Westminster Park Residents Association

WESTMINSTER PARK RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Committee meeting held on Wednesday 3rd November 2021 in the Community Centre

MINUTES

Present: Jennifer Crew, Colin Dollimore, Sue Britton, Penny White, Dave Craggs, Brian Westcott, Olwen Bellis, Susan Eva, Pauline Brown.

Apologies: Richard Short, Sandra Magilton, Annemarie Macfadyen, Tracey Casey, Karen Liddle.

Andrea Hopkinson came to observe as Newsletter Editor.

1. Minutes of the last meeting held on 9th August 2021 were agreed as a true record by those who attended.

2. Treasurer’s Report: Summary already circulated. A bid for funding from our Councillors of £1,050 for warm white lights for the tree opposite the Emporium has been submitted and a new advertising banner. The bid for funding for grit bins is ongoing.

3. Membership: Very nearly 500, the subscription form for 2022 membership will be included in the Newsletter for December. The ‘cut off’ date for membership will be 1st December. Colin will write up some notes for the Newsletter.

4. Social/future events: Community Christmas lights switch on event will take place on Thursday 2nd December. Brian reported that the ‘temporary’ tree will be arriving at approx 12 noon on Sunday 28th November and will cost £125. He and Dick Pole are away that weekend so Neil Macfadyen will be asked to supervise the erecting of it. It requires three men to put the tree up, and then it needs to be decorated with lights etc. Barlows will fix the box at the Coop. Sue said the ‘replacement real tree’ is coming from Morreys in about two weeks.
Peter Cocker will be Father Christmas this year. Colin will liaise with him re the suit and Peter will buy a beard and be recompensed from funds.
Sheriff of Chester Jill Houlbrook is coming to switch on the lights. Keith Scott is lined up with PA system. Jennifer will speak to PCSO Cain Jones.
The Coop has been alerted and a letter sent regarding their contributions. We need to speak to the other shops and put posters on shops and other noticeboards, Facebook etc. Penny has spoken to all the shops and all are enthusiastic. The Emporium have a wine tasting event later that evening and are already planning a community event with Bebbington’s but are happy to take part in this. I assured them the carpark would be reopened by around 6pm. Chatwins usually shut at 4 but will arrange to stay open later, are happy to do as in previous years: PA on their step, using their electricity supply and Father Christmas changing on their premises. However Barbers are open until 7pm anyway that evening so that might be a better venue for that. The Italian takeaway man was concerned as how to serve the food, this is probably something we need to think about everything we are serving that evening.
If we have bad weather the event will be called off.
Colin said he was arranging a Christmas Quiz for Saturday 4th December which he proposed would be split between WPRA/Rotary. After some discussion it was decided that WPRA would have their own quiz in the Spring as usual and this quiz will be for the benefit of Rotary. Helpers and attendees would be welcomed.

5. Kings Moat/WRD: Brian has been in touch with Ian Jones regarding flooding/pumps this winter who is liaising with site and will get back to him.
Regarding meeting with the Council’s Education Officer: Brian has spoken to Neil who has been having meetings, there seems no reason for us to meet up. There is a questionnaire which has been circulated around our local schools which has to be in by 5th November. Apparently school building starts in 2022 with handover by September 2024. It will be situated at the top of Whaddon Drive, with 45 entry per year. The process is ongoing. There is Section 106 money to be made available for schools to make temporary provision for more children in the meantime.
Nothing to report on Health Centre progress.
Kate Birnie (residents of Kings Moat) wants to set up a Residents Association, Brian, Jennifer and Pauline will meet with her.

6. WP Maintenance: Brian’s working party did a great job at the shops tidying up the green areas etc. He proposes to have another one in the Spring, after the spring flowers have died down. Incredible Edibles are now in place.

7. Winkwell Drive: nothing to report.

8. CRAG: held a meeting 16th September and AGM 30th September, 18 RAs were represented. Pauline will send a report to be circulated.

9. Media/Newsletter: Andrea Hopkinson is taking responsibility for this. There was some comment on groups wanting to put in large advertisements, it was suggested the website has more space for this.

10. Evergreen: meetings restarted in August with restricted numbers, prebooking has been a good idea. The programme is in place for 2022 which will be released this month and we will be pushing for members to rejoin and for new members to join in the new year.

