Committee meeting minutes from Monday October 21st 2024

Minutes

BROCKHILL RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Minutes of Committee Meeting Monday October 21st 2024

Those Present:

Councillors:-  Brandon Clayton WCC

Guest Speaker: Dr. Peter Merricks

Committee:  

Stephen Siddle                        SS

Julie Vincent                            JV

Mike Vincent                           MV

Sylvia Collinson                       SC

Mark Whitworth                     MW

Anil Jha                                   AJ

The Agenda:

  1. Apologies for absence
  2. Actions arising from previous meeting on March 11th 2024
  3. Overdue 106 monies and Adoption of Public Open Spaces
  4. Cookridge Close Residents’ Front Garden reclaim
  5. Re-tarmacking of Grass Verges in Fairweather Close
  6. Do-nutting – Brockhill Drive being used as a racetrack
  7. Lack of Grass and Bush maintenance
  8. Treasurer’s report on current finances
  9. Resident engagement (Joe Baker’s monthly meetings
  10. First Port Meetings for Pointers Way & Meadow View
  11. A.O.B.
  1. Apologies:

Apologies were received from WCC Salman Akbar and RBC Joe Baker

2. Actions arising from previous meeting on March 11th 2024:

BC Arranged for the grit bin on the corner of Butlers Hill/Brockhill Lane to be re-positioned

Lucy Harrison (former RBC Councillor) sent the Committee details of the (then) current Neighbourhood Police Team

MW Applied to RBC for a grant to finance the Wildlife Project

3. Overdue 106 monies and Adoption of Public Open Spaces:

Our Guest Speaker, Dr Peter Merricks, who had set up Brockhill Residents’ Association and was our Chairman for several years, has retained his interest in the Adoption of the Public Open Spaces and Roads in Brockhill.  He expressed his frustration at the lack of effort that is given to this by our local Councillors, both past and present, and RBC Planning and Legal departments. He had given up his evening to ask our local Councillors why there was still a lack of action in obtaining the 106 monies from Persimmon Homes South, which are many years overdue. 

In 2018, PM sent an e mail to RBC legal team, to outline the legal procedures, to help them obtain the 106 monies from Persimmon Homes South and he also resent the e mail a few months ago to the present RBC leader, Joe Baker.  He did not receive a reply!  The three RBC local Councillors were invited to this Committee meeting, but did not attend.  JV rang to speak to Joe Baker, who told her that they were all at a meeting in Harrogate and that he had sent his apologies via a message on Messenger!!

4. Cookridge Close Residents’ Front Garden Reclaim:

We have been informed by Residents living in Cookridge Close, on the Pointers Way estate, that they have received letters from Persimmon Homes South, informing them that when their houses were built the boundaries to their properties did not comply with the plans for their construction.  Persimmon now wants to reclaim most of the frontage to the properties, which do not have much of a front garden anyway.  Many of these property owners have lived in their houses for over ten years and will have rights to compensation.  The roads will not be able to be adopted by RBC until the developer’s errors of construction have been put right.  Residents are advised to seek Legal advice.

5. Re-tarmacking of Grass Verges in Fairweather Close:

The Committee received an e mail from a member living in Fairweather Close, informing us that they had received a letter from First Port maintenance, informing them that the Grass Verges in their close were being replaced with tarmac, to save maintenance.  The member told us that they were not pleased at the prospect of having the grass taken away, as it helps to absorb the rain. 

6. Donutting – Brockhill Drive being used as a Racetrack:

MW raised the subject of speeding cars in Brockhill Drive and the noise of screeching tyres, mainly late at night, but also in the daytime hours.  WCC BC said that he would have temporary speed measuring strips installed in Brockhill Drive to determine how serious a matter this is, as the Police say that they are unable to monitor it due to its sporadic nature.

