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)

If you see any Anti Social Behaviour no matter how small call Neighbourhood policing on 302930

The VPRA News Blog (click here for past months)

Your VPRA at work reports for October 2009

 Click here for CFYA Bin and Recycle Collection Days

30.10.2009 Halloween Tips

Halloween is a chance for children to dress up in spooky costumes, go trick or treating and play fun games. Make sure their Halloween is an enjoyable and safe experience by following these tips on DirectGov website.

27.10.2009 River Tees Tidy Up

Some of the trees blocking parts of the River Tees were being hauled away today, being taken down towards the barrage where they will be hauled out and cut up.
 

26.10.2009  Thornaby Green

Residents concerned at youths playing golf on the Lower Green, with golf balls landing on the
road and on footpaths. VPRA rep asked youths to stop and they moved on. However, interesting point came to the fore. There is no place in Thornaby that golf can be played in Thornaby (public land) with the golf course and the range at Ingleby being the only locations.

25.10.209 Problem Pavements

Reported tarmac pavements on Redcar Road to CFYA and Highways. Now in a dangerous state with people falling over on them.

24.10.2009 Police Beat

Our PCSO Michelle was in the Library this morning doing the beat surgery for Stainsby Ward. Well worth going to these surgeries if you want to talk to the police direct. details are normally on the library notice boards.

23.10.2009 Dog Wardens

SBC dog wardens have been working again in the area following up on complaints about dog fouling. If you think you are being watched by a dog warden especially on the Village Green go over and have a word with them, normally they will give you a handful of poop bags as well as any advice you may require. If you are not guilty of ignoring your dogs mess then you have nothing to fear. 

19.10.2009 Community Empowerment

VPRA reps at SBC Community Empowerment Network meeting. Part of the meeting will
involve VPRA reps reporting back on behalf of the community sector in Thornaby. These meetings see information from across the borough being shared and exchanged so that residents groups can share good practice and good ideas etc, whilst equally keeping up on news in our respective areas
 

18.10.2009 In Bloom

VPRA volunteers finish clearing the flower bed opposite Jolly Farmers and visit resident having problem with overgrowing branches.
 

18.10.2009 Fireworks

Lots of residents complaining about the use of fireworks "already".  Follow this link for detailed
advice concerning the use of fireworks http://www.berr.gov.uk/fireworks/law.htm

Basically, according to the site, it is an offence under section 80 of the Explosives Act 1875 to throw or set off fireworks in any highway, street, thoroughfare or public place. The power to enforce this section of the Act rests with the police. Anyone found  guilty is liable to pay a fine of up to £5,000 and can be imprisoned for up to six months. Penalty notices for disorder  (on-the-spot fines) can also be issued for this offence, attracting the upper tier fine of £80.

In Regulations made under the Fireworks Act 2003, it is also an offence for the under 18s to possess fireworks in a public place and for anyone to let fireworks off during night hours (11pm to 7am). Police also have the power to issue penalty notices for disorder for these offences. Again, the offence attracts the upper tier fine of £80.

 Under section 4 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006 it is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animals. The penalty on conviction is either imprisonment up to 51 weeks or a fine of up to £20,000 or both . Enforcement of this section of the Act rests with Trading Standards, the Police or the RSPCA as appropriate.

17.10.2009 In Bloom

VPRA volunteers clearing away the last remnants of the summers flowers from the garden opposite
The Jolly farmers public house. Seed heads have already been taken by some volunteers to be grown on next year. Flowers currently growing around the area were taken from last years flowering.
 

16.10.2009 Muga Update

VPRA reps and SBC officers along with Nikki Graves of Impetus, met with reporters from Stockton News regarding the MUGA placed in the Village Park, to talk about the latest plans for Park.
Impetus were responsible for funding the MUGA (for which we and the many young people who enjoy the area are grateful)

16.10.2009 Park Fencing

Volunteers continue direct consultation of residents regarding the fencing for the Park. VPRA
volunteers from the area have been door to door around the park, armed with pictures  of proposed fencing and forms for residents to voice opinions. This complements the summers research with the VPRA road show (some display tables and the VPRA tent) which saw residents from across the whole town voicing there opinions

15.10.2009 Park Swing Replaced

Thanks to CFYA the damaged and painted swing has now been put back in place along with new chains and safety matting .Hopefully this will stay undamaged now.

14.10.2009 Green Thumbs Winners

See the garden pictures on our inbloom site.

