Chair's Report

Especial thanks to the impressive work done by Glenys Malyon this year.

PACT is now well established as a group that campaigns vigorously on issues local residents have raised. Here is a summary of the major developments over the past year.

Big news: A New Petersfield Community Centre

• A new Community Centre will be created, thanks to PACT's initiative in early-stage talks.
• As part of the Newmarket Road/Harvest Way building project, the property developers will provide a new community centre on Abbey St.
• Substantial effort has gone into PACT's work on a draft Business Plan and Planning Summary for the new Centre.
• Outline planning permission was granted on 3 September 2003.
• PACT will set up a Community Centre Steering Group.

Local Youth Services - Great news!

• 2003 has been the best year for local youth activities since the Howard Mallett Centre was closed down in 1998.
• The City Council�s Children�s Team produced an excellent newsletter on activities for young people earlier in the year, and hosted some well-supported events at St Matthew�s School.
• Liz Mayne from Parkside hosted a week of activities at the Howard Mallett Centre during February 2003 half term.
• Neill Wishart, while part of the City Council Children�s Team, ran a successful group for 7-11 year olds.
• In April, Parkside finally began to spend the money on Petersfield youth services that had for 5 years been formally allocated to that purpose.
• PACT warmly welcomes Neill Wishart ([email protected]) to the important new role of Parkside
Youth Worker.
• Neill Wishart, with the City Council Children�s Team, has restarted a drop-in group for 8-12 year olds using the Community Room and Hall at the former Howard Mallett Centre and on St Matthew's Piece (Wednesdays 3.30-5.30pm).
• Neill is running a youth drama group (Tuesdays 4.306 pm) also in that Hall and Community Room.
• On 7 October 2003 Neill started a new weekly group for 13-16 year olds (on Tuesdays 7.15-9pm, at St Matthews Church Hall).
• Some of these activities are not exclusively for Petersfield young people, but PACT welcomes and supports them all and hopes that they flourish.

Services for Older People

• PACT's thriving Over 50s club celebrated its first birthday in October 2003.
• It is run for older people by older people - all are welcome to try it out, any Friday 10.30am-12.00 noon, at Cherry Trees Centre, on St Matthews Street.
• The Club is supported by the City Council Community Development Dept.
• At PACT's November 2003 AGM, the public meeting on ?Services for Older People Who Cares� features Eric Robinson, Director of Cambridgeshire Social Services, as Guest Speaker.
• PACT actively supports BGOP (Better Government for Older People) and Speaking Up for Our Age in their efforts to improve services for older people.
• PACT also promotes an exercise class for older people, including those with disabilities, held at the Alex Wood Hall on Norfolk Street, every Tuesday 11am-12 noon (cost �1).

Crime & Safety

• The July 2002 public meeting 'Making Petersfield a Safer Place?', arranged jointly by PACT and the Community Safety Partnership has produced encouraging results.
• Two more lively public meetings to discuss local policing issues have been hosted by Petersfield ward Councillors with support from PACT, in March 2003 (on Mill Road), and in September 2003 (at St Matthew�s school).
• In recognition of Petersfield being ?the busiest beat in city�, the City Council and Police set up a project in June 2003 called APEC, coordinated by ex-PC John Fuller to address our local problems.
• John Fuller is holding meetings every month with local residents (for details see PACT�s noticeboard on Norfolk St) to bring us up to date with APEC�s progress.
• Local residents have warmly welcomed the visible increase in police presence (including the two new Petersfield Community Beat Support Officers) in local streets and significant efforts to improve the quality of life on Mill Road. �
• Although graffiti continues to be an issue, improvements to the garage block on St Matthew�s Street near East Road have reduced drug use and antisocial behaviour in the vicinity. �Similar improvements�will be welcomed at other nearby garages.

