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, Alan Jones, Cluniford Mason, William Murray, Ros Timlin
ALSO PRESENT: Councillor Derique Montaut, Inspector Hewitt, PC Diffin, Tim French, Kathryn Hawke
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE: John Freegard, Susan Kane, Kay Malko, Rebecca McIntosh, Evelyn Mason, Beryl Phillips, Val Purvis, Madge Sutton, Mark Walker SBC
CONFIRMATION OF THE MINUTES: 07 December 2011 meeting. These Minutes were confirmed and signed a true record. Proposed by Pam Freegard and seconded by Muhammad Chaudhry
MATTERS ARISING FROM THE SEPTEMBER 2011 MINUTES: None
WARD COUNCILLORS REPORT: Things in Central had been very quiet over Christmas.
Councillor Montaut passed on a breakdown of Central Ward106 monies.
It was hoped to have 20mph in Broadgreen soon.
Progress was being made with regards to the town centre school site but there could be problems with the County Ground site due to traffic issues. No decisions had been made and consultations should be starting soon.
The Goans have formed a new group and have a new Chairman.
Questions and points raised –
Dog fouling was on the increase, what could be done? – This was a complicated issue, Cllr. Montaut was not aware of any prosecutions and it might be a case of more education to encourage dog owners to clear up after their dogs had made a mess. PC Diffin said that this had been brought up at a Tasking meeting in the past and Lionel Starling from SBC had said there were no bye-laws to stop it.
Because of the Whalebridge works, the Treasurer reported that he had noticed a big increase of lorries and cars travelling along Bathurst Road and into Gladstone Street, the Secretary said he had not witnessed this and when the meeting was asked if anyone else had seen an increase in traffic since the road alterations had been completed, no one had any complaints, although there was a concern that the Adver had reported that Taxi’s were apparently using the area as a rat run to get from the Railway Station to Old Town.
7.50 pm: Councillor Montaut left the meeting
7.55 pm: The Treasurer left the meeting
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE TEAM REPORT: The Police had met with the Goan Group and were hoping to get them involved with the community.
Not a great deal was happening with the prostitution problem, but this was being worked on.
PC Diffin passed on information about housing problems and private accommodation, and the Police Team was working with Jerry Law from SBC Safety Partnership.
Inspector Keith Hewitt introduced himself to the meeting. He was aware of the problems in the Broadgreen Area and that PC Diffin was under a lot of pressure with the prostitution problems and a shortage in staffing levels to cover it, however it was hoped that there might be an increase in staff in the future. Prostitution was a long-term problem, but was still high on the agenda and the Police Team would continue to police it robustly.
It was asked why one of the worst crime areas in Swindon was Colbourne Street, which was only a small residential street? PC Diffin explained that problems at Tesco, including theft, pushed up the figures and the new BM store also had big problems with theft.
There were 2 burglaries in the area last month; most burglaries were opportune crimes and people were reminded to keep doors and windows locked.
Inspector Hewitt told the meeting that PC Diffin was to be given a Beat Officer of the Year award.
8.10 pm: Inspector Hewitt and PC Diffin left the meeting
GUEST SPEAKER: There were no guest speakers this month.
CORRESPONDENCE:
Sent – Invite to Chris Hitchings to attend a future meeting to update about Whalebridge and Union Square.
Charity Commission annual return, sent back online.
Received – From Chris Hitchings – Will attend a future meeting, to be arranged.
PLANNING –
S/11/1434 - Land At Station Road, SN1 2BB - Installation of a fuel tank - Permission granted. Case Officer - Mr Tom Buxton
S/11/1723 - 125 Manchester Road, SN1 2AF - Change of use from workshop to rear to hair dressing salon (Class A1) - Application pending consideration - Case Officer – Mr Rob O’Carroll
TREASURERS REPORT - to 31 December 2011: John Phillips
Proposed by Muhammad Chaudhry and Seconded by Pam Freegard
CHAIR REPORT: Karen Leakey
On the 13th January there would be the first meeting of the Broadgreen Community Partnership Group.
The Chair was invited to work with St. Joseph’s School, and would be looking into this.
Doug Imrie had secured £2,000 towards ‘Street Athletics’ and requested if the monies could be held by the BSACC, he was also seeking a further £1,000 which added to the agreed £3,000 from the BSACC would cover the cost of the event.
Doug had also set up a small group of 9 stakeholders looking at sport for young people in Broadgreen.
HISTORY REPORT: Kevin Leakey
Kevin had been trying to find out when the name Queenstown first appeared and how the name came about. So far the earliest written evidence found was in the 1871 census when it was identified as 2 separate words – Queen’s Town; they had just started to build the houses in Cheltenham/Gloucester Street area at that time. Although old editions of the Adver needed to be searched, it was looking possible that the name came about because the name ‘Queen’ was used quite a lot in the Area.
There were 3 pubs – The Queen’s Tap, Queen’s Royal Hotel, which was on the Railway Station and was part of the refreshment rooms and the Queen’s Arms Hotel, which became the White House in 1910. Plus there was also Queen’s Road renamed Alexandra Road around 1908 and a section of Station Road, between Aylesbury Street and Corporation Street which was called Queen’s Terrace.
In the quest to find out about Queenstown, Kevin has spent quite a bit of time at the Library, searching through the New Swindon Local Board minutes from 1865 – 1880, the SBC of the day. To date nothing has been discovered about the Queenstown name, but it was quite surprising how many planning applications were put forward to the Local Board after the houses were being constructed, and how many Swindonians turned their hand to small time speculative building, when they would put up a few houses here and there. One application that caught the eye was a refusal for the construction of 5 houses in Haydon Street, on the grounds that there were insufficient foundations, no system of drainage and no windows in the back rooms, but it was good to read that people’s welfare was of importance even back then.
Couple of meetings invites
9th January - the Swindon and District History Network meeting at the Library. There was a request for interesting historical facts about Swindon, because Thamesdown Transport want to put up small posters on their busses with a photo and a fact.
17th January- Heritage Forum meeting. Helen Miah head of culture SBC, Daniel Rose, Chair of the Mechanics’ Institution Trust and Lisa Hawkes, Chair of the Swindon Civic Voice have collectively agreed that the time was right to bring the sector together again to explore the concept of a Swindon Heritage Forum/Network/Coalition. This seemed to be similar to the History Network, but on a slightly different level - concerned with championing the heritage of Swindon as well as bringing local groups and wider heritage sector – English Heritage, National Trust etc.
It was asked if the Mayor still had 2 lamps and the Borough crest attached to their home when in office, as at one time many years ago, when the Mayor lived in Rosebery Street, this had happened.
SHRIVENHAM ROAD REPORT: Nothing to report
NEIGHBOURHOOD/STREET WATCH REPORT: Nothing to report.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS: None.
Meeting closed at 8.30pm.
