MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY CONSULTATION MEETING ON TUESDAY 27.09.09 AT LIVING WATERS CENTRE, MAIN ROAD DARNAL

In attendance:

Cllrs Harry Harpham, Mary Lea, Mazher Iqbal & Martin Lawton (Chair of the East Community Assembly), Andy Christian (officer, East Community Assembly Team), 4 officers of the PCT/LIFT Project and 10 members of the public.

Darnall Health Centre

Simon Kirk from the PCT introduced the LIFT Project. He introduced Neil Charlesworth from Community First, the company which is building the health centre and Lyn Brandon and Elaine Needham, colleagues from the PCT.

The Urban Design Review Panel has considered the application to build the health centre and has decided that it must be a significant presence when viewed from Darnall Centre. A stained-glass window from the existing GPs’ surgery at Darnall Community Health will be incorporated into the new building.

A pharmacy and community facilities will be included. Over time more services could be provided from the Centre and it could be expanded in future. This process will be driven by the GPs’ consortium. Darnall Well-Being will have offices on the first floor as well as a public desk in reception.

The timescale is to sign contracts in March 2010 followed by a 12 month build period.

There are 67 car park spaces. Cllr Harpham asked about the travel plan to encourage staff to use public transport. Cllr Iqbal said it would be possible to monitor the use of the carp park. Simon Kirk explained that many staff need to be mobile because they move in and out of different health centres. In answer to a further question, it was stated that undercroft car parking would be too expensive.

It was pointed out that there is restricted parking on the opposite side of the road and residents have been in the habit of parking their cars on the site which the health centre will occupy. Cllr Iqbal said that Highways Officers are already supposed to be considering the restricted parking on Main Road.

A question was asked about the planting of the site. Would it become a shelter for anti-social behaviour? It will be sensitively fenced.

A question was asked about traffic management when residents will be trying to turn out of Elmham Road while patients and staff are trying to turn into the health centre. This will increase congestion on Main Road. The 52 bus service will pass the Centre. Everyone should be encouraged not to use their cars. The Forum will pass this comment to the Planning Officers.

There was discussion about better use of the courtyard by glazing it to enable all-weather use. This would have heating and lighting consequences for the building, as well as affecting privacy in the consulting areas.

Dr Czauderna introduced himself as Chair of Darnall Well-being and a retired GP. He commented on the absence of a green roof. It is Sheffield City Council policy to require these on public buildings of this size. It was also a fantastic opportunity to create additional public space for more creative use of the area currently set aside for the courtyard. He was concerned about co-ordination of the way the building is managed. Darnall Well-being would be able to deliver this service and make the Centre a well-being centre rather than a health centre, where all the services are joined up. He gave ‘stop smoking’ services as an example of something which is the responsibility of more than one user of the building.

The management of the building is being considered. The courtyard will not be covered. The building design achieves an excellent environmental standard. A green roof will reduce the amount of run-off rainwater that can be recycled. It will also require more maintenance. The heat and power will be provided by recycled cooking oil, achieving a 100% reduction in carbon use compared to current facilities. Surplus heat can be sold back to the grid. Air circulating round the generators will be used to warm the building in winter and cool it in summer.

Neil Parry from East End Quality of Life observed that green rooves have been found to be compatible with rain water collection in other buildings in Sheffield and Rotherham. The name of the centre should reflect the fact that it is about public health rather than treatment. The two overlap anyway through services such as social prescribing.

Public consultation will continue after the planning process ends.

There will be no surgical suites in the Centre, but there will be elbow room for consultations, etc. A diabetic treatment centre could, for example, be located in the health centre. Chronic conditions should not have to be managed in hospitals. Cllr Lea encouraged the PCT and Community First to get on with the project.

One GP practice will not be moving into the new health centre. Local pharmacies will be invited to tender to move into the pharmacy space in the centre, but it will have to be leased to the highest bidder.

Funding for Green Issues

Grants of £500 to £50 000 are available. Application forms will be available from the Forum office.

Small Highways Fund

There is £100,000 available for the East Community Assembly Area. The Assembly will not consider individual requests but it will consider community proposals.

There are still problems with the junction between Mather Road and Prince of Wales Road, but it is not a small highways project. The ceiling for a small highways project is £10,000.

There are not enough yellow lines on Oliver’s Drive. An obstruction caused an accident.

Bring out your Rubbish

There will be a BOYR day on 7^th October in the Kettlebridge Area. The roads involved but they have already been leafleted.

Community Chest Fund

Application forms are available. A question was asked about the suggestion of having a ‘meet your neighbour’ day. This is an example of what the Councillors will fund. Neil Bishop said the Forum had some funding available for ‘meet your neighbour’ activities which bring people together from different faiths.

Public Questions

Problems with fly-tipping on Infield Lane. This could be a future agenda item. Neil Bishop pointed out there is a fly-tipping initiative.

Overloading of trams and use of the disabled/elderly persons’ seats by people who do not need them. Buses not stopping at bus stops. Cllr Iqbal said he was concerned abut overloading of trams.

Friends of Mather Community Park have no chair. There was an appeal for people to join a management committee so that they can apply for funding.

Neil Bishop 10/11/09