Meetings

  NOTES OF THE LOCAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

HOUSING AND ENVIRONMENT GROUP

 

CRESWELL GROUNDWORK OFFICES, CLOWNE

11TH AUGUST 2005  

 

PRESENT

 

            Dennis Kelly               (DK)    Pinxton Development Group

            Richard Colgrave      (RC)    PACCT BDC

            Marie Cox                  (MC)   Involve CEN

            Janine Atkinson         (JA)     Involve CEN

            Scott Nichols             (SN)    BDC

            Richard Bennett        (RB)    BDC

            Andy Heath                (AH)    Derbyshire County Council

            Val Kripp                    (VK)    Groundwork Creswell

            John Sherwood         (JWS) BDC

            John Ford                   (JF)     BDC

 

1.         APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

 

            Tracie Oliver              BDC

            Kath Sharpe              Langwith Society

            Ian Wall                       Creswell Crags

            Karen Devonport       Countryside Agency

            Cassa Townsend      Hardwick Hall National Trust

            Julie Lewis                 BDC

            Vanessa Roberts      PCT

            Emma Caunt             Environment Agency

            Mandy Chambers     PCT

            Tony Trafford AHEAG

            Glenis Stokes            Shirebrook Model Village Residents

            Hazel Ward                BDC

            Cathy Cooke             Derbyshire County Council

            John Ritchie               BDC

            Jim Neeve                  Involve CEN

 

2.         NOTES OF MEETING HELD ON 23RD JUNE 2005  

 

Alterations as follows:

           

Page 1 – Present

 

Marie Cox and Jim Neeve – represent Involve CEN not Involve CEM.

 

Page 6 – item 6 – Neighbourhood Management – 3rd paragraph

 

The rental at the New Houghton property was £9,000 per year. 

 

These were agreed as a true record subsequent to the noted  amendments.

 

3.         MATTERS ARISING

 

Page 2 – Page 4 – Item 7 – Hillstown Community Action Group Action Group Business Plan

 

DK queried why the Hillstown Community Action Group letter had been mentioned in the minutes of the previous meeting. JF explained that TT and Cathy Cooke had received a further letter from Tina Wilkinson requesting support.  It had been agreed that both were to reply to Tina Wilkinson informing her that the group could not give support at this present time.

 

Page 6 – Item 5 – Vice Chair and ESG Representation

 

JF confirmed he would attend in that role until such time as another representative was appointed. 

 

4.         BOLSOVER LOCAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK PRESENTATION

 

            It had been agreed at the last meeting that the Group had found the      process of preparing the Local Development Framework a difficult            document to understand although there were some base line             targets which could be agreed on.

 

            Officers from the Council’s Planning Department had returned to          provide further information and to give a presentation on the planning        issues which affected the group. Richard Bennett and Scott Nichols           were in attendance. 

 

The Planning Department provided a pack of information for each group member comprising of a summary table of comments arising from each LSP theme group, explanatory leaflets, a non-technical summary of the ‘Issues and Options Report’ and copies of overheads for the presentation. RB said that the Planning Department will ensure that a continuous dialogue, in the form of letters and emails, to each theme group is maintained.

           

            RB reported that a seminar for LSP members would be held on the 5th            September 2005 at 2 pm in the Assembly Rooms at Bolsover.   Tellus42, the consultants appointed to facilitate the Community             Strategy Review, and the Planning Department would be present to     explain the relationships between the Community Strategy and the             Local Development Framework and to indicate the for the timetable        and process for the Community Strategy Review and the local development framework.

 

            RB told the group that the only way to secure sustainable development            and communities was to involve communities in plan making. RB    asked for views on the housing and environment that might be             addressed under the local development framework.  A lengthy discussion took place and notes were taken by the Planning           Department. The notes will be circulated at a future meeting.

 

Richard asked that members of the group take the papers away and discuss them with colleagues. He encouraged members to think about the options outlined in the documents and to consider issues that affect the district. If anyone had any further views to send them to the Head of Planning using the address given on the leaflets before 16th September 2005 .

 

            JF thanked RB and SN for an enjoyable and understandable     presentation.

 

5.         SOCIAL OUTCOMES CONCORDAT

 

JF spoke about a report which had been sent to the ESG which each action group had been asked to endorse and accept that on principle  the Principal of Chesterfield College be offered a seat on the board. 

