Minutes of Meeting Monday June 2nd 2014

 

Those present:-

 

David Dallaway   DD

Lynn Dallaway   LD

Sylvia Collinson   SC

Julie Vincent   JV

Tish Greenway   TG

 

 

In Attendance :-

 

WCC Robin Lunn and CC Pattie Hill

 

The Agenda:-

 

1. Progress on the adoption of roads

2. Brenda’s letter to RBC with regard to the 106 Agreement

3. Notice Boards

4. Printing of Membership Leaflets and Quiz Bulletin

5. Venue and date for Quiz Night

6. Update on Sainsbury’s Traffic Island Markings

7. Website maintenance and control

8. Feedback to Karen Lumley on her Funding Fair

9. A.O.B.  (To include Russell Baxter’s request re: Nature Reserve)

 

 

 

Actions from this meeting:

 

DD to contact Doug Wilks to discuss a new membership form and Quiz Night poster

SC to contact the local Community Halls to discuss booking for a Quiz Night

JV to e mail Karen Lumley with regard to the Feedback on the Funding Fair

 

1. Progress on the adoption of roads:

Robin Lunn attended a meeting recently with the Highways Officers and was told that adoption of all remaining roads in Brockhill West and Central will be completed by 1 July.  Notices will be displayed on several lampposts in the Wheelers Lane area informing residents of the intended adoption of the roads.  This will provide an opportunity for any residents to object if they so wish.  Robin said that it seems Persimmon have learnt from their mistakes with regard to the roads’ adoption having taken so long.  They have taken out a section 38 order on the new Pointers Way estate in Brockhill East, which will make the adoption of these roads a lot quicker.

 

2. Brenda Quinney’s letter to RBC with regard to the 106 Agreement:

Brenda Quinney recently sent a letter to Ruth Bamford, head of Planning and Regeneration at RBC, asking why the money set aside in the 106 agreement between Persimmon and RBC, had not been spent in Brockhill.  Ruth said that the money had been spent in Batchley and on the Abbey Stadium instead.  An article printed in The Standard dated Friday 23 May 2014, explained that money had been spent on improving existing facilities in Batchley for the benefit of everyone in the area.  We are concerned that, as Brockhill grows further to the east, the play area facilities in Batchley will be too far away for young children to walk to.   With ever more emphasis on exercise and leaving the car at home for the sake of the environment and for the health of future generations, it is to be hoped that Ruth Bamford will take this into consideration when planning the next phase of development.

One our members, Peter Joynes, had asked whether we should organise a petition objecting to the 106 agreement monies being spent in areas other than Brockhill.  Pattie Hill advised that any such petition would not achieve anything.  However, she said that it was important to ensure that 106 monies set aside following the Pointers Way and any future developments were used specifically for the benefit of Brockhill.

 

3. Notice Boards:

We have been granted the funding for a Community Notice Board by RBC so that we can display posters etc. of forthcoming events and hopefully advertise to increase our membership.  We told Robin Lunn that we had originally applied for three notice boards, so that we could have them erected in various areas of Brockhill.  As RBC had only granted us one board, Robin kindly agreed to fund a second.  We have decided to have one erected in Brockhill Park, near to the steps leading up to Kite Lane, and the other placed in Carthorse Lane where the Polling Station is situated.  The RBC funded board has been ordered from the supplier and we hope to have both installed by autumn.

 

4. Printing of Membership Leaflets and Quiz Bulletin:

In the hope of attracting more members, we are in the process of designing a new membership leaflet that will also incorporate a Quiz Night Bulletin.  We are planning to have them delivered within a local newspaper, all across Brockhill, including the Pointers Way new housing estate.

 

5. Venue and date for Quiz Night:

We decided at the meeting to hold the next Quiz Night in mid-October.  We hope by that time to have increased the membership and Committee.  We are looking at hiring one of the Batchley Social Clubs or Schools for the venue as we do not have anywhere in Brockhill.  This will at least be nearer for residents than our previous venue at Tardebigge.

 

6. Update on Sainsbury’s Traffic Island Markings:

We informed Robin that the markings have still not been amended in the left hand lane when approaching the island from Brockhill.  He said he would chase this up.  Robin also confirmed that Persimmon would finish the tarmacking of the Butlers Hill traffic island once the Pointers Way development had been completed.

 

7. Website maintenance and control:

Doug Wilks has kindly agreed to maintain the existing website until September by which time the son of our Treasurer, Sylvia Collinson, should have been able to design a new one.

 

8. Feedback to Karen Lumley on her Funding Fair:

Karen Lumley’s Funding Fair had been attended by Doug Wilks and Brenda Quinney some weeks ago, but as neither of them was at the meeting, we are unable to give any feedback to Karen.  An email has been sent to Karen informing her of this.

 

9. A.O.B:

SC received the remittance advice from RBC for the Stronger Communities Grant of £300.  We have a balance now in our account of £792.

