Newtown Area Community and Residents Association

Monthly Committee Meeting

Date: 15th March 2010

Venue: Strings

Time: 19:00 hrs

Present: Janet Farrow (Chairman) PRESENT

Julie Greening (Sec) PRESENT

Bill Ritter PRESENT

Dave Witts PRESENT

Jane Lucking (Treasurer) APOLOGIES

Steve Tandy (Minutes Sec) PRESENT

Angie Thompson PRESENT

John Lucking PRESENT

Peter Aldridge PRESENT

Graham Dawson PRESENT

Charlotte Francis

TBCllr John McCloy ARRIVED LATE

CCllr Vernon Smith APOLOGIES

TTCllr Tina Brookes PRESENT

TTCllr Andy Smith PRESENT

 

Agenda

1 Minutes from last meeting

2 Matters arising from last minutes

3 Open Meeting

4 Any Other Business

1. Janet welcomed all present.

Janet then asked if the minutes from the last committee meeting were a true record of that meeting; – there were two minor corrections which the committee agreed, the minutes will now be signed and issued.

2. Matters arising from last minutes

 

Community Centre – A vote was taken as to ‘shall we go ahead with the questionnaire about a Community Centre in Newtown’ – a vote to go ahead was recorded. Graham Dawson has already completed a questionnaire which to go out with a newsletter before the next Open Meeting.

Letter to Tewkesbury School – A reply from John Reiley, headmaster, stating that he would talk to the children in assembly about the litter problem and he was also to take a group out to do some litter pick-ups. Julie had approached the garage (Nicholls) about them installing another litter bin at the end of the forecourt and they were going to look into the possibility.

Gulley cleaning – GCC Vernon Smith had contacted Richard Waters at GCC about the problem recorded last month i.e. the gullies not being cleaned out properly. Dave Witts was going to contact Vernon again and explain that there was still a problem and also the notices erected to tell local people the date that the gullies were to be cleaned was not being adhered to.

WigWags – All the wigwags are working correctly now they have changed a relay in one of the units.

Play park – Janet stated that the play park was looking good. TCllr Andy Smith stated that there was still some minor work to be completed but all the rides and facilities were in place. TCllr Tina Brookes said there were lots of people using it last weekend and it was good to see parents supervising children. There is a litter problem, but one young lad had asked for a big red litter bin to be installed. The football pitch needs to be worked on to bring it up to scratch. Youth workers are getting down and police have said they will also monitor the new park. Dave Witts will talk to CCllr Vernon Smith about Outreach Youth Workers continued funding from the County Council.

Open Meeting – Janet was pleased to report that Mella McMahon, accompanied by Bob Nightingale, both from Tewkesbury Borough Council had confirmed that they will be attending our next NACRA Open Meeting on Thursday 29th April at Tirlebrook Primary School at 7.0pm. They would like to know our agenda for the evening prior to that evening. After she explained her role at the Borough Council, three topics came from the committee that would interest the meeting as follows:

Discuss her thoughts on the Joint Core Strategy

The Planning document PPS25, how does this affect Tewkesbury with respect to the local flood plain, and

Tewkesbury planning issues with reference to the Nottingham Protocol document.

It was decided not to concentrate on the past with questions, but to look to the future and learn from mistakes made in the past, not dwell on them. Everyone wants the future to be better for Tewkesbury and Newtown.

CCllr Vernon Smith offered to give a talk about County matters, and it was thought that if he could be flexible with his talk, that if Mella’s talk went on, that Vernon would talk at the next meeting, but if Mella’s talk finished early then Vernon would have the time to talk at the end of the meeting. The committee agreed this.

Town Mayor’s Civil Service – Both Janet and Julie attended on behalf of NACRA, at the Trinity Church. Afterwards they thanked the mayor for the invite and then enjoyed a lovely buffet.

3. Any Other Business

 

Peter Aldridge asked if anyone had any issues that could be bought up at the next SARA meeting. It was felt that in general none of the committee had seen many police walking around Newtown recently.

NACRA to write a letter to Geoff Lamely at Tewkesbury Borough Council to ask him to get the bill board removed from the green in front of Knights Way advertising a car wash as this is not allowed.

Graham Dawson stated that the letter objecting about parking changes in Tewkesbury signed by all Parish Councils and residents associations in and around Tewkesbury, had been sent to the Tewkesbury Borough Council. (See last month’s minutes)

Peter Aldridge asked if NACRA wanted to enter a team in a Quiz Night on 10th April in aid of Tewkesbury in Bloom. £10 per team, please contact Pete.

Janet thanked everyone for attending. The meeting closed around 9pm.

Could all committee members be at the Open Meeting early to help arrange the seating? Also could all committee members bring a raffle prize?

 

Next NACRA meeting Monday 17th May 2010 at Strings 7.00pm