Minutes of the Meeting of the Friends of Nutsford Vale on
13th June, 2018  at the Bluebell Inn, Levenshulme

Attendees:  Rita Edge, Barrie Edge, Mavis Holt, Maureen Riding, Bernie Cree, Steve Cree, Ally Fogg, Christine Prunty, John Prunty, Finola McGrath and Albie, Barbara Moore, Alan Gibson, Claire James
Apologies:  Elle Baines, Mark Lucas, Bruce James

Welcome:
Rita started the meeting and explained that Alan has suggested at the last meeting that we should contact Manchester City Council's Planning Committee and ask for the Environmental Impact Assessment.  We sent an email and the response we got back was that they did not do one as it was not necessary because it was only the local people who were affected by the Build.  Everybody was shocked by this.  Rita said she sent an email to Afzal Khan M.P. and enclosed the email and the attachment and said that we wanted his opinion, advice and support over this blatant disregard of EU Law putting the health and safety of his constituents at risk.  We have not heard back as of yet.
Rita has also contacted Kevin McGuire from the Daily Mirror who is a big tree enthusiast.  We have discovered today that there has been a tree tsar appointed called Sir William Worsley and he is the current Chair of the Northern Forest which stretches from the east side to the west side of the Country.  His remit from Sir Michael Gove is to stop needless felling of trees and to encourage planting.  
We need to ask Cassie about "how to do things on the web site".  Bernie thinks Cassie sent her the crib sheet and she will have to look back over her emails for it.  The website does need updating as it is out of date.  If the sheet is found and doesn't help us then Barrie says we need to go back to Cassie.
Rita has been in touch with Nick Hunter today about the grass verges because they were supposed to sign a new contract on 1st June and we have not had any information about it.  There is a new contract but we do not know who it is with but is is not Continental Landscapes.
Bernie explained that when they were on holiday her and Steve met up with Bob Lomas and Jean Wood.  Bob had seen about the Landcare site in the last minutes and he said why don't we go for it and either apply for a Lottery Grant or a Health Lottery Grant and use the fact we are losing the chunk of land where the school will be built.  We could use Jenna's research to back up our application as it is about health and an aging population.  Steve said why don't we go for the Waterboard land at the very back as we would get it at a reasonable price.  Barrie asked what would happen to the methane stripping plant and Bernie said that they would still have access.  The land is an eyesore at the moment.  Someone at the other end asked what was happening and Bernie said it looks like the school will be built and they actually said they would help clear the Landcare site.  We need to leaflet Pinkbank Lane to see if anyone else would help.  Ally said it is really complicated being a landlord especially with having to insure everyone so it probably wouldn't be a good idea taking over the Waterboard land.  Bernie said we could stop people going on that bit and that would solve the problem.  Ally said we have a really good case going to Landcare and the Council and ask them for funding.  Ally said the Council pushed forward their plans for the school by saying the Landcare land is part of Nutsford Vale.  Bernie said even if they may help us apply for the lottery grant.  At the planning meeting Alan said the Developer had to repay £300,000.  We need to write to the Treasurer to see if this money has been repayed.  Rita stated that the Landcare land belongs to Landcare not the Council.  They have a big site over in Yorkshire that recycles everything.  They let local groups take over the running of the land but they have to have a proper plan.  There are various grants that Landcare can give to groups from the site in Yorkshire so the money to do it is not a problem.  They can also give us the names of a couple of rehabilitation groups who can do the maintenance of the Landcare site.  Alan said this should not stop us asking for the money to be repayed.  That is a separate issue.  A few years ago the man who owns Landcare approached Rita and Barrie and asked if the group would take it over and at the time they didn't want to because of the state it was in and he said if you can get a quote for fencing and pathways etc.  They did this but he never came back so it was forgotton.  When Rita approached the man again it was before Planning permission was given for the school build and she said we are looking to losing a big chunk of the Vale and we may consider taking on your plot of land.  