Minutes of Residents' Association Committee Meeting March 7th 2017

Present

Dianne Adams, Trish Hancock, Judi Hibberd; Janet Hickinbottom; Bron Putnam; Diane Swindells, Faith Ward and Mary Webb.

In attendance: Cllr Caryll Green

1. Apologies

Apologies had been received from Rona Taylor and Hilary Cox

Summary of actions following the meeting	Responsible
Approach PC for full costs of Bugle printing	Rona
Invite community beat officer to meet with BGRA and PC representatives to discuss parking problems	Rona
Ideas for commemoration of Armistice Day	All
Find out availability of Salvation Army Band for above commemoration	Judi
Copies of dementia leaflet and article for next Bugle	Cllr Green
Invite a speaker about dementia to the Residents’ lunch	Mary
Consider joining PC in the future	All
Cllr Whitehouse leaving event invitations	Judi and Janet
Begin collecting subscriptions and selling bin stickers	All
Donation to choir	Dianne
£200 loan to Jubilee Committee	Dianne
Query replacement road sign Cromwell Lane	Rona
Publication of village loop information	Mary
Broadwells Wood hedge reinstatement query	Cllr Green

Minutes of the last meeting and Matters Arising

The minutes of the previous meeting of January 17th 2017 were approved.

Matters Arising from the previous minutes

Approach PC for full costs of Bugle printing: Rona had not yet pursued this but would do so.
Action: Rona

Bank statement to be passed to Dianne: completed

Water problem and repairing damage in Red Lane: there had been an interesting presentation from Severn Trent.

Community compensation: £500 had been received from Severn Trent and £200 from Western Power. It did not appear that individuals were eligible for compensation.

School to be added to Village email loop: completed


2. Treasurer's Report

A report had been circulated. Dianne went through the report explaining that income had been received from Western Power and Severn Trent and for the speed gun calibration. So far £40 had been paid in for bin stickers purchased.

The only expenditure related to thank you gifts for those involved in the erection and maintenance of the Christmas tree and for the printing of the Bugle.

Thanks were given to Dianne.


3. Residents' views/concerns

Parking on pavements: Some damage had been caused to a car which had parked on the pavement during a children’s party at the Village Hall. Comments had then been made on Facebook. The Village Hall committee had responded to this and had put up signs asking visitors not to park on the pavements in the vicinity.

Rona had agreed to invite the new community beat officer to meet with the Parish Council and BGRA.
Action: Rona

The September 2016 Bugle had requested people not to park on the pavements.
Hickory’s Smokehouse had extended its car park and had asked people to use this rather than blocking pavements.

It was felt there was little more to do except remain vigilant.


4. Update on and discussion of Residents' Association initiatives and issues

• Lunch for retired of Burton Green, March 31st. Diane and Mary were organizing this at a price of £7:50 per head.

• Rona had circulated the following:

MEETING WITH KENNY, DUNCAN AND SINEAD FROM CREST NICHOLSON 

Crest Nicholson who hope to build 425 houses (with up to 40% affordable) on Westwood Heath Rd contacted the Residents’ Association to explain their plans. Mary and I met them on Feb 15th and pointed out that, whilst we were happy to listen to what they had to say, the RA’s position on housing is neutral and we leave housing decisions to the PC.  

Crest Nicholson say they are keen to engage with the community of BG and have a provisional arrangement for an exhibition at the VH April 5th &6th following the inspector’s report which is due in March. They hope to submit plans in May, secure this permission by May 2018 and begin building within 9-18 months. Phase 1 would be 120-125 houses in the north end of the allocated land.  

Crest Nicholson say they take pride in place making, community building and quality. They have a mature strategic site In Daventry which we could visit and are currently building in Balsall Common where we could visit a show home. 

We talked about the Community Infrastructure Levy from which BG could benefit; this is £80 - £110 per square metre and Crest Nicholson expressed an interest in supporting the School and the VH. They are committed to building a shop on the site and want to provide a physical connection with Cromwell Lane through a current right of way.

Mary and Rona had visited the site in Balsall Common. A brochure was circulated showing a variety of housing types. The Community Levy might amount to between £1.5m to £4.5m but this would be paid to the Council who would be responsible for its use. Cllr Green said Burton Green should receive a proportion. It was expected that the building of 425 houses would begin in March 2018.

• Commemoration of Armistice Day Sunday November 11th 1918: ideas were sought for this occasion. A beacon was suggested, a band (Judi would ask the Village Choirmaster about the Salvation Army) or a march.  Committee members were asked to come to the next meeting with further ideas. Action Judi and All

• Community clean up: this would take place on Sunday March 19th.

