Committee Meeting 11th August 2009

Present
Jackie Aust-Lean (host, chair), Graham Tigg (minutes), Carol Stone, Marise Lee, Richard Palmer

Police Relations
Sgt Jonathan Adcock of the Homefields Safer Neighborhood Team contacted the committee at fairly short notice inviting a representative to attend a Community Crime Fighters training day. Richard attended and reported that it was about relations between the team and resident’s groups such as Neighborhood Watch.

Richard had a call from Trafford Hall (01244 300246) to say there were courses on Safer Communities from September to March 2010.

Conclusion: the UPRRA should engage more with the Safer Neighborhood team e.g. invite them to attend the AGM and possibly some Committee meetings.

Snickett Security
Councillor McGregor was passed the results of the residents’ survey (43 for, 3 against) on installation of CCTV to make the snickett more secure.

There has been no news and the committee suspects that funding may have become an issue.

Carol will contact Councillor McGregor to understand the current position and next steps.

Street Markings
The yellow lines have been re-painted which makes them clearer. The parking bay white markings are worn and absent from the bits dug up for the water main replacement. Given that the yellow lines are now clear the meeting agreed not to progress re-marking the bays.

LMC Planning Application
The appeal by LMC has been unsuccessful. It is not known whether LMC will progress redevelopment of their site further at this time.

Trees
Extensive pruning took place in December 2008.

As usual, the bases of some of the trees have sprouted which reduces pavement and parking space. In previous years the council has trimmed these in a reasonably timely manner. Residents have trimmed some of the trees but its worst between numbers 1 to 20. Graham reported this in July.

All to report to Hounslow as a next step.
[Note - tree bases were subsequently trimmed]

UPRRA Web Site
Graham has created a Web site for the UPRRA.
Currently it introduces the Residents’ Association (history, charter, achievements).

Graham pointed out a number of items to consider: -
•    It can be used to communicate and store meeting minutes
•    We will need email addresses of residents in order to publicise the site and inform them when new content becomes available (otherwise few will look at it more than once)
•    It can replace leafleting (except for residents who are not on email/Internet)
•    The content will be public so we need to be mindful of publishing personal information (names with addresses, phone numbers etc.)
•    The site allows visitors to comment on entries, although this could be turned off. For example, an entry informing of road works affecting the road could be commented on (by anyone) to say that there is a delay.

The meeting agreed to launch the site at the AGM.

Graham will put up the checklist for securing ones home when on holiday.

AGM 2009
Jackie kindly offered to host the AGM again. After last years low key meeting the committee would like to inviting a Councillor and the community police to attend this year. The date will be Tuesday10th November with 11th and 12th as alternatives to fit in with Councillor availability.

Carol will try and arrange for a Councillor to attend on the above dates.

Next Meeting
19:30 Tuesday 20th October 2009    Committee    Carol’s

Introduction

The Upham Park Road Residents Association (UPRRA) was formed at a meeting in July 2002 attended by 28 residents in the Scout Hut near Stamford Brook underground station.

The following Aims and Objectives were agreed at that meeting and serve to introduce the role of the UPRRA.

To represent the needs and wishes of all the residents of Upham Park Road to protect and enhance the domestic environment and conserve the amenities of the residential area.

Including: -

•  The monitoring and dealing with any traffic problems
  
•  The safeguarding of domestic parking facilities
  
•  The preservation and improvement of pedestrian access to Turnham Green Station
  
•  The improvement of street cleanliness
  
•  The proper care and maintenance of the lime trees lining the road
  

One of the key founding members was the late Bill Lindsell. The current committee members are: -

•  Graham Tigg (Treasurer) (since 2003)
  
•  Richard Palmer (since 2004)
  
•  Carol Stone (since 2004)
  
•  Marise Lee (since 2006)
  
•  Jackie Aust-Lean (since 2007)
  

The committee meet two to four times a year depending on how many issues have arisen that impact the street. There is an AGM every year, usually around November, open to all residents. Minutes are taken at all meetings. Some matters are dealt with using email. For flexibility the committee doesn't have a formal permanent Chairman or Secretary.

What does the Committee do
Some of the issues that the UPRRA has helped resolve include regular removal of rubbish from the underground railway embankment, regular cleaning of the snickett (path by the embankment to the station), tree pruning – notably in 2005, traffic light phasing, street cleaning and drainage, footpath maintenance, speeding motorbikes on the road (when LMC sold bikes), Councillors and Community Support Officers speaking at AGMs, recycling awareness.

What does the Committee NOT do
The UPRRA does not represent the views of all the residents in the road. For example, LMC made a planning application in 2008/9 to develop the site on the west corner of Upham Park Road with the High Road. Any objections to the application was left as a personal choice for all residents, including the committee. The committee did write expressing their agreed concerns of the impact on parking, the visual appearance (height) and disruption during building works. As another example, some residents requested at the AGM in 2007 that a permanent vehicle turning facility be made available at the end of the road, with a downside being the loss of overnight parking spaces this would necessitate. The views of the road were canvassed through a questionnaire with the conclusion that opinion was clearly divided and the matter has been taken no further.

Financing
The association has few running costs at present. Meetings are generously hosted in resident’s houses so expenses are limited to stationary items and AGM refreshments. Funding comes from donations at the AGM and a one-off £500 given to the association when an advert featuring Johnny Vaughan was filmed in the road back in 2005. Funding stood at over £550 in 2009. The view of the committee is to keep funding at that level for future unforeseen needs such as a solicitor’s letter.