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Welcome to the Village Park Residents Association. Thornaby on Tees
Your residents group for the Village Area.
Membership is free to every household in the Village Area.
(Supported by Stockton Residents & Community Groups Association)
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If you see any Anti Social Behaviour no matter how small call Neighbourhood policing on 302930
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The VPRA News Blog (click here for past months)
Your VPRA at work reports for February 2010
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Click here for CFYA Bin and Recycle Collection Days
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27/02/2010 Potholes Update
Replies from SBC to say all potholes reported this week have now been inspected, marked up and logged into CFYA Find and Fix repairs programme. Also reported a spot on Thornaby Road which the Highways Technician says is “fretting”, this will be monitored in the coming weeks .
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27/02/2010 VPRA Meeting
Meeting on Tuesday 2nd March Agenda includes.
Proposed Skate Park in Victoria Recreation Park + Not in our area but we have been asked by SBC and Police for input due to all of the work done in the Village Park.
Eastern Area Partnership Reports
Communities Together Conference + details of proposed My Space Youth Centre in Stockton.
Northumbria In Bloom + Pooling of ideas and support for this years entry.
Any Other Business
Local Ward Police Officers and Tristar will be represented at the meeting +if you have any questions for the please come along and ask.
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27/02/2010 Street Lighting
VPRA have reported problems with street lights around the area, if you see any and need them reporting then please contact CFYA or VPRA via the email button on this page. We do keep a register of all flare numbers given to reported incidents for reference.From March 1st we will be putting updated spread sheet on this site so residents can see what is reported,where and what and when any action is completed. This is not to cause critisism of CFYA but to show residents how well CFYA and VPRA work together.
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26/02/2010 Parkview Home update
Reply from officials at SBC,sheds some light on the situation.
Stockton Borough Council has recently appointed a Registered Social Landlord partner - the Fabrick Housing Group - to work in partnership to progress the redevelopment of the site. Our proposal is to develop the site for extra care housing (all units will be for social rent). As you will appreciate an extra care housing development (in the region of 41 units) will provide much needed housing for residents of the Borough who are elderly.
In order to secure the necessary funding for a scheme of this nature the Fabrick Housing Group will be bidding for resources (supported by the Council) to the North East Homes and Communities Agency.
Prior to a bid being made (and before a planning application is submitted), a community consultation event will be held. The event will allow local residents and other local stakeholders the opportunity to view and comment on the proposal. At the event there will be drawings/plans and representatives from the Council, Fabrick and the architects on hand to discuss the scheme proposal in further detail. We are currently working with Fabrick to confirm the consultation date, however we anticipate it being held mid/late March. All potential interested parties (including local residents, the Parish Council, local ward members, local residents groups including the VPRA), will receive written notification/invitation of the event.
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26/02/2010 Pickpockets
Residents are warned that there are thieves working the Town Centre and Asda looking for easy purse targets.Police have been notified of this.If you have a purse then dont leave it in an open shopping bag.
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25/02/2010 Parkview Home Site
VPRA have contacted officers at SBC after reading reports on Twitter that the home is going to be made into new affordable homes.We have always been told the site was for another extra care facility.
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24/02/2010 Potholes
VPRA reps reporting more dangerous potholes this afternoon.Redcar Road and Thornaby Road reported. Basselton Lane reported earlier in the month have been repaired.
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23/02/2010 Something for the weekend
If you are at a loose end this weekend then pop into Middlesbrough for the Fairtrade Festival
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22/02/2010 Village School
VPRA reps in dialogue again with SBC and Enforcement about the illegal parking on pavements and grass opposite the Jolly Farmers. Enforcement are monitoring the situation again.
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22/02/2010 Future SBC Events
A few dates for your diary for March,
The Black Bobby's Painting Workshop
Senior lecturers including Andrea Goodwill from Cleveland College of Art and Design will be on hand to give you pointers and advice on painting landscapes and wildlife on this attractive nature reserve beside the Tees in Thornaby. Bring your easel if you have one. Paints, brushes and paper will be supplied:
Meet: Opposite the Jolly Farmers pub on Thornaby Road, Thornaby. Car parking is limited - public transport is recommended. (Children attending events must be accompanied by an adult)
Sunday 07 March 2010 9.30am - noon
Food for Free
Explore Bassleton Wood Local Nature Reserve and discover a wide range of spring plants you can eat and even some of the bugs from your garden!
