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A.G.M. 2022 Minutes

AGM, Events, Minutes, News

BROCKHILL RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

Held at Batchley Community Centre on Monday November 21st 2022

In Attendance:

Committee: David Dallaway, Lynn Dallaway, Julie Vincent, Sylvia Collinson, Mark Whitworth,  Gemma Monaco and Mike Vincent.

Members: Maureen Mole, Steve Mole, Claire Ivins, Jade Taylor and Colin Badger.

Councillors: Leader of RBC Matt Dormer and WCC Brandon Clayton. 

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: 

Apologies were received from RBC Lucy Harrison, RBC Nyear Nazir, WCC Salman Akbar, Stephen Siddle, Matt Collinson and Shirley Jobson.

ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS AGM:

The minutes of the last AGM held on 5th November 2019 had been available on the Brockhill Residents’ Association website for members to read and were adopted forthwith.   Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had been unable to hold an AGM until now.

TREASURER’S REPORT: 

This report includes the presentation and if approved, adoption of the accounts for each of the 12 months ending 29th February 2020, 28th February 2021 and 28th February 2022.

David Dallaway provided members with a copy of the Income and Expenditure Accounts and Balance Sheets for each of the 12 month periods, together with the current period to date.  Since the end of February 2019, Association funds have decreased slightly from £1,342 to £1,156.  Income in that time was £321 from the 2019 Quiz Night, donations totalling £2,000 towards the Wildlife Project from Councillors Akbar and Clayton, Fortis Living’s donation towards a new notice board of £2,000 and Mark Whitworth’s and Shirley Jobson’s plants sale of £301.  Expenditure incurred was £596 on website costs, £1,970 on Wildlife Project purchases, £2,006 on the new notice board, £164 on room hire and costs of organising the Quiz Night and Skittles Evening and £70 on the printing of membership leaflets.

Councillors Akbar and Clayton were thanked again for their generous donations from their discretionary funds.  Sylvia Collinson has sent a note of thanks to Fortis.

The Accounts were received, adopted and approved by members.   
  

UPDATE ON ISSUES AND EVENTS SINCE LAST AGM   

The new notice board for the Pointers Way/ Meadow View estates was finally installed on 12th May this year.  We had been waiting for over a year for its installation.   As previously mentioned a large donation towards its cost had been made by Fortis.  Former WCC Robin Lunn had, whilst in office, kindly arranged for any excess expenditure to be funded from his discretionary fund.

Litter picks, organised by Julie Vincent, had been held on 5th June 2021 and 14th May 2022.  Attendances at both had been extremely disappointing with very few people other than committee members and councillors turning up.  The lack of enthusiasm is difficult to comprehend as it is a most enjoyable and rewarding couple of hours spent on a Saturday morning.  On the latter litter pick fifteen bags of rubbish were collected from Brockhill Park and surrounding areas.

Proposed traffic calming measures by the postbox in Carthorse Lane had been rejected by the police.  The reason given was that the road was straight and speed bumps often encourage cars to go faster.

The pot holes in Hewell Lane had now been repaired.

Mark Whitworth and his neighbour Shirley Jobson have set up Wildlife Project.  They, together with a group of volunteers, are looking after its development on the public open space in Appletree Lane.   Mark’s and Shirley’s well-attended Plants Sale held on 2nd May had raised £301 and both were thanked for their efforts.  Mark is planning to hold another sale at the end of May next year, to give his cuttings longer to grow and hopefully fetch a better price.

Brandon’s and Salman’s grants had helped fund the purchase of some fruit and replacement birch trees.  Also an oak tree to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee was planted on 26th October.  Native bulbs have been planted in the area and Mark had made some wooden bat and bird boxes together with a bug house, to encourage the wildlife in the area.  Evidence of these being used has already been seen which is gratifying.

Leader of RBC Matt Dormer has offered the use of a turf cutter from Dormer Hire, to prepare the land for the planting of additional bulbs.  Mark will send an email to the volunteer group for their assistance when required.

SmartWater kits were offered to all residents in March 2021.  David Dallaway asked Councillor Clayton if he knew why there were no signs on lampposts etc. to denote that it was a SmartWater area.  He responded that this would be because an insufficient number of people have registered their kits to date.

The children’s play area at the top of Owlham Close by the new school is now up and running.

The secondary balancing pond parallel to Burrington Close is now surrounded by safety fencing.

The sewage pumping station’s leaks have all been attended to with no recent issues – literally!!

