Spring 2000 Archive

MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF FORUM 5. COULBY NEWHAM COMMUNITY COUNCIL

IN LINGFIELD ASH MEETING HALL, MON 3rd APRIL 2000

FORUM 5 COVERS Al ESTATES OFF LINGFIELD WAY AND LOOP ROAD

COUNCILLOR TERRY WARD, PC ANDY HUDSON (COMMUNITY POLICE) TIM JAMES (TREES MBC) ABDUL KHAN (COMMUNITY DEV'T MBC.) JACK WHATMORE (CHAIRMAN) JOAN COOK (SEC) HEATHER TIDBALL (LANDSCAPING MBC) AND RESIDENTS

TIM JAMES (MBC Tree Expert) "Woodman, woodman spare that tree, chop not a single chop.
It's got more rights than you or me, just ask your local Cop."

PC Hudson would endorse this; the Police having had to become involved in many bitter neighbourly tree disputes. Tim listed some of the rights of trees and non-rights of homeowners

A homeowner can only have a fence maximum height 6' but a hedge e.g. Leylandi) of any height. In some estates no fences are allowed at all but there are no restrictions on tree heights If next door's tree/hedge overhangs your garden invading your air space you can cut off the offending branches but must give them back. You must hand back or put them neatly in your neighbour's garden otherwise be guilty of littering. Any fruit from a neighbour's tree can drop into your garden but you must give it back. You may think you are carefully pruning a tree but if it has a preservation order on it, even if it's in your garden, you could be seen as guilty of criminal damage. There are some in Coulby Newham protected by Preservation Orders. There is no right, to light involving trees

Tim said in a neighbourly dispute the Council may be forced into action of one sort or another. The Council may do the job and charge for it. Government legislation should be introduced before long regarding trees and hedges and boundaries, giving clearer guidelines. In the meantime Tim answered a lot of questions.....

"What about the trees where kids are climbing high on them and swinging on them dangerously?"" "

"The Council will prune the lower branches to stop this if the Council owns the land". "The trees of the woodland behind Willowbank, alongside Stainton Way, are growing non stop and putting gardens in the shade. Can they be chopped down, please?"

"That would look unsightly and after 3-4 years they would grow more vigorously. The Council could not guarantee regular pruning. Crown thinning could be done which would allow light to shine through."

"Do the roots cause damage to service pipes?"

"Roots are shallower than you think. They are more likely to creep in the pipes after they have become cracked or damaged rather than cause it."

" What about damage to foundations?"

"This is more serious but depends on the depth of the foundations, the type of trees and =content of the soil etc. etc. . etc. "

COULBY CRIME PC
ANDY HUDSON

Crime in Coulby Newham is sporadic rather than epidemic. In the last few weeks...........
On March 23rd an elderly lady was mugged and her bag snatched at school home-time near Hollowfield by 2 x 17-ish year olds.
PC Hudson said the Police have a good idea who is responsible and are dealing with it.
Regarding Walk-in thefts, 2 males and a female getaway driver are on remand for these crimes, mainly in Acklam and Marton and probably some at Coulby, too.
People don't think Walk-ins occur in the cold weather but dubious characters, who probably don't look dubious, just won't go away.
Auto-crime is on the increase here concerning cars parked both in Public Car Parks and on private drives or on estate roads. Older type cars seem to feature a lot, especially Vauxhalls.
Estates in Forum 5 are being pillaged for garden ornaments. Heavy stuff is being removed after dark/overnight including costly bird baths (one since recovered) and statues.
Another current crime is the taking of bikes (some very expensive ones, too) by older youths from younger ones. It seems to be happening around the Parkway Centre.
PC Hudson advised the advantage of having bikes postcoded by the Police and said they'd stamped 100 bikes since the start of this year. They do recover them and postcoded bikes are obviously easier to return to owners.
PC Hudson then reminded ladies to be aware and use common sense when withdrawing money from Banks and Post Offices. In some areas undesirables can easily watch ladies collecting money and so are targeting them. It's not rife in Coulby but it's as well to be aware who's around.
One resident had reason to call in at Coulby Police Station only to find it shut PC Hudson gave the daily opening times and said there aren't many Police Stations open at all. He said people are using Front Desks less and less. In fact, North Ormesby Police station is now closed to the public altogether.

