Bletchley Park Area Residents’ Association
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
Held in the Chauffeurs’ Hut, Bletchley Park
At 7.00pm on Tuesday 14 April 2015
Present: Angie Ravn-Aagaard, Hon. Chairman; Derek Storey, Hon. Treasurer; Kathy Wilson, Hon. Secretary and 36 other members of the Association.
The meeting began at 7.20pm and the Chairman welcomed everyone, especially new members.
- Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Chris Simpson (Life President), Jean Bissell, Carol Caesar, John Hammett, Sue & Peter Jarvis, David Murray, Sam & Rosi Shunmoogum
- Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday 29 April 2014
The Minutes of the meeting held on 29 April, 2014 were read and approved.
Proposed: Fiona Storey. Seconded: Debbie Castell
- Hon. Chairman’s Report (a full copy to be posted on BPARA website)
- i) A slide presentation covering 25 years of BPARA was shown.
- ii) Salden Chase – an outline planning application had been submitted to Aylesbury Vale Council by the South West Milton Keynes Consortium, and BPARA had submitting objections to the proposal. Another application by the developer in relation to access to the proposed site via the A421 Standing Way between the Bottle Dump & Tattenhoe Roundabouts and Whaddon Road had been submitted to MK Council, and BPARA had also lodged an objection.
BPARA acknowledged the support of West Bletchley Council in coordinating opposition from neighbouring councils and organisations, for providing financial support to fight the application, and obtaining expert opinions to support submissions to oppose the application. The Council’s Salden Chase Sub-Committee (which consists of councillors and local organisations including BPARA) will ensure that there is representation at the Aylesbury Vale Council meeting when this application is considered.
iii) Home Farm (ex-Serco) depot – Sherwood Drive
The application to develop the unused brownfield site owned by MK Council had been opposed by BPARA and local residents due to a variety of reasons, including high density of housing. BPARA made 3 submissions to MK Council, and spoke against the development at the two MK Council planning meetings at which it learnt that the Planning Department had been in disarray for some time, and had just been reorganised under a new Head of Planning. The developer of the Serco site had experienced difficulties with the Planning Department over several months.
MK Council approved the outline application at their December meeting, and also agreed to a ridiculously low contribution (known as S106 monies) towards services from the Developer. However, BPARA ensured that the Reserved Matters – the actual detail of the development – should be subject to public consultation and approval by MK Planning Department. Although the developer did address some concerns, BPARA made a submission regarding the Reserved Matters application considered at MK Council’s April meeting.
BPARA has also met with residents and the developer on a total of 4 occasions. The developer invited Association members to suggest a name for the new road – BPARA passed on your suggestions but have not yet heard back from the developer.
BPARA accepts that MK Council has to raise revenue, but feels badly let down by MK Council and its decision to sell the land and permit this development on the basis approved by their Planning Department.
- iv) COBRA (Consortium of Bletchley Resident Association)
COBRA had been revived and BPARA attended 2 meetings this year, which provided a good opportunity to enlist COBRA members’ support against the Salden Chase proposed development. It is good forum for discussing issues which impact all residents in the wider Bletchley/Fenny Stratford area, including Newton Leys, and to lobby local councils when necessary.
- v) Bletchley Transport Strategy Group
It was reported that this group, jointly sponsored & led by Bletchley & Fenny Stratford Town Council & West Bletchley Council, seems to have folded since the last meeting in January 2014, due to lack of interest from most parties. The most suitable forum for raising such issues was now the newly re-formed COBRA.
- Hon. Secretary’s Report (a full copy to be posted on BPARA website)
- The Hon. Secretary thanked the Hon. Chairman for the time and energy she had expended on behalf of the Association’s members during the past year.
- Rickley Park/Splash Park – it was reported that ownership had been taken over by West Bletchley Council who had conducted an ongoing consultation process with local residents with a view to encouraging greater use of the space. The Council had produced 3 designs incorporating a range of facilities and activities following feedback from local residents, which had been on public view in late March and there had been a positive response from residents. The proposal for a children’s splash park was considered by the Council to be unfeasible, but a proposal to site elsewhere in the West Bletchley Parish was put to a full WBC Committee Meeting some months ago and this was passed for further consideration.
iii) West Bletchley Neighbourhood Action Group – it was reported that meetings are held every 5 weeks, and are attended either by the Hon. Chairman or the Hon. Secretary. throughout the year and Angie or myself attend when we can. They are chaired by Brenda Hart and are also attended by Detective Sergeant Neil Taylor from Thames Valley Police, who reports on any crimes or anti-social behaviour in the area.