Richard Aldington, RBC Grounds Maintenance Manager, had kindly given us a bench owned by his late mother, Margaret.  After renovation by Mark Whitworth it was installed in the Wildlife Project area this spring by RBC.  It bears a small engraved plaque in memory of Margaret.

A resident in Dairy Lane had suggested to Mark Whitworth that it would be nice to have the subway, leading to Brockhill Park/Wetlands area, painted with a scenic design by a professional painter.  This would hopefully deter anti- social youngsters from making a mess of the walls.  We held a competition to involve the community, for the best design.   Arts Development Officer for Bromsgrove & Redditch, Huw Moseley, was contacted to seek his advice on how to run an Art Project.  He attended a meeting with the Committee on 21st March and was able to recommend a professional artist who had painted several other underpasses in and around Worcestershire.  He also recommended a Project Manager whom he had worked with before.  Unfortunately it has since transpired that although we had been told that the area had been adopted by RBC, this was not the case.  Adoption had not taken place because the underpass had not been built to the required standards.  We have therefore put the project on hold, while Brandon Clayton makes more enquiries to Persimmon Homes North.

We were due to hold our first fund raising event, since the outset of Covid, in October this year. A Beer & Skittles Night was proposed as a change from our previous Quiz Nights.  However despite it being well advertised, most disappointingly the vast majority of our members chose not to support us.  Reluctantly the event was cancelled although a s few costs had to be borne in so doing.  We have therefore been unable to raise any funds this year, as reflected in the accounts just presented in the Treasurer’s report.

DISCUSSION OF THE FOLLOWING ONGOING ISSUES:

  1. Holyoakes Field First School parking
  2. Persimmon Homes and section 106 monies
  3. Lowans Hill Farm Development
  4. Speeding on Pointers Way/Meadow View
  5. Emptying of dog poo bins by Mainstay
  6. Weeds in gutters and on pavements
  7. ASB issues at Brockhill Park
  1. Holyoakes Field First School:

The new school finally opened in September.  Brandon Clayton said it was of a blueprint eco design, which will be copied for all new school buildings in Worcestershire.  It has been built with facilities for the pupils to engage in eco-friendly activities, to teach the importance of caring for the environment. 

Parking at the school however is proving a problem.  The situation has been severely exacerbated by the laying of new water pipes by Severn Trent Water and their installation in September of temporary traffic lights at the junction of Cookridge Close and Burrington Close.  Congestion from car parking outside houses in the surrounding roads of any school is to be expected at drop off and pick up times.  However, Brandon added that once the roads have finally been adopted, the Highways Department will look into painting double yellow lines along Cookridge Close.  They will be on the opposite side to the houses to avoid double parking.

A copy of a letter from the new school’s Headteacher regarding a Safety Petition had been posted on The Association’s Facebook page.

2. Persimmon Homes and section 106 monies:

The Association’s former Chairman had met with Head of RBC, Matt Dormer, and Councillor Lucy Harrison last month to discuss what progress RBC had made in obtaining the thousands of pounds due to be paid over by Persimmon.  The payment is long overdue and has been highlighted by several articles in the local press.  Matt informed us that Persimmon had advised the delay is now due to a backlog with Land Registry.  He said that RBC would be seeking interest in addition to the total monies owed.

3. Lowans Hill Farm Development:

The proposed development on the land adjacent to the school, where the derelict barn is situated, is of concern to the Headteacher, Mrs Koser.  The plans being submitted are for 17 new homes to be built, which will cause severe disruption to the school.  An online petition has been raised by Mrs Koser, which is on the school website, for residents to complete to raise their concerns.  We had originally been told by Persimmon Homes Planning Director, Kate Tait, that the barn would be renovated to become two luxury barn conversions.  The Committee will attend the planning meeting to question this and to support the Headteacher.

4. Speeding on Pointers Way/Meadow View:

Residents on the two new estates have reported that car drivers are still speeding, despite the speed bumps in Burrington Close.  Brandon informed us that until the roads are adopted, no other speed reducing measures can be taken.  After adoption, Lucy Harrison’s ‘Speed Watch Project’ will be able to be undertaken.  

5. Emptying of Dog Poo Bins:

Julie Vincent had written to Mainstay in the spring to complain that the dog poo bins were not being emptied as often as required.  For a short period of time the letter seemed to have worked.  However, we have now had further reports from residents, who are paying for the maintenance of the public open spaces, that again the bins are overflowing.  This results in dog poo bags being scattered on the ground around the bins.  Margaret Mole said that Mainstay was acquired by a company called FirstPort in 2020 but Mainstay’s customers are only just being transitioned into FirstPort.  They have issued new customer account numbers and have asked members to re-register.  This has all been done by emailed communications at the end of September 2022.  We are hoping that this new company will be more efficient.

