The VPRA News Blog

Your VPRA at work reports for May 2008   

31.05.2008 Holmes Gateway Garden

Volunteers and local children from Holmes Close area cleared the weeds and nettles once again from the semi wild garden New planting is to take place in the next couple of days weather permitting (Rain needed please)

30.05.2008 In Bloom

First planting of this summers display. More will take place over the next couple of weeks ready for July judging.

29.05.2008

Contacted the Evening Gazette to comment on misquotes in readers comments about the Parkview campaign.

28.05.2008

Contacted by Dari Taylor's office to be informed that Les Mathews has sadly passed away.
Aside from his work with the Labour Party, Les, who was 82, had worked to raise money for charity such as the stalls he held at the Thornaby Show each year.
 

27.05.2008 
Contacted by Greg brown to confirm the next meeting of the Community Action Teams will be at:

The Hebron Church, Durham Road, Stockton, on Monday 2 June, 10.00 am - 2.00 pm (lunch included)

26.05.2008 ASB Again

VPRA receive numerous complaints from residents about anti social behaviour and drunkenness on the area of the green around the church and bench opposite. Police have done their best to keep this area free from such goings on but it remains popular with youths for drinking.
 

25.05.2008 Holmes Close Garden

VPRA begin plotting out the work for the community garden, seeking local children volunteers to take part and shape the area.

24.05.2008 .£60,000 lottery boost for Thornaby Park

Gazette story about the park funding. Village Park or here if the link changes.Village Park

23.05.2008 Tees Valley Play Celebration Event

VPRA invited to send a representative to the Tees Valley Play Celebration Event Lunch, in Wynyard
Park House in June to celebrate the the announcement of the Children's Plan in December pledging
£225 million for play.

The event will also

• Identify and address training issues around play development
• Support, develop and implement a communication plan to raise the profile of play in Tees Valley.
• Identify and share good play practice and learn from others, locally and nationally
• To establish Tees Valley Play and for its position to be sustained

• 
  The invitation came from Martin Graham, who has worked to help the VPRA secure funding for the Village Park
   

22.05.2008    VPRA residents and activists meet up with the gazette to launch the next level of the consultation into the future of the Village Park.
This will include members of the community expressing views about the work to be carried out and the needs of the community as we all work towards Green Pennant and then Green Flag status. WATCH THIS SPACE FOR THE NEXT BIG VPRA PROJECT TO BE LAUNCHED.

 

20.05.2008 Village Park Funding update

The official press release is on the Gazette TS17 website

19.05.2008 Village Park Funding

Before its officially announced the VPRA can reveal that the Lottery grants we have been working towards for the past two years has finally come to fruition. see plans here.

The lotteries award for the Village Park in Thornaby is the culmination of two years work seeking out funding for a joint plan between the Village Park Residents Association and SBC Parks and Recreation.
Without the VPRA as a partner the grants would not been available to SBC.
The full plans for the park include a new multi use games area(MUGA), a new footpath around the perimeter of the park to be used as an exercise area as well as having old fashioned children's games such as hop scotch included in the design. It is also hoped to add a small exercise area with climbing bars etc. and also a new seating and picnic area.

18.05.2008 In Bloom

Another weeding session at Holmes Close Gateway Garden, nearly ready to plant for next weekend. Strong systemic killer to be put on tonight once there are no children about. First plantings of Nasturtiums and Sunflowers over Whit weekend. 

17.05.2008 In Bloom

Work began on clearing the main flower bed opposite the Jolly Farmers. Old Primulas stripped out and the bed dug over.

VPRA workers have been out again picking up glass on the Village Green. This is now a too regular occurrence with people throwing bottles when they have finished drinking. Youths have also been seen coming from the Oddfellows Pub with beer glasses and crossing the Green, smashing the glasses when the drinks are finished. 

VPRA committee members attended a meeting about saving Parkview Care Home, the next steps. Details will be published at a later date.

