HORSHAM TOWN COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
A Company limited by guarantee, registered in England & Wales, Company No: 7765509
Registered Office: Teffont Magna, Salisbury Rd, Horsham RH13 0AJ
Minutes of combined Management and Directors meeting held on 12th July 2017
In the Amberley Room, Roffey Millennium Hall, Horsham
1. Welcome: JA welcomed all those present.
2. Attendance and Apologies:
Present: HTCP Directors: Jane Apostolou - Chair (JA), Martin Bruton – Vice-Chair (MB), David Searle (DSe), Diane Sumpter (DSu) – Treasurer, Mary Crosbie (MC),
Sue Brundish (SB), Sara Doy – Minutes Secretary
Apologies: Ron Bates
3. Approval of the agenda: Approved.
4. Conflicts of Interest: None
5. Minutes of Meeting held on 12th April 2017, approval and any issues arising from the minutes:
Approved by DSe and seconded by SB.
Item 8 iii): Visitor Economy Strategy - JA confirmed that £8000 has been added to the £52000 DEFRA grant awarded to HDC so that Horsham Town can be included in developing the district wide Visitor Economy Strategy. This £8000 was from HDC funds.
6. Approval of Amendments to the HTCP Articles of Association
The amendments were outlined in the Chair’s Report which had been circulated prior to the meeting. Articles 1 to 5 have been passed by Charlie Cattell. Charlie is the Social Economy Consultant who originally drew up the HTCP Articles of Association. Charlie has let JA know that the proposed amendments require no comment from him. He has said that it is necessary to file a form CC04 alongside the certified special resolution and he will not charge for his feedback. The amended HTCP Articles of Association will be passed at the AGM.
ACTION: MB and DSu to investigate what a form CC04 is and to find out if it has to be filed at Companies House.
DSu queried if North Horsham PC are in agreement. DSe said yes on behalf of NHPC.
7. Action Plan Revision and Actions
MB has kindly worked on the Action Plan leaflet which outlines generic information on what the HTCP is, what it can do and how it functions. The leaflet was forwarded to members prior to the meeting.
The three ongoing projects for the next five year period are:
1) Horsham Park and other green spaces: To preserve and make more amenity use of Horsham Park and other green spaces in the area covered by HTCP.
2) Transport: To create a ‘London Underground’ type map of bus routes in and around Horsham. To set up proficiency courses for the use of disability buggies.
3) Horsham Riverside Walk: to complete the final sections of footpath improvements.
All present agreed to the Action Plan.
JA will meet up with Evan Giles on Monday 17th in her role as HDNC member and will also discuss the Park project area for HTCP. DSe suggested that a proper track for the Park Run could be looked into, and a sculpture trail, but that HTCP is open to ideas.
With regard to projects coming under the 'Transport' heading, DSe commented that discussions will be needed with all the Bus Companies concerned and Peter Lusher is a possible project leader.
ACTION: JA to resend this information and Action Plan document to Diane Sumpter(Forest NC), Trudie Mitchell (Denne NC), David Moore (Trafalgar NC), North Horsham PC, and Horsham Blueprint, to put forward ideas for the Actions and ask for any feedback to get the projects going.
8. Chair’s Report and Matters Arising from the Chair’s Report
The Chair’s report was circulated prior to the meeting.
8.1. Amendments to the HTCP Articles of Association – see item 6.
8.2. HTCP Action Plan revisit and next steps – See item 7.
8.3.Riverside Walk Project Stage 2
Footpath improvements: the 545m section of the Riverside Walk in the Hills Farm Lane area has been completed. DSe said that he had had good feedback and the final bill had come in slightly lower at £14,500. The path is 1.5m wide to enable people to pass each other.
Notices are to be displayed during the up and coming Annual Riverside Walk Event to highlight the recent improvements.
A bid to Hall and Woodhouse Community Fund for £2.5k for footpath improvements to the Sandeman Way twitten has been submitted. This application will be considered by Hall and Woodhouse in August.
The final remaining sections to be improved are the section from Rookwood Golf Course to the Millennium Bridge and then from the Millennium Bridge to Irwin Drive. Appropriate, allocated s106 funding can fund some of this work and the remaining funding is being sourced through Veolia Environmental Trust funding. JA said that Melanie Stowell, HDC Grants and Funding Officer, has confirmed that some of the appropriate allocated s106 funds available for the Riverside Walk can be used as match funding for the Veolia application. These funds would not be released prior to the Veolia application, but a letter would be sent from HDC to Veolia confirming the use of these s106 funds being used as match funding when the fund application to Veolia was approved. Once the Veolia fund application was approved, the s106 funds would be released.
The Riverside Walk information leaflet has now been updated and 3000 copies have been printed. This was funded through a Community Intitative Fund grant from the CLC. Supplies of copies of the leaflet have been distributed to various outlets and the new leaflet has been updated as a Word document on the HDC website and Facebook pages for HDC and HTCP.
North of Horsham Development: At the recent HDC Planning Control North Meeting held in April the Liberty Property Trust Ltd North of Horsham planning application was considered. In an allocated public speaking slot, JA spoke with regard to safeguarding and making the route of the Riverside Walk through this development a PROW listed within the WSCC Register of Footpaths. The planning application was deferred to an HDC Full Council Meeting for consideration which took place in May and JA again spoke at this meeting. The outline planning application was approved. Riverside Walk project team members will be requesting further meetings with Liberty Property Trust Ltd to ensure the safeguarding of the Riverside Walk route through this development and that the route is not lost as the development of the site continues over the years.
