BROCKHILL RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Minutes of Meeting Thursday March 8^th 2018 held at Alestones

Those Present:

David Dallaway                                   DD

Lynn Dallaway                                      LD

Julie Vincent                                          JV

Tish Greenway                                      TG

Gemma Moore                                     GM2

Stephen Siddle                                     SS

Apologies from Pattie Hill (PH), Emma Fletcher (EF), James Doble (JD), Sylvia Collinson (SC) and Gemma Monaco (GM1)

Guests in attendance: – WCC Brandon Clayton (BC), RBC Anita Clayton (AC) and WCC Robin Lunn (RL)

The Agenda:

1. Actions arising from meeting on 16.11.17
2. Nature Reserve adoption
3. Speed calming measures at Oak Tree Avenue/Salters Lane junction
4. Meadow View development & Community Building
5. Holyoakes Field First School
6. Carthorse Lane chicane tightening
7. Deep dip in pavement at top of Lowfield Lane
8. Murder Mystery Evening
9. Bicycle auction
10. Brockhill Committee emails and Members’ List
11. Broken fence in Appletree Lane (at the Dairy Lane end) Public Open Space
12. Brown Hairstreak butterfly
13. Brockhill football team
14. Brockhill Park litter bin
15. G.M.
16. O.B.

 

1. Actions from last meeting not covered in main agenda:

The litter bin on the pathway adjacent to Greenford Close, requested via PH, had now been installed.

Safety improvements at the bottom of the steps leading from the Nature Reserve down on to Brockhill Lane remained an outstanding issue. This will be left in abeyance until after PH’s recovery from illness.

RL informed us that there is still no commencement date for building of the new Holyoakes Field First School.

BC checked with RBC Planning Department on the position of the new school’s entrance.

2. Nature Reserve adoption:
   

RL is still awaiting confirmation as to whether the Nature Reserve, bordered by Brockhill Lane and Plumstead Close, has been adopted by RBC.

3. Speed calming measures at the junction of Oak Tree Avenue/Salters Lane

RL had spoken to Maurice Carlos, a Highways Officer at WCC, who has approved the construction of a crossing at this location. It will consist of bollards and markings on the road warning motorists to slow down. RL managed to secure the cost at half the original price and the monies will be provided from his WCC discretionary fund. He will inform us of the start date when given.

4. Meadow View development & Community Building:

BC had met with the Planning Department of RBC and a Persimmon Planning Officer to discuss the Community Building to be provided from section 106 monies. The Association would be able to use the building for community activities. This would be a temporary measure until a Community Hall is built near to the school. The Committee Members will need to enter into a legal entity agreement to cover for any legal or insurance matters that may arise. BC said that this needs to be done a.s.a.p. He suggested that we take advice from B.A.R.N. (Bromsgrove and Redditch Network) based in Easemore Road as they have experience of these matters. DD pointed out we would require the input of JD whose knowledge and expertise in this area would be invaluable.

5. Holyoakes Field First School:

Notice has been served on Persimmon by John Hobbs, Director of Economy and Infrastructure at WCC, as they are in breach of contract with regards to the building of the new school. The school should have been built before the second phase of the house building started. We were told the delay was due to a small piece of land, not belonging to Persimmon, that they were trying to obtain from the landowner. The Head of Holyoakes Field First School has received a letter from Persimmon to explain the delay. It would appear that Persimmon communicate better with the school’s Head than they do with Ruth Bamford, RBC’s Head of Planning and Regeneration. Jeanette Beckett from Place Partnership has also been trying to assist with negotiating a start date.

6. Carthorse Lane Chicane Tightening:

The chicane in Carthorse Lane was very slightly tightened in January, but not enough to have the desired effect. Drivers still do not need to slow down to pass through it. RL had put traffic cones in place in an attempt to tighten the configuration but these were removed by a resident who disagrees with the work being done. GM2 told us that she replaced the cones on a couple of occasions only to find them removed again. Eventually she confronted the individual who claimed that placement of the cones was illegal. GM2 explained that the work had been sanctioned by WCC. RL has since contacted the disgruntled resident to explain why the work was being done and that it had already been approved. RL will let us know when the workmen will return to tighten the chicane further.

A few weeks ago DD became aware of widening work being carried out on the chicane in Butlers Hill Lane. He had referred this to RL who confirmed it was a tiny and very long overdue change to enable a resident to turn onto his drive going north, rather than having to turn round up the road and enter going south. RL had been trying to get this done for years, as it was not put in properly originally by the developers.   It should not make the chicane any less effective but certainly improve things for the resident.