ABDUL KHAN (COMM.. DEV'T)
"Power to the people!"
Abdul outlined the way Middlesbrough Borough Council Cabinet has decided Community Councils should go forward, agreed upon after these last few months of consultations.
The 26 Community Councils will continue in number pretty much as at present. Ward boundaries will be adhered to in most cases. In our case Newham Ward will keep the 2 Community Councils, Marton and Coulby, because of their size. Elected Councillors will be the intermediaries between Community Councils and Council departments (making them as field workers rather than committee members) and there will be access to Members Support Services e.g. to typists and Council officers. Elected Councillors must not hold the position of Chairmen in any Community Council. Those sort of positions must be held by residents.

ABDUL KHAN
The idea of an upper tier of 4 Forums is still on. Each Community Council will have more independence to decide which way it wants to go and have a budget of £2,700. Any surplus from last year can be added to that. It will not be reclaimed by Middlesbrough Council. The Chairman suggested "think big" and have more dialogue with other Community Councils, also an AGM which could be of mutual benefit.

COUNCILLOR TERRY WARD
Councillor Ward outlined imminent developments for the Parkway Shopping Centre including a new Safeway to be built on the Iceland car park land plus adjoining undeveloped land. One or two planning items must be agreed on first then things will happen.
It should be open for business in Summer 2001.
Work will soon begin on the Health Centre on the land from the Bottle Bank site across to the Bus Stops and a Planning application has been submitted for a Fitness and Leisure Centre near McDonalds.
"What about the toilets at the Parkway Shopping Centre? Couldn't the Council re-open the outside toilet?" "Perhaps the new Safeway will provide toilets for their customers'?"
It was hoped the new Safeway would incorporate trolley grids in their area to stop trolleys being taken and being found later dumped in the becks.
A further discussion revealed that each Safeway seems to operate differently regarding trolley recovery or not.

HEATHER TIDBALL (STEWART PARK)
Heather updated the meeting on plans for Lingfield Farm buildings and explained that estimates tendered were much higher than the feasibility study achieved, therefore plans had been changed to split the work into 2 Phases.
Phase 1 will see some existing buildings converted into a 2 storey Visitors Centre with a Refreshment area. Also some work undertaken on the courtyard behind and on toilets.
This is due to start in May this year, but Middlesbrough Council is still negotiating with the contractor. Work on a single storey building has been postponed till Phase 2.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS
COMFREY FOOTPATH
A resident of Comfrey asked for the public right of way between the Dewberry roundabout and Comfrey to be made easier to walk on. This is a 60yd direct route to Comfrey at the field edge and very muddy. Could it be paved, even gravel would be acceptable for a start.
Heather said "not at present". Even though all the land belongs to Middlesbrough Council and it is a public right of way and can be walked on, the farmer has an Agricultural Tenancy, which is expensive but gives him many rights.
Things will be different with the development of the Country Park.

PYLONS
Asked when it will be possible to actually walk in the Country Park, she said "after the pylons come down." There are a couple of hiccups involving Compulsory Purchase and a 200yd route, then things can move.

BUS SHELTER
"The bus shelter on Lingfield Nay looks like a tin can. Couldn't it be made to look nicer somehow?"
This is on the way in to Forum 5 and the way to Lingfield Park and does not give a very good impression.

THE GARTH LIGHTS
"What about the lights on the footpath near The Garth?" Councillor Ward explained that if the owners of the estate in question, who are talking to the contractors at present) do not do the job, the Council will have them put on and charge for it. He has approached the Engineers about the problem of flooding on the nearby footpath there, too.

THE GOOD THE BAD
There were contradicting points made about litter. Litter pickers were seen around some areas e.g. Langdon Square and they had made an obvious difference and in other areas e.g. the Parkway Centre, at times, there was a desperate need for them.

THE CHAIRMAN THANKED EVERYONE FOR ATTENDING ON SUCH A FOUL EVENING ESPECIALLY AS THE BORO WERE PLAYING MANCHESTER AT HOME!