NACRA

Newtown Area Community and Residents Association

Monthly Committee Meeting

Date: 15th February 2010

Venue: Strings

Time: 19:00 hrs

Present: Janet Farrow (Chairman) PRESENT

Julie Greening (Sec) PRESENT

Bill Ritter

Dave Witts PRESENT

Jane Lucking (Treasurer) PRESENT

Steve Tandy (Minutes Sec) PRESENT

Angie Thompson PRESENT

John Lucking PRESENT

Peter Aldridge PRESENT

Graham Dawson PRESENT

Charlotte Francis PRESENT

TB Cllr John McCloy APOLOGIES

C Cllr Vernon Smith PRESENT

TT Cllr Tina Brookes PRESENT

TT Cllr Andy Smith APOLOGIES

 

Agenda

1 Minutes from last meeting

2 Joint Community Centre – Chris Thomas from MACA

3 Matters arising from last minutes

4 Open

5 TRI Parking update

6 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 a few minor corrections which the committee agreed, the minutes will now be signed and issued.

2. Joint Community Centre

Chris Thomas from MACA (Mitton Area Community Association) gave us a brief talk on the progress that his association had made in Mitton to determine what people from Mitton wanted in the way of a community centre. He then went on to consider the idea of a Joint Community Centre with Newtown, based perhaps in the area of the Industrial Estate or another mutually agreed site? He went on to explain the problems they (MACA) had in establishing the need and how much support was required to maintain such a centre. He showed the committee a letter and a questionnaire that had been given to all Mitton households and the results from that survey. He stressed the fact that NACRA would have to do a similar survey from the households in Newtown to determine the need for a community centre. The committee listened to what was said and questions were asked, NACRA now need to consider this and see what the next moves will be. Watch this space.

3. Matters arising from last minutes – C Cllr Vernon Smith gave a report on various topics.

Traffic Regulations Orders – Newtown 20mph limit potential inclusion in 2010/11 programme. Green Lane and Ashchurch Road double yellow lines should be done before end of March 2010.

 

Integrated Transport – the construction of the cycle ways from Green Lane to Gannaway Lane, largely completed, and Canterbury Leys to Station Road work still progressing.

Drainage – Ashchurch Road, specialist sub-contractors Subtech undertook some maintenance in the area around Newtown Lane and debris was removed from the line which had been causing flooding in the footway. Walton Cardiff Lane drainage is now completed. The improvement in drains and ditches will double the amount of flood water to be controlled. The area of the Tirlebrook will be cleaned out from Kingsgate to the bridge in WC lane. The Carrant Brook (new and old section) which TBC was clearing out, the work has stopped and is not complete. TBC get £75K each year to deal with drainage issues, with in the past little or no work being done. Mrs Berry from Knights Way had complained about the work done on her boundary with Walton Cardiff Lane causing land under minding. Glos CC have stated that it should be piped at that point to stop any further problems. Ask John McCloy to find out about any progress.

Winter Service – Gloucestershire Highways are keen to work with Tewkesbury Town Council to improve the ability to tackle winter snow and ice problems.

Air Quality – there had been a meeting on 2nd Feb in which several topics were discussed, Road Safety Scheme, Air Quality, and Foot Fall. Some money had been made available to help cope with some of these problems, £350K was held over from the road safety scheme. The meeting had discussed a gyratory system for traffic and pedestrians, a combination of both and the promotion of walking and cycling around town. Vernon went on to say that there will be a consultation meeting with NACRA soon. Graham Dawson asked a couple of questions of Vernon, who was driving the new ideas, was it top down consulted or was it bottom up led? It is bottom up and consulted. Graham also asked that the culvert work next to the square about, who is responsible for the work and maintenance? Glos County Council is responsible and Morrison’s have contributed to the cost. Vernon also stated that the culvert in the old railway line had been cleared by Glos CC. In the Late summer the area from Oldfield Bridge to the A38 work will be completed. Angela Thompson stated that the hedge down the new cycle path was cut and just pushed back into the hedge. It was stated that it would be replanted soon. John Lucking stated that the notice put up to say that the culverts in Moulder Road were to be cleaned out proved to be a week out, and when the gang came around, they did not suck out any debris out only pushed some water down, which is only half a job. Graham Dawson stated that the WigWag lights for Tewkesbury School were not working with the opening of the school. Vernon took on all the comments and would report back with any progress on them.

Play Park Area – TT Cllr Tina Brookes gave an update on the progress. She said work had started and should take around two weeks to complete. Julie Greening had had an update from TT Cllr Andy Smith to say that £12230 had been received for the purchase of two MUGA’s (Multi Use Games Area). The Friends of Cllr Graham Playing Field were still doing fundraising and coming up with community ideas.

Litter -Julie showed us a letter that was sent to Tewkesbury School with NACRA’s concerns about the litter in Ashchurch Road. TBC had sent out a crew to help but were seen to be doing a poor job and leaving lots of litter in the ditches. Charlotte Francis had had a meeting with Richard Walters about the litter and he had told her that the Severn Trent pipe crossing the Ashchurch Road, also crossed another pipe, and litter and cans was causing a drainage problem which SubTech were going to deal with.

4. Open Meeting

 

The next Open Meeting will be at Tirlebrook Primary School on 29th April 2010 at 7pm. Suggestions as to a guest speaker were asked for and several were put forward. Someone from the Environmental Agency or TBC Chief Executive was two suggestions as was John Riley from Tewkesbury School. The committee agreed to approach Mella McMahan from Tewkesbury Borough Council who is Chief Planning Officer.

Julie and Dave Witts are preparing a newsletter for distribution before the next Open Meeting. Dave went on to say that he thought Graham Dawson should head the NACRA subcommittee on The Regeneration of Newtown which would feed ideas into the Tewkesbury Regeneration Group.

TRI Parking – Graham Dawson gave a brief talk about what was happening at their meetings about Town parking. TRIP have written a letter which will be sent to TBC objecting to the increase in off street parking charges as from 1st April. This letter has been sent to all residents’ associations and Parish Councils asking if they oppose the increase charges and if so, would like their names to go on the list of signatories before it is sent. NACRA committee agreed to the objections, and add their name to the letter.

5. Any Other Business

 

Janet informed us all that as committee members of NACRA we were all invited to the Town Mayor’s Civic Service on Sunday 28th February at 3pm.

The committee then went on to discuss the Joint Community Centre. It was stated that the Wheatpieces Community Centre had a problem with funding the upkeep of the building and this would have to be considered if Newtown went in with Mitton for a joint building. It was decided that much ground work had to be done first before we as NACRA would know if the residents of Newtown wanted a dedicated Community Centre before all the details of who was to run it and fund it.

Dave Witts said that the next coffee morning with Becky Jeal at the Canterbury was next Saturday 10.30am till 11.45am and Lawrence Robinson was to attend

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

Next NACRA meeting Monday 15th March 2010 at Strings 7.00pm