Monthly Archives: June 2017

GHRA Meetings

Minutes of the GHRA Committee Meeting No. 5 15th June 2017

Minutes: Committee Meeting #5

15th June, 2017 (7pm)

Small Meeting Place

People

Present Absent
Committee:

NF: Nyomie Flecknell (Chair/Clailey)

JS: Joy Sumner (Secretary)

MA: Mick Allsopp

PF: Paul Flecknell

DoT: Doug Titchmarsh

RA: Roy Adams (Treasurer/Cottesloe)

DaT: David Tavener (Creslow)

Pete Barry

Anne Davis

Nora Reidy

Adam Elsworth

 Committee:

Order of Business

  1. Welcome and H&S– done
  2. Apologies– done
  3. Formal approval of previous minutes – done
  1. Committee Reports/Update on Actions and Items for discussion
    1. New Items
      1. Licencing – license application being discussed
      2. Antisocial behaviour – Discussions ongoing with SSTC.
      3. Neighbourhood watch – General positive response. Signs have gone up. More members are always welcome. Coordinated by DaT.
      4. Local GH issues – GH and GHRA are keen to engage with SSTC and MKC on issues relating to GH.
      5. SSTC rate increase – Parish Council has raised rates 7.5% and yet no one has complained. JS/NF to write official note expressing concern and hoping it isn’t setting a precedent for following years.
      6. Attendance of Town Councillors linked to GH – Interest expressed in Councillor Paul Bartlett attending GHRA events.
      7. Procedure for discussing and agreeing actions between meetings – Email contact to set up meeting – 3 committee members are sufficient to make decisions. Decision must be reported by email to rest of committee.
      8. (Security) cameras on estate – Interest due to burglary. Depends on whether others object. If no objections, then cameras can go up. Notices are needed to identify this.
      9. Motorcycle noise – it has been noted that motorcycles have been riding back and forth on the estate is late afternoon/early evening. This has been reported to the police.
      10. Council Wall Repairs – DaT proposed a scheme which is currently being pursued by the SSTC Deputy Clerk on GHRA behalf.
    1. SSTC meeting
      1. Trees/leaves/landscaping – The last tree maintenance for the estate was a long time ago, and this will be raised at the next council meeting. (Adam to speak on this to the Parish Council)
      2. Pathway/road problems – This may be possible to tackle in the medium term if we act as a community. (Debbie to speak on this to the Parish Council)
      3. Other – Rubbish put outside at the wrong time (consistently). The fire-brigade has been contacted, but this isn’t currently considered a fire hazard. (Nyomie on behalf for Mrs Reidy to speak on this to the Parish Council)
      4. Want to encourage GH residents to attend.
    1. Local activities
      1. Discos & picnics – September Event (but the insurance is only for 100 people).
    1. Communication
      1. “Noose” newsletter- Next newssheet is ready for printing. Has been okayed by committee. Doug has volunteered to act as deputy editor; supporting Dave.
      2. School newsletter will carry a note about GHRA.
    1. Problems
      1. Speed limit and traffic control – New technique for recording speed will be trailed. Newsletter is asking for resident association. It is also noted that the signs for ‘30’ have gone from one of the GH entrances.
      2. Request for new road sign requesting ‘no ball games’ on Bunsty.
    1. Insurance/Funding
      1. Sources? Insurance is important now. Zurich is £80 and can be done (for one year, but for a max. of 100 people per event). Committee approved this use. Roy is going to sort it out.
      2. MK council has us on their residents’ association website and funding will be arranged. We are currently ‘white’ with them.
    1. Defining role of committee
      1. Progress with GHRA registration – Done
      2. Code of Conduct approval
  1. Confirmation of next meeting dates

General Meeting Committee Meeting
20th July 17th August
21st September 19th October
16th November 14th December

SSTC meeting on 18th July @ SMP

Abbreviations

AGM annual general meeting

AOB any other business

GH Galley Hill

H&S health and safety

SSTC Stony Stratford Town Council

TBC to be confirmed

 

Actions

Action On? Date Set Update
Request an additional dog bin at the Galley Hill/Fullers Slade boundary where there is currently no bin. If possible, this should be at a suitable height for wheelchair users. Committee 16/03/2017 On going
Look into getting additional litter bins. Committee 16/03/2017 Quote for bins has been given. Action currently closed until funds can be raised.
Coffee morning (Tuesday 10-12) volunteers wanted. GH residents 16/03/2017 On going
Investigate the possibility of advertising the coffee mornings in the shop window. Committee 16/03/2017 Carried over
If you are interested in submitting an article for GH newsletter, Noose, please get in contact via the website. GH residents 16/03/2017 This action repeats – our first newsletter has been successfully delivered
Invite PCSOs to one of the coming meetings. Committee 16/03/2017 Done.