He said he was happy about this but would get in touch with the Council about but she said she did not want the Council involved with how they had treated us over the Vale.  A couple of weeks later she got an email addressed to her copied to Julie Reid and Peter Cookson saying she had been in touch with Landcare with a view to taking over their land.  He did not get a reply from either of them.  Rita said that when we talked about Landcare at the last meeting the general opinion was that we would not do anything about it unless the people on Pinkbank Lane side stopped dumping on it.  Ally said that when people treated places better then it had usually a knock on effect and the dumping reduced.  John said some people could not be changed.  Ally said we had to be a little optimistic and see the best in people.  Levenshulme Square people tidy a street every Saturday and then put a letter through everyone in the street's letter box saying what they had done.  That makes a huge difference.  Claire mentioned the fact that large van's are not allowed in the tip on Sandyfold Lane and so dump on Greenbank etc.  Finola asked where they went with large van's and was told Sharston or Cheetham Hill.  The vehicle gets paid before and after and a fee is charged for the pleasure of dumping.  Finola said people should be made aware that by paying people to take their rubbish away some of it may be illegally dumped.   John mentioned the dumping by Buy-to-Lets.  Finola said Nutsford Vale is not too bad because there is a fence around it.  Alan said we should work on the Landcare Proposal on the quiet because it may compromise our position with the Vale.  Bernie mentioned the letter put up by Planning on the 22nd May and that they still did not know who was taking the landfill away, how to actually build it etc.  Alan said that is their problem.  Alan said as far as he is concerned they cannot proceed.  We need another fact sheet going out to let all residents know.  Steve said we need a leaflet that is one side English and one side the most popular language of residents.  Bernie said Steve knows someone who can translate for us who is reliable.  John needs to find a document he saw online about who is responsible for what has been dumped beneath the land.
Mark Lucas could not attend the meeting but he has sent an email to Bernie about Knowsley Parks.  In 2017 Knowsley Council said they were going to sell off 17 parks for redevelopment and the monies raised would go towards maintaining the rest of the parks for life.  At present Knowsley Council have no monies to maintain their parks.  The Council leadership has changed since May and the new leader has decided to scrap this idea from Monday and keep all the parks and from 2019 they are going to start maintaining all the parks.  They said "it is for the future generations".  Alan said he has been to parks all over Manchester and they are empty.  Cllr Chowie states this about the Vale but Bernie says she sees plenty of people on the Vale and is he on there.
We received an email from Gorton Altogether Group about the Moston Area about car scanning.  They can open cars with these scanners without keys.  They can override anything.  Be aware!!
The Big Lunch is on Saturday.  Ally says it is going to rain.  Steve says if it doesn't rain he will mow a portion.  We will put leaflets in the cases on the Vale.  We will set up at 10.30 am to start at 12 noon.  We need to bring food and drinks to feed people.
The next event is Gorton Carnival.
Rita asked Bernie if she had asked any Councillors to this meeting but Bernie had to apologise as with going away she had only remembered on Wednesday itself.  She said she would ask them to come to the next meeting.  Rita thought it may be a little too late.  Barrie said we need to establish who is with us and who is not.  Are we going to continue being ignored by them or they going to provide us with some interest.  Rita said there is only Suzanne who has acknowledged what happened in February and with the Secretary of State.  Rita said we want Levenshulme, Gorton/Abbey Hey and Longsight as group members and users come from all three wards.  Mavis said  general we should be inviting Longsight Councillors now as the Vale has been put into that Ward.  Barrie wrote to Luthfer Rahman asking why he should be voted for in the election but had no reply.
Danny wrote to the Teacher's Union.  Steve says he finds it funny how the Union and the Health side of it have gone very quiet.  Rita said everyone has gone quiet.  She thought they would have put posters in place.  Bernie said she and Steve will put a banner up saying "Toxic Dump School".  Claire is going to live in the trees as long as we relieve her and feed her.  Bernie wrote to Channel 4's Dispatches but has not heard anything.