Berkeley Homes Southern and Countryside Properties, who are developing housing sites east of the A24 and at Broadbridge Heath have agreed to fund and install directional signage within their developments to help direct people to the Riverside Walk. Having consulted HDC, the signage will follow the same format of the Riverside Walk signage but not include the HDC logo.
Public Art on the Riverside Walk: The Riverside Walk Project Team have been approached by Alison Turnbull Associates, Public Art Commissioning regarding the installation of public art at main gateways on the Riverside Walk. The project team had met up with Alison last year to have initial discussions about this. Alison has said that there are some remaining granite columns salvaged from the old St Marks Church which are left over from the public art project her company is currently working on in the Countryside Property development in Broadbridge Heath. The re-purposing of the granite columns into artwork would cost in the region of £15000 and funding for this would be sourced through Arts Council funding by Alison Turnbull Associates working in conjunction with HDC. If this project was to proceed, Alison Turnbull Associates would only require letters of support from HTCP. The artwork, installation, landscaping, health and safety and any other caveats would be undertaken by Alison Turnbull Associates and HDC.
MB asked if it would be possible to see the proposed designs and find out the size of the columns. JA said that at this stage only a letter of support is needed to help with the funding application.
8.4. Annual Riverside Walk Event 2017: Preparations are well underway and over 200 people already have registered to take part. Participants have been encouraged to raise funds for local charity Action Medical Research (AMR) or another charity if they wish. AMR's mascot Paddington Bear will on hand throughout the day to start off the event at the Rugby Club, that Paddington will hand out medals to children taking part in the treasure hunt that forms part of the event programme and will also hand out Walk Certificates to everyone taking part.
The 1st Roffey Scouts are providing the tents for the lunch time refreshments at Warnham Local Nature Reserve, The Toons will provide musical entertainment during this break and Le Brunch Cafe will be providing the lunchtime meal deal. The afternoon tea break will be at Strawberry Fields Cafe and Horsham District Community Transport will provide the minibus service back to the Rugby Club for those not walking the whole 13 mile route.
The Event has been funded through a Community Initiative Fund from the CLC and by the kind support of the three Horsham Neighbourhood Councils and North Horsham Parish Council.
8.5. Rotary Club Charity Day 9th July: This replaced the Sparks in the Park Event. HTCP held a stand at the part of this event which was held in the Carfax. The stand highlighted information about HTCP and also the Annual Riverside Walk Event. JA reported that the stand got quite a lot of interest and about 200 flyers were handed out, but she felt the Charity stands would have been better located in the Park.
9. Heritage Trail Project: Prior to the meeting JA circulated an email from Rachel Weller, HDC Museum Administration Assistant. The email asked if the Parish Councils, Neighbourhood Councils and other organisations would support the Project. Feedback is required by Jeremy Knight by 9th August to ascertain if there is sufficient support to get funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. JA added that the Project would tie in with the Visitor Economy Strategy and hopefully encourage visitors to explore the area.
All present supported the Project.
ACTION: JA to let Jeremy know that HTCP supports the Project.
10. Treasurer’s Report:The Treasurer’s Report was circulated prior to the meeting and the financial statement was handed out at the meeting. DSu advised that the latest statement was due to arrive soon and reported that there is a healthy balance.
As of 5th July, 2017 the balance of the current account is: £4,005.98.
As of 30th June 2017 the balance of the reserve account is: £2,522.20.
The Accountant is to carry out the audit so that the final accounts can be approved at the AGM.
10.1.Payment to Chas Alexander. He has said that he has not received the cheque issued to him.
ACTION: DSu to check the bank statement and if necessary reissue a new cheque.
10.2. Payment of expenses:
Cash payments for the Riverside Walk Event – Toon’s Music Group £75; Rugby Club donation for providing a parking facility - £50; donation to the Horsham First Responder passed on by the 1st Roffey Scout Group for the tent hire - £50. JA said that she will withdraw cash from her bank account and then claim for reimbursement.
Community Minibus Hire - £175.
Meeting Room Hire - £25.20 JA to drop payment through the NHPC Clerk’s door.
RSW Walk Programme - £63 to be paid to John White
Rotary Club Charity Day - £75 to be paid to JA for new Riverside Walk banner, refreshments, parking, display items and tape to repair the gazebo.
11. AOB
11.1. Chair position: JA is to step down at the AGM so a new Chair needs to be found.
JA will contact HAMSVA to see if they can advertise the position.
ACTION: JA to contact HAMSVA.
11.2. Sponsored benches: Two new sponsored benches are to be placed on the RSW – one at Barackfield and one at Redford Avenue.
11.3. Waitrose Community Matters: The RSW project is being featured as one of the charities in the August Waitrose Community Matters token scheme
11.4. Community Partnerships’ day to day expenses: RB attended a group meeting of representatives of the Community Partnerships in the district on 20th June to discuss how in future the CP’s day to day running expenses could be funded if the HDC grant is not sufficient to cover these. Although project funding can be sourced, day to day running expenses cannot be funded through grants from outside sources. Discussions on this will take place also at the next Horsham Rural Towns Forum meeting on 9th August (being held in the HDC offices).
11.5. Disability Buggy Proficiency Course: MB said he would raise the subject of the disability buggy proficiency course idea with the Horsham District Older Peoples’ Forum and Road Safety Action Group. He suggested it might be possible to hold the courses at Lavinia House and perhaps Age UK might be interested in contributing.
ACTION: JA to forward David Leadbeater’s (disabled rambler) contact details to MB.
12. Date, Place and Time of Next Meeting (which will be the AGM).
Wednesday 11th October 2017, Bramber Room, Millenium Hall, 7.30pm.