PCSOs have attended GH coffee mornings
Discuss registering GHRA with the council Nyomie F 2016-11-30 Done
Find volunteers for court reps Dave T 2016-11-30 On going
For General Meeting of GHRA, make a list to see if there is interest in a children’s club Nyomie F 2016-11-30 Carried over
Talk to Sue about the potential for using the school in the summer Nyomie F 2016-11-30 Carried over
Investigate possible funding for a GH party for MK’s 50th. Mick A

And Paul F / Social Sub-Committee

 2016-11-30 Carried over
Book meeting rooms Mick 2016-12-07 Done – standing action
Add actions of previous committee meetings to GHRA website Joy/Doug 2017-02-27 Done – standing action
Look into possibilities and application process for the national lottery Roy 2017-02-27 Carried over
Arrange a ‘social’ GHRA email address Doug/Paul 2017-02-27 Carried over
Add link to YourMK on the GHRA website Doug 20/04/2017
Get correct text from Roy to add to minutes Roy/Joy 20/04/2017 Done
Add details for Resident Involvement Meetings to website David 20/04/2017
Raise issue with parking/blocking access to houses with council clark Mick 20/04/2017
Need article for Town Crier – This one will be based on Coffee morning Roy/ Mick/ Nyomie 20/04/2017
Look into alcohol related issues around GH David 15/06/2017
Note to SSTC from GHRA regarding rate increases Nyomie/Joy 15/06/2017
Arrange Zurich insurance (depending on GHRA bank balance) Roy 15/06/2017

 

 

Appendix: Outstanding Points for Discussion at Later Meetings

    1. Local activities
      1. Coffee mornings
      2. Open Garden & Counts Competition
      3. Milton Keynes at 50
      4. Christmas Events (singing/Santa)
    1. Communication
      1. “Friends of Galley Hill” Facebook page
      2. Notice board
      3. Website – GHRA.uk
      4. Documents for SSTC website
      5. Documents for SSTC ‘Town Crier’
    1. Problems
      1. Trees/leaves/landscaping
      2. Antisocial parking
      3. Pathway/road problems
      4. Problems with local street lighting not working
      5. The state of the local park/playground area
      6. Blocked drains near to the shop leading to local flooding
      7. Need for more dog bins on the estate, especially near the footpaths
      8. Bins, in particular the problems with using bags that can be easily torn and early placement at the kerbside
      9. Abandoned cars on the estate
      10. Potholes
      11. Cleaning – Also linked to volunteer cleaning?
      12. Redbourn Road sign is missing
    1. Insurance/Funding
      1. Bank Account

 

GHRA Meetings

GHRA Meeting Report Thursday 15th June 2017

The first thing to say about the meeting was that everyone was pleased to see Mick Allsopp there. For those who don’t know already, our local councillor and outgoing vice chair of Galley Hill Residents association, Mick, had another heart attack a couple of weeks ago and was hospitalised. He has once again bounced back and was in tremendous form for the meeting, so much so that at one point several of us were concerned at his level of enthusiasm and tried to get him to settle back for fear of further setbacks!

The meeting had an uncertain start as the small meeting place hall was filled with another group of people, eventually an executive decision was taken to use the kitchen area for our meeting as we weren’t expecting a huge number to attend as it was a committee meeting. That was also a bit of a misjudgement as several court reps also turned up, which despite the cramped conditions was very welcome as it shows the people of Galley Hill do care and the Residents Association does have strong support.

The meeting started with the usual H&S blurb about fire exits and evacuation etcetera, then moved swiftly to the Any Other Business portion of the proceedings to get that set aside quickly.  The items discussed were

  • the new application for a License to sell alcohol by the Peri Peri take away in Barford
  • Antisocial behaviour in several of the local courts and any action which could help to settle disputes
  • Neighbourhood watch scheme which has been enthusiastically received
  • Concerns over the possibility of Galley Hill becoming a listed area
  • Stony Stratford Town Council rate increase and if they go unchallenged does this pave the way for ever larger increases?
  • The possibility of other Councillors representing Galley Hill turning up to meetings and being more visible to the people they represent. (the point at which Mick Allsopp became worryingly vocal and passionate giving us all cause for concern)

The committee has also recognised that more could be done between meetings to speed up some decisions by using email and smaller meetings to discuss and action some of the more minor details. Motorcycle noise, vulnerable residents and security cameras were also briefly discussed with more in depth discussion to follow.

The reason it had been decided to move AOB to the front and get it put to bed as quickly as possible so the matter of raising issues at the upcoming SSTC meeting could be discussed. This is important as it is the residents chance to grab the attention of the local Council and get any problems aired with a view to getting some assurances of action from the Council. 3 people are to stand up and state the case for the following issues to be addressed:

  1. Adam to speak on the issue of trees needing cutting back and leaves being left on the ground creating a slip hazard in the Autumn.
  2. Debbie to bring up the poor maintenance of the pathways and Red Routes around GH
  3. Nyomie to speak on behalf of Mrs Reidy on poor waste management by neighbours in the area leaving rubbish bags out at the wrong times.

Following the organisation of these much appreciated volunteers we moved on to the possibility of a disco taking place in September. So far we are in agreement that this needs planning but we need funds to purchase the necessary public liability insurance to cover the event. Once again Dave has pulled together an issue of the Newsletter which will be printed and delivered soon. Speed limits and dealing with those who blatantly disregard them was also discussed along with some possible alternatives to speed bumps to slow down repeat offenders but not inconvenience everyone in the area.

Full details will be available in the minutes which will be posted soon but we did have a little time to discuss that the GHRA is now recognised by the MK Council and we have been added to the list of Residents Associations on their website. The next meeting will be on 20th July 2017, two days after the SSTC meeting, both of which will be held in the small meeting place above the shop and which we would like as many residents of Galley Hill to attend.

As always, thanks for your support.
The Committee Of The Galley Hill Residents Association.