FRIENDS OF POOLE PARK
MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 5 DECEMBER 2005
The meeting commenced at 7.03pm and concluded at 9.05pm
Present:
D Chick - Friends of Poole Park - Chairman
B Lister - Friends of Poole Park - Publicity Officer
T Smith - Friends of Poole Park - Events Co-ordinator
M Heckford - Friends of Poole Park - Treasurer
E Marsh - Friends of Poole Park - Committee Member
J Marter - Borough of Poole - Leisure Services
M Raudsepp - Borough of Poole - Leisure Services
I Andrews - Society of Poole Men
J Austin-Williams - Orchard Area Residents’ Association (OARA)
K Bearcroft - Parkstone Bay Association (PBA)
J Boot-Bakker - Friends of Poole Park
D Broadhurst - Friends of Poole Park
Cllr Bulteel - Councillor – Borough of Poole
S Cattano - Friends of Poole Park
G Croft - Friends of Poole Park
L Dey - Friends of Poole Park
J Dibley - Poole Radio Yacht Club (PRYC)
C Eales - Friends of Poole Park
J Eales - Friends of Poole Park
D Eldrett - Friends of Poole Park
H Ellis - Friends of Poole Park
C Farnham - Friends of Poole Park
S Forster - Friends of Poole Park
M Fryatt - Friends of Poole Park
E Gault - Friends of Poole Park
P Giles - Poole Radio Yacht Club (PRYC)
C Gorman - Friends of Poole Park
T Groves - Friends of Poole Park
M Grundy - Friends of Poole Park
A Hooper - Friends of Poole Park
H Jones - Friends of Poole Park
S MacGregor - Friends of Poole Park
C Middleton - Friends of Poole Park
M Muir - Friends of Poole Park
T Muir - Friends of Poole Park
J Norman - Friends of Poole Park
L Osbourne - Friends of Poole Park
C Simpson - Friends of Poole Park
R St John - Friends of Poole Park
T St John - Friends of Poole Park
P Steer - Parkstone Bay Association
L Strothard - Clerk to the Friends of Poole Park
G Sutton - Friends of Poole Park
G Tapper - Friends of Poole Park
Members of the public in attendance: 0
1. CHAIRMAN’S OPENING REMARKS
The Chairman opened the Meeting and welcomed one new Member to the Friends of Poole Park.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Mrs E Allen, Mrs R Barclay,
Mr Boot, Mr G Budsworth, Councillor L Burden, Mr B Butler, Mr and Mrs F Collins, Cllr D Gillard, Mr J Gillingham, Mr D Gully (Borough of Poole - Leisure Services), Mr R Jones, Mr P Leslie, Mr N MacGregor, Mrs L Moore, Mr R Nicholson (Borough of Poole - Leisure Services), Mrs V North and Mr D Woodgate.
3. MINUTES
AGREED that the Minutes of the Meeting held on 5 September 2005 be confirmed as a true record and signed by the Chairman, subject to the following amendments:
(i) Pg. 1 – List of those Present – Mr Graham Sutton to be added to the list of attendees.
(ii) Pg. 5 - Agenda Item 5 (a) Para. (iii) to be amended to read ‘that The Friends of Poole Park be notified of the terms of lease’.
4. MATTERS ARISING
(a) Proposed new Restaurant Facility – provision for staff car parking, deliveries and storage
The Local Authority’s Open Spaces Manager clarified that a final decision on provision for staff car parking, deliveries and storage at the new restaurant facility was yet to be made, however it was not anticipated that any extra parking capacity would be required for delivery lorries.
The majority of deliveries would take place before 10.00am in order to minimise traffic congestion and noise, however one frozen foods supplier was unable to deliver before 10.00am. Members were reassured that deliveries from this supplier were accomplished very quickly. No deliveries would take place before 7.00am.
There were currently nine designated staff parking spaces on site and preliminary findings suggested there would be no need for any extra provision. Members were informed that the current tarmac plot would not be extended.
