Easton-in-Gordano, Pill & Ham Green Community Forum

 

Minutes of meeting held on Monday 21^st January 2008 at Pill Salvation Army Hall

 

Present:                      Pete Brewer

                                    Fred Gaskin   (Treasurer)

                                    Mike Goldsworthy   (Secretary)

                                    Paul Kent  (Chairman)

                                    Bob Langton

                                    Yvonne Rees

                                    Sue Tuckwell

                                    Ralph Whiting

 

Apologies:                   Jenny Billington

                                    Elspeth Davis

                                    Peter Milner

                                    Liz Moore

                                    Fay Powell (Parish Plans Officer, North Somerset Council)

                                    Alan Smith

 

________________________________________________________________________

 

1.      Welcome:

 

PK welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked Pete Brewer for arranging use of the hall. He confirmed that this meeting specifically had a restricted agenda so that discussion could concentrate on Finance and Corporate Identity isses.

 

2.      Minutes of Meeting on 3^rd December 2007:

 

Held of over to meeting on 4^th February.

 

3.      Corporate Identity:

 

MG distributed copies of the rough draft logo prepared by PM [copy attached]. AGREED to adopt the logo subject to the following minor changes.

 

a.     The name to be changed to accord with the agreed name of the Forum.

b.     The order of the pictures to run with the name of the Forum, ie. EIG first followed by Pill and Ham Green.

c.     PB suggested some sort of sky background.

 

MG to report back to PM.

 

4.      Community Website:

 

AGREED that the website should include the following.

 

a.     Minutes of meetings of the Forum

b.     List of Forum members

c.     Copy of Parish Plan

d.     Annual Report

e.     Annual Financial Report

f.        Message Board for responses from public

g.     “Fresh News” section

h.      Archives

i.         Photo Archives

 

MG to report back to CE and BM so that they can proceed with the website design.

 

5.      Constitution:

 

A final draft has been distributed [copy attached].

 

Formal adoption of the Constitution was proposed by Fred Gaskin, seconded by Yvonne Rees, AGREED.

 

6.      Finance:

 

PK explained the intention to open a bank account at the Portishead branch of NatWest Bank to enable the Forum to take direct control of funds allocated to Parish Plan projects by the Parish Council and other sources of finance.

 

Formal resolution to open bank account was proposed by Bob Langton, seconded by Pete Brewer, AGREED.

 

Formal resolution to have 4 signatories, the chairman, secretary, treasurer and Bob Langton, as Parish Council liaison, was proposed by Sue Tuckwell, seconded by Pete Brewer, AGREED.

 

Members discussed whether it would be desirable to have a formal procedure for authorising expenditure, project approval and cost approval. AGREED that FG would draft something for members to consider.

 

BL reported that that the Parish Council would transfer £5,000 for the current financial year to the Forum when the bank account was opened and perhaps a further £4,000 for next year although no formal resolution to this effect. The cost of the bags project would not be included in the initial £5,000 although, in any case, most of the cost had been returned to the PC save about £100.

 

 

7.      New Project Ideas:

 

It was AGREED that the next full meeting of the Forum needs to identify firm projects to support in line with the Action Plan in the Parish Plan and the objectives of the Forum. Members should be invited to suggest possible projects and the following were listed as a guide to what is being considered.

 

a.     Fridge/freezer for Retired Mens’ Club

b.     Disability Awareness [Ian Hawkins]

c.     Fair Trade publicity

d.     Environment Group publicity and support for next village project [possibly low energy light bulbs]; and for attending available training events on developing local environmental initiatives

e.     Resource Centre – PB reported that the Quartet grant of £2,200 was to be allocated to a specific CAB project.

f.        Litter pickers

g.     Footpath improvements

h.      Publicity event jointly with Parish Council

i.         Watchhouse Hill improvements – Consult Brian Heaton

j.         Tree planting

 

Discussion followed regarding the correct approach to allocating funds to specific projects. AGREED that PK consider a basis for allocations in line with the Forum’s objectives. RW suggested that members of the Forum needed clear guidelines as they need to be seen to be accountable for the public funds being spent.

 

8.      Any Other Business:

 

MG mentioned Sustainable Practice workshop being run on 1^st February by Community Action. He would be attending would report back. Also further workshop on 15^th February on implementing Parish Plans at which MG has been asked to speak on the experiences of EIG in setting up the Community Forum. Places still available if anyone else interested.

 

9.      Next Meeting:

 

Monday 4^th February 2008 as previously arranged.

 

 

                        Meeting ended at 8.20 pm