Clowne Community Association

1. Chairmans Introduction The Chair reminded the meeting of our constitution and that the Association is non political and all comment and discussion was to be treated as such
   
   

 Mrs Rattue, Terry Richardson, Andy Thomas, Mr & Mrs White, Mrs Temprell, Mrs Metcalfe, Carol Cartwright
Annual General Meeting
Greg Lindley took over for the next item

3. Election of Chairman
Allan Bailey was unanimously elected again unopposed with a vote of  thanks for the excellent work he has been doing in difficult circumstances over the last year.
Allan thanked people for their support over the last year and stated that he will, as always, try not to bring the Association into disrepute and will work hard for the Association aims.

Allan Bailey resumed the Chair
4.  ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2008

5   ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 28 MAY 2009
The following were elected
5.1       Election of Secretary- Greg Lindley as minutes Secretary
5.2       Election of Treasurer- Abigail Thurnell
5.3       Election of Committee
Existing Committee confirmed to continue in post:
Terry Cartwright                                            Brenda Gauntley
Hilary Wignell                                               Ken Parker
Brian Betts                                                    Margaret Gillway
Andy Thomas                                               Anne Whysall
Sharon Gregory                                           Steven Raison
5.4       Election of Vice Chairman
Terry Cartwright confirmed as Vice Chair
5.5       Changes to Constitution
The Constitution confirmed as existing subject to the following proposed amendments:
ITEM 3. Management
 “The Committee shall consist of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and up to 12 others who should be fully representative of the community. Any person who is registered bankrupt shall not hold a financial office. “
ITEM 7 Finance
“The Committee shall appoint between three and five authorised signatories for any cheques and the cheques shall be signed by at least two of the authorised signatories.”

5.6  Treasurers Report
Circulated
Statement of Accounts for 31.3.09 shows
Balance of £2,613.92 with
Clowne in Bloom £725.12
Access Group £766.05
Main Association Account £1,122.75
The Grassroots Grants Award of £1,131 is split between the two sub groups and will all be spent by the end of June 2009. Thanks to Derbyshire Community Foundation for the grant award.

Two Presentations followed
6.      Dog Fouling
Bolsover Environmental Health  Anne Young ( for Dog warden Andy Green)
Dealing with problems on footpaths and on playing fields
Only 1 warden for the whole district. They have had 4 complaints in the last two months in Clowne and need people to notify complaints and then they will act.
Statistics are: 2 requests for signs,2 lost dogs, 4 fouling incidents, 3 straying dogs,7 secure straying dogs.
Parish Council support the Poop scoop bags – demand for this is expanding- In 2003/4 year it was 25,000 and in 2007/8 year it was 495,000!
Educational days talks in school, market stalls and press releases to get the message out.
They do issue fixed penalty notices and can be up to £1,000 in Magistrates costs. A witness statement made by a  member of the public can be acted on and a fixed penalty notice can be issued. This is confidential unless it is taken to Magistrates Court and then they will ask if people are prepared to confirm the statement.
Questions from the meeting
Problem areas?
          1.         Near Old College site - school route on Church St
          2.         Chestnut Drive right hand and onto Tesco site
          3.         The Stumps rear of Chestnut
A school campaign is aiming to change the culture.
They are working to tackle the College litter problems
How often are dog bins emptied? - Not sure as this is done by Depot eg Villa Park is always overflowing.
Hickinwood Lane link to Harlesthorpe Dam there is no bin there So people are dumping bags in the bushes.
Can request one – It is for the public to request them from the Council direct.
Bolsover say it is the cost of emptying them that is the issue.
Spend £3,316.75 on bags and are seeking Parish support for this.
Fly tipping has this got worse since loss of central Saturday bin lorry?
But it has not increased.
Need more bins and need them emptying.

7.   Bulky Waste- Chair

From March Bolsover are now charging for bulky waste items – 3 items cost £10.
The Chair has written to Bolsover DC and has not received any reply.
People can take items to Bolsover recycling site. But those without a car cannot get to the site.
Argued on cost – but is it more to have to deal with the fly tipping that will follow.
Cllr Dennis Kelly was the Environment Cabinet Member who attended our Assoc meeting previously and said that we would not have to pay for waste removal.
On the web is “freecycle “– this is a site where people can exchange items.
Why can the Council provide bins at Westlea free but can’t provide one for the general public?
Chair will continue to write to Bolsover and ask again if someone will come and speak to this Association and contact local Councillors on this issue.
The central Saturday waste lorry was a well used service.
An example was Mallenders footpath which is getting dumped on.
A member commented that we should be encouraging recycling and not just be expecting to send everything to land fill.

