PRESENT: Chair Karen Leakey, Vice-Chair Pam Freegard, Secretary and Archivist Kevin Leakey, Treasurer John Phillips, Muhammad Chaudhry, John and Vi Clark, Paul Izquierdo, Kate Johnson, Cluniford Mason, Rebecca McIntosh, William Murray, Beryl Phillips, Val Purvis, Madge Sutton, Ros Timlin
ALSO PRESENT: Councillor Derique Montaut, Angela Clack –SBC, NPT Sgt. Diffin, Tim French, Kathryn Hawke
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: John Freegard, Alan Jones, Kay Malko, Evelyn Mason, Mark Walker SBC,
CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES: – 04 May 2011 meeting. These Minutes were confirmed and signed a true record. Proposed by Val Purvis and seconded by Madge Sutton
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MARCH 2011 MINUTES: None
WARD COUNCILLORS REPORT: Councillor Derique Montaut.
Cllr. Montaut thanked people who voted for him at the Council elections and reminded the meeting that it would be all out elections in 2012 but as it was his Parties policy to put forward women candidates in safer seats, so it would seem that one of the current councillors would have to step aside!
The issue with him being taken to Standards is still ongoing.
There has been concern that public transport was being cut back and therefore more cars were likely to be driven into the town centre, which could impact on local communities.
Questions asked –
Is a committee of residents and SBC people still going to be set up to look at the Whalebridge problems? – Engineers have been asked to set this up and it will happen.
What is being done about the fly tipping? – The problems have been seen and will be dealt with.
7.50 pm: Cllr. Montaut left the meeting
GUEST SPEAKER: Angela Clack, SBC Planning Officer gave a short presentation on the Core Strategy document and reminded the meeting that any comments needed to be submitted by the 16th June 2011.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Received – Notification that the Council’s New Residential and Alterations Draft Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is now available for viewing and consultation - until 6pm on 7th July 2011.
Planning – S/TIME/11/0638 - Former Laundry Site Aylesbury Street SN1 1DY - Extension of Time to previous permission - S/LBC/07/1545 for the partial demolition and conversion of listed building to form 3 no. commercial units (Class A1,A2,A3,B1) and erection of 66 no. apartments. - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer, Mr Rob O’Carroll
S/TIME/11/0633 - Former Laundry Site Aylesbury Street - Extension of Time to previous permission - S/07/1544 for the erection of 66 no. apartments and partial demolition and conversion to form 3 no. commercial units ( Class A1/A2/A3/B1) - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer, Mr Rob O’Carroll
S/11/0614 - Union Square – Outline application seeking redevelopment to provide mixed-use development to include office, residential, shops, restaurants & cafes, drinking establishments, hot food takeaways, healthcare facilities (including a PCT Healthcare facility), hotel, leisure, car parking (including multi-storey car park), bus interchange, public realm and associated highways works - Access not reserved - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer, Miss Helen McCabe.
S/LDE/11/0702 - 98 Broad Street SN1 2DT - Certificate of Lawfulness (existing) for the use as House in Multiple Occupation - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer, Mr Rob O’Carroll
S/11/0701 - 98 Broad Street SN1 2DT - Erection of 1 no. rear dormer window - Application Pending Consideration - Case Officer, Mr Rob O’Carroll
S/11/0482 - Thamesdown Bus Depot, Corporation Street SN1 1DU - Temporary change of use of site for Contractors site compounds and secure storage of materials - Application Granted - Case Officer, Mr Rob O’Carroll.
TREASURERS REPORT: John Phillips
To 31st May 2011
Proposed by Pam Freegard and Seconded by Cluniford Mason
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT: NPT Beat Manager – PC Diffin
3 priorities -
Anti-social behaviour: This is mainly a problem in the Town Centre.
Speeding: Ongoing across Cluster – being monitored.
Fly tipping: Problems still continue across the Central Cluster but is primarily a council led problem to be solved.
With regards to the sad murder of Mr Perreira in Manchester Road by a fellow Goan, the investigation was very quick, with an arrest within 20 minutes of the crime with a court appearance the following Tuesday. It hasn’t been a big issue within the general community but has had a big impact on the Goans. The Chair said following an invite she had been to visit the victims widow and son.
The problems with the dog running around the Broadgreen Centre play area seems to have been resolved at the moment. There have been no reports of problems in the last month.
Following the recent fracas at the Broadgreen Centre involving Asian and Afghan young people, there have been no more instances of trouble and to try and help solve the issues, involving ‘Restorative Justice’ is being looked into. PC Diffin intends to engage with the young people and be actively involved with things they decide to do, e.g. cricket and football matches. The Chair asked, because we have had lots of community Police coming and going over the years, would this be a long-term commitment as that was what was needed? Pc Diffin said that he would be here at least for the foreseeable future and felt that even if he moved on it would continue.