6. Weeds in gutters and on pavements:

We had reported several months ago that there were weeds growing in the gutters and on the pavements around Wheelers Lane, Dairy Lane, Appletree Lane and Brockhill Drive.  Since then RBC have sent the Parks and Public Open Space maintenance team around Brockhill to spray weed killer on some of the areas.  However not all areas appear to have been treated.  David Dallaway confirmed that the gutters and small paving stones along Wheelers Lane and its side roads are still covered with weeds.  One member of The Association was so distressed by the situation, they purchased an expensive petrol driven power weeder to tackle the problem themself.  However the machine proved to be faulty and had to be returned which in one way was a good thing as no resident should have to fund personally what is the local Council’s responsibility.  Matt Dormer said that he was due a review meeting with Persimmon regarding the ground maintenance. 

7. ASB Issues at Brockhill Park:

The two main areas of concern are the underpass and basketball court, where teenagers tend to meet up.  The underpass has its walls daubed regularly with undesirable wording and obscene illustrations.  The basketball court’s litter bin is regularly set alight and both areas are used for drug dealing.  The Association’s notice board has also been vandalised.  Mark Whitworth queried why the security light near to the basketball court had been taken down.  Matt Dormer said that the cameras are only temporary; they are moved on to another area after a few months.  He advises that our members contact 101 to report any anti-social behaviour in this area and we have been told that the local police team regularly patrol the area at night time.

ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

Our Constitution states that one third of the elected Committee Members must retire at each AGM.  As longest servers, David and Lynn Dallaway tendered their resignations and confirmed they did not seek re-election.  Julie Vincent said that she would stand down as Secretary if anybody else wished to take over the role.  We asked if anybody in the room would like to be elected but nobody volunteered.  Matt Dormer gave us a name of a colleague who was volunteering his services as Chairman.  He had been unable to attend the AGM due to work commitments, but if appointed, we would be able to arrange meetings around his shift pattern.

At a previous committee meeting, Stephen Siddle had agreed to take over as Treasurer with David Dallaway resigning from the Committee.

Mark Whitworth and Mike Vincent had both been co-opted on to the Committee after the last AGM and were now officially appointed as full members.

Although not a member of the Committee, Ben Moseley was thanked for his management of the website and it was hoped he would be able to continue with its administration.

A.O.B. & MEMBERS’ OPEN FORUM:

Brandon Clayton had received complaints about speeding cars from residents in Appletree Lane.  They had been disturbed by the noise of cars racing along Brockhill Drive and Salters Lane.  He is arranging for vehicle activated signs to be installed in those areas.

Mark Whitworth asked Brandon if it would be possible to have a pathway constructed on the grassland at the back of the houses in Carthorse Lane/Pennyford Close.  This is a well-used route for dog walkers and residents in general, as there is no path on the main road.  Brandon said that as with other issues, it would be addressed once the area had been adopted and he would arrange for this to be done.

Mike Vincent asked if Brandon had been able to arrange for engineers to inspect the area of flooding near to the entrance into the field at the back of Parklands Close/Dairy Lane.  Mike had reported the appearance of a sinkhole earlier this year.  Brandon had met with Mike and Julie to be shown the area of concern.  Colin Badger commented that the local farmer had been digging trenches in the field to divert rainwater away from his grazing sheep.  We wondered if this had caused water to build up by the gate and had also caused the sinkhole to appear.  With the onset of winter, it was feared that more flooding would occur if nothing is done.

The meeting ended at 9.30 p.m.

Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on Monday September 26th 2022

Minutes, News

BROCKHILL RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Minutes of the Committee Meeting Monday held on Monday September 26th 2022 at Batchley Community Centre

Those Present:

David Dallaway                         DD

Lynn Dallaway                           LD

Gemma Monaco                       GM

Stephen Siddle                          SS

Julie Vincent                             JV

Mike Vincent                            MV

Mark Whitworth                       MW

Redditch Borough Councillors: Joe Baker (JB) & Lucy Harrison (LH)

The Agenda:

  1. Apologies
  2. Actions arising from previous meeting on March 21st 2022
  3. Skittles Evening
  4. Notice Board for Pointers Way/Meadow View
  5. Holyoakes Field First School
  6. Persimmon Homes section 106 monies
  7. Lowans Hill Farm Development
  8. Wildlife project
  9. Finances
  10. Membership List
  11. AGM
  12. A.O.B.
  1. Apologies:

Apologies were received from Sylvia Collinson (SC), RBC Nyear Nazir (NN), WCC Salman Akbar (SA) & WCC Brandon Clayton (BC)

2. Actions arising from previous meeting on March 2st 2022:

Philip Roberts was contacted by JV via Huw Moseley, for his advice on the Subway Art Project.  He was due to attend our next meeting, but we have since found out that the subway has not been adopted by RBC.  It is unlikely that the area will be adopted by RBC because the structure has not been built to the required standards.  We have therefore abandoned the project for the foreseeable future.

