Record of Meeting of Friends of Nutsford Vale
Wednesday 18th October, 2017 at the Blue Bell Inn

Attendees:
Barrie Edge,         Barbara Moore,     Maureen Riding,     Mavis Holt,
Cllr P Cookson,    Mark Lucas,            Alan Gibson,             Ally Fogg,
Bernie Cree,         Steve Cree,             Angela Millington,   Christine Prunty,
John Prunty,        Daniel Heathcote,  Cassie Spinks-Lewis
Apologies:
Claire James,        Bruce James,           Frank Pollitt,              Bob Lomas,
Jean Wood,          Cllr J Reid,                 Cllr B Stone               Pat Kealy

Welcome and Introduction:
Matters Arising: from Previous Meeting on 6th September 2017
      .   None

Main Meeting 

1   Rita explained that on 28th September there was an emergency meeting as a result of the paperwork from the second meeting with ARUP(geoscientists).  There are 35 bore holes on the Vale and 19 went down to the aquifer which has been found to be contaminated.  The aquifer is the bed rock.  There is an asbestos risk particularly where the school build is proposed but the contractors are not unduly concerned by this as there is to be hardstanding for the mugger and games areas.  There will be a cap and the areas to be landscaped will have new soil and the old taken away.
2   We went to the Scrutiny meeting on 10th Oct where Ally did "a real plea from the heart" and it was well received .  It echoed how we all feel about our children's futures but the council are still determined to go ahead with it.
3  Councillor Luftner Rahman and Councillor Julie Reid have called a meeting for us at the Town Hall on Monday 23rd October 2017 to decide what we want from the Council and Contractors to compensate us if the build should go ahead.  Ally was worried that at this stage anything we say to Councillor Rahman or the the council will be used in an official capacity and will find its way into the planning proposal to say how much good the building of the new school will do for the community.  If we lose at planning that is the time to make our demands.  Bernie said she did not think they would give us anything if planning went through.  Ally stated that it was half of the Vale that would be left not two thirds.
4   Cllr Reid had suggested that we might want an eco centre on the Vale.  Some thought as vegetable plots and flower beds could not be put on the school build part of the Vale because of the contamination then this would not be practical but it was pointed out by Cllr Cookson that the eco centre is a structure where children can learn about flaura and forna and their history.  Nobody wants any building on any part of the Vale.
5    John showed us a map to show the green spaces in the area that the council had put in at the last meeting obviously trying to point out how much was in the area.  Most of these green spaces had had housing built on them ie the top of Matthews Lane and some wasn't  even council owned land but privately owned ie Mellands Playing Fields.  He said this was very misleading.
6   The council are still including the land owned by Landcare as part of their part of Nutsford Vale.  Rita said Landcare is an organisation that buys up ex landfill sites and either develops them or makes them into green spaces.  They have a site in Yorkshire that recyles the asbestos etc from the land they are developing and makes money out of it which is used for their developments or green spaces.  Barrie and Rita actually had a walk round meeting with them a few years ago with the intention of clearing up the landcare site and having fencing and paths put round it and having it added to our part of the Vale.  They disappeared and now the council and local housing have took over clearing this part of the land but it has only happened a few times.
7   Steve was concerned about the builders taking out 38 trees on the front of Matthews Lane as they had said originally that the school would be hidden from view.  They said all the trees were under thirty years old but these were planted for the "plant a tree in seventy three" campaign so they are forty four years old.  
8   Jane Dudley was asked about why the verges were not being cut and the bins emptied.  The verges have only been cut by the council once this year.  The verges are supposed to be cut once a month March to October and the bins emptied twice a week March to October and weekly in the winter months.  Rita asked Amanda Corcoran what the council were paying for.  Steve, Bernie and John have been doing their own mowing.
9   We are holding a Halloween Lantern Walk at 5.30 p.m. on Saturday 28th October, 2017 meeting at the Bickerdike enterance.  Rita and Bernie are going to use some of last years Halloween money to buy pumpkins and accessories and we hope to have a firework display.
10  Cassie has spotted bats in her garden.  When trees were lopped on Longsight Road they disappeared but now they are back!
11   Rita said that the community orchard still needed trimming and mulching but the problem is at the moment the grass is very wet.
12   Barrie said that the voting for the Fields in Trust nomination was now open.  Mavis and some others could not get on to the link to vote but he said to keep pressing the refresh button in order to do so.  Highfield Country Park is another nomination.
13   It was discussed how often to hold meetings now.  Ally wanted it to be every week but when the meetings were weekly everyone was drained because of the pressure.  It was decided to hold them fortnightly unless anything happened in the meantime and then we would hold an emergency meeting if required.

A.O.B
Shopping bags see Claire or T shirts see Bernie

Next Scheduled Meeting:
Group Meeting:                   1st November,2017 from 6.30 at Blue Bell
Future Event(s): 
Halloween Walk:                 Saturday 28th October,2017 from 5.30 pm
                                                (meet at Bickerdike entrance to the Vale)
Litter Pick:                             From 10 am 
                                                (meet at Bickerdike entrance to the Vale)