Old Colwyn (East) Residents’ Association
Minutes of the Open Meeting Wednesday 9th December 2009
Item 1.
Those present signed the register, there were 19 people present.
Item 2.
Apologies – Councillor Bob Squire, David Jones MP, Sgt Andy Kirkham, Gwynfor Jones, Peter Lawrence, Mark Chatham, Alison Child.
Item 3
The secretary took this opportunity to thank Mark Chatham for acting as secretary whilst he was in hospital last month. It was because of Mark that we had minutes to read he said, there was a round of applause. The minutes of last meeting on Wednesday 11th November 2009 were read out by the secretary. Proposed by Ray Gardener and seconded by Janet gardener, all in favour.
Item 4
Matters arising from last month’s minutes~
Public Meetings about Strategic Regeneration Area funding took place last month. We were told that the SRA includes all the area between Mochdre and Prestatyn and Councillors Cossey and Carlisle intend to circulate the findings of those meetings around the village in an updated form.
A recent update to committee from Cllr Cossey the results of the meetings are being typed up and I’ll let you have a copy as soon as I have one. I want to put it past Shane Wetton to make sure it covers the right themes and then we will re consult with the residents.
There was no other news on the issue as the councillors were not present.
A group of between three and six people were reported two months ago as meeting quite regularly on the concrete steps in the mornings under the Old Colwyn arches they have been seen to be drinking openly from wine bottles. Last month CBM Mike Williams reported that the men had been spoken to. Over 30 wine and sherry bottles were found in the fenced off area near where they were congregating. Has anyone seen the men since?
A resident said that they have been seen recently under Llawr Pentre.
PCSO Martyn Lewis said that they have also been seen on the date of the meeting in Rhos on sea, they are homeless men and move around a lot the police have on a number of occasions taken drink off them and poured it away.
A local man has been entering St John’s Garden and disrupting some of the features that have taken a long time to establish. He was seen leaving the garden late one night recently and damage was found to have occurred, it is not the first time. The police have been informed and are aware of him.
Item 5
Standing items~
Policing/Local Crime / Nuisance
Incidents associated with the supply of drugs have been seen in Cliff Road area the police have been informed.
The Chair added that he had seen an older person obviously selling drugs to young people in the Back Abergele Road alley behind the shops. It has been seen happening after school in the afternoon on several occasions recently.
At the end of November, on a Sunday, there was an armed police raid on the Bod Difyr flats to arrest the person responsible for a murder on Anglesey. They were successful.
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On 1st December, two men stating that they were young offenders from Nottingham were visiting houses in Cliff Road and Station Road acting as pedlars without certificates. The police were informed. CBM Mike Williams was contacted by phone and told of their location. He and PCSO Martyn Lewis were already looking for them after another complaint in Coed Coch Road. Within half an hour, the men had been found and were ordered out of town. The police are thanked for their quick response.
The secretary added that he had been told that a lady in Wynn Avenue had seen the men at her door when they rang the bell. She was infirm and it took a long time for her to get to the door. Before she got to the door, she heard them trying to open her door. This is the danger of having such non certificated people calling door to door.
PCSO Martyn Lewis stated that five men from Nottingham had been identified and interviewed and were temporarily based in Rhyl area. Nottingham is where a firm is based that wholesales the articles sold by these people. The firm has been giving these and other men I/D cards to use whilst selling. The men have historically always done well in this area.
The men were warned that they were acting unlawfully by selling without a pedlar’s certificate and told not to return.
The firm has also been contacted by the police and warned that they are acting irresponsibly in issuing a form of i/d card which can be taken by vulnerable people as a reference as to good character. They are to review their policy.
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The Fencing that was erected by the Council opposite the Catholic Church in Cliff Road is being damaged and is slowly being trodden down.
Refuse wheelie bins stored on the street.
Many bins are still often wide open and untidy on the street or in the vicinity of the street, this is most unacceptable as a health issue as well as unsightly to residents.
The rules were initially said to be quite strict on the issue, if the bin is not closed, it will not be collected and no side bags of waste. Why has that changed?
This should be monitored and reported on by the Council. Is it the case that it is easier to just collect the bin and say nothing than to find the owners and take issue with them?
A resident commented that the bins in Princess Road near to Station Road were again being stored on the road.
Our Association Website -
November unique visitors 446
December up to the 9th 117
Cliff Road parking signs. Pending
Item 6
Police report
PCSO Martyn Lewis was present.
He said that Sergeant Kirkham was very keen to have action days. These action days are based on the Community providing information for warrants to be executed and he asked for the information to keep coming in, the more the better. It is taken seriously and is and will be acted upon he said. In a recent action day near the end of November there were 84 arrests across North Wales.
On the drug side, 15 people have been arrested in Old Colwyn area for drugs offences.
Test purchases have been made for underage drinking. On the first one, one premises failed and a warning was issued. On the second occasion all passed in Colwyn Bay and Old Colwyn.
It is a known issue that adults buy alcohol for young people. A confiscation had been made that day in the Dingle and a member of the public had been asked to buy it and had done so.