Salman Akbar was contacted for an update on the possibility of installing a stronger barrier at the end of the pathway leading from Brockhill Park on to Salters Lane.  He is still waiting for a decision to be made as to what would replace it in order to prevent children racing out on to the road on their bicycles or scooters.

BC was to check with the police as to whether they had conducted their safety checks on Salters Lane and the Pointers Way and Meadow View estates, ahead of the introduction of speed restrictions.  LH told us that she has since found out that roads that haven’t been adopted by the Council, i.e those on Pointers Way and Meadow View, cannot be considered.  In the absence of BC, we are still waiting to hear if the Salters Lane speed checks have been carried out.

BC was to arrange for the re-erection of the ‘Slow Down’ sign in Salters Lane, near to the Wetlands/Brockhill Park.  We have assumed this was done as the sign in question has been put back up.  We will keep monitoring this in case the fault lies with the foundations.

JV wrote to Mainstay to complain about the lack of dog poo bins being emptied around the Pointers Way and Meadow view estates.  Mainstay replied to say that they would increase their efforts to empty them more often.  The problem seems to be under control at present.

BC met with MV to inspect the sink hole and flooding near to the field gate on the public open space, close to the subway into Brockhill Park.  He agreed that it needs to be inspected properly by WCC engineers and has now arranged for an inspection to be carried out.  We are still, however, waiting for a date to be confirmed.

JV contacted Richard Aldington at RBC to arrange the borrowing of litter picking equipment.  Unfortunately,it did not arrive as arranged and a last minute rally round for equipment was undertaken by BC with it arriving in the nick of time from Bromsgrove District Council.  DD thanked JV for her efforts in organising the Litter Pick.  He expressed his disappointment at the lack of support from Association members for what is a most enjoyable and rewarding couple of hours.  We have over 500 registered members and, excluding committee members and councillors, only four other members attended on 14th May.

MW wrote to Mainstay to inform them of an area in Appletree Lane which had been a pathway until the bund was replaced on the public open space near to the Appletree/Brockhill Drive traffic Island.  It had been left as grassland and had not been maintained.  He has requested that it be reinstated as a pathway.

3. Skittles Evening:

The Beer and Skittles evening was planned for Saturday October 8th.  Tickets went on sale two weeks ago, but as yet, only a few tickets have been sold.  The venue is the Batchley Community Centre and the skittles and balls are being borrowed from the HDA Sports & Social Club next door.  We are hoping to raise much needed funds towards our running costs.  Membership of the Association remains free even though we incur sizeable annual costs such as the hosting of our website and domain name registration fee.  We have been unable to hold any fund raising events since the Quiz Night of almost three years ago due to the COViD pandemic.

JV has contacted local businesses to see if they would kindly donate prizes for the raffle.  LD had also sent a request letter to Sainsbury’s.

(Post meeting update: very regretfully the event has had to be cancelled because of exceedingly low ticket sales and lack of interest from members)

4. Notice Board for Pointers Way/Meadow View:

The new notice board was finally erected on 12th May at the corner of Cookridge Close/Burrington Close.  Persimmon Homes had to approve where it could be erected by RBC maintenance employees, to ensure that vision splay was avoided.  DD said that regretfully it is named just “Brockhill” rather than the full title of the Association that our other two boards bear.  Also  it differs from the other two pinboards in that it is magnetic.  Consequently we had to buy magnets to attach all the leaflets and this does not appear to  be as effective an attachment method as the good old pin.  However we are grateful that at long last a board has been installed.  SC emailed Fortis Living to thank them again for their kind donation of £2,000 towards the costs. 

We still receive occasional requests from members, and even residents who are not members, to display leaflets advertising their businesses. However all such requests are declined as our ethos is not to support commercial activities of whatever kind.

5. Holyoakes Field First School:

The new school finally opened its doors to pupils at the start of the academic year in September.  There have already been complaints about school traffic from residents living in Cookridge Close, Fairweather Close and Dovecote Close.  Concerns have been raised about parents parking on the junction of Cookridge and Fairweather, with cars being parked on either side of the junction.  This makes it almost impossible to see what is coming either up or down Fairweather Close.