Meet: In the car park behind the Griffin pub on Bader Avenue, Thornaby.
Sunday 21 March 2010 10.00am - noon.
Further Information for both events.
01642 527562
EMail: preston.park@stockton.gov.uk
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21/02/2010 SBC Ramble
Today saw the first of the Stockton Council organised walks of the year which took in Preston Park,Quarry Wood and Basselton Woods.A cold and snowy morning saw a number of walkers and a dog heading from Ingleby Barwick into Basselton wood before the return walk to Preston Park.
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21/02/2010 Spring is Coming
Snowdrops are finally coming out around the Village Green as well as some of the may snowdrops we have planted. Picture below is in Basselton Woods and is a large clump of snowdrops near to the edge of the woods.
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21/02/2010 Litter
VPRA reported large amount of litter to CFYA. The area at the Ingleby Barwick side of Basselton Woods near the Queen Elizabeth bridge is littered with beer cans and packaging.
Also reported an area near the Old Thornaby Social Club which is increasingly being littered.It appears to be bags and empty food wrappings possible thrown from waiting cars and taxis.
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21/02/2010 Dumping on Village Green
Folowing yesterdays litter pick VPRA have sent a report into SBC Allotments officer Barry Hunter regarding the dumping of dead chickens next to the fence between the allotments and the entrance to Black Bobbies.A lot of children use that area to play as well as a lot of dog walkers.It could also tie in with reports of poisoned meat being left out to kill off foxes that often frequent the green on a night.
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20/02/2010 Litter Pick
VPRA Volunteers and local residents were out clearing the lower end of the Green today, filling ten sacks with a variety of debris left over from the fun people had in the recent snow..ie sweet wrappers and broken sledges. Big thank you too, Town Cllr Roger Mosely was keen to pitch in and even recruit a few passers by. Sadly, there were some unpleasant finds during the day, such as a sack containing dead chickens which had been dumped along the path from the green to the Tees. Equally, someone had chosen to dump a carpet and runners on the green. Makes you wonder what is going through people's minds sometimes.
ALSO BIG THANK YOU to Christine James from Care for Your Area, who very kindly organised the litter picking equipment and the disposal of the debris..THANKS CHRIS.
Picture below is some of the rubbish collected awaiting CFYA removal.
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19/02/2010 VPRA Meeting
Next VPRA meeting is 2nd March 2010 7.00 pm in Robert Atkinson Centre. Any items to included in the agenda need to be in writing or email to secretary before 22nd February to be included.If not sent in then they may not be given enough time during Any Other Business and we will also not be able to invite interested parties to discuss with us.
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17/02/2010 Park Benches
VPRA rep pointed out to Ward Councillors and SBC officials the importance of fastening the planned benches in the new play park on Mary Street in Mandale ward.SBC have taken onboard comments and have assured all parties that they will be installed properly and not be an easy target for thieves.
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15/02/2010 Thornaby Pride
Article submitted to Thornaby Pride about VPRA Bulb Planting to compliment pictures that have been requested for use.
Bulb Planting in Thornaby
For the past 4 years the Village Park Residents Association (VPRA) has been busy every Autumn planting Daffodil and Crocus bulbs around the town. Initially in the first year they were put in around Thornaby Green and the Village Park and since then they have been planted in many areas around the Village area of Thornaby.
Bulbs have been planted along Thornaby Road, Millbank Lane, The Airman’s Statue, small grass verges to the rear of Lanehouse Road and the traffic island opposite the Jolly Farmers.
In total over 40,000 bulbs have been planted by the small group of VPRA volunteers aided by Thornaby Mayor and Mayoress Geoff and Celia Green and Councillor Roger Mosley. Bulbs have been supplied directly by CFYA and also through a Thornaby Town Council`s Community Chest grant as well as donations from residents.