Russ Baxter requested, by email, that we ask for some signs to be erected in the Nature Reserve situated between Wheelers Lane and Pointers Way Estate.  The signs should read “Take your rubbish home” and “Don’t allow your dog to foul”.  We also asked Robin and Pattie for some dog mess bins to be placed in the same area.  They agreed to put in a request.  Pattie said she would send a reply to Russ by email.

We informed Robin and Pattie that the gate in Brockhill Lane has still not been replaced.  Robin said that he will chase this for us.

 

The meeting ended at 9.50 p.m.

 

 

Minutes of Meeting Wednesday April 9th 2014

 

Those present:-

 

Sylvia Collinson   SC

Julie Vincent   JV

David Dallaway   DD

Lynn Dallaway   LD

 

 

Apologies from :-

 

Tisha Greenway, Brenda Quinney and Lisa Laurent

 

The Agenda:-

 

1. Recruitment of a new Chairperson and Membership Secretary

2. Membership Leaflets, Printing and Distribution

3. Sale of Waste Land by RBC

4. Forthcoming Events

5. Reduced Lighting

6. Bulletin for Prospective Candidate Nominees for the Local Election

7. A.O.B.

 

 

 

 

 

Actions from this meeting:

 

JV to send e-mail to Robin and Brenda to inform them of changes to the committee

 

 

1. Recruitment of new Chairperson and Membership Secretary:

 

Most members will now be aware, having read the AGM minutes, that three of our committee members resigned at that meeting.  Chairman, Peter Merricks, resigned due to pressure at work and family commitments.  He also felt that it would be beneficial to B.R.A. if people, with new ideas and a fresh approach, could join the committee.  Doug Wilks, our Membership Secretary, resigned due to ill health.  A third member, James Doble, also resigned due to long working hours and his studying for a Law Degree.  James will continue to advise us on legal matters.  Since the AGM a fourth member has resigned.  Lisa Laurent, Events Co-ordinator has resigned due to her work commitments and having two young children.

 

We are therefore hoping to recruit new committee members as soon as possible, so please come forward if you feel you have the time to give for the benefit of our local community.  We would like to welcome Tisha Greenway, who offered her services at the A.G.M.

 

2. Membership Leaflets – Printing and Distribution:

 

It is our intention to print and distribute leaflets to new residents living in Brockhill East, to make them aware of our Residents’ Association and the success that we have achieved in the year since we formed. The need to grow the membership is paramount to the Association, to give us more strength to stand up for our rights.  We found out recently that Batchley receives regular donations from both WCC and RBC and, as Brockhill is expanding daily in numbers of residents but not in facilities, this is essential to the well-being of our community.

 

3. Sale of Waste Land by RBC:

 

We have found out recently, by chance from a resident of Carthorse Lane, that RBC has offered to sell him land at the rear of his house for approximately £500.  The Council is offering to sell several plots to house owners who have waste land behind their gardens.  We understand that this land was for the leisure of Brockhill residents to use for dog walking etc. and we will be informing the Council that we are extremely upset that their intentions were not made public.  On a positive note, however, this may aid the road adoption process.

 

4. Forthcoming Events:

 

Unfortunately due to the Events Co-ordinator resigning, we have had to cancel the Quiz Nights and the Party in the Park.  However, we hope to be able to resume our social calendar when we gain more committee members.

 

5. Reduced Lighting:

 

If any members have concerns about the proposed reduced lighting system being introduced by RBC, please let us know.  If you think that a certain lamppost should be kept on or turned off, the Council have asked us to make them aware.

 

6. Bulletin for Prospective Candidate Nominees for the Local Election:

 

The committee has decided not to proceed with the bulletin, suggested by Peter Merricks at the AGM, concerning the nomination of an independent candidate for Brockhill at the forthcoming local elections.  It was felt strongly that such an action would be in direct conflict with Brenda Quinney, the Batchley and Brockhill Councillor and fellow BRA committee member.  Brenda is a regular attendee at our meetings and has been very helpful in local issues.

 

The meeting ended at 9.30

 

 

Post- meeting note:  Regretfully due to a communication breakdown, the bulletin referred to in agenda item 6 above was published on the website.  The committee apologises to all members for this administrative error.

 

 

 

 

 

RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

                                                    Annual General Meeting Thursday April 3rd 2014​

​​​​Venue: Tardebigge Community Hall

 

 

Committee Members Present:

 

Peter Merricks ​​​

Sylvia Collinson​​​

Doug Wilks​​​

Julie Vincent​​​

David Dallaway​​​

Lynn Dallaway​​​

James Doble​​​

Brenda Quinney​​

 

Apologies: Lisa Laurent

 

Guest: WCC Robin Lunn

 

The Agenda:-

 

 

The Chairman, Peter Merricks, opened the meeting byintroducing the Committee to the disappointingly fewmembers present.  

 

 

A copy of the previous AGM’s minutes was distributed to members and agreed.  Their adoption was proposed by Robin Dennis and seconded by Graham Haynes.

 

 

Copies of the end of year accounts were distributed to members.  Sylvia Collinson informed the meeting that a BACS payment of £300 had been received today from Worcestershire County Council.  This payment had been arranged by CC Robin Lunn to assist in the running costs of the forthcoming ‘Party In The Park’ to be held on Saturday 28th June.  We are also awaiting the outcome of our third attempted application for a Community Grant of £300 from Redditch Borough Council.

