Loggerheads In Bloom / Clean up Loggerheads Public Meeting
Held at The Hugo Meynell C.E. Primary School, Loggerheads
On Tuesday 15th April at 7.30pm.

Attendance: - Eric Pemberton – Loggerheads Local Plan Committee
Jane Hughes – Loggerheads In Bloom (Parish Councillor)

21 residents from Loggerheads

Eric welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained that the residents had been invited because they had ticked the boxes on the Village Plan Questionnaire indicating their interest in Loggerheads in Bloom, Tidy up Loggerheads or Fund Raising. Eric introduced Jane Hughes who explained her reasons for attending the meeting and talked about the work of Loggerheads In Bloom.
The residents were then asked to offer suggestions and comments about Loggerheads and how we could further improve our village.

The residents raised the following issues/ areas for improvement.

Litter – concern was expressed from many residents that the litter in the centre of the village was an eyesore. Despite there being several bins they were often overflowing and rubbish from the fast food outlets and Coop littered the crossroads and particularly the bus shelters.

Resolved – to organise a community litter pick on a Saturday morning. To involve as many residents as possible. To advertise the event through posters, the school and local organisations.

Eric agreed to contact NBC to liase with litter pick to provide additional litter pick equipment and to dispose of the litter collected.

Jane would request the use of Parish Council Litter picking equipment.
Date of “Action Day” – Saturday 10th May. 10am – 12.
A planning meeting for the litter pick would be held at the Loggerheads pub on Tuesday 6th May at 7.30 pm.

Jane / Eric would make posters and put them up in shops, pubs etc around Loggerheads.

Jane agreed to write to local businesses, on behalf of Loggerheads In Bloom, to ask them to take a responsible approach to litter and take active steps to deter litter and contribute to its removal.

Bus Shelter – although there was a lot of sympathy for the young people of Loggerheads in terms of knowledge that there was very little for the young people to do around the village there was a consensus that the state of the bus shelter was a crime and an eyesore. Residents expressed the view that people passing through Loggerheads based their opinions on the village on the unsightly bus shelter. It was discussed that we needed to resolve the cause of the vandalism. Other villages around us did not have the severity of the problems that we had. A resident of the village suggested that if the plans for additional shops went ahead on the garage site could there be a community “coffee shop” to give the youngsters somewhere to meet. This point led other residents to debate the need for a village plan to involve the community in deciding what sort of building there should be in the centre of Loggerheads. Could the NBC be contacted to put together a plan based on need and desire. These young people were our children and in general nice kids, it was perhaps only one or two that showed no respect for our community that were causing the problems.

Resolved – to ask the CPSO to be more vigilant in monitoring the young people and discouraging them from vandalising our much-needed facility for the benefit of all.

Signs on entrance an exit to village – it was noted by several residents that the Loggerheads signs were in a dreadful state, buckled or completely absent. The signs gave a first impression to the village. There was discussion about the responsibilities of NBC with respect to signage. The residents asked whether some better signage could be purchased.

Resolved – Jane would pass on the comments to the Parish Council and enquire as to where we were with the replacement of the signage. Signage was a recurring issue with Knighton residents and now Loggerheads.

To make the centre of the village more attractive – Jane informed the meeting of Loggerheads in Bloom plans to fill the baskets with red geraniums this year. Care Principles had generously offered to contribute £500 towards the cost of the flowers and she was hopeful of getting a similar amount from the Parish Council. She explained the cost of each basket was £50 and around £350 was required to fund a local gardener to water the baskets on a daily basis. Further fund raising would be required to put additional planting around the village. Comments were made about the daffodil bulbs and how they had improved the look of the village but could there be more? The meeting discussed the possibility of a fund raising meal to raise additional funds. The area behind the bus shelter was identified as a possible space for planting blossom trees, which would hide the unsightly workshop car park.

Resolved – Jane to ask the Parish Council to continue to buy daffodil bulbs and extend the areas that have been planted. One resident has photographed the position of planted bulbs around the village so we know where to plant in the autumn.

Telephone box – residents informed the meeting that the telephone box had been kicked in and wondered who should be contacted to repair it.

Resolved - Jane agreed to inform the Parish Council / Eric to find out who to contact through the Information Shop.

Fox Hollow – a resident informed the meeting that there were overhanging branches along Fox Hollow, could they please be trimmed.

Resolved – Jane to inform Parish Council of the need to arrange the trimming of branches.

A Strategic Landscape Plan for Loggerheads – a resident suggested that the Borough Council might provided expertise to draw up this plan. This would enable small projects to proceed within a large vision and would give impetus to seek funding. This landscape plan might include trees and shrubs to screen eyesores as well as form possible avenues of trees on the approaches and new signage.

Resolved – to revisit this topic in the future

Speed of traffic through the village – many residents were concerned about the speed of cars going through village, one resident suggested that another flashing 30 mph sign could be placed on the Newcastle side of the village to remind motorists coming from Newcastle to slow down.

Resolved – Jane to ask Parish Council if I would be possible for a second “Slow Down, 30 mph” sign to be placed on the Newcastle end of the village.