7. Deep dip In pavement at top of Lowfield Lane (opposite Rhymes Nursery School):

RL was under the impression that the work here had been carried out. JV assured him that it had not. He said that he will find out what is causing the delay. The tarmac on the path has sunk so low as to be a hazard for pedestrians, especially wheelchair and pushchair users. The path is opposite a Nursery School and more likely, therefore, to be used by mothers with pushchairs and children on bicycles and scooters.

8. Murder Mystery Evening:

This event arranged by SS, who is a member of the Alvechurch Dramatic Society, is taking place on Friday and Saturday 9^th & 10^th March at Alvechurch Village Hall. SS told us that ticket sales were doing well. B.R.A. will share the profits with three other charities thus providing us with welcome income to help with our running costs. We will report on how much we receive in the next minutes

9. Bicycle auction:

JV conducted the auction of a child’s bicycle donated by one of our members, Robin Dennis, who runs a business of assembling and selling bicycles and accessories. We thought it would be of interest as an ideal Christmas present. Details were displayed with a photograph on our website, Facebook page and both notice boards in the run up to Christmas. Also all members were emailed alerting them to the auction. Unfortunately no bids were received so JV will re-auction it in the spring.

10. Brockhill Committee emails and Members’ List:

DD added this to the agenda before we knew that EF was unable to attend the meeting. As the maintainer of the list of members, he wanted to ask her for the names and postal addresses of new members who had registered recently. At present all that he receives is an email address. He also wished to confirm which committee members were included in ‘committee@brockhill.org.uk’ and ‘post@brockhill.org.uk’. DD will now contact EF outside the meeting.

11. Broken fence in Appletree Lane adjacent to Public Open Space (at the Dairy Lane end):

We reported this to RL several months ago but it has still not been replaced or repaired. RL said that he will chase it up again for us. He couldn’t understand why it hadn’t been done, especially as workmen had been in the area last week.

12. Brown Hairstreak butterfly:

B.R.A. had received an email from a representative of the “West Midlands Butterfly Conservation”. They are searching for the presence of the rare Brown Hairstreak butterfly – the closest location to Brockhill where its eggs have been found so far is Foxlydiate Wood. We have agreed to display posters requesting the reporting of any sightings on our noticeboards in the summer, to coincide with the flight period of this rare butterfly.

13. Brockhill football team:

We have received an email from a member who wishes to form a Brockhill football team. Initially the aim would be to start up a men’s team to play in either the Redditch or Bromsgrove Sunday league. Longer term it would be hoped to open this up further as the community grows, to maybe have a ladies’ team, youth teams and a veteran’s team if there were sufficient interest. We have agreed to help by displaying promotional details on our website, Facebook page and notice boards. Anybody wanting to play or willing to help should email ‘brockhillfootball@yahoo.com’.

14. Brockhill Park Litter Bin:

One of our members has requested a replacement litter bin to be placed near to the subway by the entrance to Brockhill Park. A bin existed there a few years ago but it was vandalised and hasn’t been replaced. AC said that she would put in a request.

15. G.M.

We discussed when to hold this year’s A.G.M. We usually hold it in April, but with the Easter holidays and our Councillors being busy with the local elections in May, we decided to postpone it until June.

16. O.B.

We are pleased to see that the undergrowth of brambles and long grasses has been cut back in Brockhill Park. The ground should recover, when the better weather arrives, from the damage caused by tyre marks from the work vans which were needed to transport the equipment necessary to do the job.

Undergrowth has also been tidied up in the pond by the pathway leading from Carthorse Lane to Appletree Lane, according to GM2, who lives nearby.

A non-member of the Association had recently asked if we could help advertise his newly set up business. DD had responded to say that unfortunately we were unable to promote private business interests and had turned down previous similar requests from some of our members.

Actions from this meeting:

RL to continue with his attempts in determining when the building of the Holyoakes Field First School will commence.

RL to find out when the chicane in Carthorse Lane will be tightened or if there is an alternative traffic calming measure to be taken.

RL to chase the investigation and repair of the deep dip on the pathway leading off the top of Lowfield Lane near to the last barn conversion on left hand side, opposite Rhymes Nursery.

RL to find out when the fence on the public open space in Appletree Lane (Dairy Lane end) will be repaired

AC to request a replacement litter bin by the subway on the Public Open Space near to Brockhill Park.

JV to contact B.A.R.N. for advice on setting up the Community Building.

Meeting ended at 9.15 pm.

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Committee Meeting Thursday March 8th 2018.