8. Main Association Business
The Chairman introduced the meeting by once again referring to The Association constitution and reminding the meeting that we are a non-political organisation and that conduct of meetings will reflect this, and that his role as Chair of the Association is entirely separate from his role as a Parish Councillor.

Minutes Secretary
We are still seeking someone who will help with this?- please contact Chair or  a Cttee member

Minutes of last Association meeting   26 March 09 were accepted- moved and seconded by the meeting.
Matters arising covered below
The PCSO’s are invited tonight but they may be active on duty - Chairman to contact them.

9. Chairmans Report

Mr Herrod has donated £20 for stamps for the circulation of letters publicising todays meeting and our thanks were expressed to him – total cost of postage was £35.48.
Still need to look at how we might get the message out to boost attendance.
Ex Towndrows front is a problem since the Parish took the wall down with joy-riding cars crossing the area. There is a planning application to put up a fence. Gate post has been repaired and landlord of Nags Head will make it secure in the evenings.

Other groups involvement in this Association meeting is encouraged.
Any requests for help will be brought to the Association open meeting.

10.Any Other Business
Parish Council Notice Board
The Parish Council contention is that we are a political organisation. Association Committee members met with CVP recently.
Vice Chair Terry Cartwright took over the meeting for this item. He and Brian Betts and Sharon Gregory were in the CVP meeting. CVP Community Voluntary Partnership.

Terry as vice chair ran through the history so far of the Community Association seeking to simply put a notice on the new Parish Council Notice Board to advertise our meetings. As noted in the last minutes the Parish Council have deemed Allan Bailey as political and by association with Allan in his role as our Chairman our group is deemed political. This is regarded as an absolutely ridiculous position for the Parish to take.
Bolsover Council will not enter into any further correspondence on this.
The Association has given all the information necessary to The Parish Council to prove that we are not a political organisation.
At the last meeting it was suggested to either go to Legal route or the Ombudsman.
There are great repercussions if the group apply for grants for instance then this assertion by the Parish may prejudice our group. But the Ombudsman role has now changed and Parish Councils are not within their remit.
 Met with CVP - their head office is NCVO in London – National Council of Voluntary Organisations.

People in CVP are appalled about how the Parish Council are dealing with us and the CVP has taken up our cause.
On 22 April Lorna Wallace wrote to the Parish, Cllr Read, further to her letter of March seeking clarification and stating that they regard this as a serious allegation to make. CVP stated they have audited Clowne Community Association and are unable to find any evidence to back up the Parish Council’s charge. If the Parish Chair has such evidence then please provide it to CVP.

Karl read has subsequently met the CVP manager individually.
Parish Council wrote back
Parish Chair gave a report on Monday 11th May
Clowne Parish Council minute 310/08 says Chair and Association members can only be perceived as that of a political organisation. And that they have offered the use of the notice board in the Community centre.
CVP have placed it with their legal advisers in London. The Parish Council’s have  a governing body. But this has no real powers of oversight.
Solicitors believe that the Parish are abusing their powers. The Association should get some answer in the next week or so.
It is up to everybody to back this up.
We are doing nothing now and have done nothing in the past that is wrong or could be construed as political.
Members of the Association object to a Parish branding us as individuals as political.
At the meeting with the Association it was stated by CVP that the Parish have no powers to decide who is political.
The Association has been very open and tried continually to act as a partnership from day 1 of our establishment but has consistently met with a negative response from the Parish Council.
Our constitution says we will work with other Councils in the area.
The Parish have no interest in working together.
At the Parish AGM they withdrew the 2 places as attendance offered on our Association meetings.
Press are not currently involved but have approached Chair recently who declined to comment referring it to CVP.
But perhaps later this route and MP’s will be actioned.

11. Chairmans Report continued
Allan Bailey resumed the chair at this point

Group Reports
Clowne in Bloom/Environment
Infants School gardening project ha started If anyone would like to help then they would like volunteers – please contact the school who will organise CRB check.

Access Group
Saturday 30th meeting at Cliff hill – waymarkers on Stanfree footpaths
Footpath 16 and 24 diversions noted- believed to be the Tesco car park to Regent St path

Chair asked for any requests for future speakers
Tesco on the pedestrian crossing safety issue
Bellway Homes  - Chair has spoken to them and they will attend a future meeting

12. Any Other Business
Mr Metcalfe spoke of gate request on Fishers Yard to make it more secure and stop Friday night drinkers treating the area like an open toilet and Bolsover council request for a Planning application cost £150
To contact Cllr Anne Western and to approach Mr Clarke Director of Planning.  Noted that previously Ian Eames had offered a grant.

Attendance
There were approx 28 members present
Raffle was held and raised £18:50 - people were thanked for their donations.

13. Next meetings Dates confirmed for  2009 all at 7pm Clowne Welfare
                     
30 July 2009
24 September 2009
26 November 2009