 

The concordat was seeking to get developers to reach an agreement on training issues etc.  DK thought this would be an uphill struggle to get employees to take on a number of trainees per trained employee.  The group supported the decision to ask the Principal of the College to take a seat on the board.

 

6.         MAKING PLACES POLICY

 

Janet Bradbury the CEO of MVMP had been invited to come to the group and to discuss any pertinent issues raised.  Janet could present a general talk but had asked if a more specialist presentation was required.

 

JWS was asked to give a brief background of the formation of the        MVMP.

 

Working jointly with Mansfield District Council hotspots of housing dereliction over the two districts had been reviewed.  English Partnerships and East Midlands Development Agency had come on board and MVMP had been formed to deal with 11 settlements over the Meden Valley.    JWS assured the group that Janet would give a much more detailed presentation and asked for any questions or suggestions for Janet to be passed to him.

 

7.         BOLSOVER COUNTRYSIDE PARTNERSHIP REPORT

 

Andy Heath had taken up his position which was a new post as part of an initiative inaugurated recently to cover access, site management, Derbyshire County Council and BDC sites, educational work and health initiatives in a bid to improve and enhance areas. 

 

A funding bid to the ERDF had been unsuccessful for the next financial year.  AH asked for advice on other sources of funding as he wished it to be minuted that there will be insufficient funding in the next financial year. 

 

It was agreed that AH should work a bid up and put this forward to Action Group and they would look to support it. 

 

AH and RB to discuss separately Section 106 monies.

 

The Fair Share programme an LSP managed fund, was discussed further.  DK spoke about funding which the Pinxton and South Normanton Project had received from the Fair Share fund and £85,000 was to be released in the next month.  The plan was to buy and renovate properties and sell them on.  Three project workers had been appointed.  The community group were still seeking to find a builder/contractor who would be willing to take on the development role and would be willing to train workers. 

 

8.         GROT SPOTS TO HOT SPOTS INITIATIVE (POSSIBLE LINK TO CEN TEAM)

 

As discussed at the last action group meeting video and digital cameras have been purchased and were available to take out to community groups.  It was envisaged that the Chair and the Secretary of the Community Groups would be responsible for these items. 

 

Parish Councils had been sent letters asking if they wanted to be involved but CEN has had no response as yet.  The initiative would highlight negative and positive areas of the community.

 

A presentation would be done at which time pictures would be presented and Chairs of the Action Groups would be invited to view them. 

 

DK raised his concern that this project would cause problems for the Local Authority in terms of budgets and priorities. 

 

JWS suggested that the community group put a bid in themselves to clean up these places once they are identified. 

 

Involve members would like the community to take ownership for problem areas.  AH stated that some of the clearance could come under the remit of the Bolsover Countryside Partnership.  It was agreed that it was necessary to demonstrate what the outcomes of the initiative are.

 

9.         NEIGHBOURHOOD MANAGEMENT REPORT

 

            JWS confirmed that BDC were looking at different ways of        mainstreaming the funding for the project.

 

10.       PROGRESS ON NRF PROJECTS – HOME RECYCLING SCHEME

 

            The Waste Management Officer had sent a report for distribution         detailing project outputs and the actual outcomes.  Further discussion         on recycling plastics took place as there didn’t seem to be a facility             within the area for the disposal of plastic. 

 

A Waste Awareness and Promotions Officer post would be advertised in the near future.  DK advised that schools in the Bolsover area collect cans and receive credits.

 

11.       REQUEST FOR SUPPORT FOR LANGWITH WHALEY THORNS HERITAGE ASSOCIATION

 

            JWS declared an interest at this point.  A letter had been sent to the    action group asking for support for an application bid for funding to help    set up the Whaley Thorns Heritage Centre.  Kath Sharpe had sent an        email in support for the bid as she could not attend the meeting.  It was            agreed that this was a worthwhile project which would bring an old          property back into use.  It was agreed that a letter of support from the          action group would be sent.

 

12.       ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

            Janine was introduced as the new Information and Diversity Officer for            the Involve CEN.

 

            RC confirmed that there was NRF funding available in the sum of         £2.2 million for 2006/07 and £2 million for 2007/08.

 

13.       DATE OF NEXT MEETING

 

            22nd September 2005 2.30 pm at Groundwork Creswell Offices.