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Easton-in-Gordano , Pill & Ham Green Community Forum
Minutes of meeting held on Monday 2nd July 2007 at Pill Community Centre
Present: Gerald Ashley Madeleine Bickle Ted Edgar Fred Gaskin (Treasurer) Mike Goldsworthy (Secretary) Paul Kent (Chairman) Ivor King Peter Milner Liz Moore Yvonne Rees Ralph Whiting
Apologies: Jenny Billington Anne Brain Pete Brewer Bob Langton Gail Martin Alan Smith
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1. Welcome:
PK welcomed everyone to the first formal meeting of the Community Forum.
2. Minutes of Meeting on 16 April 2007:
These had not been widely distributed. MG briefly summarised the matters discussed and there were no matters arising, which were not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
3. Correspondence:
PK reported the following.
a. Email from Jacqui Ward, Community Action regarding interest from Liam Fox MP in attending Parish Plan events. AGREED PK would write to Jacqui Ward confirming that Liam Fox would be welcome and that details of events would be provided in due course. b. Letter from Margaret Bunce regarding her discussions with members of the carers’ group. PK read the letter in full. AGREED it was necessary to register concern with the bus company regarding the difficulty the elderly and infirm have in accessing buses [MG to action]. c. Email from Fay McIntyre, NSC parish plans officer, regarding organising a Parish Plan event locally. AGREED that MG would invite Jacqui Ward and Fay McIntyre to the next meeting of the Forum together with any other officers of NSC who could help with specific points in the Action Plan. d. Email from Jacqui Ward regarding skittles match organised by Community Action as a parish plans event. MB, LM, FG and PM agreed to make up a team. MG to provide details of the event.
4. Constitution:
MG reported that he had produced a rough draft for a constitution for the Forum but that it needed some work on it. AGREED RW would amend as necessary for approval at the next meeting.
5. Membership:
Current membership of the Forum is as follows.
A number of gaps in the membership were identified. AGREED PK would approach the Community Governors of Crockerne and St Katherine’s Schools. AGREED that members should put forward names of possible representatives of commercial interests in the parish to be considered at the next meeting. AGREED that representatives from the Youth would be desirable.
6. Corporate Identity / Logo:
MG distributed a rough draft letter heading. Some minor alterations were suggested but, otherwise, it was AGREED that it would be suitable unless/until a more specific “identity” was adopted.
7. Action Plan Updates:
AGREED that for reporting purposes it would be appropriate to use the 10 subject headings, plus the community website, as actions being reported would not always follow specific action points and there would be some overlap.
Health: TE reported that he would approach the PCT regarding reinstatement of lost services and improvement to the out-of-hours doctors service but his experience was that there was “never any money”. TE is collecting data regarding waiting times for appointments to identify the extent of the problem and would report further in September.
Disability & The Elderly: GA reported that his enquiries of the Retired Mens’ Club, etc, revealed that everyone is “happy”. RW suggested that the people approached may have mistakenly thought they were being asked to do something and PK suggested that GA ask the elderly again what they want someone else to do for them. LM suggested that there was some confusion as the word “footpath” was used in two different ways, to cover public rights of way and pavements. AGREED future use of the word should be clarified.
Traffic & Transport: Issue regarding accessibility on buses mentioned under item 3 was discussed further. FG pointed out that anyone can report problems with hedges overhanging footpaths to the parish council. Most issues mentioned in the Parish Plan are already being dealt with by the parish council. AGREED that PK and MG liaise with the parish council in order to report any progress to future meetings.
Environment & Planning: MB reported that the Environment Group had met a number of times and was taking forward the following ideas. a. A photograph archive to be placed on the community website. CE is looking at how this would work and if there are any copyright issues. b. Encourage pride in the environment. Meeting with Jane Hunt, village orderly – AGREED BL should ask the parish council to extend the orderly’s hours. Street cleaning is a particular area of concern, which has already been taken up with NSC by the parish council. It seems that the contract placed by NSC did not include anything about frequency. c. Bag project to possibly purchase a number of reusable cotton shopping bags, printed on both sides, financed by sponsorship from local businesses. Owner of Nisa supermarket has expressed interest. d. Transition Town status – Application is being considered for responding to the challenges of climate change. Intended to have a stall, probably in September, to introduce the parish to the idea. The idea was well spouted by those present.
LM reported on what existing groups in the parish do. St George’s Bank now has local conservation area status. Orchard – picnic next Sunday to promote its use. Pill in Bloom – Donations to plant particular areas. Watchhouse Hill Group – Still talking. Allotments – Nothing to report. Garden Club – YS said nothing specific to report. RW asked whether two areas at top of Common Lane towards Failand and at Washing Pound in Easton could be included in the areas maintained.
Leisure, Recreation & Education: PK commented on the size of this subject and that no-one was specifically covering it within the Forum. PK reported a meeting with Gay Smith, NSC Play Advisor – Play pod project going ahead [Members note - 4th July press release by NSC that the Big Lottery Fund “children’s play initiative” has awarded NSC over £340,000 to be used to fund the 3-year project]. MUGA [multi activity games area] project going ahead with £40,000 to be provided. 5 possible locations being inspected tomorrow with feasibility study – all locations are controversial. Outcome to be announced in September. LM raised the additional suggestion of a “youth shelter”.
Crime & Vandalism: PK reported that there was frustration / anger about police response times. The parish council had asked the police for an explanation by 7th July and if no satisfactory response the parish council will make a formal complaint. MG reported that the questionnaire completed as part of the Parish Plan project revealed that, generally, people’s perceptions of the problems were worse than the actual problems.
Facilities: Nothing specific to report, which is not covered elsewhere.
Business & Employment: As mentioned under item 5, members should put forward suggestions for representatives on the Forum by the end of August to be considered at the next meeting.
Community Centre: AS had asked IK to represent him at this meeting. IK reported that a new security gate had been provided into the churchyard at the rear and that £23,000 had been set aside for work on the roof this year.
Resource Centre: AGREED that it was permanently under threat but that the Forum was not in competition with the Centre.
Community Website: No update available at meeting. [Following the meeting CE reported that proposals for setting up the community website in conjunction with the existing parish council website would be put in a paper to be presented to the next meeting of the parish council for approval. Further update to be provided to the September forum meeting]
8. Finance:
FG reported that £10,000 had been allocated to Parish Plan projects by the Parish Council and that a grant had been obtained of £300 from Quartet towards the costs of setting up the community website. MG reported that there was, potentially, up to a total of £2,500 available from Quartet and consideration should be given to grant applications for other projects.
There was no expenditure to report.
9. Publicity:
AGREED that a report of the meeting should be put in the Pill Paper.
10. Any Other Business:
None.
11. Next Meeting:
Monday, 17th September at 7.30pm at the Community Centre.
Meeting ended at 9.00pm |