The Chesterton Community Project
“Promoting Community led schemes and social responsibility to improve the quality of life for everyone”
www.chestertoncommunityproject.btik.com
MINUTES - 7 NOVEMBER 2012
St Lawrence Hall, Countess Lilias Road, Chesterton
Present: Roly Hughes (Chair)
Davina Caine (Deputy Chair), Fiona Hawes, , Graham Holloway (Treasurer), Peter Langman,
Bernadette Langton, Julia Morgan, Stephanie Pease, Roy Reed (Committee members)
Simon King, Renee Morgan(PCSOs)
Lynne Tuttle, Robert Tuttle, Martin Cook, Jo Partridge (observers)
Apologies: Sheelagh Hughes (Secretary)
Safer Community Team Update:
PCSO Simon King reported on YTD and last month.
YTD there had been a 31% drop in crime with figures down to 65 from 95 this time last year.
YTD “incidents” had fallen by 10%. An incident is anything reported to the police. It may not
be something that goes on to be included in the crime figures.
Chesterton’s crime was now lower than Beeches. It had historically been the worst area and
was now one of the best. Simon said it was a tribute to the local community that it had
improved. He and Renee could only spend an hour at most in the area so relied on people
ringing in.
Last month there were five crimes; two thefts, one burglary, and two violence against people
(Actual Bodily Harm). In Chesterton this is most likely to be domestic violence.
Simon advised the meeting of an increase of burglaries in the area of Cirencester and beyond.
The police are alerting households which appear to be in the dark with a footprint through
the door. The advice is to make sure there is a light on and a radio on. Most burglaries are
opportunistic rather than a matter of casing the joint, so a light and a radio are usually
sufficient to encourage the would-be burglar to go elsewhere.
Bikes are often stolen so ensure that they are locked up. Padlocks and security stickers for
bikes are available from the police station.
There has been a CCTV in place on Springfield Road. This is mobile and has been in place
longer than expected as it hasn’t been needed elsewhere. It will be moved soon. Simon
agreed it would be useful to have a camera over the playing field with the new equipment
going in but it wasn’t possible. The mobile cameras had to cover the whole of Cotswold
District Council (CDC). Several were broken and there was insufficient budget to repair them.
Fixed CCTVs were run by the Town Council so an application for one would need to go to
them. (Post Meeting Note – CDC have installed CCTV camera overlooking the play
equipment).
The Chesterton Community Project
“Promoting Community led schemes and social responsibility to improve the quality of life for everyone”
www.chestertoncommunityproject.btik.com
Dummy ones are not recommended and private individuals are only allowed to cover their
own property with a camera.
Finally Simon mentioned the kids on Apsley Road. He had spoken to them and tried to
persuade them to use the teen shelter but they were reluctant. Most live on Apsley Road
and 90% of time they just sit and talk.
Chairman’s Remarks
Roly thanked Simon and Renee and welcomed the new committee members. He also
welcomed the four observers who had been invited to attend and learn about the Chesterton
Community Project with the aim of expanding the committee. He explained that the project
had been going since 2007 and he had recently taken on the chairmanship, following on from
Peter. He and Peter were among the founding members. He asked Peter to run through what
the Chesterton Community Project had achieved, for the benefit of new members and
observers.
Community Garden: This is the Project’s major achievement and the result of much hard
work. The first steps had been obtaining benches and some play equipment for toddlers.
Recently they had secured new play equipment for older children which was going in next
week. The work will probably take ten days from 12 November and once it is completed the
Project intend to create some publicity. The committee had spent time on Make a Difference
Day, tidying up, planting Spring bulbs and shrubs, donated by Dobbies and the Open Garden
scheme. Hills Quarries have also donated some boulders for climbing and jumping games.
20s Plenty – the road safety campaign aimed at getting drivers to reduce their speed to 20
mph in built up residential areas started here locally. It is difficult to enforce but important
to get the message out. The benefits include safer, cleaner, quieter streets resulting in
improved physical and mental health.
Laser gun tests in Chesterton area have shown that most people drive within the speed limit.
Martin commented that tests had been carried out on Somerford Road by the Highways
agency with a camera placed over a the period of a week which showed half the people were
driving at 30 mph or above.
There followed a discussion about speeding and enforcement. At the AGM Andy Fogden
from Glos Constabulary had explained about Speedwatch. Volunteer members of the
community are trained to use the radar speed guns in various locations and are doing the
checks. The number of people speeding are recorded statistically and if lots are found police
will introduce their own checks. The scheme has been working in Elkstone, Daglingworth and
Birdlip and the communities were pleasantly surprised with the results. He is looking for
The Chesterton Community Project
“Promoting Community led schemes and social responsibility to improve the quality of life for everyone”
www.chestertoncommunityproject.btik.com
volunteers for the next training in March 2013.
Fiona commented that if the Project has more committee members, sub committees could
be formed for people to take forward the areas they are interested in, for instance, traffic
and speeding or litter.
The Project has also been involved in Emergency Planning Meetings which are about how to
react in an emergency such as flooding or flu epidemic. Emergency boxes are located
strategically in the area.