Alan said we need a Utube video of the Vale.  The drone man has run off to Austria but he did come to the Vale and said he can film it.  Ally's son finishes his GSCEs on Friday and he is thinking of sending him out on the Vale filming during his holidays.  Alan wants it on Facebook. 
Sir Richard Leese wants a ban on opposition's questions at Planning Committees.  Steve mentioned the pothole fiasco.
Barrie said if the top metre of the Vale is the cap and is keeping all the nasty stuff down as soon as you take the top metre off to be cleaned you don't have a lid on the cap.  Ally said you have the foliage, the top soil, the cap and then everything else.  John said when they were doing the test pipes some of it was only two to three inches.  Steve said they may clean all the land where the school is going but when the rest of it starts moving over they can't clean under the school.  When they first capped the Vale it was dome shaped and now it unjulates.  Barrie said decomposition is still happening.  The school will continue to sink or collapse.  
Alan has discovered that the Green Spalatial Framework has been delayed to July because of the local elections.  Platt Fields and Birchfields were complaining too.  
Alan mentioned about Showcase Cinema site and Rita said she had been told it had been sold.  Rita said we have put up many alternative sites.  Steve said about Mayfield Depot which was owned by British Rail.  The developer will provide the money to build the houses and therefore they will be able to do the park.
Rita asked Christine if she would have a word with her Solicitor friend and get him to write some letters for us.
Ally asked if someone could look into how many people had gone back home since Brexit Vote and took their children.  The projections may be wrong now.  Steve said we are getting alot of small children ready for the new Gorton Primary.  Ally said it is due to cheap housing and people not wanting to live in Gorton so there is empty housing.  In Wales ex prisoners from England are being sent there and the English taxpayers are paying for them.  We should sent the schoolchildren there.  Mavis said it happened years ago in Gorton South Ward.
Maureen stated she would not be doing any more litter picks because of an incident that happened to her on May 2nd on the Vale.  We would like to thank her for all the hard work she has done for the group over the years on the litter picks.  Maureen said Bernie had sent an email about it to everyone.  She said if especially the women do litter picks to go in pairs.  Mavis asked what had happened and Maureen said a man of about twenty five with a hoodie came into the bushes after her and showed her a picture of two girls on the phone, one on a piggy back.  He stepped nearer and nearer to her and did something vulgar to himself.  She called him all the names under the sun and threatened the police and he ran off.  He must have been watching.  Be vigilant.  She has been in touch with the police but as yet they have done nothing.  The Central police were good but the local ones weren't.  Bernie said although it was mentioned at the last meeting it wasn't on the tape as it had been said privately before the tape was switched on.  Men have to be cautious too.  Although most people are friendly it only takes one to not be.  
N.B.  IF ANYONE AT ANYTIME FEELS VUNERABLE OR THREATENED BY ANYONE ON THE VALE THE PERSON MUST REPORT THIS TO THE POLICE AS IT IS A CRIME.  WE NEED TO MAKE OUR MEMBERS AND PARK USERS FEEL SAFE SO REPORTING TO THE GROUP IS ALSO ESSENTIAL SO AN EMAIL CAN BE SENT OUT WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PERPITRATOR.  ALWAYS BE VIGILANT BUT ENJOY THE SPACE AS WELL WHILST WE STILL CAN !!
Six people did the litter pick at the beginning of the month.  If you see any large peices of rubbish either report it to Council under flytipping or to secretary@friendsofnutsfordvale.co.uk and Bernie will report it for you.
Barrie mentioned that the Council stated in December that Community groups in parks will not have to have insurance as it will be provided by them but as of yet it has not happened.  We need to ask the Councillors this.

Next Meeting                     Wednesday 4th July, 2018 @
                                               Bluebell Inn, Levenshulme @ 6.30pm

The Big Lunch                     This Saturday 16th June, 2018 @
                                              Bickerdike Entrance to Nutsford Vale
                                             @10.30 am to help set up for 12 noon
                                             start. 
                                             PLEASE BRING FOOD AND DRINKS 

Gorton Carnival                 Debdale Park, Sunday 8th July 2018
                                             to run the Nutsford Vale stall