Oakdale and Penmaen Community Partnership Meeting Held at 6.30pm on Wednesday 5th April, 2006 At Oakdale Community Centre

1. Chairman’s Opening Remarks

Chairman Roger Evans welcomed all those present .
He also introduced Chris Hodson from Caerphilly Local Health Board and Emma Collins our new co-ordinator.

2. Apologies:

Steven Carter, Dean Tucker, Don Touhig, Peter Gomer, Ilys Jones, Silwyn Evans, Glyn Ralph, Bert Harper Ashbridge, Jamie Whitcombe, Jan Bennett

3. Minutes of Last Meeting
Passed as a true record.. Granville and Karen have all the paperwork together to register as a Charity. GAVO has offered training for trustees.

4. Chris Hodson- Caerphilly Local Health Board- Contact no: 01443 863644 or E Mail chris.hodson@caerphillylhb.wales.nhs.uk

Chris gave a brief overview of his role in the Caerphilly Local Health Board. he will take back any questions/concerns that we have and will answer via Granville, or will come back to our meeting if requested. There are 5 LHB’s in Gwent. They work closely with CCBC regarding Health, Social Care and Well-being. A good example of the local decision making is the new hospital project. Several questions were fired at Chris .
(i) Will MacMillan beds be provided in the New Hospital? There will be six beds in the new Hospital offering Palliative Care. There is also funding available that if people wish to remain in their home in the final years of their life, then help is available.
(ii) How do Elderly people know this help is available? There is a unified Assessment Process in place, that captures all a person’s needs- ‘A type of one stop shop’. So that all the needs can be addressed. (iii) What part do GP’s play in this New Health Board? GP’s are independent private Contractors. The Health Board doe sometimes employ their own GP’s in areas where it is difficult to fill the position. All GP’s are on a contract that was devised and negotiated with the Government.
There is a general feeling amongst the Partnership that people are not happy with the GP’s contract and working hours. Chris will take these issues back to Judith Padgett, he is willing to come back and answer more questions or send someone of higher authority if that is required. Chris handed out someone useful leaflets on the Local General Hospital and changes to the NHS Dentistry.

5. Projects

Roger has written to all interested parties to see where we are with projects.

Concrete based Skateboard Park

Tenders are being checked. The entire project should be completed by June 2006. Youngsters will be consulted on what the lay out should be by the Contractor awarded the contract. Any invoices received must be sent to Vicky immediately. The bottom field will not become functional until Autumn- children have been playing in the area and this needs to be stopped.

Security Lighting

Community centre lighting- Electrical engineering said it would be very expensive to plug lights into council supply. Lee Evans will send someone to check out the electric circuit – due to lights coming on at irregular times. There is no funding available for lights- it is a Community centre cost. A letter will be written to the Welsh Assembly . In the meantime Doreen should speak to Steve Hawkins.
Lighting in the square- Rob, David and Bert went to Tiryberth to see the CCTV centre. The lighting is very poor in the night time and the images on the cameras cannot be seen very clearly. They will look at the funding to upgrade the CCTV

Kitchen

Community Centre Committee will have the full support of the Council re: Planning, guidance etc., but will have to fund the Kitchen themselves. The Council is responsible for the upkeep of the Exterior of the building but not internal. (Now removed off our Agenda)

Upgrading of Youth Centre

Contractors have nearly completed building works. School Governing Body will decide out how to kit out the interior- possibility of a Cyber Cafe. It will be used during School time and out of hours. There is an added benefit that there will then be someone to Supervise the MUGA as well. This is not our project – this is just for information purposes.

Local Signs

4 Signs required- this is on the list

Operation dereliction

Our list has been neglected. Apologies were made and our list is now being addressed. A number of items on the list were privately owned and must be addressed by these owners. Alan Pritchard will contact Persimmons re: moving old sty.
An Engineer will visit us to discuss the different types of Bollards that have been erected. Granville to supply a full list of queries to Bob, so that he can arrive with the correct information.

Graveyards

No labour available to clear these areas. YOT – too much for them to cope with. The Probation team will go in and do remedial work at Jerusalem. If choir makes safe the Headstones in Penmaen Chapel then the Probation Service will go in. It should be the Families responsibility to care for their Family Graves. The Japanese Knotweed is still a problem. Granville has the contact with a Private Contractor if required.

Bridleway project- Now renamed Community Access Route

There were Health & Safety concerns raised about Pedestrians/Bikes sharing the same route as Horses. However the only way the grant would be awarded was if it was a Community Route. The Rights Of Way had to be registered to secure the routes before the Developers moved in. The Council has agreed to address the poor standard of work and put it to the correct specifications as agreed with the British Horse Society. There is still funding of £5,000 available to bring this up to standard.

A publicity leaflet should be produced to advertise this new route. Funding is available for advertising.

Greengro

A meeting was held with Mr Lewis- the owner of Penmaen Woods and a member of the Forestry Commission. there was a very positive response from Mr Lewis who agreed the woods can be opened up for Communal use as long as he is kept informed of the plans. Groundwork will help to complete the forms

Centenary Celebrations

A letter of support was received off General Dynamics. Mike Perry requested a Digital Projector- funding has already been obtained for this! Next Centenary meeting to be held at 4.30pm on the 11th May, 2006-04-06