Thanks to all who attended and supported us this year. Special thanks to Tristar for supplying the main prize of garden vouchers and to SRCGA for supplying the winners shields and printing the  the certificates also for providing Tracy Robert’s for the night to do the presentations.

Steve Challenger with the two lovely Tristar Reps.

14.10.2009 ASBO

October. Residents complained to police about a gang of school kids ho were reeling drunk at 12 noon.
Police appeared rapidly in order to stop and search the youths for drugs etc. Whilst nothing was found, they youths were moved on.
 

13.10.2009 Parkview Home Update

Below is a copy of e mail from Hazel Grant at SBC in reply to a query about the use of the home.

Hi Stewart.  I can appreciate the feelings of Thornaby residents regarding the building and I can assure you, and them, that there are plans to develop the whole site to address current and emerging care needs which will be in keeping with its former use, but like a number of large projects, a great deal of work is carried on in the background before plans are made known let alone implemented.  Its worth getting it right.  I can assure you that we are as keen as everyone else to move forward with the site and this will be done as soon as is practicable.  I have recently funded further grounds works to keep the site in a tidy condition during this interim period.

Thank you and the other VPRA members for the work you have done at Halcyon.  It is very much appreciated and has enabled Fiona to develop the site far more quickly than would otherwise have been possible

13.10.2009 Green Waste Collections

This is the last week for all CFYA Green Waste collections so if you have any for the Village area this Wednesday is the last collection.

13.10.2009 In Bloom 2009/10

SBC Horticultural Dept contacted the VPRA today regarding the possibility of bulbs for the VPRA
annual bulb planting sessions. The day of our "Bulb Planting Kick Off" will be made known later. However, we are keen to hear from local residents about the areas they would like to see "flowered up". If you have an idea contact us via the site. Remember, the VPRA area is roughly Lanehouse Road to Bader Avenue/Millbank Lane Thorntree Road to the Tees, but nothing is set in stone if it can bring a bit of colour to our area. Thanks to Dave Murdy from SBC for chasing this matter up for us and making sure we were able to plant as usual
 

13.10.2009 Green Thumbs 2009

Reminder for all residents who have had an invite through their doors that the awards night is 14/10/2009 at 7 pm in the Robert Atkinson Centre.

12.10.2009 SRCGA Ltd

VPRA contacted by Tracy Roberts of Stockton Residents' and Community Groups Ltd, to confirm
that the organisation would be donating some of the Trophies for the 2009 VPRA Green Thumb Awards. Big Thanks to Tracy and all at SRCGA Ltd.
 

10.10.2009 Bulb Planting

Requests are now being accepted for areas to plant up with spring bulbs. Planting days will be in November this year with details to follow once we get our stock of bulbs. If you know an area inside the VPRA boundaries that could do with Spring bulbs then contact Peter on the VPRA e mail from this page. 

09.10.2009 The Future of Council Homes

A multi-million pound investment could be made in the Borough's Council homes - if tenants give their backing. Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council has agreed to give tenants the opportunity to consider the proposal to transfer the ownership of its 10,500 homes to a new-style Tristar Homes.

Full story here on SBC site

08.10.2009 Benefits Help Lines

As from today anyone calling any UK Benefits service lines( with 0800 and 0845 prefix )from a mobile are to be given a call back once the security questions have been answered correctly. This is to help people who are already suffering in the pocket. If you are not offered a call back then ask for one. It should happen immediately. Callers from  non BT land lines will still have to pay local rates. So if you need to ring a claim in ring from a call box or a mobile to save money on the long calls.

04.10.2009 Village Park

Discussions with residents today in the park about the possibility of putting in a small BMX bike jumps area .If it does happen it will be very basic and be as far away from the Bowls Club gate as possible. The raised shrub area outside the bowls club would then be removed to take away the nuisance caused by youths on their bikes.

03.10.2009 Thorntree Road Phone Box

Once again residents have had to suffer at the hands of the few mindless idiots  who like to smash up  the only public pay phone left in the area.

02.10.2009 SBC Animal Welfare

Well done to Robin and his colleagues from SBC dog wardens for winning a top award from the RSPCA

01.10.2009 Oliver Cromwell

Oliver Cromwell is paying a fleeting visit to Thornaby today.  Not the man but the steam on its way to the Autumn Steam Festival at Grosmont. Due through Thornaby at approx. 2 pm

Neighbourhood Police

Phone 302930