The other main priorities for the group are monitoring Parking, Speeding, and Littering in WB.
The meetings serve as a useful forum for sharing information on those issues and we can raise items which are of concern to our members. Reports on the meetings feature in our Association’s Newsletters.
Planning Applications Updates:
7 Colossus Way
Change of use from a residential property to a Care Home for 4 adults with special needs. This was reported on at last year’s AGM and has since been allowed following an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate, despite further submissions from local residents objecting to the change.
The Hatch, 111 Church Green Road
Change of use from a B & B to an HMO – a retrospective application – was allowed by the MK DCC.
Bletchley Park Estate
MK Council has now adopted the roads on the estate but there are still issues of concern to residents, in particular the long-term problems caused to residents who live near to the old G Block site on Bletchley Park. This is not only an eye sore but a focus for vandals trespassing on the site.
The association is continuing to lobby for action on this and have enlisted the help of WBC in trying to obtain action from MKC’s enforcement officers to force developers of the estate to clean and secure the area. However, little has been done and the situation is complicated by the fact that the site is in the process of being sold to Bletchley Park Capital Partners.
The Old Canteen, Wilton Avenue
This site was purchased some 2 years ago by BPCP and – like G Block – is in a derelict state and another target for vandals. We reported at last year’s AGM that the site was gradually being cleared but since that time, little has been achieved.
Despite numerous attempts to contact members of the company to discuss progress on both sites, there has to date been no response. Our Chairman last wrote to their MD, Tim Reynolds on April 10th hoping for some information to relay to this meeting but to no avail.
Committee Meetings
We have held 2 Committee Meetings since the last AGM – on Thursday 27th November 2014 and Tuesday 24th February 2015.
Newsletters
4 Newsletters have been distributed during the year – in June, September and December 2014 and in March 2015. The majority of newsletters are sent to members by email, with paper copies posted through doors for the remainder of members.
Other Items:
- This year’s West Bletchley Carnival is to be held on Saturday 6th June and has the title “Twisted Circus”. The idea of piloting a second “Community Day” on the following day has now been abandoned for this year.
- There is to be only one “Love Bletchley” day this year – on Saturday 9th May – to be centred on Queensway.
- David & Janice Hale are opening their garden under the National Open Gardens Scheme, from 2-6pm on Sunday 14th June and from 2-5pm on Tuesday 16th Admission is £3 and children are admitted free. Home-made teas are available.
And sadly I have to report the passing, during the year, of a number of long-standing members of the Association:
Tom Gosling of Whalley Drive
Jo Green of Craigmore Avenue
Tony Huckle of Sherwood Drive
June Hughes of Whalley Drive
Peter Wescombe of Rickley Lane
- Hon. Treasurer’s Report – Accounts
The Hon, Treasurer, Derek Storey, presented the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2015. He reported that there were 244 paid up members to date. Total income for the year was £498.07 and total expenditure, £306.00, giving a surplus of £192.07 . The accumulated fund now stands at £693.17. Subscription remains at £2.00 per household.
Full details of this report will shortly be available on the Association’s website – www.bpara.co.uk
- Election of Officers
- i) All officers having agreed to stand again, Ib Ravn-Aagaard proposed their re-election for one more year. Seconded: Sinclair Holm
- ii) The Chairman thanked committee members and representatives for their help during the year. Special thanks were given to long-serving Committee Member, John West, who had stepped down during the year. The Chairman also presented him with a small gift from the Association.
The Chairman also thanked the Hon. Treasurer for his work and Pete Ager for his continued work on the layout of the newsletters.
- Any Other Business
There being no other business, the meeting closed at approximately 8.00pm
The business meeting was followed by refreshments provided by the Bletchley Park caterers and a special cake to celebrate the Association’s first 25 years.
Iain Standen, the Chief Executive Officer of the Bletchley Park Trust, then addressed the meeting. He gave details of the successful completion of Phase 1 of the re-development of the site and of the consequent increase in visitor numbers (helped particularly by the release of the feature film, ‘The Imitation Game’ about Alan Turing and the WW2 Code Breakers). He also briefly mentioned the forward planning for Phase 2 – named “Operation Overlord”.
Following Iain’s talk, Helen Hupton, Clerk to West Bletchley Council, gave an illustrated talk about the work of the Council (What is a Parish Council?) and her role in particular. She also updated members on the activities of the West Bletchley Neighbourhood Planning Steering Committee and ideas for future redevelopment of the Bletchley Park area.