7. Lack of Grass and Bush Maintenance:

SC sent an e mail to RBC Wanda King several months ago, asking her why there are several areas of Brockhill that have not been maintained by the Ground Maintenance Contractors. 

The pathway leading from Appletree Lane to Carthorse Lane was very overgrown, with Brambles covering parts of the path, causing problems to pedestrians’ clothing, when trying to get past the overgrowth.  This area has now been cut back, but there are still other areas that have been reported that have not been attended to.  For the past two years, JV has had to report to Joe Baker the lack of maintenance to Brockhill Drive/Lily Green Lane junction at the traffic Island on the left- hand side, when approached from Bromsgrove Highway.  The pathway there is still covered in brambles, causing people to either walk in the road or get their clothes damaged.

8. Treasurer’s Report on current Finances:

The Accounts were circulated prior to the meeting.  They cover the period 1/3/24 to date with comparative figures for year ending 29/2/24.  As a brief summary:-

  • No incomings to date for the current financial year and none expected.

Expenditure to date:-

  •  Room hire £21.00 (there will also be a charge for this evening’s meeting)
  • Web hosting £160.86
  • Wildlife Project £751.85

This leaves a deficit to date of £933.71 and total funds of £1,751.44, split between general funds of £1,205.45 and WLP of £545.95.

WLP is being wound down, so its share of the funds is expected to be spent in the coming months.

The balance of general funds should see us remain solvent for the next few years, but we might want to consider some fundraising activities next year.

The A.G.M. will be held in the Spring 2025.

9. Resident Engagement (Joe Baker’s monthly meetings):

We continue to display the details of Joe Baker’s monthly meetings on our three notice boards dotted around Brockhill, Brockhill Park, Carthorse Lane and on the corner of Cookridge Close/Burrington Close.  Joe had asked JV to put this item on the Agenda of our meeting, to remind residents to attend if they have matters they would like to discuss with him and the other two local Councillors who attend.  The meetings are held on the last Friday of the month at 6pm at Batchley Community Hall.

10. First Port meetings for Pointers Way and Meadow View Residents’:

We had hoped to be able to ask Joe Baker when he would be holding the next First Port meeting at Holyoakes Field First School, but, as he was not in attendance, we could not.

JV will be e mailing Joe to ask him this and we will let members know by e mail, when the next meeting will be held.  This will most likely be in the new year now.

11. A.O.B.:

JV mentioned how e mails were received on our Admin e mail address from non- members who have concerns that they wish to be advised about.  Many Residents may think that they are members of the Association, simply because they can see our Facebook page, which is not the case.  We do not charge a fee to join, but we do require you to register your details on our website, as there is strength in numbers, which enables us to be able to achieve the needs of our community.

JV has been in touch with Simon Parry, who is the Assistant Director of Environment & Housing Property Services for RBC & BDC.  His details were given to her by Joe Baker, when she contacted him about the Street Lighting around the Park.  A Resident had contacted the Committee, as she was concerned that one of the Street Lights around the Park, near to one of the ponds, was not working.  Many of our members walk their dogs in this area and, with the darker nights approaching, this could become a Health and Safety issue.  Simon Parry has told JV that the Street Lighting is the responsibility of the Developer and that he wasn’t sure who that was! WCC BC has since sent JV a map of the area concerned, showing that it is Ideal Homes/Persimmon Homes North, who are responsible for the Street Lighting.  This information has been forwarded to Simon Parry and our local Councillors, so that they can contact the relevant person, but we are still waiting for the Street Light in question, to be repaired.

Conclusion

The committee was frustrated and concerned that it had not been possible to take forward several of the items on the agenda because no RBC councillors were present. It was agreed that JV should contact them to express those concerns, especially as they had all indicated that they would be attending.

Actions from this meeting:

BC to send us the new Police Neighbourhood team contact details.

JV to chase the Street Light repairs around Brockhill Park

JV to write to RBC Councillors about their failure to attend the meeting

The meeting ended at 8.30 p.m