Cantwell Road Association

Thursday 4 October 2012

7-8pm

All Saints Church Hall

Minutes

Present:

Alan 11CH, Andrea 89, Ann 20, Ann 21g, Dave 14, Denny 40, Dora 7, Earl 11, Geoff 17a, Graham 6a, Jakob 44, Jamie 21f, Jane 13a, Jenny 46c, Joe 66, John 28, Jude 70, Kathleen 76, Katie 21f, Marketa and Toby 9, Morten 97, Nadine 97, Neil 3, Paul 21g, Pauline 17a, Racheal and Semy 5, Rachel 44, Sarah 42, Siân 6b, Steve 7, Steve 20, Viv 11

Apologies:

Anna 75, Charlotte 31b, Darren 74, Deborah 72, Jane 15, John 38, Mike 40a, Robin 78, Simon 29, Stephen 46a, Vanessa34b

1. A firework party probably in the weekend of 3/4 November

Almost everyone would like us to hold a firework party.

Paul and Ann offered the garden of 19/21 – which is big and quite secure. This was subject to their neighbours agreeing, but Paul and Ann had held firework parties there before.

It was agreed that Saturday 3 November would be the best day for the party

How will we finance it? It was agreed that each family would be asked to bring one firework so that we didn’t have too many.

Paul and Jamie volunteered to organise the fireworks. Graham is a fireman and volunteered to help and thought he could provide safety equipment.

Jane suggested that we managed food like the Jubilee street party where each family brought food for everyone to share and this was agreed.

We might need to have a few people to be responsible for crowd safety.

Action

Paul and Ann to check that their neighbours are happy with hosting the party

We’ll need volunteers to help tidy the garden – maybe Paul and Ann can suggest a date and time

We’ll need to borrow some tables to put the food on

We’ll probably need to ask people to bring fireworks along earlier in the day

2. Arrangements for Halloween

People generally thought it was a good idea to send round a flyer with two A6 notices: one with a tick, one with a cross for people to put in their window though Graham did point out that it changed “Trick or treat?” into “Treat or treat?”

Action

Geoff will produce a leaflet with the notices as part of it and, probably, a brief introduction to the Association and what we’re planning.

It would be great to have some help delivering it – probably around the 20 Oct.

3. Tidying up the Cantwell Triangle

Ness has agreed to coordinate this but unfortunately was delayed at Charing Cross and couldn’t make this meeting

Action

Ness will fix a date

Geoff will email it around and invite people to sign up to help

If money is needed we’ll consider this at a later meeting

4. Progress on finding out if the trees in the garden on the corner of Cantwell and Brent are safe

Joanna undertook to explore this with the owners of the property. She couldn’t make the meeting but emailed me to say,

“One of the flats in the "corner building" is owned by Chris Roberts (leaseholder). He has not got back to me with the name of the freeholder. I have also left a message with a builder (working on a flat in the building) for another leaseholder in the building to contact us. He hasn't got in touch either but is abroad at the moment.

I explained in both instances that we wanted to contact the freeholder / freeholder's management about the trees By irony, leaseholder, Chris Roberts is a councillor for Greenwich council [he’s actually leader of the Council].

Will let you know when I hear more. I hope to make it to the meeting tonight but sent you this in case I don't.”

Simon, who lives next door, is worried that the trees’ roots may be affecting his foundations. Nadine said that she didn’t think that the council would be able to actually deal with the trees – the owners would have to do that however Dave said that he thought the highways authorities did have powers to deal with trees overhanging the street. There was uncertainty about whether it would be the responsibility of leaseholders or freeholders but most people thought that most leaseholder agreements made them responsible for the care of gardens. Steve offered us a picture of the tree that hit the bus. It should be possible to find the freeholder from the land registry website for a few pounds.

Action

Joanna will, we hope, continue to follow up her initiative with the leasholders

Geoff will see what information is on the land registry and again follow up his approach to the council

[Since the meeting I’ve googled information and found a leaflet http://goo.gl/Jo8eo from Basingstoke Council which, I think, clarifies some of the issues]

Would it be helpful for those immediately affected to get together to decide how to take this forward? If you’re interested, email me and we’ll try to find a suitable time

5. Neighbourhood Watch, including putting up our Neighbourhood watch signs

Geoff explained that the idea of a Neighbourhood Watch was to share information to help everyone’s security. The local police would pass on information and the association would share it. A NW would also give us a chance to ask for police help with any problems we had. There was one of the most successful Neighbourhood Watches in the country at the top of the hill http://www.shnws.org.uk/

Action

Alan has volunteered to organise this. Thanks Alan

6. Putting the Cantwell Road Association on a proper basis including a formal meeting

It was agreed by the meeting that this was a good idea.

Dave 14, Steve 7, Viv 11, Nadine 97 Geoff 17a and Jakob 44 volunteered to be part of a working party. Viv offered to share examples of constitutions that she had

Action

If anyone else would like to be part of this working party please, please email info@cantwellroad.org and I’ll keep you in touch.

Geoff will contact people to fix a meeting

7. Respond to request for bedding and towels

Steve and Dora have a lot of bedding and towels that they are hoping to donate. It was suggested that we might go carol singing in the run up to Christmas and collect for charity.

8. Any other business

Website: Not everyone had seen our website. It’s at www.cantwellroad.org

Suggestions included: a blog, an opportunity to recommend good traders, a place to advertise Cantwell Road businesses. Maybe we can discuss this in the first place in the working party which is looking at the formal setting up of the association. Other ideas are welcome.

Communications: The email system seemed to be working quite well. There are only three people at the moment who don’t have an email address who we need to deliver to. A few people had not received emails – I’m not sure why as they seem to have been sent. [I’m using BCC to send things as it means members’ email addresses are not shared. Possibly some messages are being caught by spam filters as they’re sent to over 50 people now.]

Dog Poo: Dora and Steve’s daughter has prepared some signs to put up to remind dog owners to deal with their dogs’ poo. We will try to get those up as soon as possible. [Rhoda and Bibi have now put them up. Thanks so much]

A lot of people suggested that at least one dog poo bin would be helpful (by the seat and postbox on the corner of Cantwell and Eglinton was one suggested location).

Wooded area on the corner of Eglinton Hill and Cantwell: It was felt that this area could be kept clear of rubbish and better looked ater but there was a danger that if it was opened up too much the security of several houses would be compromised.

Action: [Dora agreed after the meeting that Toby and Steve and herself (not forgetting Rhoda and Bibi) would produce some brief suggestions in writing for a future meeting. Email me if you’d like to be involved and I’ll pass on any messages]

Other Ideas:

1. Steve suggested that Cantwell musicians might like to get together.

Action: [After the meeting Steve and I agreed that if you play an instrument or sing and would be interested in possibly getting together with other people in the street to make music send me an email to info@cantwellroad.org with the instrument(s) you play and/or what you sing together with some idea of the level and the styles you like e.g. part of my entry would be 'Bass guitar; intermediate level; read music a bit and can play off chords or busk; play in a barn dance band, a 9-piece jazz band and have played rock.'

2. Graham 6a offered FREE smoke alarms to anyone who doesn’t have them (or maybe could use another one). Get in touch with him direct, or I’ll pass on any email.