Notes of Committee Meeting September 9th 2009, 7.00 pm

Notes of Committee Meeting
September 9th 2009, 7.00 pm at The Vale Community Centre, 17a Hadlow Close


Present: Committee: Grant Scott (Chairman), Alan Cooke (Secretary), Keith Drysdale, Bill Duff, Irene Fender, Clive Taplin; Others: Sarah Johnson (Housing Officer)
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Apologies: Nick Wood, Trevor Jones, Sue Hes, Carol Byard, Sue Leggett
2. Minutes of meeting July 8th 2009. These were agreed unanimously.
3. Matters Arising. None.
4. Updates:
a) Estate Maintenance
The woodworm in 2-12 Queensway loft had now been treated; but there is still no repair to the wrongly-installed guttering on 1-12 Hadlow Close. Complaints were made that the single static cleaner is now only ‘dry’ cleaning the common areas with no use of water, and that long-standing wall stains in 2-12 Queensway were not being addressed.
Sarah reported that it was unlikely that an expensive ramp could be justified for the one council tenant and one freeholder in Tilgate Close, following a detailed survey of resident needs.
b) Gardening Group –Trees
Brighton Permaculture have agreed to provide eight fruit trees for the Estate, but would need ground preparation either by Payback or by residents in January. Four would be in the new pampas bed, two adjacent to 101 Queensway, one in the mosaic at the top of Queensway, and one by the disused playground in Parham Close.
Bill asked that the gardening group consider hawthorn or similar plants by 2-12 Queensway. The gardening group would benefit from a few more members.
c) Estate Development Budget Awards
There have been no new developments – the Council will schedule the awards during the course of the year. An updated plan for the hardstanding by the side of the community centre was agreed – a mural of sheep on the downs, a rubberised surface, and the use of ‘sheep-pen’ fencing around the new ‘Pen’ or ‘Sheepfold’
d) Big Tidy Up July 18th - Woodlands
This went well. Community Payback has offered to help with a further clean-up of the woodlands. The community would like to see a regular monthly advertised free pick-up of heavy items around the estate, to curb current high levels of fly-tipping. Paul Gorringe had agreed to discuss the path repairs with the Payback team.
e) Highways – Car Parking
Residents would shortly be receiving a simple questionnaire from the Council.
f) The Vale Community Centre
The static cleaners were now using their storage area in ‘the Little Shed’.
5. Correspondence
a) All are welcome to attend the Resource Centre AGM on October 21st – 7:30 at Leach Court.
b) An agenda for the Queens Park and Craven Vale Community Forum meeting on September 16th at the Vale CC.
c) An agenda for the Central Area Housing Management Panel on September 23rd
d) Details of the Community Cashback Pilot Scheme offering grants to local communities. It was suggested that this could become the basis for the conversion of the empty store behind Southwater Close into a sports centre at some future date. This could replace the community centre that used to serve Bakers’ Bottom and is now a carpet showroom.
6. Finance
The finances remain healthy.
7. Any Other Business
a) A presentation was made to Sue Hes on August 25th to thank her for the sterling work she had done for our community. Interviews for her replacement are due to be held in mid-October.
b) Ben Thomson of Same Sky had agreed to repair the mosaics on the estate, and also to prepare a plan for the mural for the Community Centre wall, to be painted by a group led by Claire Burchell.
c) Advance notice of a Community Safety Event to be held in Upper St James’s Street on November 3rd.
d) CVCA has been asked if it would wish to take over the functions of the ‘Local Action Team’ (LAT) liaising with the police on matters involving the estate.
e) It was suggested that repairs be made to the notice boards at either end of the estate.
8. Dates of Next Meetings
a) General Meeting, 7 pm October 14th (no set agenda yet)
b) Committee Meeting, 7 pm November 11th.

The meeting closed at 8:15 pm.

next meeting is Wednesday OCTOBER 14th,

next open meeting for all residents will be on Wednesday OCTOBER
14th, also at 7 pm

parking survey sent out: returned by Friday 9th October

Questionaires by the Council have be sent to all residents across the whole of Hanover, Elm Grove, Queen’s Park estate and Craven Vale & Baker’s Bottom about parking in these areas.
Residents are asked if there are any problems such as Pavement or Double parking and if there is regular parking by shoppers, commuters, school drop off/ pick up and if there are cars left for more than 2 weeks or more.
The survey should be returned by Friday 9th October to the council. This will then inform decisions about more detailed consultations on a residents parking scheme in all or some of the streets in the areas surveyed.