11. Gardening Club: held their first meeting with a speaker. Bulbs are being planted on 10th December. We will see what their committee decide regarding tree planting which will have to be approved by the Council.

12. AOB: A call for more publicity of the location of local defibrillators has been raised again but as with the suggestion of a Parish Council and/or Neighbourhood Plan it all creates a lot of work the committee are unable to fulfil.

There was mention of the Lache master plan and Neighbourhood Watch survey.

Olwen raised the matter of the cul de sac opposite her house, she has produced a letter she is being sent to the Council and asked if we approved it, we did.

13. Next meeting: to be held on Wednesday 2nd February 2022 in the Community Centre, the hall has been booked.

Are you interested in playing bridge in Chester?

We currently play in the Community Centre, Five Ashes Road, Westminster Park, Chester, Cheshire. CH4 7QS every Thursday from 19:00 to 22:30.  All level of players are welcome.

Westminster Park Community Centre has ample parking and as a Member you will also have access to the bar lounge with TV.  The Westminster Park Bridge Club has been located here for 40 years.  It has a friendly environment and refreshments are also available for a small donation.

A host system operates at Westminster Park.  Therefore a current member will be available each week for any player that may turn up without a partner. The table fee is £3 and £2 for members.

Currently we do not hold bridge classes for beginners but there are a number of local clubs who do offer such a facility and you will be welcome to join us when you have completed a course of lessons.

If you have any questions please contact me on 01244 675923, 07971963847 or email on nikeryan@outlook.com  or best of all turn up one Thursday.

Nick Ryan

Weight Watchers

Thank you to everyone who supported our tidy-up at the WP shops on Sunday morning.  What a difference it has made.

WESTMINSTER PARK RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Committee meeting held on Zoom at 8pm 9 August 2021

MINUTES


Present: Jennifer Crew, Penny White, Annemarie Macfadyen, Karen Liddle (part time), Dave Craggs, Brian Westcott, Richard Short, Sue Britton, Olwen Bellis.

Apologies: Colin Dollimore, Sandra Magilton, Susan Eva, Pauline Brown, Tracey Casey.

1. Minutes of last meeting: apart from notes added after the meeting about our Facebook page they were agreed as a true record by those who attended.
The red truck at the shops is still there but the Council have taken steps to remove it. The bottle bank has been emptied.

2. Treasurer’s Report: As per statement already circulated. There is no longer a charge for advertising on Facebook, we have paid for planting of planters and will have a second planting later in the year and two newsletters. Christmas lights still need to be looked at and checked. Jennifer and Sue will sort out a bid for funding from the Councillors for new posters and lights including a temporary tree for this year as the permanent one has died. We will check with Morreys for a replacement tree as the Council are too short staffed to look after it for possibly planting in the Spring and we look after it.

3. Membership: Colin submitted a report in his absence:
The current membership stands at 480 and is tantalisingly close to my target of 500.
There is still plenty of potential to exceed the target and I would suggest the following.
I can provide details of non- members in specific roads.
If committee members agree to canvas specific road(s) and contact just 5 to 10 householders we can get our numbers up.
Only part of the new Wrexham Road Development had Newsletters in June , so we need to provide copies to the remaining households.
Can Penny/Jennifer let me which roads have been done please. Penny has done this.
I will see if one of our existing members up there will take on the task for the September issue.
Is Tracey’s offer to canvass some of her non-member customers still available ?
Maybe we should focus on some of the roads most affected by the current drainage work chaos ?

There was a suggestion of canvassing previous members who had not renewed. Annemarie and Sue are happy to canvas with membership forms, a note could be included with the next Newsletter.
Regarding Kings Moat our Councillors are talking of setting up a Residents Association there. Any spare newsletters from deliveries could go back to Colin to send out to Kings Moat, maybe by a resident there. We suggested we would continue to deliver there until the end of the year.

4. Social/future events: It was decided that if we tried to hold a quiz in the hall we would probably have restricted numbers meaning it would not be worthwhile. We will concentrate our efforts on the Christmas lights. (Thursday 2nd December).

