Minutes of the meeting on 12 November 2018

SAPHRA

The residents’ association for Sopwell Lane, Albert Street, Pageant Road, Hart Road, The Ryder Seed Mews Estate, Saracens Head Yard, Pearce’s Walk and Keyfield Terrace

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Minutes of Meeting held on Monday 12 November 2018 at 8:10 pm
at the Clarion Collection Hotel, Holywell Hill.

 

1.    Present:  Avril Allen, Jacqueline Briggs, Cllr Alec Campbell, Kam Cheung, Phil Fletcher, Mary Green, Anthony Hyde, Jenny Johnson, Catherine Jones, Claire Jones, Angela King, Barry Knight, Roger Morton, Elaine Rainsford, Tita Tascon

2.    Apologies: Tim Boatswain, Alison Burroughs, Ghislein de Cruz, Cllr Simon Grover, Pam Johnson, Linda Matthewman, Mary Plackett, Cllr Chris White

3.    Minutes of previous meeting: The minutes of the meeting held on Monday 03 September 2018 had been circulated by email (and by hand to residents who do not use email) and a copy was made available at this meeting. The minutes were approved.

4.    Matters arising: None

5.    Finances: Anthony Hyde advised that since our last meeting SAPHRA had received two annual payments (2017, 2018) of £100 from the County Council bringing the total balance, in the bank, to £499.22.

       Anthony suggested that some of our surplus funds could be put to good use. A suggestion was made that we could purchase a grit bin for Sopwell Lane.

6.    Our local environment:

  • Parking changes and pinch point in Sopwell Lane:
    Roger had received an email from Cllr Chris White stating that
    “Hertfordshire County Council are scheduled to carry out speed and volume surveys in Sopwell Lane in December weather permitting or January if required, due to increasing traffic volumes.  This data will be analysed against existing data sets taken over the past few years to assess any vehicle movement increase.  This information will form the basis of an informed Engineering transportation strategy decision on how best to manage the safe and expeditious flow of traffic along this road.

    Hertfordshire County Council are aware that St Albans District Council are looking at Sopwell Lane and will share their speed and volume findings with them to assist them in providing appropriate parking accommodation solution”

    Members raised concerns about the continuing damage being caused to parked cars in Sopwell Lane by Courier vans and HGVs. Roger will inform Cllr Chris White.
  • Green oasis in Sopwell Lane:
    At an earlier meeting Cllr Jacqui Taylor had introduced Roger to Joe Tavernier (Head of Community Services for St Albans District Council) to explain the current situation with the Green Oasis. Joe subsequently granted permission for Affinity Water to progress with the reparation work. The council will continue with grass-cutting maintenance of the reinstated site and SAPHRA members will care for the remainder of the planted area.

    Michelle Howard (Affinity Water) subsequently advised that ground work will start over the winter and planting later in the New Year.

    Cllr Alec Campbell offered to pursue the problem with the unfinished brick wall along part of the rear of the site. Roger will forward the details to him.

 

 

  • Blocked Drains:
    A drain at the junction of Pageant Road and Keyfield Terrace has been reported several times and remains blocked by large amounts of plaster from building works. Cllr Chris White has added this to his list of work to be done.  A drain in Sopwell Lane, near the Goat Pub, and another in Keyfield Terrace were also reported, by members, to be blocked. Roger will ensure that these are reported.
  • Resurfacing Hart Road:
    Cllr Chris White advised that Herts County Council will shortly be resurfacing Hart Road.
  • Broken Pavements:
    Cllr Chris White has added broken pavements to his list for a site inspection with Herts County Council Highways Officers. Roger will notify him of the broken brick pavement between 3 & 9 Sopwell Lane and outside the White Hart Tap pub, where pedestrians have tripped on several occasions.

7.    City Neighbourhoods Committee:
The last meeting of the CNC was on 28 September 2018.
Items discussed were Business Improvement District, Sandridge Road Wastes, Play Areas and Allotments.
The minutes of the meeting are available on the District Council website.
The next CNC meeting will be held on 28 November 2018.

8.    River Ver Project:-
SAPHRA were invited to attend a meeting of the District Council Community, Environment and Sport Scrutiny Committee to discuss the River Ver Project. This meeting was held on 31 October 2018 at 7.00pm at the Council offices. Roger attended, along with Alison Shipperlee, an allotment holder who spoke on our behalf. The allotment holders’ concerns are recognised as a key issue.

The minutes of this meeting are now available on the District Council website.

9.    Car charging points in our area:-
A sub-committee, consisting of Barry Knight, Anthony Hyde and Phil Fletcher, was formed to devise a policy for car-charging in our area.  SAPHRA to consider at a future meeting.

10.  Plans for our Christmas meal:-
The date of our annual Christmas meal will be Monday 03 December 2018. Roger circulated the menus at the meeting. The deadline for food choices and payment is 23 November 2018.

11.  Plans for New Year get-together:-
The date of our annual New Year get-together will be Monday 28 January at 8.00pm at Hare and Hounds Pub, Sopwell Lane.

Roger accepted a £20 quote from St Albans Liberal Printing Society for the printing of the Christmas card/invite. The card will shortly be printed and distributed.

12.  Any other business

  • Phil Fletcher spoke of the Consultation about the Alban Way. Details can be found on the District Councils’ website.
  • Phil also spoke about the Environment Action Group formed by Cllr Simon Grover. Their next meeting is 15 January 2019.
  • Phil also mentioned that the St Albans Food Bank will accept surplus home grown produce. Details of the food banks and their opening times can be found at the end of these minutes.
  • The ‘No exit’ sign from Clarion Collection Hotel car park and the parking charges signs in the Albert Street car parks need obscuring foliage trimmed again. Members will action.

13.  Dates of next meetings: 07 January 2019, 04 March 2019, 13 May 2019, 08 July 2019, 09 September 2019.

 

 

    Useful information

       Neighbourhood Watch: SAPHRA members are encouraged to sign up for the OWL (On-line Watch Liaison) scheme. SAPHRA can provide OWL sign-up forms to any interested party. It is also possible to sign up for OWL Messages via www.owl.co.uk. For those members who do not have email it is possible to obtain OWL Messages via a home phone (landline).

       Highways fault reporting: (Potholes, street lamps not working, blocked drains etc.) can be reported to Hertfordshire County Council at: www.hertsdirect.org/services/transtreets/highways/hhonlineservices/hfr/

       Street cleaning issues: (litter, fly-tipping, overflowing litter bins etc.) can be reported to St Albans District Council by telephone to 01727 819285 or 01727 819598
or by email to a.cleanerdistrict@stalbans.gov.uk
or online at: www.stalbans.gov.uk/environmentandwaste/street-care-and-cleaning/default.aspx

       Agendas and minutes for District Council meetings can be found at:
http://stalbans.moderngov.co.uk/ieDocHome.aspx?bcr=1

Opening times and locations of the St Albans foodbanks run by the Trussell Trust:

Tuesdays: 1 – 3 pm  Christ Church, 3 High Oaks, New Greens AL3 6 DJ

Tuesdays: 4:00– 5:30 pm Cunningham Hub, Cell Barnes Lane AL1 5PX

Wednesdays: 12:30 – 2:30 pm  Christadelphian Church Hall, 4-6 Abbotts Avenue AL1 2HX

Thursdays: 12:30 – 2:30 pm   Hilldyke Community Centre, 17 Hilldyke Road AL4 8TU

Fridays: 1:00  - 3:00 pm    Holcroft Road, Batford AL5 5BQ

More information from: www.stalbansdistrict.foodbank.org.uk. Tel.: 01727 613 019.