A problem was always likely as the planning committee at RBC did not insist on a better drop off area at the school.  GM said that double yellow lines were definitely needed and should be sought once the roads were eventually adopted by RBC.  Problems have been exacerbated by the work currently being undertaken by Severn Trent Water, and these have overrun for reasons of which we are unaware.  Temporary traffic lights have been introduced whilst stronger underground water pipes are installed.  The lights keep failing which encourages drivers to ‘chance it and jump them.’

Problems are further compounded by construction and other traffic tending to use Cookridge, Fairweather and Dovecote Closes rather than Burrington Close in order to avoid its speed bumps.  GM pointed out that the situation will not improve until the secondary exit on Weights Lane is opened up.  This would obviate the need for construction traffic to use Burrington Close thus enabling the removal of the speed bumps.  Regretfully however this is extremely unlikely to happen soon as yet again we are in the hands of Persimmon.  LH had informed us that Persimmon have recently put up some signs directing construction traffic to go along Burrington Close and claim they are doing what they can to stop it travelling up the aforementioned Closes. 

There has also been a complaint about litter being dropped along the route to the school, due to a lack of litter and dog poo bins.  LH said that she would put in a request for some to be installed.

6. Persimmon Homes section 106 monies:

The Association’s previous chairman has been vigorously pursuing this matter for some time.  The amount due to be paid over by Persimmon is several hundred thousands of pounds.  He has been in regular email contact with both LH and JB and also Redditch and Bromsgrove’s Principal Solicitor.  LH said the matter was currently sitting with Land Registry. 

7. Lowans Hill Farm Development:

Lowans Hill Farm is an area near to the school which was sold to Persimmon several years ago.  The derelict barn had a preservation order put on it, but this only lasted for five years and now that it has expired, Persimmon Homes have sold the land to Claremont Property Group.  It is planned to build 17 two storey houses of various sizes there.  Persimmon have allowed the derelict buildings to become dilapidated and RBC planning department have not enforced the original conditions.

Several of our members have expressed concern about the proposed development’s adverse effect on the surrounding landscape.  LH had advised that people should write to the Case Officer at Redditch Borough Council Planning Department with their objections.  This advice had been posted on our Facebook page.

8. Wildlife Project:-

DD reported that the Plant Sale in early May, organised by MW and Association member Shirley Jobson, raised £300.75.  He thanked both for their efforts.  The proceeds will help fund the purchase of bulbs, to plant ready for next spring, and a new birch tree from Burcott Nursery.  The tree will cost in the region of £190.  MW has made contact with Anthony Lovell, a tree surgeon and also an RBC Councillor.  He has been very helpful with his advice on what trees are best for the area concerned.  MW said that he is still planning to have an oak tree planted as part of the Queen’s Green Canopy and will invite MP Rachel Maclean to the planting ceremony.  Shirley Jobson has acquired wildflower seeds which she will be scattering this autumn.

MW also told us that there was evidence that the bat boxes and bird houses had been lived in this year.

Council Leader Matt Dormer has agreed to lend MW a rotovator and turf digger from his Dormer Tool Hire business.

The bench donated by Richard Aldington and owned by his late mother Margaret, has been renovated by MW.  It is has now been positioned at the side of the path that runs around the Dairy Lane/Appletree Lane Wildlife Project area.  IIt has been installed on to a hard core standing by RBC’s environmental maintenance department.  Shirley Jobson purchased a small plaque with the name Margaret engraved in her memory.

9. Finances:

DD advised that since our last meeting in March, we had received income of £300.75, being the profits from the Plant Sale previously discussed.  Expenditure in that same period was £264.82, of which £169.93 was for the annual web hosting and domain name fees. The net profit of £35.93 has increased our current funds balance to £1,798.

As previously mentioned, the Beer and Skittles Evening was to be our first fund raising event for almost three years due to the COVID pandemic.  The cost of hiring Batchley Community Centre for our meeting or events is currently £24 for each occasion.  SA and BC have kindly agreed to reimbiurse such costs from their discretionary funds.  They have advised that rather than submitting a separate claim for each hiring, we should await until several have been incurred and then apply for the total amount.  JB advised that we contact the new Holyoakes First School about using their meeting room facilities in future.  He believed that other schools in the Redditch area normally did not charge for such services.

The details of the Association’s finances will be laid out in detail at this year’s AGM.