16.05.2008 ASB in the Area

VPRA chaired a meeting of residents with Inspector Ian Garrett and Dari Taylor concerning issues connected to anti social behaviour on Fordy Grove. Dari Taylor will be acting to obtain a return of the VPRA funded camera on the corner of Redcar and Thorntree Road, with the temporary camera being sought short term. Traders to be approached in order to seek a shared method of dealing with some problems.

VPRA contacted by Dari Taylor`s office  to be informed that the 17a bus is to be re-routed back up Thornaby Road.
 

The new litter bin is now in place on Green Lane, Thanks again Chris from CFYA
 

15.05.2008 Eastern Area Transport Strategy

VPRA reps attended the EATS meeting in the Golden Eagle where a review of last years achievements took place before a discussion of possible small works required by the various reps in attendance. All items were backed wholeheartedly by the VPRA reps.

Jo Robinson from Thornaby Allotments requested that a section of Thornaby Road near Gilpin Road have a parking area put in. 

Councillors Eileen Craggs and Sylvia Walmsley requested a section of Cunningham Drive have a parking area put in to make the road safer.   

Ingleby Barwick Councillors requested extra SIDS for their area along with traffic signs near the schools. A possible extension or re routing of the cycle path near the golf course.

VPRA offered (threatened) to host a meeting with Arriva, Stagecoach and SBC for members of the public of Thornaby and Ingleby Barwick. Graham Oram of EATS and EAPB stated that there would be no immediate need and would be covered by the EAPB at their next meeting. The offer (threat) is still on the table if this does not happen.

14.05.2008 Town Meeting.

VPRA reps attended the Thornaby Town Council AGM and Town meeting.
A new mayor and Chair of the council has been selected, Mr Mick Eddy, SBC and TTC Councillor for the Village Ward. Deputy and Vice Chair, Geoff Green.
 

13.05.2008 Litter Bins

Confirmation from  CFYA that they are to look at installing a new bin on the lamp post at the end of Green Lane at the entrance to the Green.  Reference number 557080. Thanks to Chris James at CFYA for the speedy work.

VPRA reps. met with Barry Hunter(CFYA) to discuss problem areas across the patch and possible solutions.
This included people dumping refuse along allotment fence and the edge of public footpaths.
Also, info about the allotments and some of the latest news from the allotments  management committee, such as their successful plant sale which raised £400 towards the internal footpaths. 2 new dog bins are also to be installed, one on the path to the Green from Andrews Allotments and the other near the Allotments Shop on Foggins Allotments.

 

12.05.2008 Litter Bins

Contact made with CFYA about the possibility of a litter bin on the Lower Green area

11.05.2008 Broken Glass

VPRA volunteers swept the glass from around St Peter's Church on the green. Despite not being affiliated to any religion recognising all faiths as in important and equal, this church has been under seige lately from the local drunken youths who get drunk and then smash bottles on the walls.
 

10.05.2008 Litter Pick

Utilising the first decent weekend weather, VPRA volunteers joined by local Town Councillor Roger Mosely we did an hour long litter pick on the Lower Village Green, the entrance to the river area and the Black Bobbies Nature Reserve. The job was made easy with the loan of litter picks from CFYA (Thanks Chris and Barry).An hour and 6 big bags of litter later we were pleased to say that the area was litter free. The majority of bags, tins and bottles are left by anglers so if you read this please take it home with you or at least bag it and leave it near the gate where we can retrieve it.    

10.05.2008 Holmes Close Garden

First of many needy weeding sessions on the Holmes Close Gateway Garden took place this morning. The garden was started last year when VPRA members began to turn an overgrown slice of the Lower Village Green in too a semi cultivated and wild flower garden. We must have disturbed thousands of dormant seeds last year because we have  used every type of weed killer on this plot and they still come back. Even after spending day on hands and knees digging, sifting and picking out every bit of weed they still grow back. Now the daffodils have finished we can clear and burn off the top weed before putting in a lot of new plants for this year.

