Bedale & Villages Community Forum

Chair: Yvonne Rose OBE Vice Chairman: Cllr. John Noone Treasurer: Cllr Mike Barningham

Secretary: Peter Cole

Management Group

7.30pm on Thursday10th March 2016

The Drawing Room, Bedale Hall

Minutes

Present

Yvonne Rose (Chair); Harry Lillystone; Richard Corner; Malcolm Young; Ian Watkins; Bob Pocklington; Sue Latter; Rab Hastie; Daren Rosamond; Cllr Mike Barningham; Nicky Smith; Andy Hallett; Richard Moore; Christine Mollard & Mike Brown.

Apologies

Cllr Carl Les; Cllr John Noone; Hazel Kirby; Bill Tetlow; John Knopp; Sylvia Broadwith; Adele Wilson; Sara Hodgson.

  1. Welcome, IntroductionsApologies

Yvonne welcomed Mike Brown, representing the Snape Avenue Fund, and Andy Hallettto the meeting.

  1. Minutes of the Last Meeting held Thursday 21st January 2016

Agreed as a true record thereof.

  1. Actions & Matters Arising:
  • Hackforth & Ainderby Miers with Holtby Parish Council: Peter confirmed that a cheque for £58.72 had been returned to the Forum from Hackforth & Ainderby Miers with Holtby Parish Council, the Parish Council having received additional funding to purchase and install a defibrillator.
  • HDC ‘Making a Difference’ grant:Peter reported that a grant for £3712.50 had been claimed from the District Council’s ‘Making a Difference’ grant scheme to resurface the Sussex Close to Firby Road footpath. The grant will be transferred from the Forum’s reserves to Bedale Town Council, the project lead. Residents affected by the scheme will be notified that the work will start before the end of March.
  • BamFest: It was noted that an evaluation report on the music festival held in 2015 had not been presented to the Forum or to Bedale Town Council.
  • NYCC Stronger Communities: A written update on the future of Bedale Library was presented in Adele’s absence (see Community Interest Update on Page 3.)
  1. Funding Requests:
  • Leeming Bar Resident’s Association

Members considered a funding application for £1214fromthe Leeming Bar Resident’s Association as a 10% match-funding contribution towards a Yorventure grant application to support the development of the Leeming Bar Community Hub. It is hoped that the ‘multi-use, high quality community facility’, based on a refurbished railway carriage located at Leeming Bar Station, will open in September 2016. Fundraising activities have been held, a HDC ‘Making a Difference’ has been secured and local businesses have offered both financial, and in-kind, contributions.

Proposal:Richard Corner proposed that £1214 be awarded to the Leeming Bar Resident’s Association, Cllr Mike Barningham seconded the proposal and the proposal was unanimously endorsed by those present.

Cllr Barningham congratulated Rab and Richard Moore for their hard work and commitment to the project.

  • Snape Avenue Fund

Members considered a funding application for £400fromthe Snape Avenue Fund group to undertake a second survey of the lime avenue at the entrance to Snape in response to concerns over the health of the old trees and any possible long term detrimental effect they are having on the newly-planted avenue. The trees are maintained by the Parish Council and a number of options have been explored following consultation with the wider community. The total cost of the project is approximately £1260. Fundraising activities are underway, donations from residents have been received and £400 is being sought from the West Tanfield Fund.

Proposal:Yvonne proposed that the Forum underwrite the project should insufficient funds be secured to cover the total cost of the survey and that £400 be made available immediately if required. Yvonne also proposed that the Forum consider a subsequent application from the Snape Avenue Fund should further survey costs be incurred. Both proposals were seconded by Bob Pocklington and were unanimously endorsed by those present.

  1. The Bedale & Villages Community Plan 2015-2020

Peter circulated draft copies of the Community Plan which incorporated feedback received since the last meeting held in January 2016. It was suggested that the Plan be considered in more detail at the next meeting of the Forum to be held in May and be formally ‘adopted’ at the Forum’s Annual General Meeting to be held on the 15th September.

Action: Peter to further populate the Plan and present it to members for further discussion at the next meeting of the Forum to be held in May 2016.