Questions asked –
Has the CCTV cameras caught anyone fly tipping and could they be used against cycling on the pavements which keeps occurring. – PC Diffin said the cameras were not linked to the control room and it cost around £500 a time to remove the hard drives to check them, he had not witnessed any cycling on the pavements but the cameras could only be used for serious crimes - Mark Walker has £5000 for a permanent camera at the Broadgreen green area, the young people had requested it for safety, but again, cctv could only be used for enviro crime.
Why are cars being allowed to park on double yellow lines outside shops in Manchester Road? – Due to a lack of foresight in planning, there are many specialist shops in Manchester Road and people that no longer live in the Broadgreen Area, still come here to use the shops so park on the road outside.
The Chair spoke of a fight in Bathurst Road recently, Karen went out and stopped it, a group of young Goan boys helped but a number of residents simply stood around watching what was going on, and only came over after the fight had calmed down when they wanted to know what had happened.
8.45 pm: PC Diffin left the meeting.
CHAIR REPORT: Karen Leakey
Met with a young person from Broadgreen who intends to set up a charity to help young people to get on because he was very concerned that the problems seen in some areas of London could come here.
Shortly going to work with Skeetz again with a monthly ‘drop in’, and because 60% of the jobs at the SBC Youth Service have gone, it is planned to look for funding to continue the youth provision and possibly expand it.
HISTORY REPORT: Kevin Leakey
Kevin attended the Swindon & District History Network meeting at the library (16 May) Daniel Rose from the Mechanics Trust gave a brilliant ½ hour talk about the use of digital media – e.g. the internet - in the heritage sector and the fact that more and more people were using mobile and interactive technology – mobile phones and iPad’s and if your organisation wasn’t using this technology, you were losing potential contact with a large and growing group of people.
Helen Miah head of Culture at SBC also gave a short talk about the new SBC Heritage Strategy for Swindon and the new ‘Heritage Forum’ and Board. The Heritage Strategy is about putting in place a framework to raise the profile of culture and heritage across the town and within communities.
The first ‘Heritage Forum’ meeting took place on the 20th May – to which Kevin attended – around 30 people were there, over half being Borough staff and professional’s – English Heritage, National Trust etc. The proposed strategy was looked at and first impressions and what changes needed to be made were discussed, plus a SWOT analysis undertaken– (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats)
First impression – it’s a start, but fairly basic - built around Borough assets – buildings, museums, parks and to fit in with the ‘ONE SWINDON’ plan - far more scope for it to expand to cover a wider area of Swindon’s heritage, but will be out for consultation probably later this year.
On the 17th and 18th September, Central library will be running an event called - Swindon: the teenage years, which will be looking at what it meant to be a teenager in Swindon during the ‘50s, ‘60s & ‘70s and they have asked if anyone has any photos, artefacts or memorabilia etc for those years, if they could borrow them to display at the event. Contact Central Library – 01793 463238, email central.library@swindon.gov.uk
Looking at some old Education Committee minutes from 1925, Kevin came across some bits about the Broadgreen Centre Area and it would seem that the first buildings were put up in that year for ‘instruction in domestic subjects to scholars from Elementary Schools’ – This could have been the old buildings used as a café in WW2, that once stood behind the Tap & Barrel pub.
Last month, Mr Murray asked about the plaques on the old Burtons building at the bottom of Bridge Street – There are 2 plaques, 1 – stone laid by Raymond Montague Burton, 1931 and 2 – stone laid by Barbara Jessie Burton, 1931. They were the Son and Daughter of the founder of Burton’s - Montague Burton. Raymond Montague Burton only passed away in February age 93 so he would have been 14 when opened this shop.
We will be pursuing the name Broadgreen to be recognised officially by SBC so it can be put on maps.
A couple of thanks were also given to - Bob Johnson who has passed over a number of folders of photos he took here at the Broadgreen Centre and around the area when he worked here 20 plus years ago and also to long term resident, Keith Watts who gave over a GWR rule book and a book about Swindon. These gifts were very much appreciated.
SHRIVENHAM ROAD REPORT: The brambles overgrowing Stratton Bank at the County Ground still need cutting back.
NEIGHBOURHOOD/STREET WATCH REPORT: The missing tree in the planter in Gladstone Street, by the Tap and Barrel and a missing bollard have not been replaced yet.
The Turkish ‘club/cafe’ on the corner of Ponting Street/Manchester Road is still being used at all different times of the day and evening despite planning permission being refused.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS: Rubbish in the alleys is on the increase again; people are getting fed up with the lack of enforcement.
It was reported by a number of people that rats have regularly been seen at the old Post Office site.
Meeting closed at 9.10pm.