10.05.2008 Plant Sale

The long awaited Allotments Plant Sale took place this morning and was very busy half an hour before they were due to open. Supported by local gardeners who grew and donated plants and rhubarb it was soon sold out. Barry Hunter from CFYA was also in attendance tirelessly sorting out new gate keys for allotment holders.

09.05.2008 Illegal Parking.

A number of residents have voiced concerns that cars are parking on the pavements waiting to pick up children from the Village school. After visits from the SBC Enforcement team this week the problem is still occurring. How long before an accident is caused, do you need to drive to collect your children? The VPRA do not want people prosecuted for any parking offence but do want common sense to prevail. See an example below.

08.05.2008 Litter Pick and Plant Sale

Barry Hunter (CFYA) delivered the equipment for this Saturdays  litter pick. THANKS BARRY.

He also asked to remind folks about the Plant sale to take place on Saturday morning, May 10th, raising funds for the allotments.

07.05.2008 ASBO  Thorntree Road

Contacted by Dari Taylor's office regarding a future meeting for residents concerned about the ongoing problems of Antii Social behaviour on the Thorntree Road end of Fordy grove.

06.05.2008 Public Rights of Way

VPRA receive the paperwork from Brian Buckley, SBC Highways Network Management Officer to commence the application to establish a public right of way, along the south bank of the River Tees, as per the decision of the VPRA meeting of April 25th. This process will involve the gathering of information including statements from the public to illustrate that this once popular footpath has been used for more than 20 years prior to developer putting two fences across it.
 

05.05.2008 ASBO + Drinking

A resident reported that he had been told by a police that it was not possible to stop youths drinking on the green, if they are over 18 years of age. VPRA contacted Inspector Garrett, this,  he informed us, is not the case. The youths are not just sat drinking, they are causing a disturbance and that alone is sufficient to warrant action. There is no ban on drinking in the area BUT, it is not acceptable to allow drinking to take place when the result is vandalism, smashing bottles etc. Inspector Garrett has thus arranged for the police to visit this and other areas, on at least three occasions, aside from any complaints that may be received, on evenings during the weekend.
 

04.05.2008 In Bloom

Early morning weeding and tidy up around the Jolly Farmers lay by followed by potting on another batch of seedlings to use around the area.

03.05.2008 Wombling

VPRA volunteers clearing away the debris of binge drinking in selected areas across the patch.
 

02.05.2008 ASBO Thornaby Green

VPRA went out to check up on reports from residents about the continued abusive behaviour of people
drinking around St Peter's on the Green. Youths smashing bottles and (this included girls) urinating on or around
the church. This is grossly offensive regardless of your religious belief or even the lack of any. The building is an
important aspect of our heritage. Police have been contacted

01.05.2008  Faith and Belief

VPRA invited to attend the celebrating Faith and Belief' in Stockton event. This is a  conference exploring key issues that affect our Non - Faith/Faith communities living in the borough of Stockton.Its also open to all members of the community
just let us know you are going, via the website contact link, so we can notify the organisers
Venue: Stockton Arts Centre (ARC), Dovecot Street, Stockton on
Tees, TS18 1LL
Date: Wednesday 7th May 2008  Times: 3.00pm - 6.00pm

01.05.2008 Urban Forums

VPRA contacted by Urban Forum ( www.urbanforum.org.uk )who are carrying out a survey to find out  about what access people have to shops and facilities in their local area, what  effect urban design has on well being and, finally, how involved and how much say people have over decisions affecting their local area.

 This survey is a part of a bigger piece of research which explores community involvement in decision-making around the local built environment. 

To fill in the short questionnaire please follow this link to Survey

The questionnaire should not take more than 15 minutes to fill out. All responses will  be treated in confidence and the deadline for responses is 23^rd May.  If you have any  questions about the survey, please e-mail consultation@urbanforum.org.uk.
 

Neighbourhood Police

Phone 302930