Because of this dedication to brightening up our town the VPRA have won awards from Stockton Council and also helped with awards from Northumbria in Bloom. They also contribute to Thornaby`s winning entry in Northumbria in Bloom competitions.
If you want to brighten up your area either with spring bulbs or summer displays then please contact the VPRA via the e mail link on the VPRA website. www.vpra.org.uk for any advice or help as to what and where planting is allowed
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14/02/2010 Santa Run
Today was the rearanged date for the Zoe`s Place Santa Motorbike Ride organised by the the Boundary 500 Motorcycle Group.
Around 200 riders and passengers began from the Thornaby Fire Station at 11.30 this morning on their trip round Teesside. Cleveland and Durham Police outriders escorted the riders and there was praise from the police about the quality and orderly way that the riders did the trip.
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14/02/2010 Naked Man On Thornaby Green
Police today had to restrain a nude man found running through the area of Thornaby Green.
Police arrived as the man had fallen on all fours "being ill".Residents in attendance were more concerned about the man's well being than any thought of wrong doing.
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12/02/2010 The Heronry
Residents contacted the VPRA concerning the Herony opposite the tip of Horse Shoe Bend (The Holmes) which has been reportedly cut into, using a chainsaw, by anglers wishing to access the river. This issue will be taken to Friends of Tees Heritage Park and other bodies including the relevant angling club.
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11/02/2010 Thornaby Green
SBC have already planted the Black Thorn in area cleared last week, so as to ensure that the area will never become attractive to the Binge Drinking Gang. These bushes are notorious for their huge spiky thorns which are very painful if you try to push through them and will deter even the most ardent teen boozer when they "blossom".
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10/02/2010 Stockton Renaisance Meeting
VPRA reps attended todays meeting at Norton, interesting meeting and a few points were raised by us.
Village Park was mentioned in a couple of the presentations highlighting the work that has been done by the VPRA and SBCto get it to the state it is now.
Mary Street in Thornaby is to get a small play park area and it was pointed out to Keith Mathews from SBC that the type of seating in the proposals would not be suitable for the area as they could easily be removed as attempted in the Village Park. Hopefully they will install solid concrete based benches.
SBC have won a grant of nearly £5 million pounds to build a state of the art Youth Centre and is planned for the site of the old Tilery Stadium. When it opens in 2011 it is expected to be used by 13 19 year olds from all over the borough.It is planed to bus children in where needed and be open 7 da
VPRA supported our colleagues from Hardwick in asking what will happen to existing youth facilities throughout the borough. Questions were asked as to how secure busing children around the area will be and also is it safe bringing youths from possibly all of the towns in the borough together in one place.A lot of the youths are very territorial and it was suggested this idea is fraught with danger.SBC will take the comments onboard.
Cleveland Fire and rescue also gave an illustration of what they can do to help children throughout the borough, help with everything from fishing,football to boxing and rockit ball. VPRA will be asking them along to one of our meetings in the near future.
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09/02/2010 Stockton Renaisance
VPRA invited to send reps along to this weeks meeting in Norton.Focus of the meeting will be to inform interested parties about facilities and help for children throughout the borough.Details of the meeting will be published on 10/02/2010.
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08/02/2010 Weather Reports
Our twitter weather reports will be updated on a regular basis if the expected snows return this week. Just check out the VPRA twitter site for roads, pavement and weather info.
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07/02/2010 Capital Expenditure Projects
Residents are also reminded that major Capital Projects such as CCTV units can take up to a year to come to fruition.There is no council allocation of funds and can be only accesed at the moment through grants. Once funding is in place then the relevant planning applications need to be submitted and obtained.In the case of CCTV units this requires the erection and installation of all relevant cabling and the correct height mast to allow “WFI” contact with firstly Anson House mast and then beamed to Stockton Monitoring Centre.
Extract from report commisioned by SBC at VPRA request dated 11/06/2009
- The current cameras in place are static cameras and have been left for so long they are rendered useless.