10. Membership List:

DD reported that currently we had 518 registered members.  He expressed his ongoing disappointment that we continue to receive several email requests and postings on Facebook from residents who are not members of the Association.  SC has now posted a message on Facebook encouraging such people to join and outlining the benefits of so doing.

11. AGM

This year our AGM will be held on Monday November 21st at Batchley Community Centre, in Cherry Tree Walk, Batchley at 7.30 p.m.  This is a chance to meet the committee and our local councillors, who will be pleased to assist our members with any local concerns.  This is the first AGM since the COVID pandemic, so members are encouraged to come along and show their support.

Under the terms of our constitution, one third (or the number nearest one third) of the elected Executive Committee Members are required to retire at each AGM – those longest in office retiring first.  DD announced that after 10 years’ service he and LD would be standing down and not offering themselves for re-election.

12. A.O.B.

JV asked JB if the bench that faced the bushes in Brockhill Park before its removal, would be returning to a more suitable position.

LD said that her son had been told by the Severn Trent Water workmen that they would not be completing their work in Burrington Close/Cookridge Close until Xmas.

LD wondered how long it will take to get one or more new post boxes installed on Pointers Way/Meadow View now that both are essentially completed.  The houses on these two estates are more than one mile away from the nearest box, a distance that Royal Mail has previously informed us is their qualifying requirement.

JB told us about the latest water drainage scam going around, mainly to mobile phones.

MV asked the Councillors if they could get a copy of which areas in Brockhill were still unadopted.  This would help to prevent a repeat of the recent problems encountered when trying to arrange repairs and improvements to the subway leading into Brockhill Park.

MW requested that replacement of the three non-working lights in the aforementioned subway was chased again by the Councillors.

MW requested that white lines be painted at the Appletree/Dairy Lane junction.  LH will ask SA to progress this.

DD mentioned the continuing vandalism around the basketball court in Brockhill Park and also the damage done to the Association’s notice board.

Actions from this meeting:

SA to provide an update on the need for a better barrier at the Brockhill Park crossing on Salters Lane.

LH to contact Persimmon to request additional litter bins for Cookridge Close.

LH to find out when Severn Trent Water plan to complete the laying of new pipelines.

LH to obtain a plan of unadopted roads and public open spaces in Brockhill.

LH to contact Persimmon about the faulty lighting in the subway.

JB to find out when the bench is being returned to Brockhill Park/Wetlands.

JV to obtain raffle prizes from local shops for the Skittles Evening raffle.

NN to chase up the the repair of the damaged notice board in Brockhill Park.

SA to provide update on painting white lines on the Appletree/Dairy Lane junction.

The meeting ended at 9.15 p.m.

Plant Sale Success

Events, Fund Raisers, News, Wildlife

A Massive “Thank you” to everyone who helped out at the plant sale yesterday. All the plant donations were gratefully received & we almost sold out!


Thank you if you came along & purchased something & helped support our project.

The sale raised £275.75 which is amazing!

Thank you again!

Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on Monday March 21st 2022

Minutes, News

BROCKHILL RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Minutes of the Committee Meeting held on Monday March 21st 2022 at Batchley Community Centre

Those Present

David Dallaway                              DD

Lynn Dallaway                                LD

Stephen Siddle                               SS

Mike Vincent                                  MV

Julie Vincent                                   JV

Mark Whitworth                           MW

Redditch North Worcestershire County Councillor: Brandon Clayton (BC)

Guest: Huw Moseley – Arts Advisor RBC & BDC (left after agenda item 2.)

The Agenda

  1. Apologies
  2. Subway Art Project
  3. Actions arising from previous meeting on June 30th 2021
  4. Notice Board for Pointers Way/Meadow View
  5. Wildlife Project
  6. Finances
  7. Holyoakes Field First School
  8. Speeding on Pointers Way/Meadow View/Salters Lane
  9. Salters Lane ‘Slow Down’ sign
  10. Membership List
  11. Dog Poo Bins
  12. Litter Pick, AGM & Quiz Night
  13. A.O.B.
  1. Apologies

Apologies were received from Sylvia Collinson and Councillors Gemma Monaco (GM), Lucy Harrison (LH), Nyear Nazir (NN) and Salman Akbar (SA).

Nyear’s and Salman’s absence was due their attending a Licensing meeting.

Gemma and Phil Moore have tendered their resignations due to work commitments.  However, Mike Vincent has now been co-opted on to the Committee. 

2. Subway Art: Project

The idea of having a mural painted on the subway wall adjacent to Brockhill Park/Wetlands was first conceived by MW several years ago, when he discussed it with Pattie Hill.  Recently a member suggested the same idea, so it was decided to hold a competition for the best design and thus gain ideas from the community as to what they would like to see painted on the subway wall.

