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| GREENFIELD AND GRASSCROFT
RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION Secretary: Mike Rooke, Sycamore Mount, Higher Arthurs, Greenfield, OL3 7BE Jan ‘06 Dear Everyone, Open to all Greenfield and Grasscroft residents, our next meeting is on Tuesday 14 th February ’06 at 7.30 p.m. at the King Bill, Chew Valley Road, Greenfield. AGENDA
Minutes of our last meeting held on Tues January 10th ‘06 Present: Graham Andrews, Diane Higgins, Mike & Edith Howarth, Jacky Knight, David & Kath McNeeney, Mark Nicholls, Des O’Brien, Graham Parker, Mike Rooke Dave Sanders. Apologies: Barbara Andrews, Mavis Bingley, Jason White. 1. Matters Arising
2. Chair’s Urgent Business – Knoll Mill Following the outcome of the Public Inquiry, we had written to Sir Terry Leahy (Chief Executive of Tesco plc) to request that a Saddleworth Primary Health Care Clinic including a National Health Dentist and a Community Centre be built on the site. Initially, Tesco refused to be drawn on this issue, but after a Private and Confidential letter had been sent directly to Sir Terry, they have now indicated that the developers (i.e. Wiggett Construction Ltd) have promised to “look into the feasibility of providing additional facilities on site”. It was agreed that this was excellent news for our village. We will now be putting a question to January’s Area Committee Meeting, seeking to enlist cross–party support for our campaign. Shauna Dixon of the PCT was due to speak at this forum, further helping to raise the demand for a clinic on the Knoll Mill site. The meeting approved a letter to be sent to the Chron the following day. We had received several e-mails in support of our campaign for community facilities. Councillor Christine Wheeler had written to us, urging that sports and leisure amenities be considered for the site. However, we felt that it was important to focus our efforts to achieve two goals – i.e. a health clinic and a community centre. 3. Youth Issues Diane Higgins, our local Area Youth worker based at the Satellite Club, explained about activities taking place at the centre for different age groups, including Arts and D. of E. and open access provision. She also described the work of Detached Workers who liase with young people on our village streets. Following initiatives taken by the Youth Advisory Group young people will be representatives on this group to deal with youth issues in the area. A Youth Council for the Oldham area was now being established as a forum for young people to explore and promote youth issues, developing political awareness and a sense of citizenship amongst participants. In our discussion, it was agreed that GGRA would offer its full support to help in whatever possible - e.g. promoting youth issues and offering advice/practical support on active citizenship. Various options were discussed - a GGRA Meeting focussing on Youth Issues held at the Satellite Club, an informal visit by GGRA officers meeting young people at the centre etc. Once the Youth Council was more established, Diane agreed to discuss what arrangement(s) would best suit her local youth reps and then come back to us. The Chair thanked Diane for her most valuable contribution. We look forward to working together in future. 4. Correspondence and Communications Recycling – Following receipt of correspondence sent by Dave Makin (Dobcross Village Community group) to Tom Flanagan (Head of Env. Services) complaining about problems with OMBC’s recent Waste Revolution, it was agreed that GGRA should send a letter to complain about a). the erratic and unreliable service and b). the continued failure of OMBC to provide a pick-up service to many outlying houses in our area. Special mention would be made re. Waterside – there’s no logical reason why the large recycling vehicles can’t reach this development. Planning Application P/A050594/05 - A letter objecting to the proposed building of two houses at the junction of Horsefirth Lane and the Riding Arena, on grounds of traffic and inadequate hydraulic sewage systems, was approved by the meeting. Traffic Speed/Dangers on Holmfirth Road – Following an exchange of correspondence between Dave Sanders and OMBC Officers, GGRA has sent a letter to Steve Palk (Traffic Engineer) calling for a further site visit and the installation of vehicle activated signage to reduce speeds and prevent overtaking. E-mail network attachments – Following receipt and distribution of an e-mail from our 2005 Liberal constituency candidate, a couple of our network recipients had objected – arguing that the correspondence not only contained a personalised attack but also extended to national/foreign policy issues unrelated to GGRA’s remit. Whilst no-one at the meeting felt strongly about this particular e-mail, it was agreed that we should not distribute attacks on named individuals, racist material and polarised expression of religious views. If there’s any doubt about material to be forwarded, the secretary will check first with our other officers. Ancient Watercourses – As we’d raised this issue at a recent Area C’tee meeting, we had received a copy of a letter sent to Lorna Gartside. As things stand, it appears that OMBC have no statutory obligation to force landowners to restore these drainage channels – though a change in the law seems imminent. Jack Massey – We’d received a letter from Jack and his father Bob explaining that they wouldn’t be able to attend GGRA meetings in future. It was agreed that we should write to thank Jack for all his efforts at the school and at public meetings to promote alternatives for the Knoll site. CPRE’s latest newsletter, Oldham’s Comm. Network Monthly E-Bulletin, Phil Woolas’ MP Surgery dates/times, Oldham Vol. Action AGM details (Wed Jan 25 th – 5.30 p.m. Avant Hotel) and an invite to attend a Q. E. Hall Army Presentation were all distributed. 5. Treasurer’s Report Our present total balance is £399.97. 6. January’s Area Committee Meeting. It was agreed that we should ask a). for the C’tee’s support for our community facilities’ campaign at Knoll Mill, b). what plans the PCT has to restore local NHS Dental services and c). what steps can be taken to ensure that housebound residents have access to relevant planning information. 7. Fletcher’s Mill At our last sub-group meeting and in informal discussions with Phil Woolas MP, OMBC Environmental Services and the environment agency had been contacted so that investigations could be made into the extent of contamination at the site. Further to information already submitted via e-mail, Des reported further concerns expressed by David Chadderton. Mike R. would pass these on to the env. agency. David McN. felt that the authorities should also be told that when Valdis Anspoks (an agency officer) was investigating the site, £230,000 was reckoned to have been spent on decontamination in Robert Fletcher’s last year of production. Once the company had finished trading from Greenfield Mill, there was no further investment to continue the clean-up and so it is assumed that the Env. agency had to cease its work on the site. Concerns about the old dumping tips below Chew Valley/above Dove Stones Reservoir will also be conveyed to the Env. Agency. Arrangements had been made for David McN. Mike R. and Dave Sanders (representing the Civic Trust) to meet with Phil Woolas, Andrew Fletcher (Deputy OMBC Chief Exec.) and John Bird (OMBC’s Head of Regeneration) on 21 st January to develop strategies and tactics over the months ahead. 8. A. O. B.
For past minutes, please visit the minutes archive. |
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