January 8th 2007 - meeting minutes

Loaves and Fishes sculpture by John Skelton, Brighthelm Church and Community Centre

Plans for future speakers

Attendance

19 people  

Apologies

Peter Stocker, Gabrielle Villermet, Mark Erickson, Sue Paskins

Minutes and matters arising

Thanks to Mark Erickson for the postcard project, which had received a good write up in B&H Leader. Roy Skam also noted that 'many' rather than 'several' NLCA members had attended the Beetham Tower Public Inquiry.

Everybody's poetry

Keith Kennedy attended to talk about a very interesting project, 'Everybody's Poetry', which involved vox pops and interviews with people about poetry, including in the North Laine.  His earlier book with Nick Wellings, Brighton Street Talk Walk was covered in the North Laine Runner No 150 in 2001.

Police

• PCSO Emma Swann reported that the police will be holding a day for coding bicycles on Saturday February 10th, 9am-3pm at the Level.  New colleague PCSO Ed James introduced himself.  Questions were raised about a graffiti episode on Trafalgar Terrace. Emma asked anyone to phone through such incidences, as the police now have a PC who is devoting as much time as possible to it and may recognise tags.

• Discussed non-compliance with the 20mph speed limit in the North Laine - lack of signs is a problem. ACTION: Emma agreed to contact Highways and Byways and also to look at the issues themselves.

• Peter Crowhurst has contacted the Council about the lack of a one-way sign on the west side of Kensington Place, which is leading to traffic going the wrong way - a post has gone up but a sign has not yet been put in place.

Planning

• Resubmission of Bioregional application for the community blocks E and F of the station site, with 'minor alterations' which were not clear from information supplied so far. Agreed to repeat earlier comments, viz that applaud intention but would like it to be more in keeping with master plan, ie smaller scale, and that it was architecturally disappointing.  Beethams Tower Inquiry report is due 19th April 2001 .

• Several shops have applied for new shopfronts involving folding restaurant-style doors - agreed to oppose these, which may lead to a change of use in the future and change the character of the building.  Also object to 18 Bond Street (Greenwich Village) - inappropriate metal balconies on first floor windows; and to Cheapside garages change of use to residential from industrial, as this will change the character of the area.

Group reports

• Welcome Pack: This has now been revised and printed, to be given to street reps. Thanks to Jackie Fuller, Gabrielle Villermet and Barry Leigh for their time on this.

• NLTraders Association: Sharon Thomas commented that the traders had had a reasonable Christmas by all accounts. The meeting praised the street lights. Their biggest challenge now is the Southern Water works in Trafalgar Street. NLTA is now focusing on developing materials to accompany their website.  ACTION: Sharon Thomas agreed to send out an email to ask if any traders would be prepared to sell the NLCA postcards and CDs.

Licensing

• Roy Skam had attended the hearing into the Lighthouse licence request for Argus Lofts, which was granted with only a few conditions. He was the only objector present - there needed to be more. Also, a local resident had produced standard letters, but these are NOT helpful and are not counted - only individual letters are. It is harder now to object, rather than easier as the government had promised. 

• On the positive side, Sandy Crowhurst had attended a Licensing Strategy Group meeting in December; the report suggested that the town is just as safe - public disorder has increased but not violence. There is now more policing at night rather than during the day however.

Fundraising and social

• Thanks to Street Reps, Mark Erickson and Kevin Daly for distributing the postcards. The remainder are to be sold at 25p each. Volunteers needed to visit shops and ask traders to sell.  Ditto for the university students' fundraising CD - article in the Runner on this.

• Kingscliffe Society - Annual dinner is on 7th February, 7pm at Gallery Restaurant, Whitecross Street, £18 for 4 courses and one glass of wine.  This is a pleasant event - ask Jackie Fuller for details.

• Also Sunday 21st February, 3pm, Malcolm Dawes, Chair of Brighton Society, is giving a talk at Hampshire Lodge, Hampshire Court, Upper St James's Street, £2 on the door.

• Theatre group outings: 14th Februry Hothouse by Harold Pinter, 29th March The Real Thing by Tom Stoppard.  Ticket requests up to 2 weeks beforehand to Peter Crowhurst.

Meetings

Discussed ideas for future speakers at meetings. ACTION: Sara Bragg to write to Chinese Centre, Ian Davey to ask Sue Paskins for speakers on the car club including a club user, Peter to ask Brighton Housing Trust for a speaker on housing, Sharon Thomas to ask for traders' tales, Roy Skam to ask Tony Mernagh, Jackie Fuller to find out more about BPEC's environmental talks.  Francis Clark-Lowes will talk when and as needed.  The meeting would still like someone to find a speaker on easy ways to improve home insulation etc - suggestions welcome.  Agreed to invite Jackie Marsh-Hobbs to speak at the AGM.