Planning

• The Chair of PACT�s planning committee was invited to provide a resident's perspective at a seminar on 'Community Involvement in the Planning Process'.
• �A 2nd invitation was to take part in a presentation before a judging panel of the Royal Town Planning Institute in Oct 2003, where Cambridge planners had been short-listed for an award.
• This reflects PACT�s effective working relationship with the planners, including our participation in Cambridge�s Development Control User Panel.
• Most of potential brown-field sites in Petersfield are now either already re-developed or in the pipeline, though doubtless other sites will emerge.
• Philip's site - A new application has recently been submitted by Wilcon to change plans at the Silverwood Close boundary from 12 houses to 32 flats.
• Beehive site - Restrictions to the types of goods that can be offered for sale have been relaxed.
• APU Canopy and Trees - �PACT opposed APU's plans because of the threat to 8 healthy and well-established plane trees on the East Road frontage. Although unanimously refused by the Planning Committee, APU subsequently won on appeal. Sadly, the plane trees are now likely to be felled and replaced by fewer, smaller trees.
• ex-CRC Building in Young Street - Application for 18 four-storey houses was refused and further proposals are awaited. The part of the old 'Ragged School' fronting onto Young St is likely to be converted into 1 dwelling.
• 'Jubilee Project' under Elizabeth Way Bridge - PACT has urged that local residents should be properly consulted over this proposal for housing vulnerable people and is shocked by the way this project has been rushed through by the City Council.
• Vicarage Terrace - Housing is being renovated for people with learning difficulties. Communal facilities and 24-hour support will be provided. Ward Councillors are seeking a planning application for 'change-of-use', and consultation for nearby residents.
• Former Howard Mallett Centre - Some progress on community access. Look out for the new �What? Where? When?� noticeboard on the South side of building, with information for local residents.
• St Columba's Hall, York St has been replaced by a new doctors' surgery and pharmacy (the Newmarket Rd surgery, is being converted into a surgery for homeless people).

Open Spaces

• PACT�s Millennium Garden on Norfolk Street is now an official example of urban renewal: visiting Councillors assessing Cambridge saw this garden as the best example of cooperation between the Council and the Community.
• �A second mosaic for the Millennium Garden, being created by young adults from the Papworth Trust and some users of the Cherry Trees Day Centre, is almost finished.
• Financial contributions from housing developments towards improvements to Open Spaces are being spent. For example, on St Matthew's Piece, new graffiti-resistant benches and play equipment have been installed; resurfacing of paths and better fencing on the York Street boundary will follow. Following PACT input, new benches have been placed, for example, on Petworth Street. Similarly, footpaths in Mill Road Cemetery and the Skateboard Park on Donkey's Common have received support. Funds have been set aside for improvements to the Stourbridge Common play area.
• PACT hosted another successful Summer Event on 28 June. Dancing, displays and stalls were enjoyed by over 100 local residents on the grassed area behind the Howard Mallett Centre.

The Howard Mallett

• PACT made a formal complaint in December 2001 about the management of the former Howard Mallett Centre.
• The County Council�s Chief Executive said this was Parkside's responsibility; Parkside Governors rejected PACT's complaints; PACT appealed in 23 July 2002, but were again rejected.
• Parkside Governors refused even PACT�s efforts to establish accurate and agreed Minutes of the appeal hearing.
• Parkside staff have nevertheless over the past year made clear efforts to address and rectify most of the complaints PACT had raised!
• Additional significant improvements to compliance with planning conditions and with terms of the lease have arisen thanks to PACT's ongoing discussions with officers at both the City and County Councils.

Our Forum

• The Petersfield Community Forum meets at 2-monthly intervals to discuss: youth and older peoples� services, action on drugs, improvements to open spaces, planning and policing issues, and raising items for Area Committee meetings.
• Petersfield residents are welcome to attend Forum meetings and lunch gatherings ('Mingle Munches'), all publicized on the PACT noticeboard.

Traffic & Transport

• PACT has requested that vehicles for the Proposed Rapid Transit System stop in Petersfield - and don't just pass through.
• Despite sustained effort from PACT, there is very little progress on bus service: Stagecoach uses its monopoly to cut back services while raising prices.
• We encourage all local residents to contact our MP, so make her aware of the full extent of the problem only public pressure will bring change.

Communication

• PACT produced a 5th annual issue of ImPACT and distributed 3,000 free copies to Petersfield homes, groups and businesses.
• Our hardworking distribution team enables information from PACT to be regularly circulated and displayed throughout the community
• PACT maintains its community noticeboard on Norfolk Street, with up-to-date news
• We hope soon to be responsible for a new noticeboard on St Matthew�s Piece in addition to the one Parkside will be maintaining on the Howard Mallett building itself.
• PACT's website www.colc.co.uk/cambridge/forum/pact/ continues to develop.

And Last But Not Least...

• PACT has held many Management Committee and Subcommittee meetings to maintain progress on key issues.
• Regular scrutiny is made of PACT�s account and finances, including at this AGM.
• PACT has been active in fundraising to support key PACT activities

Fresh faces continue to be welcome in PACT, on its working parties and on its management committee - there are many ways in which you can become involved. �We�d love to see how you would like to shape and contribute to a new year of constructive local community action.