Old Colwyn (East) Residents’ Association
Minutes of the Open Meeting Wednesday 14th April 2010
Item 1.
Those present signed the register. There were 23 persons present
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Item 2.
Apologies – Richard Poynton, David Jones MP, Reverend Keith Forecast, Monty Slocombe, Sgt Andy Kirkham, Darren Millar AM, Mr Eric Evans, Councillor Valarie Smith, Joyce Vincent. Peter Lawrence.
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Item 3
The minutes of last meeting on Wednesday 10th March 2010 were read by the secretary. They were proposed as a true record by Janet Gardner and seconded by Ray Gardner. Unanimously accepted as a true record of the meeting.
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Item 4
Matters arising from last month’s minutes~
Overhanging hedges are a problem, with thorns overhanging some footpaths; this presents an obstacle for partially sighted persons in particular. Councillor Cossey said that matters should be reported to Alan Thomas the Highways Inspector who will arrange for the Footpath Inspector to be told.
Item 5
Standing items~
Policing/Local Crime / Nuisance
Incidents associated with drugs continue the police have been informed. A particular local problem at Bod Difyr has been cleared by police and owner intervention.
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On street drinking is still happening in Old Colwyn. The incidence of drinking on street increased again with the holiday period and the warmer evenings.
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The work done by the Highways Agency when they closed the road for 9 weeks under the arches last year was not a very professional appearance and is unacceptable. Councillor Cossey reported after a meeting with the Agency that the work would be completed to make the work acceptable; some more work has to be done. He is thanked for that intervention.
Councillor Cossey pointed out that the downspout which is not channelling doing a good job of taking water away into the stream at that point actually belongs to Railtrack and so may take longer to resolve.
The issue has previously been discussed of deep half -
Councillor Cossey has informed us that ALDI money had been used to replace most of the gulleys in the village with covered ones and unfortunately there was insufficient money to do the ones by the Post Office. It is well known that they require doing and they will possibly be done within the next year. This has been highlighted in the press by councillors.
The secretary added that he had been approached in the last couple of days by a lady confined to a wheelchair, who was having regular difficulty with negotiation of pavements without drop facilities. At the time she had just had problems with the pavement at the top of St John’s Crescent in Station Road.
Meetings about SRA funding re Old Colwyn regeneration and SRA general
Councillor Cossey reported that it is possible for the publicly consulted plans for Old Colwyn regeneration to enter the Council Master plan, instead of the Community Cohesion route, the finalised plan document would be introduced by our four Councillors later in the meeting.
A couple of weeks ago there was a drop-
The secretary has some of the questionnaires to be filled in today as we have to return them tomorrow.
The secretary had asked at that meeting if the improvements to the Promenade infrastructure were going to be commenced at Old Colwyn end as we were told by Andrew Wilkinson some time ago in a talk.
He was told that although the new defences are being simulation tested at present and the outcome should be known within a month, the Promenade improvement will start at Colwyn Bay and Rhos end. The decision has been made by the WAG because there are properties to be safeguarded in those areas.
This was shown to be nonsense last weekend when we had the Spring tides. The railway banking has been badly undermined and walls etc damaged. This puts huge pressure on Old Colwyn and Colwyn Bay when rush hour traffic has to use the main road instead of the Promenade.
Street Lighting will be done this year.
Councillor Cossey added that Council officials have noted that the sea has breached under the defences at Old Colwyn and are investigating the voids created. It will be necessary to repair and replace railings and Council managers are asking the WAG if repairs can be carried out as per the new design at the same time as Rhos on Sea in the first flush of funding, so that it fits into the overall scheme of flood defences rather than having to be redone.
The Prom should be open in a couple of weeks.
Councillor Cossey has previously agreed that a group such as “Making tracks” could be engaged to repair the work done by “Community Payback” to the wall in Station Road and restore it to a simple stile?” Councillor Cossey thought that in view of damage that had ensued to the bank below, it was a possibility to rebuild the wall where it had been breached and construct another stile into the back of Yew Tree Cottage.
Councillor Cossey reported that he had had a meeting with the owners of the Yew tree cottage and they were agreeable to his plan. It is now a question of arranging a time for it to happen. Councillor Cossey was thanked for taking the matter forward and getting a good result.
Councillor Cossey recently spoke of the fact that complaints had been made about the state of the railings on top of the embankment of the promenade at Old Colwyn end towards Eirias.
Network Rail has asked Conwy to hand back the lease of the bank and they have said that they want to put a two metre fence at the bottom of the bank. David Jones MP is helping councillors to make our views on the issue known to Network Rail and encourage them to replace the fence at the top of the embankment.
Marine Roundabout ~ unofficial signs The secretary spoke of the fact that most of the time there are up to four sheets attached to the railings around the roundabout. This has recently been highlighted in the press recently. It has been noted that there has been less posting recently.
Refuse wheelie bins stored on the street – The Council is taking this matter very seriously and letters have been sent to residents. In due course Community payback will remove a mound of soil from a piece of land for the bins to be taken off the road in Princess Road.
Our Association Website -
February unique visitors 683
March up to the 10th 126
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Cliff Road parking signs. The yellow lines have been installed at the south end of the Road but not at the North end. Apparently, the north end was removed from the plan but then reinstated so it may be done later. It was intimated that Highways may be waiting to see what happens to the former Jumpin Jungle before pressing on with the lines.
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Item 6
Police Report.
CBM Mike Williams was present and gave his report.
There had been 33 crimes in the month ~ including
A burglary in Voryn Avenue where a group of men armed with a knife had entered a man’s home and threatened and robbed him of savings. This could be linked to other incidents.