5. Village Hall

• The issue of parking had already been discussed.

• HS2 and new Village Hall: No formal agreement had yet been received from HS2. Carter Jonas had drawn up a valuation and recommended acceptance by HS2 but HS2 have to go to governance. HS2 was still pushing for the Village Hall committee to go for planning permission. The new hall plans reflected the need to be generous which is what the Select Committee had advocated.

• There was to be a community funding meeting on March 21st at which BGRA, Parish Council and Village Hall representatives would convene to discuss such matters as the landscaping of the rest of the field.

• Pershore College students had done an assignment about the landscaping of the site and their ideas would be considered, though the costs were likely to be prohibitive.

• The Village Hall committee would need to talk to the neighbours of the new site once plans had been finalised. The new hall needed to be completed by 2018. 

• In response to a question, Diane said solar panels were planned but not solar tiles. Many green measures were being incorporated.

• Very difficult conversations had been held regarding the mains sewer.

Thanks were given to Diane and it was agreed the situation was very frustrating.


6. HS2 Opposition Group

No one was available to comment.

7. Parish Councillor's Report

• Cllr Green said the Parish Council (PC) was looking at a Village and Neighbourhood Design Statement which would involve extensive consultation. A  Steering Group was to be created with representatives from the whole village. Details had been published in the current edition of the Bugle.

• Cala Homes planned to submit detailed planning permission for the Burrows Hill site in late spring with a view to start building in 2018 and they had requested a meeting with the PC. It was hoped to include BGRA.

• There was a house in Cromwell Lane which appeared to be in the process of total demolition. Permission had been given for an addition at the rear. Planning department enforcement would only get involved once the demolition was down to ground level.

• The PC Chair was very busy fighting against probable major developments including the 240 proposed houses adjoining the station, the Crest Nicholson site already discussed plus the Burrows Hill site. These developments would have a major impact on the traffic in the village. The various inspectors' reports were now awaited.

• Cllr Green asked who might be interested in joining PC in the future and asked committee members and others to consider this. Action: All 

• Cllrs Taylor and Green went to a meeting on living with dementia and caring for people with dementia. Dementia Friends were sought. Leaflets were available and Cllr Green would obtain more copies for distribution and write something for the Bugle. Action: Cllr Green

• Mary had added information to the Bugle about the dementia café held at the Kenilworth Centre. Could someone speak at the Residents' lunch? Action: Mary 

• The committee had been sorry to learn that Cllr John Whitehouse had decided not to stand for re-election in May. He had been a very good friend indeed to Burton Green.  It was agreed to purchase a gift for him and to invite him to receive it at the start of the next committee meeting (7pm May 9th) when refreshments would be available and representatives from the school and the Village Hall committee would be asked to attend. Action: Judi and Janet

8.  Any Other Business

• Rona had received a letter from a former Burton Green resident who had been born at Westwood Farm in 1942.

•  Residents’ subscriptions were to be collected from now onwards and the bin stickers offered for sale. Action: All

• It was agreed that of the £700 “compensation” received from Western Power and Severn Trent, some would be used to buy the gift for John Whitehouse and £50 would be donated to the Village choir. The remainder would be held for future plans such as the village plan. Action: Dianne

• Mary explained that additional insurance had to be taken out to cover the next Jubilee Committee event on June 10th to be held at Long Meadow Farm. This was necessitated because of the presence of a pond. Mary asked if the committee could have a loan of £200 for the insurance and this would be paid back from the entry cost. This was agreed. Action: Dianne

• Committee members were reminded of the choir concert (with Pimms and puddings) on Friday May 19th.

• Cllr Green pointed out that the Cromwell Lane sign opposite Hodgetts Lane needed replacing and asked if Rona could approach her council contacts. Action Rona

• It was requested that every edition of the Bugle contained information about how to get onto the village email loop. It was suggested this information also be provided for the PC website and a request made to John Webb to add it to his website. Action: Mary

• A question was asked about the hedge reinstatement at Broadwells Wood as it had been part of the planning permission. Cllr Green would raise this at the next PC meeting. Action: Cllr Green

• Was there any progress with the warden’s shelter in Red Lane? The PC had been asked but no decision had been reached yet. What would the cost be to prune the ivy and make good the brickwork?

• A comment was made on the lovely fencing round the playground in Red Lane.

• When a query was raised about a pothole outside school, information was provided that Solihull MBC had put cones around it and the PC had agreed to pursue the matter.

9. Date, time and venue of Next Meeting

The next meeting would take place on Tuesday May 9th 2017.