It has campaigned for litter bins and dog bins and determined where they are to be located.
It has contributed to the Green Spaces Strategy and held Open Meetings. In June this year it
contributed to the Jubilee celebrations in the Abbey Grounds. It has liaised with other
community groups in Cirencester helping them out when needed. It arranged for the
painting of the subway on Tetbury Road with the community pay back team.
Other general concerns are litter, anti social behaviour and working with the CDC Safer
Community Team.
Matters Arising
Roly recorded his thanks to the previous Chairman, Peter, and Treasurer, Fiona, and thanked
them for their last three years work. Fiona thanked him for the nice letter in the Standard.
Neighbourhood Watch Andy Fogden from Gloucestershire Constabulary is aiming to recruit
more Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators. Streets where there are none were listed and
attached to the minutes of the AGM.
Obelisk Project Roly had met with Sarah Tenant-Bell, Student Community Relationship Coordinator for the Royal Agricultural College. (RAC). They have a Community Pay Back Scheme
for bad behaviour and are interested in helping tidy up the area.
Roly explained for the benefit of new members and observers that there are about 45
students living on the Chesterton Estate. They cause some noise problems. Sarah had
explained that the College took complaints seriously and if the students were reported on
three occasions they lost their tenancy. Refuse collection is also an issue for students though
often this is because they don’t know when the collections happen. Roly and Davina have
prepared a Welcome Leaflet, which Jamie Walton from the Town Council will be discussing
with all ward groups to update them in the near future.
Make a Difference Day – had gone very well. Roly thanked Graham for the photos which are
to go on the Project’s website and the Facebook page. He reminded people that Bob needed
more information from people for the Project’s website and the Facebook page.
Churn Project Newsletter Delivery – there had been a change in who covered which streets
The Chesterton Community Project
“Promoting Community led schemes and social responsibility to improve the quality of life for everyone”
www.chestertoncommunityproject.btik.com
but committee members should be aware. Jo and Martin agreed to cover the top end of
Somerford Road and Berkley Road. Need to let Bernadette know how many are needed.
JP/MC
20s Plenty Roly will be having meetings hopefully in February with the other community
groups to promote the campaign through out the town. Roly pointed out, that he was the
person that got the campaign underway through the support of the Chesterton residents.
Hopefully it will go further in and around the whole of Cirencester and link into the
Speedwatch campaign as well. (Post Meeting Note – see article in Wilts & Glos Standard
22/11/2012.
Fairshares – this is a timebank scheme whereby people can volunteer their time and skill and
bank the time they volunteer. They can then draw on the bank for a different skill/volunteer
hours they require. Hannah Sturman attended the AGM and explained how the Committee
could bank their time for work they did for the Project and then draw on the bank when the
Project needed help. There was some discussion about how hours should be recorded. Roly
will ask Hannah.
RH
GH
RH
Churn Newsletter Write Up – Peter will continue to be responsible for this. Graham to send
photos in jpeg version to Peter. Roly has them as single photos so can send these as well.
The Project has a page in the newsletter every quarter. Chesterton was the first community
project. For the next issue there will be photos of the bigger committee and sound bites
from existing and new members.
Churn Project – Roly had attended a Churn meeting last Wednesday but it was very short.
The Churn Project has received £5,000 to keep it going. As a fundraising scheme in the next
issue, Roly had suggested a colouring competition with small entrance fee and a donated
book token prize.
AOB
Chesterton School Woodcarvings in Amphitheatre - Peter had seen a press article about
these on trees in the amphitheatre area. Could we ask Hannah about having one or two for
the Thistle Park area. (Hannah Sturman is involved in the Green Spaces Strategy and Obelisk
Project as well as Fairshares.)
Bollards by doctor’s surgery on Chesterton Lane – they have been knocked down by a
speeding car. The council couldn’t afford to buy new ones and had replaced them with black
bollards from used stock. Peter had lobbied to have them painted white but there was an
issue about who would keep them clean. A compromise is white reflective strips. There is a
parking problem around the bollard area and double yellows need to be painted there. This
would be a good area for a Speedwatch camera. The bush by Tescos in the grounds of the
Old Convent School (Chesterton House?) needs cutting back as it restricts the view when
pulling out of the car park. Roly will take a photo and email Scott McCauley Lowe at GCC
RH
The Chesterton Community Project
“Promoting Community led schemes and social responsibility to improve the quality of life for everyone”
www.chestertoncommunityproject.btik.com
Highways.
New Committee Members - Lynne and Rob Tuttle and Jo Partridge and Martin Cook said
they would like to go on the committee and were welcomed as co-opted members.
Next Meeting – 5 December at St Lawrence Hall.
Members to think about what sub committees they’d like to be on or any new ideas for sub
committees.
All
Benefit Reforms – Roly will invite Bomford Housing to an Open Meeting to discuss the impact RH
these might have. Details issued with last meeting’s notes. People are concerned.
Police Community Liaison Meetings – these happen quarterly and each community group
takes turn to host. The next one is in January, date and venue to be confirmed.