Page 1 of 3

Dukinfield East. Residents Association.

Affiliated with New Charter Housing Trust Group

Public meeting held on 26th January 2015

Present: John Heywood (JH) Chairman

David Bottomley (DB) Treasurer Kathy Inglis (KI) Secretary

John Bevan (JB) Committee Member Arnold Hodgkinson (AH) Committee Member

Angela Carr (AC) Committee Member

Guests Simon Blomeley, (SB), Neighbourhood Coordinator for Gorse Hall, New Charter.

Linda Whyatt, (LW), Resident Involvement Officer Councillor David Sweeton (DS)

PC Sue Morris, GMP (SM)

Apologies

Khadeja Begum, Neighbourhood Coordinator for Yew Tree Estate, New Charter. Councillor Claire Reynolds

Preamble to Meeting:

JH confirmed that there were sufficient members present to form a quorum, under the rules of the constitution. The meeting, therefore, proceeded to the agenda.

Chairmans Update The community had a Christmas tree, with lights, planted on Meadway. Decorations were provided by

local children who coloured in pictures of Christmas tree balls which were then laminated and placed on the tree. There was a switch-on ceremony on 2nd December by New Charter which was well attended.

The tree was respected by the local community and remained functional and in good condition until

removed in January.

Also, DERA had a Christmas event in conjunction with New Charter and the Moravian church with stalls

and cakes baked by Angela Carr. The event raised over 200 for DERA funds.

DERA provided a grit bin to a resident on Yew Tree Lane, who had a debilitating illness, after the council said they could not afford to replace the previous bin which had been vandalised.

We have received an email from the resident thanking DERA; it has been well used in the recent bad

weather and has made a big difference to the residents there.

We are awaiting a meeting with Tameside MBC over the introduction of play equipment in the Gorse Hall

country park to benefit the children of Tennyson estate.

Also, DERA is awaiting a meeting with New Charter over possible community gardens on Lyne Edge Road.

They are loath to consider new projects until they have more news on these.

Minibus

KI: The minibus is being used by at least half a dozen groups. DERA has just paid out 220 for new tyres. Astley Sports College are paying 750 a year for their use of the minibus. New Charter has contributed

towards the running costs of the vehicle.

Accounts Currently we have 130 in the account.

Page 2 of 3

Reviewing our audited accounts for last year, the majority of the spend was on the minibus and this year

we expected it to be the same. Hopefully we should have a slight surplus to act as a reserve.

PC Sue Morris

Crime in this area is very low; since the beginning of September there have been no burglary, dwellings.

There have been three new Homewatch schemes set up in the area. The main crime in the area is

damage due to anti-social behaviour; a couple of bins have been set on fire and a suspect has been

arrested following a blue bin fire on Kingsway. A resident asked about an incident when 21 vehicles were damaged on one night around Tennyson Avenue and Gorse Hall. SM: evidence has been recovered from the scene and this was an on-going

investigation.

JH: there are a number of houses that are leaving bins out in front of the house. DS: the public should contact the council if bins are left out. Environmental Services will send a letter to the resident(s)

involved, and then they will go on site to engage with them. If the problem persists they will take the bins away.

Dave Sweeton In the Dukinfield and Stalybridge ward, Dukinfield has historically had fewer problems than the

Stalybridge side which includes the town centre. The sooner the council know about problems, the better. He received an email from a resident regarding

a street light which was out on the passageway between Chester Avenue and Cheetham Hill Road. This

was forwarded on and he was awaiting a response regarding what action would be taken.

Astley Sports College ASC is building a brand new football pitch in September, next to the current one.

On the anti-social behaviour side, May/June time, they will carry out a targeted approach, along with New Charter and other local agencies, offering youths, on Wednesday and Friday night (6-9pm), three-hour

sessions of football, completely free, run by Manchester United. This will be an 18 month project.

JH: DERA is prepared to deliver leaflets along with our next public meeting leaflet in April.

Update by New Charter

SB: following a request at a previous committee meeting, he provided maps of the footpaths on the

Chester Avenue estate, showing which paths are adopted. They were available for residents to look at

after the meeting.

JH: a meeting is agreed, with KB, to plan events for the year.

Other Business

Sam Cooke is a member who had worked for Tameside Arts Ltd, based at Loxley House on Birch Lane for

the last three years. They were moving from council run to community run, and she asked if anybody

would like to get more involved? AC will attend the Loxley House meetings, as DERA representative, and

report back to the committee.

Residents were asking for more bins on Gorse Hall because of dog fouling around the area.

SB: the council will not site any bins for dog waste since they need to be treated as hazardous waste. If

members saw anybody leaving dog mess they should report it to the Clean and Safe Officers and provide

witness statements so action could be taken.

DS: There is a commitment from senior management for bins to cover all the key exits on Gorse Hall.

They will put them on a limited pickup service along with other bins in the area, so that it goes in with the

general waste. Some owners are putting the dog dirt in bags but then just throwing them on the ground.

People on Gorse Hall are spray painting these bags and dog mess in pink to highlight the problem.

SB: this was reported three weeks previously to the Clean and Safe Officers and three street cleaners

went round the week afterwards to clean the area.

Residents complained of dog mess and broken glass on the footpath from Gorse Hall to the CO-OP.

SB will investigate this.

Page 3 of 3

A resident complained of dog mess being collected in bags and then the bag was just left behind.

SB: this was the second meeting that this issue had been raised; New Charter would make it a priority,

before the next public meeting, to have a walk about with the council. They would look towards joint

partnership working in hot-spot areas, promoting residents to keep a lookout and informing them how to

report incidents of dog fouling.

DS: the council has employed a private firm to patrol, for the last four months, but no one was caught.

They need people to provide information on dates, times and type of dog.

A resident asked why the local shop on Yew Tree Lane cannot sell bread. It is believed that it is in the

terms of the lease, because of the bread shop located next to them. SB will look into it and advise.

A resident complained about the path between Gorse Hall Road and Water Grove Road; it was in a

dangerous state and it had not been cleaned for about 12 months. Neighbouring trees were growing

through the fencing. SB would take this up with residents to ensure they kept their trees and hedges

trimmed.

He continued, that, in the summer there was a problem with bikes going down the path. He asked

whether it was possible to erect barriers to stop cyclists from riding. JH asked if there was a No Cycling

sign and, if not, could one be put up.

A member was concerned about the parking around Beatrix House. With its being on a bend it narrows

the roadway, so he asked if it would be possible to put yellow lines in the area.

DS: highways were working with New Charter to investigate the issue; it was intended to put some lines

down. SB: with the current cutbacks highways has a backlog of work.

A resident queried the number of times that Gorse Hall Rd had been dug up, next to the cricket club. DS

had asked for a full investigation of the problem with subsidence, which had resulted in the work.

JH asked DS about a priority list for when roads were due for repair. Yew Tree Lane, particularly around

the schools, and Chester Avenue, are in a poor state.

DS: will enquire about what the priorities are.

A resident complained about the large number of broken street lights.

DS: report them to any of their councillors, stating the number on the lamp post, and they will follow up.

Date of next meeting

Committee TBA

Public 27th April 2015.