(b) Children’s Play Area
The new Children’s Play Area had been opened, however the Site had been targeted by vandals who had defaced equipment with graffiti, broken fences and littered the area with broken glass. Further instances of vandalism had occurred at other sites and one incident had culminated in an attack on the proprietor, Chris Bullen. Most incidents had occurred between 6.30pm and 9.30pm and a group of approx. 15 youths, many of whom were already known to the police, had been identified as the culprits.
Members were informed of measures being undertaken to protect the Park, namely:
· closure of the play area from dusk until dawn;
· permanent signage advising of play area opening times;
· lunchtime and evening patrols undertaken by Bob Lister;
· the attempted identification of vandals through study of CCTV footage;
· a meeting with Shaun Kelly, Head of Student and Customer Services at the Bournemouth and Poole College, in order to identify any college students involved from CCTV footage;
· a series of meetings between Friends of Poole Park Committee Officers and Dorset Police;
· the possibility of police issuing dispersal notices and fixed penalties as appropriate;
· the possibility of utilising a sonic deterrent in the area within prescribed times in order to deter loitering.
In response to a suggestion that the Committee investigate whether special provision should be made within the park for older children, eg. a designated ‘graffiti wall’, it was stressed that it was more appropriate to target and penalise the ring-leaders as this group had a history of anti-social behaviour in other areas of the town. An Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) had already been made against one of the youths involved and Police were reportedly very keen for Chris Bullen to press charges against his attacker.
Members were asked to contact Poole Police on 01202 332233 to report vandalism in the Park. One sergeant and four beat officers had been assigned to patrol the park and would respond to incidents wherever possible.
Bob Lister was thanked for his work and it was agreed that an update report would be given to the March meeting.
AGREED that an update report on vandalism and anti-social behaviour in Poole Park be given to the next Meeting.
(c) CCTV
The CCTV system was now operating.
(d) RSPB Identification Boards
RSPB Identification Boards had been ordered and paid for. One cairn would be mounted at the Salt Water Lake adjacent to the new picnic table and another would be placed in Baiter Park.
(e) Wooden Picnic Table
The second picnic table had now been installed. A third table had been ordered and would be sited outside the new children’s play area.
(f) Additional items for Children’s Play Area
Additional items would be ordered for the new play area including play screens for toddlers and a Dolphin Litter Bin.
A ‘Talking Tube’ would be ordered fir the Kingland Road play area.
Members were thanked for their support of the Project.
(g) Christmas Dinner
Nineteen Members had booked to attend the Friends of Poole Park Christmas Dinner on 9 December. Latecomers were welcome but were asked to contact the Grasshopper Pub direct in order to make a reservation.
(h) Date of Meeting - September 2006
The date of the September 2006 Meeting had been changed to Monday 11 September 2006.
(i) Fest ‘05 – Noise Levels
In response to concerns over noise levels at Fest ’05, the Events Coordinator clarified that no complaints were received by the Local Authority’s Environmental and Consumer Protection Services on Bank Holiday Monday. Noise levels on Sunday had exceeded the statutory level by only two decibels and this had been quickly adjusted. Noise levels for the event had been agreed with the Local Authority in advance and had been monitored throughout, however it was agreed that a sub-committee of residents and Committee Members would be formed to discuss the issue.
There was general concern that the number of events (and associated noise) in the Park was increasing and Leisure Services was asked to liaise closely with outside event organisers in order to ensure noise levels were acceptable. Members’ attention was drawn to Leisure Services’ Community Events Management Policy which restricted events in the Park to a maximum of 24 per year. Members were reassured that the Policy would underpin all decisions relating to public events within the Park following the Local Authority’s successful application for a premises licence.
AGREED that a sub-committee of residents and Committee Officers be formed in order to discuss noise levels at events held in Poole Park.
Members agreed to take Agenda Item 9, Treasurer’s / Membership Report, first.
5. TREASURER’S / MEMBERSHIP REPORT
The Treasurer presented the latest financial statement (Appendix A).
