Minutes of Committee Meeting Monday 11th March 2024

Minutes, News

BROCKHILL RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Minutes of Committee Meeting Monday March 11th 2024

Those Present:

Councillors:- Lucy Harrison RBC, Joe Baker RBC, Brandon Clayton WCC, Kerrie Miles RBC

Committee:  

Stephen Siddle SS

Julie Vincent JV

Mike Vincent MV

Sylvia Collinson SC

Mark Whitworth MW

The Agenda:

  1. Apologies
  2. Actions arising from previous meeting on May 9th 2023
  3. First Port Maintenance Services
  4. Right of Way across the Red Ditch
  5. Flooding (Sink hole) by Subway to Brockhill Park
  6. Wildlife Project
  7. Barrier for Brockhill Park (Pathway leading into Salters Lane)
  8. A.O.B.
  1. Apologies:

Apologies were received from WCC Salman Akbar.

  1. Actions arising from previous meeting on May 9th 2023:

BC confirmed that the Nature Reserve/Red Ditch is still owned by Persimmon Homes.

LH has put in a request to First Port Maintenance Services for a larger Dog Litter Bin to be installed to replace the smaller, well used and overflowing existing bin.

JV arranged to borrow the Litter Pickers and bin bags from RBC Richard Adlington for the Litter Pick held on Saturday June 10th 2023.

  1. First Port Maintenance Services:

The meeting arranged by our local Councillors LH & JB at Holyoakes Field First School on Monday February 19th was well attended.  Committee members JV, MV & MW also attended, to meet with First Port’s Property Manager Jean Brown and a Maintenance worker.  Residents’ were able to voice their concerns regarding the uncapped service charges which they have to pay annually and which had risen by a significant amount.  Some Residents’ had refused to pay it and had been charged a late payment fee.  Jean Brown said that the service charges had risen due to the increase in the price of maintenance materials after the COVID Pandemic.  Residents’ complained about the lack of litter bin emptying, with dog excrement bags lying around on the ground near to the Childrens’ playground.  Jean Brown said that she was going to arrange to use a more reliable company to empty the bins.  We are still waiting to be told who she will be employing.  LH said that she will let the Committee know which company will be responsible for this as soon as she knows.

A second meeting has now been arranged by RBC’s LH & JB on Tuesday April 2nd at the School again, the time has yet to be confirmed but is likely to be early evening.  Jean Brown will be attending again to answer further questions.  The Councillors will be sending out flyers to the Residents’ of East Brockhill with the details.

  1. Right of Way across the Red Ditch:

Our efforts to create a pathway and stile across the Red Ditch to enable School Children and their Parents to walk to school by a safer and quicker route, thus relieving the traffic congestion at the school, have been thwarted.  The land still belongs to Persimmon so until the area is adopted by RBC, nothing can be done.  

  1. Flooding (Sink Hole) by Subway to Brockhill Park:

This area of Public Open Space, which floods several times a year, is again, still not adopted by RBC after more than twenty years.  RBC KM and her partner, attempted to divert the flood water into the nearby Brook, but it needs professional maintenance to be carried out. The flooding in this area increased after the Farmer who uses the field for his Sheep to graze, dug a trench in the field for rainwater to drain away, but this created a sink hole on the other side of the fence.  LH told us that the talks that RBC have had recently with Persimmon Homes, have been more positive towards adoption of the Public Open Spaces around this part of Brockhill.

  1. Wildlife Project:

MW will be applying for a grant from RBC this year, mainly to purchase a Notice Board to explain what has been planted on the Public Open Space in Appletree Lane, together with the Bat and Bird Boxes and the Bug House which he made to encourage Brockhill’s Wildlife. 

With the help of a few volunteers to the Wildlife Project, a Winter flowering Cherry Tree has recently been planted behind the Rockery.

  1. Barrier for Brockhill Park (Pathway leading into Salters Lane:

We have been trying to get a safer barrier at the end of the pathway leading into Salters Lane for several years now.  We had hoped to have a crossing installed also, to make it safer for children crossing over to reach the playground in Oak Tree Avenue.  We have again, come to a standstill, as the paths have not been adopted by RBC. 

  1. A.O.B.:

SC told us that the Grit Bin on the corner of Butlers Hill Lane/Brockhill Lane had slipped forward and was blocking the pathway.  BC said he would have it looked at.

JV informed the Committee that we’ve had 12 new members register in the last month.  She has taken over the monitoring of the Membership list and sending out the ‘Welcome’ e mails to the new members.

Actions from this meeting:

LH to send us the new Police team contact details.

BC to arrange for the Grit Bin in Butlers Hill Lane to be put back in place.

MW to apply for a Grant rom RBC for the Wildlife Project.

The meeting ended at 8.30 p.m.