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Dukinfield East. Residents’ Association.

Affiliated with New Charter Housing Trust Group

Committee meeting held on 10th August 2015 Present: John Heywood (JH) Chairman Kathy Inglis (KI) Secretary David Bottomley (DB) Treasurer John Bevan (JB) Committee Member Arnold Hodgkinson (AH) Committee Member Linda Whyatt (LW) New Charter Resident Involvement Officer Khadeja Begum (KB) Neighbourhood Coordinator for Yew Tree Estate, New Charter.

Mel Kearns (MK) New Charter Regeneration Team Apologies Angela Dickson (AD) Committee Member Simon Blomeley (SB) Neighbourhood Coordinator for Gorse Hall, New Charter Preamble to Meeting: JH noted that there were sufficient members present to form a quorum, under the rules of the constitution. LW introduced Mal Kearns rom New Charter Regeneration Team and. In turn, Mel was introduced to the committee.

Review of Previous Minutes

Gorse Hall Park Play Area

Due to the Chair of Friends of Gorse Hall recovering from an operation, they have not held a meeting for some time. JH has been in contact with the Secretary and the most recent update is that they hope to hold a meeting on 2nd September, starting at 7:30 pm at the Wharf Tavern, Stalybridge. JH together with LW would attend; however, it transpired that LW was on leave on the date and MK had had previous experience in setting up parks and play areas so she volunteered to attend the meeting. JH provided MK with information that he had received from TMBC. Dukinfield Festival MK had been responsible for organising the festival.

It was very successful for DERA, due to the efforts of KI with assistance from LW, and raised £187 for DERA funds.

DERA would get involved in next year’s event, closer to the date.

General

KB confirmed that a weekly multi agency meeting was taking place, attendance by GMP, TMBC etc, by invitation.

There has been no further news about The Community Gathering; KB will follow up.

JH advised the meeting that he has had contact with Councillor Dave Sweeton about community involvement and

voluntary organisations, but was unable to offer more details at the time.

A mass order had been placed for new notice boards, but, due to economies within New Charter, it was uncertain

whether this had been sanctioned. KB/MK to investigate.

Mini Bus

Earlier in the meeting, MK had revealed that New Charter had acquired their own minibus which they loaned to not-

for-profit organisations, free of charge. She had some experience of minibus schemes and offered to share her

knowledge, possibly at a later discussion, with KI.

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DERA minibus head experienced a problem reported as the engine cutting-out. KI to arrange for urgent garage check

before it was loaned out again.

It was agreed that KI should hold the sum of £50 as petty cash to cover costs of driving minibus to and from

collection points, garage for service, MOT, etc.

Copy insurance certificate was provided for KI as customer had asked to see it.

The bus is now parked in secure area at Trinity School, Stalybridge.

Accounts

The accounts showed a balance of £646.78; however, with cash that was to come from bookings made, less the float

for KI, it was estimated the balance would be around £850. This was a much improved position than 12 months ago

since the vehicle was taxed and insured for 12 months on this occasion.

LW was to check that DERA had been paid funding towards the cost of tyres, although JSH felt that this was aprt of a

lump sum received during February.

KI queried the term ‘restricted funds’ in the accounts. DB explained that this was funding that had been obtained

from institutions such as The Lottery, that had to reserved for particular projects and spent only on those projects.

New Charter

KI had involved a member living on Chester Avenue, who was an expert gardener, in designing the flower beds that

have made such an improvement to the shopping precinct. He was to take over the future development of the beds

working alongside Green Charter. She proposed that DERA and the community get more involved in this project,

perhaps with hanging baskets from the shop verandas and so on, and maybe draw funding for Britain in Bloom.

DERA was to task itself to see what sources of funding are available, such as RHS, Tameside4Good etc.

It was agreed that the shops were a focal point for the area as they were the entry point to the estate and, therefore,

offered an immediate impression of the surroundings.

KI proposed that DERA organise a ‘gardeners question time’ with the local expert offering his advice. JH suggested

that we could perhaps mount a photographic display of maybe even a projector slide show with pictures of the local

garden during the event. JB also had a contact who was a good gardener and may want to get involved with

community gardening.

Other community associations had combined a garden and notice board and this could be a possible alternative for

DERA.

JH said that DERA needed more volunteers who were prepared to give their time and effort to projects and get

physical involved. KI felt that holding only 4 public meetings a year meant that the public did not feel closely

involved. It was proposed that the association should include on their leaflets that volunteers were welcome and

encourage members to get more involved.

A recruitment drive was discussed but it was agreed that this was only feasible where there was something specific to

recruit for.

LW advised that the New Charter bus was to be parked on Chester Avenue that week and proposed that JH take the

opportunity to hand out DERA generic leaflets and seek volunteers.

AOB

There was no other business

Date of next meeting

No date was fixed but JH felt there should be at least one, if not two meetings before the public meeting at the end of

September. JH/LW to check the Constitution regarding notification procedure for public meetings.

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