WILFORD COMMUNITY GROUP

 

Minutes of the Committee Meeting

held on Monday 18 May 2009

at Wilford Social and Bowls Club

at 7.30 pm

 

 

Present:           Brian Hardy (BH                     Chairman

Roger Steel (RS                        Vice Chairman

                                    Sheila Atherton (SA)                Treasurer

Bill Roughton (BR)

                                    Stephanie Taylor (ST)

                                    Josie Foster (JF)

                                    Daniel Atherton (DA) - young people’s rep.

                                    PC Nigel Brown

                                   

                                   

 

 

 

Action

1.

Apologies:  David Boulton (DB), , Frank Wakelin (FW), Chris Allsopp (CA), Elaine Stenson (Neighbourhood Management Team)                              

 

2.

Matters Arising from the Minutes of the last meeting:

  • Missing/damaged wooden posts around village – c/f
  • A453 widening – c/f
  • Trees at rear of Vernon Ave. – c/f
  • Nottingham in Bloom – plants due to arrive this week at BR’s house.  Holly Ave residents and John Coutts (Ruddington Lane) to collect
  • Dog fouling – it was noted that on notice boards police info. lists this as a top priority in the area.  PC Brown said this was because there are no other major crime issues in the area.
  • Iremonger’s Pond  - picnic on 31 May mentioned at recent Area 9 meeting.  BR to circulate a poster
  • Lighting for pathways – PC Brown still working with schools and council and will talk to cycle path construction firm.
  • Dorothy Boot Homes – BH had rung planning officer because local resident had complained about difficulties caused by parking opposite her side garage on Holly Avenue.  Information given was that work was expected to start at any time on the car park and that planning permission for this had been granted.
  • Needs of young people in Wilford – DA had raised this at school.  He knows all the other young people in the area and says they like the village but would enjoy an area where they could socialize.  Currently, they are asked to move by local residents if they congregate anywhere.   BH reported that at an area 9 meeting the idea of a passport for young people to visit leisure facilities elsewhere had been raised.  DA said they really want a park area and PC Brown suggested that the Ruddington Lane park provided a good facility but was seriously under-used.  He suggested that if the park was used more then the council might spend more money on improvements there.  Specifically, Wilford is supposed to receive Section 11 money from the demolition of the old Emmanuel School.  It was also suggested that the Bowls Club might be utilized between, say, 7 and 9 pm by young people.  WCG should liaise with the club committee about this possibility.
  • Neighbourhood Watch – JF reported that there are now 32 members in Vernon Avenue.  Smart water and NW signs are up.   RS suggested there are too many and wanted the one on the village green located.  BH had attended a NW meeting at the council house.  Organisers are offered £50 expenses but both BH and JF declined this offer.  PC Brown and other committee members fondly remembered the ‘Ringmaster’ scheme.  He said he will email the group, in any case, if there are any crime matters of concern.  RS suggested that WCG might use the expenses money to inform other areas of the advantages of NW.  There was not a great deal of support for this idea but NW organisers in Wilford were still willing to coordinate activities if it helps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.

Crime Figures:  PC Brown did not have figures for April yet. 26 crimes in February for Wilford and Silverdale, 29 in March.  Little problem with burglaries, although BH pointed out that a high percentage of houses (2) on Holly Avenue had been burgled recently.  Biggest crime ‘hotspot’ is the Co-op but there has been no increase in incidents of shoplifting since Glenford left his post.  5 crimes in last 2 weeks in Wilford and Silverdale.  Suspects picked up in relation to most recent burglary in Holly Avenue but no evidence to charge them on.  BH pointed out that the victims would have liked to know what had happened.  Police had not been in touch with them.  BR mentioned a recent incident of motorbikes at 5.45 a.m.  PC Brown reported that the police had crushed half a ton of motorbikes in March.  They are also trying to address the problem of school children throwing stones from the embankment.

 

4.

Area 9:  the Bowls Club is to hold an Open Day in August on a date to be fixed.  There will be a bowls match – club v Area 9. 

WCG will be receiving an invitation to visit the Larkhill older persons housing complex in Clifton.  Sales of properties there have been very slow.

The Bowls Club has now received its cheque from Area 9.

A labour councillor had noted that the Wilford area does have plenty of waste bins, unlike Clifton where more are needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.

Bowls Club:  RS said that the club had received representation from residents in properties behind the club about parking, but the parking area does belong to the club.  Also, there are sometimes problems caused by inconsiderate parking outside the club.

 

6.

WCG AGM:   the date will be 20 July 2009.  BH will invite a local councilor to be the independent chairman.  It was agreed that a modest buffet should be provided on the evening. The question of having another newsletter soon was raised and it was agreed that DB should be asked to produce one. Possibly, numbered newsletters could be used as the basis for a raffle.

 

7.

Any other business:

  • PC Brown mentioned a ‘Doorstop Crime’ free event on Wednesday 12 August for over 50s with a free lunch and stalls
  • JF asked if anyone could suggest a place to store History Society display boards.   Church Hall a possibility or BR may have space.  RS also offered to see if the Rugby Club could oblige.
  • Garages near the Ferry Inn and the Olde Shoppe are private property and we cannot influence their maintenance.  The owner of the old paper shop says that he will shortly be able to improve the frontage.

 

 

 

The meeting closed at 9.15 p.m.

 

 

Chairman            Brian Hardy

Date                 15th June 2009