The Daytime nuisance drinkers ~ CBM Mike Williams and Martyn had seized alcohol from them, on a number of occasions.
On the Criminal Damage issue ~ a very good result, a week last Sunday, two officers saw two lads red handed, smashing the doctors’ surgery and car. As the police approached, the two lads ran off and identifiable property was left behind. They have been arrested and admitted to forty offences of criminal damage in Old Colwyn.
One of the lads had been seen throwing a stone a few days before and was a suspect. More patrols were organised and the arrest ensued.
The secretary commented that it was a brilliant piece of work to catch the offenders.
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With reference to the pedlars issue spoken of earlier, the police are rolling out “No Cold Calling” areas to many more areas of Old Colwyn.
The first complaint on 1st December was from a pregnant woman in Coed Coch Road, she opened a high window and the man introduced himself as just out of prison and asked her to buy. She refused and he then started looking in through the window. The officers were close when the call came in and he made off quickly as the officers approached.
When stopped and interviewed, the men were warned that if they returned they would be arrested.
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With reference to the arson incidents, Martyn reported that there had been developments and a suspect was seen in possession of a petrol can. Enquiries were made and the incidents have stopped for two months.
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Martyn also asked people to remember the police non emergency number 101 costing 10p from any phone.
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An incident of attempt burglary occurred in Wynn Avenue a lady had been away for
the weekend. Three young males (14-
Martyn urged people to be vigilant and to take care when going away.
The Chair commented that there were a lot of young lads under the Abergele Road verandas last Friday night drinking about 1.30am. About 2am they were in Princess Road and round the back alleys. On Saturday morning, there was glass everywhere. There was a fight in the Plough on the Saturday night.
A resident spoke of her elderly neighbour who had bought a cheap picture for £40 from a young Polish girl selling door to door, telling a sob story showing an I/d card (in Polish). The elderly are most at risk from such people.
Martyn agreed and said that there had been similar incidents in different areas. No Cold Calling areas will continue to be rolled out.
A resident spoke of a group of 13 yr old lads running around wildly in ALDI on Sunday morning, when they were chided, one had grabbed a pack of biscuits and they ran out.
There will be a police meeting at the Interchange on 17th December between 2 and 4pm and people can call in and talk to the officers about their problems.
The Chair thanked Martyn for an excellent Police report.
Item 7.
Any other business.
On Sunday 6th December, the secretary was taking a photo in Tan y Coed garden when he heard banging sounds from the wall at the top of the bank in Station Road. By the time he had got there, several youths together with a supervisor from COMMUNITY PAYBACK were happily wielding sledge hammers and had knocked a very large hole out of the wall in the location where a stile used to be.
There is apparently a dispute with the owner of the house below the bank who maintains that he has a right of way from the back of his premises through a gate and over the stile.
We now do not have a wall and we do not have a stile; we have a hole that would require a 5 bar gate to close and all the stone that has been knocked out of the wall has been left in the road.
This apparently irresponsible action by COMMUNITY PAYBACK on behalf of our councillors means that the Tan y Coed Gardens bank below which has been cared for by the Parks and Gardens will now be scarred by people passing through the area and littered as it used to be, by persons drinking.
If a stile is required (a stile is a step half way up the wall) and it is not evident that it is, then a stile should be replaced not have the wall left in such a state.
ALDI planning application. You will remember that this association was supportive of the ALDI store moving to Old Colwyn. (Mark Hewlett spoke to our meeting on 14th November 2007) It has brought advantages to the village. It appears however that it has also brought a disadvantage to one family next door.
Email received by the Secretary
For the attention of the Secretary of the Residents Association.
I'm sorry to trouble you but I would be very grateful for your assistance in a matter that is causing my wife and I much concern.
We are Neal and Shereen Jones and we live at 2, Bodelwyddan Avenue, Old Colwyn, the house next door to Aldi. We have already spoken to Richard Poynton and he is aware of our situation.
Since the new store opened in November 2008 we have had to endure constant noise from their refrigeration plant which was positioned on the southern elevation, adjacent to our home, in contravention to the original planning consent. The noise was loud enough for a noise abatement notice to be issued.
It was a long battle to get to that stage and the whole affair has been very stressful
for both of us. A few weeks ago it seemed that the matter had come to a satisfactory
conclusion when I received a letter from Aldi's solicitors to say that they had decided
to re-
We were delighted with that outcome but unfortunately they have not kept to their word. They have submitted a further application to keep it on the southern elevation, adjacent to our garden. They say it will be a quieter unit emitting some 25db. However, this will be a constant in my garden and I am bound to suffer a loss of amenity and we are so angry that they have reneged on their original offer. I have taken advice from a refrigeration firm and I am confident that the plant could go where it was originally supposed to go or even somewhere else where it could not be a nuisance to us. However it appears to us that Aldi have chosen the cheaper option at our expense.
Had they submitted these plans at the outset I would have objected and asked for the plant to go on the eastern elevation, which clearly would have been possible because that's where they were to be originally.
