June 9th 2008 - meeting minutes

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

The new NLCA website

By Lynne Arnold, NLCA joint Secretary

Welcome to new members and apologies were received from: Maureen Brand, Margaret Daly, Ian Davey, Jackie Fuller and Peter Stocker. 23 people in attendance.

The new NLCA website

The website of the NLCA is in the last phase of its development and Peter Crowhurst took the meeting on a virtual tour of the new site... inviting all residents (present and not) to register and start submitting comments, reminiscences, or photos.  Once you have submitted material there is a team of sub-editors who will then edit if necessary and place your content onto the website, where you will be able to see it within a couple of days.  The address of the site until the Grand Launch on July 7th is www.nlca.communitysites.co.uk. From 7th July when the site goes fully live the address will be www.nlcaonline.org.uk

Notices

North Laine Runner deadline is 14 July, not 9 June as stated on the agenda.

Matters arising from the last minutes

Maggie Deacon has sent responses to the questions asked at the last meeting, confirming that Pelham Street will remain a public highway; and has sent a copy of the sustainability statement - if anyone is interested in seeing this please contact Peter Crowhurst.

Licensing, Planning and Environment

- The meeting discussed the proposed development on the existing GB Liners site on Blackman Street, and although there are some reservations about the height those present were generally satisfied with the proposal.

- The Hargreaves application for the site on the corner of Portland and North Streets has been refused on 13 counts.  There will be an appeal, and the NLCA will send a letter supporting the council's decision.

- The Pressure Point and Bar Fly have both closed recently and unexpectedly.  The Pressure Point claimed that it was due to the smoking ban.  The Bar Fly is closing for refurbishment and layout changes and will reopen in the spring.  We will be watching developments.

- There have been a number of questions regarding the legality of furniture outside pubs.  The pub needs to have a licence, and this is shown by a green circle indicating where furniture is permitted.  If you are concerned contact the council by email on ehl.safety@brighton-hove.gov.uk or tel: 292071.

Runner 

- Paley O'Connor would like to step down from arranging the Runner advertising.  It is not an onerous task - collecting cheques and keeping in touch with businesses that advertise (occasionally benefiting from discounts etc!) - but does need to be done during working hours.  If you are willing please contact Jackie Fuller.

- If anyone is interested in being the street rep for North Street please contact Jackie Fuller.

Brighton Society

The Society's AGM is on Thursday 12 June in the Stanmer Room at the Brighthelm Centre at 7.30 pm.  Malcolm Dawes will give a review of the developments in Brighton over the last 12 months.

Social Events

- Theatre group :  Next event is 'The Alchemist' by Ben Jonson on 26 June - please contact Peter Crowhurst.

- Tea Party : This has been arranged for Sunday 7 September at the Royal Pavilion Gardens Café

- Pelham Square Picnic will be held on 17 August, 2-5 pm, so bring your picnic and meet your neighbours! [PLEASE NOTE THE TIME CHANGE FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES.]

- Street Parties: Over Street and Frederick Gardens are joining together on 14 September for their street parties. The party in Kensington Place is on the 21 September. Again other streets are encouraged to join in and hold their own.  If you have questions on how to run a street party there are some tips on the new website

AOB

- The NLCA stall on Upper Gardner Street will be held every fortnight, next date is the 21 June.  If anyone would like to volunteer for a few hours either turn up on the day or contact Peter Crowhurst.  If last Saturday is anything to go by - books, trinkets and jewellery are what sell best so bring along any unwanted items.

- The second talk in the 'What's your Waste Line?' series will be on 19 June at 7.30pm at the Brighthelm Centre. Speakers will be Peter Jones (Director of Biffa Waste Services) on 'Waste-resources and the carbon agenda - the technological, economic and socio-political drivers of change to 2015' and Marie Harder (Professor, Waste, Energy and Resources Group, Brighton University) on 'Increasing Public Awareness of Waste in Sussex'.  Tickets are £3 at the door.

- B&H Transition Initiative are arranging a meeting for either 23 or 26 June in the evening or a Saturday morning if that suits interested parties better.  The purpose of the meeting would be to discuss the aims and purposes of Neighbourhood Groups, what they might do, how they might evolve, ways of starting them alongside or within existing neighbourhood associations.  Anyone who is interested should contact John Bristow (john.bristow1@btopenworld.com).