We invited Huw Moseley, Arts Development Officer for Bromsgrove District and Redditch Borough Council, to the meeting for advice on how to go about organising the project.  He said he would email us with details of artists he could recommend.  Huw had already had a tentative conversation with Peter Rose, a director of the Redditch based company Tiller Research Ltd., who would be able to advise us.  SS asked if there would be funding available for the project and Huw replied that grants could be made available if local communities were involved.  There is a charity, Arts in Redditch, who we could contact via their Secretary Philip Roberts.  JV said she would make contact with him shortly for his advice also.

Before departing Huw was thanked for his attendance, advice and contribution to date.

3. Actions arising from previous meeting on 30th June 2021

The invoice for the Pointers Way notice board had now been sent to DD.  This would be discussed further in agenda item 4.

NN had emailed committee members to confirm that unfortunately a gentleman called Bill, the Community Champion, was unable to make us a bench.

SA had agreed to investigate the installation of a more effective barrier at the end of pathway in Brockhill Park, where it meets Salters Lane.  In the absence of SA we were unaware if this has been carried out.  We will be contacting SA for an update.

BC had added the repair of the wooden posts around Brockhill Park to Persimmon’s pre-adoption ‘snag list’.

JV had contacted Richard Aldington of RBC regarding the spraying of gutters on Brockhill Drive with weed killer. This was carried out a few weeks later.

NN had emailed committee members with contact details of the Police’s new Safer Neighbourhood Teams including those for Batchley and Central.

4. Notice Board for Pointers Way/Meadow View

GM has been in touch with Matthew Mead at RBC, to ask what was causing the delay in the installation of the new notice board.  Following receipt of an invoice from RBC, the balancing payment of £2,000 had been paid by DD on 1st September last year.  The funds had originally been obtained from Fortis Housing by former committee member Claire Ivins.  On 9th March Matthew emailed DD to confirm they were preparing to install the notice board and sought confirmation of the location.  Matthew advised that the minor works team would carry out installation, but they might have to alter the location if underground services were found to be present.  However it was suggested that a David Shipley could meet DD on site to confirm the location.  DD provided Matthew with his ‘phone number in order that David Shipley could arrange a meet up.  DD still awaits contact.

On 21st March GM emailed Peter Liddington and Richard Aldington of Bromsgrove & Redditch District Council confirming the location of the board.  She copied in an email from Persimmon Homes indicating where it should be sited so that it did not impede the s38 works or affect the visibility splays.

 (Post-meeting update – on 29th March DD received a message on his answerphone from Neil Hunt of Bromsgrove & Redditch District Council wishing to discuss installation.  He said he would ring back shortly but despite DD having tried to return his call, no further contact has been made.)

5. Wildlife Project

MW gave an update of his work on the public open space at the end of Appletree Lane, where he and his team of volunteers have been planting fruit and birch trees together with native flowers.  He has put his wood working skills to good use by making bird boxes, a bat house and a bug hotel.  These were installed in surrounding trees a few weeks ago and another fruit tree has also been planted.  He is holding a plants sale on Monday May 2nd to raise funds for an oak tree in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.  Our local MP Rachel Maclean will be invited to attend the planting.

MW has also been given a bench to renovate by Richard Aldington that was previously owned by Richard’s late mother Margaret.  MW asked if RBC would be able to help with its installation.  BC suggested we should ask if this could possibly be done on the same day that the new notice board is concreted in.  MW added that he would like to obtain a plaque for the bench to commemorate Margaret.

MW expressed his concern regarding public liability if there were, for example, an accident following somebody falling off the bench.   BC said the installers would in effect be liable and doubted whether the Council would take on this responsibility.

6. Finances

DD produced the accounts for the year ended February 28th 2022 which will be available on our website shortly.  There were only three items of expenditure, being the annual webhosting and domain name charges of £148, the Wildlife Project of £690 and the notice board contribution of £2,000.  Covid restrictions had prevented our normal fund raising Quiz Night and the only income in the year was the second Wildlife Project donation of £1,000.  Consequently expenditure exceeded income by £1,838 thus reducing our funds to £1,763.

The Wildlife Project, granted a total of £2,000 by WCC Councillors BC and SA, has a balance remaining of £668.  MW is hoping to boost the funds at the plants sale on May 2nd.

7. Holyoakes Field First School

The opening of the new school has been delayed yet again, the latest forecast now being September 2022.  BC told us that the school’s interior is complete but a problem had been found with the exterior footings.  It is hoped that this will be put right in time for the teaching staff to get the school ready for opening in the summer holidays and that it will finally open for the new school year in September.