- Camera outside the shops needs to be replaced with camera with full pan tilt and zoom facilty. This cameras pictures will be relayed to the Security centre via Wi Fi system and monitored in our control room. (current estimate of £10k excluding installation and labour costs.)
- The camera on the black path, unfortunately this camera pole is too short so cant support linking to the Security centre via Wi Fi.(Current estimate is approx £25k for a new high pole and camera,wfi unit.Excludes installation ,labour and planning costs.)
At the VPRA meeting on 6th July 2009 it was decided that no action was to be taken on replacing the cameras at that time as the feeling at the meeting was that allthough CCTV helps after the event it does not stop incidents happening. Due to the onset of a deep financial recession and lack of opportunities in obtaining funds it makes it virtually impossible to fund such a project.
It was also propossed that residents contact Neighbourhood Policing about every occasion they actually witness any ASB so that Inspector Garratt and his staff can build up a full picture of problems and not just the odd one that is reported. To our knowledge at the moment not a lot of reports are forthcoming from residents and apart from an isolated incident where police have been called they would consider the area normal and quieter than other parts of the borough.
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07/02/2010 VPRA Meetings
Residents are reminded to ensure that any items you want bringing up at future meetings must be made in writing or e mail at least 7 days prior to a meeting to allow enough time for each agenda item . This should ensure a 10 to 15 minute slot for discussion of the said item and also allow time for research and possible inclusion of any relevant third parties to the meetings.
AOB is to be used to try and inform residents of future events and projects and not taken up by items that are important enough to be on the main agenda.
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05/02/2010 Village School Parking
Once again there are problems at the Village School with parents and taxis parking and obstructing the footpaths. Enforcement have been informed again of this dangerous practice which means people in wheelchairs and parents with buggies cannot get past without either going on the road or on the mud and grass.Hopefully Enforcement will come up with an amicable solution that doesnt hit anyone in the pocket.
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03/02/2010 Thornaby Green
CFYA were busy working on the green today trimming and tidying following yesterdays requests for help from residents.VPRA reps attended meeting this afternoon with residents on site to survey the work and discuss the way forward with new planting etc. Excellent work once again from CFYA.
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03/02/2010 Regeneration Stockton
VPRA reps attended today`s Stockton Renaissance Communities Together meeting about Regeneration in the Borough.
The main items concerning Thornaby were would the Town centre be completed now that Thornfield are in financial problems, it is expected that the new company Hammerson overseeing the centre now will complete the outstanding parts of the development including the new road at the back of ASDA.
Full details will appear here (including the slide show from the event) in the near future.
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02/02/2010 Thornaby Police
Police had one of their large CCTV crew bus vans parked up tonight at Thorntree Road shops.This follows problems that the newspaper shop have been having with vandalism and racial abuse.The VPRA and Thornaby Police will not stand for this behaviour.
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02/02/2010 Thornaby Green
VPRA contacted by residents on the Green about the chances to get some of the bushes tidied and thinned out near their properties.They have problems with youths hiding in there and using the area for drink and drugs dens. CFYA Horticultural dept contacted and Nigel Clark,(manager) was making a site visit today to see what can be done.
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01/02/2010 Richardson Road Pavements
VPRA approached by residents concerning the poor conditions of the footpaths on
Richardson Road, which were not laid with tarmac when the lower numbers were.
Residents are concerned that the poor surface poses risk of a trip or fall for people, particularly elderly residents. Late last year the VPRA were told that there were plans to resurface the pavements here, but we were unable to told exactly when. SBC will be approached within the week to pass concerns to council officers.
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01/02/2010 Yorkshire Ridings
VPRA contacted by the Yorkshire Ridings Society and invited to attend their next meeting
on Friday February 12th, in the Marske Leisure Centre, starting at 7:30pm. The VPRA joined
the organisation with a group membership to support their work drawing attention to the rich
cultural history of our area. Included on the agenda will be the Coffee morning to be held on
May 8th and future Yorkshire Day celebrations. Meanwhile, Thornaby Town Council have begun
their plans for Thornaby's Yorkshire Day well in advance
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