stokes, David Toll, Sarah Wilkinson,
Cllr Toria Ashfield, Cllr Susan Walker.
2. Apologies for absence
were received from: Joan Adams, Morag Crichton, David Ramsden, Malcolm Reed, Judi Webb, Joe Witherspoon,
Cllr Liz Brown
Cllr Grenville Holland, Cllr Carole Lattin.
3. Minutes
The minutes of the May meeting were approved as a correct record.
4. Hild / Bede College update
In the absence of any representative from the College, this item was deferred.
5. Maintenance of gardens (and exteriors) in rented properties
Gillian Banks introduced the topic of maintenance: she was critical of the condition of building exteriors in general. Landlords often carried out annual cleaning of the interior, but neglected the exterior of the building. She also deplored the state of the garden in Waddington Street previously maintained by the then resident Jackie Litherland: this was a loss to the community, despite being in a conservation area: was there anything that could be done to protect assets of this kind?
In the discussion which followed:
  • Cllr Toria Ashfield had in the past had conversations with letting agents; they blamed the landlords (though it is not always easy to identify the landlord of a property)
  • Esther Ashby suggested the Parish institute a program of spotlighting "Two Good Two Bad" properties;
  • Roger Cornwell pointed out that where the problem was of rubbish left / accumulated outside a property, the Neighbourhood Wardens had the power to take action.
  • Chris Hugill suggested that in extreme cases, where disrepair was affecting the amenity of the area, the local aithority had the power to take action under the Town and Country Planning Act; but they would be unlikely to intervene in a question of decoration.
  • Simon Priestley hoped that this problem might solve itself: if the appearance of the property affects the ability to find tenants, the anticipated fall in demand may lead to improvements. Cllr Susan Walker agreed: the people who rent the property are the ones with influence. However, Toria's experience of conversation with students while leafletting was that they were not interested.
  • Robert Banks wondered whether the problem could be addressed through character studies of conservation areas?
Roger agreed to raise the issue at a meeting of DURF, whose student members were generally keen to live in decent accommodation.
6. Misuse of communal bins.
Jean Rogers had received a sequence of identical letters (in April, May and June) from the County Council's Refuse and Recycling Manager, about the correct use of communal recycling bins. She had complained at previous meetings about the withdrawal of house-to-house waste and recycling collections, and saw these letters as evidence that the comminal bin system continued not to function as intended. She suggested that with a change of control at County Hall, it was time to raise this matter once more with the County Council.
It became apparent that althougfh these letters are sent to "Dear Resident" at a specific address, not every recipient was in fact supplied with a comminal bin : Drew Lowrie had been told that he had been sent the letter because he lived in the appropriate postcode. Sarah Wilkinson had tried phoning the number given in the letter as "Direct Tel:" (which appeared to be County Hall switchboard) and been told that the signatory of the letter could not be reached at that number.
Roger would write to James Lee, County Refuse and Recycling Manager, inviting him to attend our July meeting, when these and other concerns could be addressed. He would alsso talk to Liz Brown.
7. Parking Permits: Proof of residence.
A Nevilledale resident had written to the mailing list about being refused a parking permit because they did not have the required dicimentation. Pat Mussett confirmed that his wife Angela had been refused a carer's permit as her name was not on the council tax demand: the Parking Shop had been unhelpful, and told her to get the council to reissue the demand in her name. It was generally felt that, althoough experience of the shop staff varied, their starting point was to assume that applicants were trying to obtain something to which they were not entitled.
Roger argued that equality issues were raised by the failure of the system to take into account how people actually live: he will attempt to discover what impact assessment was carried out before the new system was introduced.
Meanwhile, Toria was supporting the applicant from Nevilledale.
8. Reports from Parish Councillors
a) Toria spoke to the written report she had previously circulated.
b) Cllr Susan Walker reported that the Parish Council had been well represented at Pride.
The Parish was considering its Four Year Plan: input was welcomed, and should be sent to the Parish Clerk (after his return from holiday on June 16th).
c) Roger congratulated Susan on her election to the Chair of the council. Since his re-election he had been appointed to the Planning and Licensing Committee. He had also reported an apparent planning infraction (the erection of a huge fence in the Avenue).
9 Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be on Thursday 3rd July 2025.