I am very disappointed that I find myself embroiled in a battle again and have seen little evidence that Conwy Council are prepared to fight our corner any further.
My only option at present it seems is to ensure that the matter goes before the planning committee in order that I can make my case there. In order for that to happen there needs to be 5 or more objections and I would be very grateful if the residents would kindly issue a letter of objection on our behalf.
Surely the planning laws are there for our protection but it does appears that those with the financial muscle can ride roughshod over them. We would be very grateful for your support in this matter. Thank you very much for your attention, I have attached the planning information.
Kind Regards, Neal and Shereen Jones
Members are invited to consider if they can support Mr and Mrs Jones by writing to the Planning officer to object to the application by ALDI in order that the issues can be considered on site by the Planning Committee, otherwise the Planning Officer will make his recommendation to Council. If as previously the secretary writes on your behalf, this will be counted as only one letter.
Quote from Mr Hewlett’s presentation
Mr Hewlett /…./ the manner in which the buildings are constructed, due to the nature of the business, ALDI works on very tight profit margins, they are economically and environmentally very friendly already.
He said that information can be provided to anyone who wishes to see it on how the stores are put together, what materials are used. /…/ the systems within the store due to the nature of the business have to be economical and are therefore environmentally very friendly, as is. The refrigeration equipment runs using the latest modern technology and environmentally friendly gas is used in the refrigeration systems. He offered to provide that kind of information if the questioner required to see it.
It is important to Mr and Mrs Jones that their rights as citizens are respected by both ALDI and the Planning Authorities.
The Planning Authorities should ensure that buildings are built to the specifications originally authorised and not allow the goal posts to change for the sake of expediency or cost, to the detriment of a nearby family.
The secretary will write from the association by 22nd December to make the views of the Association known. Five objection are required to cause it to be heard by the Planning Committee who are local councillors rather than being delegated to the Planning Officer.
There was a discussion about the issue.
A resident asked where the Planning Department and Council were when the building was being built to ensure that what was done was what was authorised.
A resident summed up by saying “Persons will make up their own minds as to whether they will write or not to express their views to planning that what was originally agreed has not been adhered to and because of that residents are suffering and are likely to continue to suffer loss of amenity if this proposal is allowed.
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Balance your Bobbies. www.balanceyourbobbies.com
This is a new consultation initiative by North Wales Police.
The secretary asked Inspector Ahari how we could be assured that anonymous transmissions by internet could be taken seriously when the Police Authority is on record as saying that their own public consultation meetings could not be taken as representative of public opinion. There is no way of pointing out your age, sex or ethnicity one the site and so much emphasis is placed on these issues when police statisticians are preparing police priorities.
Inspector Ahari explained ~ Balance your Bobbies (BYB) is yet another means of communication. It does not replace our surgeries and is certainly not the only way to communicate your concerns to the police....
I will, in due course be asking CBMs to take laptops to meetings and offer this facility to attendees to record their own views.
Balance Your Bobbies is an open document, chief officers will view this and I will be in a very strong position to say to them what my community's concerns are and what the public expects…….. It will in time change our policing priorities!
The problem I have is that only 46 people have registered their priorities so far and that is why I have asked you and many others to bring this initiative to attention of their readers…….
Please assure those without a computer or internet access, they will not be ignored and their concerns will be taken into consideration.
A link will be added to our association website to assist the police and the community you are invited to consider giving your priorities monthly via the website if you have access to a computer via www.balanceyourbobbies.com
A resident commented that it is dangerous, computers are important but there could be a risk that whatever is seen to be the outcome of this scheme is seen to be representative of public opinion and it won’t be because so many people will not be able or willing to make their views known via the website. Reliance on the results will be a weak point in many ways.
Soap scum in Afon Colwyn ~ The Council were informed two months ago and are looking into the source of the problem. On one occasion recently a very strong smell of washing conditioner has been detected as the water goes over the weir at the bottom of Beach Road.
The Parks and Gardens department commissioned the world class chainsaw carver Simon O’Rourke to make another public work of art, a “Leaping Trout” seat, from two tree trunks in Tan y Coed Gardens, Beach Road. This event was called Tree O’Clock held on 5th December in the gardens, many people attended and planted 121 trees to help towards a national attempt on the Guinness record for the highest number of trees planted in one hour.
The HSBC Bank machine in Cefn Road. David Jones MP has contacted the bank and reports “The machine is now back in service, after a full maintenance by a senior engineer. HSBC have also placed the machine on a high priority list, so any future issues will be picked up as a priority.
Britain in Bloom 2010. It has been confirmed that Colwyn Bay will represent Wales in the Large Town category in 2010. ~ the intent will be to win and get a gold medal.
Reference toilets in Village. The Marine is now a public toilet having received a grant of £500. Should it now show a public toilet sign so that people know?
Cllr Cossey has said that they should be displaying an information sign to tell people and he will look into the matter.
Secretary submits voucher for reimbursement of cost of black printing ink £9.79. That was authorised and the Chair signed the voucher.
Item 8
The next meeting is January 13th 2010 at 7pm.
