Monday 9th November 2015 at Platt Bridge Community Zone

Present:

David Baxter, Carl Bridden, Brian Atkinson, Barry Hampson, Ed Ellis, Sue Hughes, Alan Darbyshire, David Moore, Lisa Davies, Carole Anderton, Jonathon Curley, Cllr Eunice Smethurst, Josie McGuire, Jean Bannister, John Ball, Judith Smith, Ricky Parkinson, Amanda Robinson

Agenda Items

1 – Introductions

• Barry Hampson, Chair of the Forum, welcomed everyone to the meeting. All attendees introduced themselves to the group

2 – Working Groups

• Marie – buildings – no updates
• Judith – environment – these have been forwarded to David

3 – Funding Received/Technical Support

• Consultation Session Planning Survey – need to be hand out to:
  • Abram Community Centre for Christmas Event
  • Bamfurlong residents group by 18^th November
  • Play worker at Ince St. Mary’s School
  • Josie to pick up surveys on Friday
  • Put on website and facebook
  • Bryan to hand out to residents in Bickershaw
  • David will have 1000 printed and will distribute these across the Ward to Community groups

• David also discussed the Minecraft sessions that he is currently undertaking with Year 5 children from Platt Bridge Community School. David has put this on twitter and has received a reply from DCLG (Department for Communities and Local Government to look to add to their newsletters in the future
• AECOM – David to contact regarding Date of meeting in December and will e mail members

4 – Wigan Council’s Allocation and Development Local Plan

• David passed a copy to members of the Wigan Council’s Wigan Sports and Open Spaces document. The document can be found on the Wigan Council website.  David passed the group the information relating solely to Abram Ward.
• David discussed the upcoming Wigan Council Allocation and Development Plan event. The event will be at Platt Bridge Community Zone on 19^th November from 2pm till 7.00pm

5 – Website updates/Notice Boards/Promoting the Forum

• Jonathon updated the meeting regarding the website and will add survey link

6 – Any Other Business

• Ed discussed a free First Aid course which is available via Ed’s company Training2All CIC.
• Judith discussed report for conservation
• Jean discussed Newbridge issue i.e. children climbing over fence to use playing fields. Cllr Eunice Smethurst advised that people could not use the field due to insurance purposes, but the field could be used as part of an organised group activity. Cllr Smethurst suggested the Local Councillors would be happy to fund a project towards this from April 2016 as part of their Brighter Borough funding.
• Josie stated that there were a lot of Anti-Social Behaviour on Moss Lane. Ed suggested speaking to Wigan Athletic’s Kicks project or Wigan Leisure Trust.  David to speak to Chris Essex–Crosby from the Wigan Leisure Trust.
• Discussed Wigan Youth Zone and the need for transport if we can’t deliver in Abram Ward.
• Sue suggested that we don’t raise issues under Any Other Business, and need to discuss more as a separate item or separate Working Group.
• David to contact the local newspapers and get a Press Article on the Neighbourhood Planning project.
• David Moore asked how we carry on with consultation sessions. David discussed the timeline for these and how these will be organised in Community Hubs across Abram Ward in the New Year.

Date of next meeting:  7^th December 2015 at 6.30pm at Platt Bridge Community Zone