The balance on the Friends of Poole Park accounts stood at £24,613.99 as of 2 December 2005. Approximately £2000 would be debited to cover the cost of new picnic tables, plaques and CCTV Cameras and £450 would be debited to cover the cost of the Fest ‘05 Sound Engineer.
Approximately £13,000 had been raised by Fest ’05 – an exceptional amount.
Membership
Membership stood at 187 Members with 25 Temporary Members. This represented an increase on Membership figures for the same period last year.
Renewal fees were due shortly and Members would receive a reminder in the December / January Newsletter.
Members supported a proposal that ‘Life Membership’ of the Friends of Poole Park be introduced as a membership option from 2006. It was anticipated that a fee of £50.00 would be charged.
The Treasurer agreed to investigate options for the introduction of Gift Aid and tax free donations. An update report would be given to a future meeting.
AGREED
(i) that ‘Life Membership’ of the Friends of Poole Park be introduced as an option from 2006 at a cost of £50.00 per person; and
(ii) that Gift Aid and tax free donations be investigated by the Treasurer, with an update report to be given to a future meeting.
6. POOLE PARK UPDATE
Members were advised of the following issues:
· new ‘No Entry’ signage advising coach drivers of width restrictions at Keyhole Bridge would be installed on Whitecliff Causeway shortly;
· Copse Close was confirmed as a designated Park Road from the point at which it narrowed. A 20 mph speed roundel had been painted on the road surface;
· Wooden bollards had been installed at Copse Close;
· Poole Park’s Ranger would meet with Mr Alan Hooper at the close of the Meeting in order to discuss cleaning of the Park’s orienteering posts.
7. TREE PLANTING AND POLICY
Members were advised of the following issues:
· The Tree Survey was not complete however a full update would be provided at the next Meeting. This would include an update on the number of trees which had died;
· information on the number of trees due to be planted would be brought to the next meeting;
· the Ranger agreed to examine the magnolia tree adjacent to the war memorial gates which was reportedly being crowded out by saplings.
· a new tree had been planted in the new children’s play area;
· the poplar tree on the site of the old zoo had been pollarded after its limbs had become dangerous following damage by high winds. The tree would regenerate itself and there was no need to fell it.
· The Open Spaces Manager confirmed that trees in Park Lake Road were the property of Poole Park and had been listed in the Tree Survey.
8. TRAFFIC ISSUES
The Chairman had written to Dorset Police highlighting concerns over speeding in the Park and requesting this be monitored at peak times (17.00hrs to 19.00hrs) at least once per year.
Dorset Police had responded that current traffic calming measures deployed within the Park were considered effective but had sent a request for the Beat Team to make a ‘visual appearance’ in the Park whenever possible in order to deter speeding. Cllr Bulteel gave his support to the use of a speed camera or mobile speed gun in the Park and Members discussed a possibility that speed camera warning signs could be installed.
Members were keen to avoid a proliferation of speed bumps in the Park but noted a suggestion by the open Spaces Manager that unobtrusive irregular granite setts could be installed as an inconspicuous and cost-effective traffic-calming option.
Members agreed to defer a debate on the selective closure of the Park to incoming traffic at peak times pending a response to a formal request from Cllr Gillard that Dorset Police monitor the speed of traffic at peak times in the Park at least once per year.
9. PLANNING OBLIGATION FUNDING (Recreational contributions)
(i) Lake Dredging
Planning consent had been granted for three artificial islands in the boating lake. These would be formed using silt dredged from the lake and represented a cost-effective and viable alternative to removal of the dredged material. The Lake would be dredged to a depth of approx. 1.5 metres.
The design of the islands was currently being refined but Members were assured the islands would be low and unobtrusive. Nature conservation specialists would be consulted over landscaping and planting to encourage wild birds and reed beds would be extended into the lake in some areas in order to filter water and create a sustainable drainage system. Steps would be taken to ensure minimal erosion of the islands over time.