 

 

 

 

Peter Merricks informed the members that one of our main concerns this year has been the adoption of theroads in Brockhill as, in some cases, this has taken 14 years or more.  CC Robin Lunn has been working extremely hard on this matter in the last year, resulting in the majority of roads now being adopted.  He will continue to work towards getting the remaining roads adopted in the coming year.

 

Another main concern has been to increase our membership numbers. Leaflets were delivered to houses, with instructions for people to pass them on to their neighbours, thus reducing time and money.  We had intended to have more leaflets printed and distributed, had we been successful in our Grant Application, and this is something that we hope to do in the coming year.

 

There has also been successful liaison with the Chief Executive of RBC, Sue Hanley.  She has helped in getting a hedge trimmed back at the junction of Butlers Hill Island and also has organised a schedule of work to be carried out in the area now known as Brockhill Park(the nature reserve area where the Swans are).

 

We reported an incident to RBC when a resident, whilst walking her dog, hurt her hand on the gate whichaccesses the nature reserve from Brockhill Lane. Following the accident the gate was padlocked by RBC to prevent its use.  However, thanks to the efforts of Brenda Quinney and Robin Lunn, the old entrance will shortly be replaced by a kissing gate. This will obviate the need to enter the nature reserve via Plumstead Closeonly.

 

The Quiz Night held in October raised a few funds enabling the association to register the website plus ensuring its back up.  The website proves to be our best form of communication at present, given the lack of a Community Hall and Community Notice Boards.  In a previous poll, members had voted for Quiz Nights to be held on a quarterly basis.

 

I attended a meeting at the Town Hall last month,arranged by CC Graham Vickery, to inform residents of the intention by RBC to reduce street lighting to residential roads.  Batchley and Brockhill will be the first areas to have this implemented.  A “one in three” method will be put into practice, i.e. out of three adjacent lampposts, one will be on fully, the second will have reduced lighting and the third will be off.  Plans are on display in Tesco’s store in Oakenshaw and Morrisons in the Matchborough area of Redditch.

 

 

In line with the Constitution, three committee members must resign each year, albeit they are eligible for re-election.  This enables new committee members to be elected who may have new ideas and will thus helpstrengthen the association.  The three members resigning are Chairman Peter Merricks, Membership SecretaryDoug Wilks and Legal Adviser James Doble.  Those members present were asked if they would be able to volunteer their services.  Tish Greenway offered her services and was then proposed by James Doble and seconded by Lynn Dallaway.  Her role will be discussed at the next committee meeting.  Nobody else came forward but Peter Merricks said that whilst resigning from the committee, he would help with the website and members’ database.  James Doble said that he will continue to give legal advice when required.

Jean Vranic thanked Peter Merricks for all his hard work in the last year.

 

 

The next organised event is the Quiz Night on Friday April 25th at the Tardebigge Community Hall at 7.30p.m.   We are hoping that more members, family and friends will attend our second Quiz Night.  Further details to follow shortly.

 

We are also hoping to hold a ‘Party In The Park’ on Saturday June 28th.  This will also be held at the Tardebigge Community Hall, not a park, as we need electricity and kitchen facilities.  Further Quiz Nights will be held quarterly, Friday July 18th and Friday October 17th.  

 

 

Matt Collinson told us that he had been talking to a resident in the Carthorse Lane area whose house backs onto open space.  He had been told by RBC that he could buy a small plot of this land, which was being divided up into plots for sale at £500.  Matt said that he didn’t think that the Council should be selling land that was for the use of residents for dog walking and leisure.  At the veryleast, RBC should inform residents of boundary changes.

 

Jim Uphill raised his concerns over how long it has taken RBC to adopt the roads in Brockhill.  He told us that he has lived in Brockhill for 18 years and that he could remember seeing the original plans for development in Brockhill that had included shops and a pub, but nothinghad been built.  Jean Vranic asked CC Robin Lunn howRBC managed to get out of adhering to the plans and still be able to get the plans of new developments passed.  Robin and James Doble confirmed that each planning application had to be judged on a “stand alone” basis.  Regretfully the failings of and unresolved issues of previously approved developments could not be considered when assessing new applications.

 

Jim also told us about the Batchley and Brockhill PACT meetings that he attended and that he didn’t know why they were always held in Batchley. Brenda Quinney said that the Police and other official bodies found it more accessible.  We all agreed that it was more likely due tothere being no hall in which to meet in Brockhill.  Jim also said that very few people turn up to the meetingsand thought that, if they were held in Brockhill or at Tardebigge, they would be better attended.  

 

Peter Merricks stated that as Brockhill is becoming such a large area, with all the new housing development, we should have a candidate who lives in Brockhill standing for election as a Councillor. Anyone wishing to stand for election needs to submit the papers by April 24th.  Peter said that he will draft a document to put on our website in case any members may be interested in being nominated.

 

The meeting was concluded at 8.45p.m.