8. Speeding on Pointers Way/Meadow View/Salters Lane

LH had recently emailed the committee to say she was waiting for the police to carry out an assessment and share the results as to whether this could be added to the Community Speedwatch scheme.  LH added she was chasing this regularly.  However it does take a little while as each time a new road is added to the scheme, the police need to risk assess it and put insurance in place on the site etc.  BC said he would investigate whether this has now been completed.

9. Salters Lane ‘Slow Down’ sign:

The ‘Slow Down’ sign on a bend in Salters Lane on the left hand side when driving from the Lily Green Lane end, has been knocked down on several occasions.  We are not sure of the cause but asked BC if he could check how it was erected originally and if it could be concreted in with more strength to avoid a reoccurrence.

10. Membership List:            

DD informed us that there has been a small rise in membership since the last meeting.  SC continues to deliver leaflets to Meadow View whenever she notices that residents have moved in to a newly completed house.  Not surprisingly the number of new members each month now tends to be small as the development reaches its final stages.  We currently have 510 members.

11. Dog Poo Bins

Members who live on the new Pointers Way and Meadow View estates are still complaining that the dog poo bins in the area are not emptied often enough.  This results in dog poo bags being left on the floor next to the bins because there is no room for them inside.  This is becoming an environmental issue, particularly as one of the bins is situated close to the newly opened children’s playground.  Mainstay, the property management agents for the area, are responsible for the emptying of the bins.  They receive an annual fee from the majority of householders on the two new estates to cover maintenance costs.  JV will contact Mainstay and seek details of the frequency with which the bins are emptied.  It will be made clear that that unless a satisfactory response is obtained, the matter will be referred to the environmental health department.

12. Litter Pick, AGM & Quiz Night

We decided to hold this year’s Litter Pick in May, when hopefully the weather is warmer.  A date of Saturday May 14ty was agreed upon.  JV will organise borrowing the necessary equipment from Richard Aldington at RBC.  Advertising posters will be placed on our notice boards, together with postings on our website and Facebook page.

Now that Covid restrictions are considerably eased, the possibility of holding an AGM and Quiz Night in the latter half of the year was discussed.  MW suggested another way to get the community together was to maybe hold a ‘Beer and Skittles’ night.  The Committee will look into whether members would be keen to support this idea.

13. A.O.B

MV told us that a sink hole had appeared on grassland on the public open space near the entrance to the sheep field by Parklands Close/Appletree Lane.   BC agreed to meet with MV the following Friday to inspect it.  MV also raised the issue of the flooding around the gate into the field.  He asked whether a drainage ditch could be dug to divert the rain water into the nearby brook.  BC said that he would look at this at the same time.

DD read out a letter that our past chairman, Peter Merricks, had emailed to the Redditch Standard.   It concerned the recent news that RBC might be facing financial difficulties.   Peter’s letter highlighted the long running saga concerning Persimmon Homes’ continuing failure to pay over a considerable amount of money under the Section 106 agreement.  He pointed out that payment of the sum owing, some £411k, might help fill a few holes in one of RBC’s department’s budgets.  BC said he thought the overall sum due was actually closer to £800k.

MW said a neighbour of his had told him of an area near to her house that had originally been a pathway.  It had been grassed over when the bund was put back in a couple of years ago.  She wondered who was responsible for mowing it.   BC said that she should contact Mainstay, the aforementioned contractors mentioned in item 11 above.  They do all the grounds work in Redditch, not only on the new estates.  It was most likely that they were unaware of the alteration to the pathway.

Actions arising from this meeting:

JV to contact Philip Roberts, of Arts in Redditch, for his advice on the Subway Art Project.

SA to be contacted for an update on the possibility of installing a stronger barrier at the end of the pathway leading from Brockhill Park onto Salters Lane.

BC to check whether the police have conducted their safety checks on Salters Lane, Pointers Way and Meadow View ahead of the introduction of speed restrictions.

BC to arrange the re-erection and strengthening of the ‘Slow Down’ sign in Salters Way.

JV to write to Mainstay to complain about their lack of dog litter bins’ emptying on the Pointers Way and Meadow View estates.

BC to meet with MV to inspect the sink hole and flooding near the field gate on the public open space close to the Brockhill Park subway.

JV to book the Litter Pick with Richard Aldington and arrange the borrowing of equipment.

MW to write to Mainstay to tell them about the area of grass in Appletree Lane which needs to be returned to its original state of a pathway.