Mike warned that residents should be careful who they open their doors to or let into their homes.
There was also arson to a wheelie bin, hopefully this is a one-
There was an unauthorised taking of a motor vehicle, the fourth in three months probably the same group, there are suspects.
Five cases of common assault.
Five cases of criminal damage.
Three drugs cases.
One theft of a pedal cycle
This was in addition to incidents of antisocial behaviour and neighbourhood disputes.
Mike reported that his role had changed due to temporary staff shortage. He is working evenings and his role is split between CBM in Old Colwyn and supporting Response policing.
A resident asked if PCSO Martyn Lewis is still in Old Colwyn as he has not been seen for a long time. Mike replied that he is still here but has had a few health problems.
The Chair suggested that Neighbourhood Policing is not working as it was supposed to do. Our officers have too large an area to cover in Neighbourhood terms and then the thin blue line on Colwyn bay is getting thinner and taking our officers away. It has been previously commented that we were having quiet times recently; perhaps it is lucky that we have.
The situation became busier recently with Summer Time and holiday periods and activity has increased. We paid more in taxes for Community Policing and we are not getting the cover. Perhaps it is time for thought to be given to how policing is delivered.
Mike replied that the situation is temporary although there is no known timescale and though he understood feelings expressed, he is a Police Officer and has to go where he is needed.
The Chair thanked Mike for his report.
Item 7.
Any other business.
St John’s Church Garden Project ~ 180 pansies were recently donated to the association and have been planted in the garden borders.
The St John’s project has been active under the care of our Association for 5 years now (as of 5th April) the number of voluntary hours stands at 4576 hours. It has made a difference to the centre of Old Colwyn.
Sunday 16th May at 3.30pm ~ Joint Choir event (One from Netherlands and one from Cheshire) in St John’s Church. Tickets £5 in advance. Nearly 100 people will be singing. Secretary has tickets for sale.
North Wales Housing -
Trade Horticultural Show ~ Eirias Park Thursday 8th April. There was a photo display about St John’s Garden and other Old Colwyn Gardens at the show, we were asked to participate as a partner of the Parks Dept.
Colwyn Bay Civic Society has published a book and copies are being circulated free. It is entitled “Historical Trails in Colwyn Bay”. There were copies present which were for members to take away.
Monthly notice of amount of donations ~ Last month’s donations amounted to £26.60.
Pier Meeting report ~ the secretary reports that there was a meeting recently organised by David Jones MP and that a group of people had volunteered to act as a committee. They had been elected and David Jones had said that he would meet with them after the General Election.
One member a resigned Town Councillor had spoken sharply about the County Council and had said that he would be advising the Group about who they should and should not be speaking to in the Council. This attitude does not bode well for the group before it starts.
Councillor Cheryl Carlisle gave a report on the work of the local Councillors during the month which included ~
- Attending a number of Regeneration meetings with planners formulating the regeneration.
- Organising for parking restriction yellow lines to be placed in the right places, one particular set of lines on the corner or Wynnstay and Heenan Roads was of particular interest to our association.
- A Tidy Wales cleanup is planned for the Donkey Path and Llawr Pentre.
- They have done a full environmental survey of Old Colwyn.
- Involved in Housing issues and other issues with residents.
- It was pointed out that it is important that yellow lines are put in the right places because otherwise it causes stress in other streets and there is fast becoming little parking provision in the village.
Following the report, there was discussion about the regeneration of the promenade.
There were fears that if the refurbishment starts at the Rhos end, there could be financial problems further down the line affecting Old Colwyn end of the Prom which is the most under stress and most vulnerable.
SRA REGENERATION PLAN FOR OLD COLWYN ~ by Local Councillors
Councillor Cossey handed out copies of the plan which was fine tuned by public consultation.
He then went through each of the twenty points in the document in some detail.
The document is to be read in conjunction with these minutes. ~To read click here
The following comments were made about the public consultation process.
- Gateway to Old Colwyn ~ this had not been totally supported in consultation/ items such as gateways are street furniture and as such need to be painted and cleaned otherwise they can look scruffy.
- Street furniture ~ comment was passed about the wording of the proposal which mentioned the enhanced “old fashioned theme of the Conservation area. The originally proposed Victorian theme had not been totally supported in the consultation process and it had been resolved that the theme be left out and possibly a modern theme could be used, incorporating the upgraded shop verandas. Therefore the theme of the street furniture needs to be left more open than “old fashioned”
15. 100% grants for shop front restoration ~ Once again the nature of the theme needs to be kept open to allow consideration of a more modern theme.
17. Community Hub ~ This had not been totally supported in consultation and there had been a commitment to using the existing facilities in the village more effectively rather than constructing a new facility.
This was noted by Councillor Cossey as more of a village “Wheel” rather than a “Hub”
19. Traffic Calming Measures ~ Comment was made by the secretary that our association had a history of not supporting “sleeping policemen” type measures which tend to divert users to other routes. Chicane type measures are preferable.
These points were noted by Councillor Cossey for the inclusion in the new document.
Following the presentation, the Chair asked people to indicate their approval or otherwise of the new twenty point scheme.
There were some questions
If improvements are made to Cefn Road would traffic be stopped at times?
A. Yes occasionally but that would have to be in conjunction with Police Local Authority etc.
When will we know what is happening with Min y Don? toilet facilities are required
A. It is a ten year program of funding we cannot say.
Is there any order of priority of these plans?
A. No it is kept open to take advantage of any funding availability.
Have these matters been costed?
A. roughly but the Council officials will quickly provide costings if funding becomes available.
There was full support for the plan.
Item 8
The next meeting is 12th May 2010 at 7pm.