  1. Focus Group Updates
  • Business and Tourism: Feedback is being sought and will be analysed to gauge the success and impact of the Christmas Fair. A proposal that the Christmas lights be turned on earlier in November is being considered by the Town Council.
  • Environment: Yvonne reported that £25k of section 106 money has been secured to create an arts trail between the proposed gateway car park and the station development. Additional section 106 monies have been secured to install a piece of ‘iconic artwork’ on the relief road roundabout near Bedale Golf Club. Arts Council funding is to be sought to support both projects. Consultation with the community and key stakeholders on the proposed artwork is to be undertaken later in the year and it is anticipated that the relief road could be open in July 2016 and the gateway car park completed in the autumn. An anti-litter campaign is to be launched in partnership with the Co-op and an area along the north side of the A684 near the railway line has been identified as a litter ‘hot spot’. A number of businesses along the High Street are to be consulted on the potential for a summer floral display scheme which could include the planting of hanging baskets in partnership with local schools. The next meeting of the Environment Group is to be held in the spring, at a date yet to be agreed.
  • Community Interest: A ‘Bedale Library Steering Group’ has been established which is considering a number of issues including governance, running costs/income generation and project development. An ‘expression of interest’ has been submitted to NYCC and the next meeting of the group is to be held at 2.30pm in the Conference Room at Bedale Hall on Wednesday 6th April. A ‘skills audit’ of the group is to be undertaken and the group will be looking to recruit volunteers in the autumn of 2016. Training for the front-line volunteers may be available. For further information please contact Adele Wilson at or telephone 01609 532223.
  • Transport: Mike reported that he is to meet with Mick Jewitt, HDC’s Executive Director, on the 22nd March to discuss the development of the proposed gateway car park. A meeting is also to be held on the 6th April to consider a feasibility study prepared by SUSTRANS to explore the options for improving pedestrian/cycle access between Aiskew and Bedale.
  1. Finance Update

Mike presented a financial update on transactions since the last meeting of the Group held in January 2016 and confirmed that as at the 10th March 2016 the Forum had £5861.60 in its General Account and £1287.36 in its Events Account. Commitments for 2016 include the Edge (£4000) and website hosting (£100.) An end of year payment from HDC is expected in April/May.

It was reported that the volunteer-run Edge youth centre continues to attract between 20-30 young people on a Friday night and 10 on a Wednesday. The Management Committee continues to monitor usage and operating costs. An application has been submitted to the Police & Crime Commissioner’s grant scheme and both Bedale Town Council and Aiskew Parish Council are to be approached with a funding request. It was agreed that a school site for the youth facility would not be appropriate for some young people and that Bedale is an area requiring ‘targeted youth support’.

  1. Correspondence
  • Aiskew Women’s Institute: Feedback from Aiskew Women’s Institute at a consultation event hosted by HDC on the new Local Plan suggests that there is a need for a Community Hall in Aiskew to ‘keep villages healthy’ and to provide an ‘inclusive and vibrant hub for local communities and a changing population.’ It is understood that there is no longer a community facility in the village following the closure of the Methodist Church. It was noted that in the design brief for the housing developmentBlind Lane had been identified as an area to be developed as a ‘village centre’. It was agreed that the provision of a community facility in Aiskew be added to the Bedale & Villages Community Plan.
  • Yorkshire Air Ambulance: A letter of thanks had been received from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance following the receipt of a donation of £63 from the sale of punch and mince pies at the Christmas lights switch on.
  • Bedale Community Meals on Wheels: A letter of thanks had been received from the Bedale Community Meals on Wheels following the awardof a grant from the Forum of £666 to help with the purchase of a commercial mobile hot cupboard.
  1. Any Other Business
  • RAF Leeming Minibus: It was noted that RAF Leeming has a minibus for use by service personnel and their families which is not currently in use. It was suggested there may be an opportunity to work with the Bedale Community Minibus to provide a ‘shuttle shopping service’ to Bedale, Northallerton, Catterick and further afield.
  • HDC Small Grant Scheme 2016-2017: Peter reported that HDC is to make available a total of £50,000 to community groups across Hambleton through its ‘Small Grant Scheme’. Grants of between £500 and £5000 are available for projects that help support the four following District Council priorities:
  • Driving economic vitality
  • Enhancing health and wellbeing
  • Caring for the environment
  • Creating a special place to live

The deadline for applications is Friday 22nd April 2016. For further information please contact Peter on 01609 767212 or email

  • Hambleton Parish Liaison: the next Hambleton Parish Liaison meeting is to be held on Thursday 31st March 2016 at the Civic Centre in Northallerton. Flooding that affected a number of communities across the district will be discussed along with community resilience, the council’s response to storms Desmond and Eva and the role of the Environment Agency. Following the meeting attendees will have the opportunity to discuss specific concerns with District and County Council representatives.
  • The Northallerton & District Voluntary Service Association: the Northallerton & District Voluntary Service Association will be renamed ‘Hambleton Community Action’ from the 1st April 2016.
  • Sport Relief: BASA is to host the annual ‘Sport Relief’ 1 mile run starting at 10.45am on the 20th March 2016.
  • Bedale Spring Ball: tickets are now on sale for the Bedale Spring Ball which is to be held at Bedale Hall on Saturday 16th April 2016. Tickets cost £35 each.
  • Signage: It was noted that a new brown road sign has been erected designating Bedale as a ‘Historic Market Town’.
  1. Dates for Meetings in 2016
  • 19th May
  • 14th July
  • 15th September (AGM)
  • 10th November

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