5. Kings Moat/WRD: Regarding the drainage works Welsh Water has sent an email to say that work has started on Whaddon Drive to be completed by 20th August but there is lots more to come. Traffic lights are in operation which is helping with traffic delays. A resident has asked if Redrow could stop the weeds on the site spreading into gardens by Greenacre Road. Brian has contacted Ian Jones who will deal with it.
Neil Sullivan is concerned about the funding from the Council for the new school, Belgrave is now an Academy and it is assumed the new school will be run through the Academy. We need a meeting or an update. Brian will arrange a meeting with the Council’s Education Officers to find out what is happening.
Houses are being occupied rapidly, particularly on the Redrow site. Taylor Woodrow Phase 2 does not seem to be going so well. The target was 100 houses a year but it appears to be more.

6. Winkwell Drive: The outcome to the Planning meeting was not what we had hoped for though we achieved a few changes to the design and a few concessions. There are still concerns regarding drainage. Howard Williams did a lot of work and is still asking questions and is monitoring the situation with Karen.

7. CRAG: Pauline submitted a report in her absence:
Wish to record thanks to everyone who responded regarding E-Scooters and Clockwise.
Attended an on line Meeting with CRAG Executive Members regarding both matters on 16 July 2021 and had representation from Jacob Goontiliake from Ginger E-Scooters and Kay Parry, Principal Engineer, Environment & Communities (CWAC). Both parties gave responses to our concerns and a response in turn has been sent to them for follow-up.
E-Scooters are working with CWAC on the trial and so far it has proved popular although they did take on board concerns expressed from residents regarding safety. It is likely that the E-Scooters will increase in numbers to approximately 100 across the City in various locations.
Kay Parry noted the suggestions regarding trying to ease Clockwise which although we accepted was necessary the economic impact was discussed regarding the time to navigate the system if it becomes gridlocked. She agreed to refer some suggestions to the Highways Department such as improved signage into the City warning visitors of the Clockwise System and also that it was not permanent!
Next CRAG meeting is due on September 2021 and I will provide further feedback.
Chester Rows – a consultation letter is attached for information in Word and PDF format. This is in connection with funds to improve shop fronts.
If you would like any particular issues raising at the next CRAG meeting, please let me know.

8. Newsletter/media: We will print the same quantity and keep spares for Kings Moat until the end of the year.
The new arrangements for our Facebook page seem to be working with the moderation panel. Inappropriate advertisers and potential members are being blocked.

9. Evergreen: Sandra submitted a report in her absence:
EVERGREEN’ will restart its sessions on 26th August at the Community Centre. Numbers will be limited to 30 members and we will modify our routine and put stringent measures in place to ensure the safety and comfort of our members and committee. The response has been positive, which is a great encouragement. Our sessions will continue with ‘in-house’ entertainment and we will monitor the situation and increase numbers as the need requires. It will be a learning curve for the committee, but it is time to take a positive move back to some form of normality, whilst still observing a degree of caution. We are confident all will go well. With regard to publicity, there will be an article in the September Newsletter. However, as we are only inviting limited member numbers to sessions for the rest of this year, it seems pointless to campaign for new members now. We intend to start our promotion in December for 2022, with the hope we can fulfil our completed 2022 draft programme of events in our usual manner.

10. Gardening Club: nothing to report.

11. AOB: There are surveys taking place : Police consultation ending 15th August. There is a National Bus Survey, ending 31st August. Links to these need to be publicised. The ‘conversation’ about the Local Plan has appeared on CWAC FB page.

Incredible Edibles have received permission to go ahead which means some bulbs may be moved but no timescale has been given.

Permission has been refused for a phone mast on corner of Lache Lane/Circular Drive.

Olwen brought up the deplorable state of the cul de sac parallel to Bartholomew Drive which is in a poor state and overgrown. Jennifer will have a look at it with Olwen and contact the Council.

Brian suggested a note in the Newsletter for residents to look after their verges and weeds in gutters etc, this and the grassed areas around the shops need regular care which it would appear residents will have to do as Council cannot. He will write up a piece. Maintenance/upkeep of the estate is still very poor.

12. Next meeting: 27th October 2021 at 8pm at the Community Centre (unless otherwise communicated). Dave will book the hall.