FORUM UPDATE
26 February 2008- No known issues.
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“Managing a Changing Environment” The work of the Community Partnership

It is often asked “Who are the Billingshurst Community Partnership and how do they relate to the Parish Council” along with “What is the “Action Plan” they refer to? This article sets out to answer both questions.

Community partnerships were formed under central government guidance in 2003 and the Billingshurst Community Partnership was formally established in that year. Central Government makes available to the Community Partnerships funds that would otherwise not be accessible by local authorities. There are now over 5000 community partnerships working in England handling some £4 Billion of grant finance. The work to create the first Billingshurst Community Action plan commenced in 2002 when the Parish Council, in conjunction with a number of community groups, commenced a Healthcheck process under the guidance of the Countryside Agency. This process resulted in 7 key projects, all of which have now been addressed and either completed or, in the case of the Swimming Pool, due for completion mid to late 2008.

The Billingshurst Community Partnership is a group of volunteers dedicated to delivering projects to enhance the well-being of the town and its surroundings. Our members are representative of the various local organisations and we undertake many of our projects in conjunction with those organisations and the local authorities. Because of the size and value of some of the projects we are a Company Limited by Guarantee managed by a board of directors.

The partnership team consists of 15 members who are elected at an AGM and who have been nominated by the participating organisations or who are volunteering to stand as an individual. Hence any parishioner is eligible to stand for election as long as he or she agrees to the objectives and aims of the partnership. This election process is adjudicated by an independent person who is a senior member of Airs (Action in Rural Sussex).

The Partnership works with the Parish Council governed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that sets out the responsibility of each party. The Partnership will bring to the council any new initiative for their agreement and the council can refuse funding or refrain from supporting that particular project or initiative. The council also have the right to request the cessation of any project. The Partnership reports to council on a regular basis at their monthly meeting and can also be asked to report in detail to the appropriate committee depending on the subject (Property or Finance and General Purposes). This relationship is seen as “working at arms length but able to create constructive comments”. The partnership’s ability to access funds that would not otherwise be available to the Parish Council helps the community to undertake projects that would otherwise cause a burden on precept. So far over £300,000 has been raised to finance those projects that have been undertaken and the Partnership continues to work closely with the Parish Council to ensure that the projects are both viable and sustainable.

We continue to work with those projects that we took direct responsibility for in the First Action Plan (2002) which are “Care of the Young, Elderly and those who are Disadvantaged and the “Youth Club” and “Luncheon Club” for the older generation. We also have a representative who works with the Disadvantaged in the community and beyond. We have continuing representation with the two “Community Transport” schemes. For Sports and Recreation, we continue to work with the Billingshurst Sports and Recreation Association and the Parish Council and for the Burnt Row Woodland and the Fishing Lake projects by continuing to give direct support. We have representation on many of the community working groups such as BAIT and the Swimming pool project.

Finance for our projects comes from various sources but in the main from direct grants to the Partnership that we can then use to fund joint projects for the community. Horsham District council and Billingshurst Parish Council are able to access 106 funds (Monies that are gained from the Developers and held by the District Council), as is the Partnership, but we are also able to raise finance from, amongst others, Landfill Tax Credits – the Heritage Fund – the Arts Council – Viridor Community Fund – the Lottery – The Sports Council and many other independent grant providers including the South East Economic Development Agency and Action in Rural Sussex. Much of this funding is not available to an authority.

The Parish Council supports us in our applications and will often agree to sponsor us by injecting a percentage of funding where that application requires an upfront financial donation. It will also give a direct cash donation to a project where the Partnership is unable to raise sufficient funds to cover the entire requirement or where, in the lifetime of the project, unforeseen issues arise. The partnership has developed, and continues to develop, its modus operandi with the Parish Council in order to address, consult and maximise opportunities for gaining funding for the projects identified and agreed as beneficial to the community.

The following key issues which have been identified from questionnaires and public consultation for the next phase of 2008 to 2012 and that we are able to address are: Youth, the Environment, Local Economy, a new Centre for Children (C4C) and Arts and Culture

Youth. We promote organised youth and community activity through our work with the Monday Youth Drop in Club called TAG, held at the Village Hall, and the Youth Band Nights “Billi Rox”. We are making every effort to engage the youth of our community by getting them involved in community work (Youth Enterprise Scheme “YES”). This scheme will be overseen by the partnership but will encourage participation from other groups and parents. We will continue to seek funding and focus on making our youth schemes sustainable both financially and logistically and to seek out volunteers to work with us on these youth projects.

Environment (Including Sports and Recreation). We continue to work with the Parish Council regarding the “Station Road Garden Project” and to support the environmental initiatives such as the maintenance of grass verges and parkland in order to make Billingshurst more attractive, especially to visitors. We take an active role in the maintenance of Burnt Row Wood and its surrounding area and encourage more awareness and respect for local wildlife

Local economy. Working with the business community and local traders, we are formalizing a strong coherent voice through the establishment of a robust Chamber of Commerce and are working with a group of consultants in order to undertake a research project to identify the relationship between available services in Billingshurst and its surrounding area. The objective is to make Billingshurst a sustainable hub for the surrounding district.

Centre for Children. Having some time ago identified the need for a child care centre, and raised some £120,000 toward it, we are now working with WSCC and SEEDA on the final stages of the development of a £700,000 Centre for Children to be located on the Station Road site of the old soccer pitch. This centre will also ensure that the childcare spaces provided by WAKOOS, and whose existence has been under threat for want of new premises, will continue.

Arts & Culture. We are actively encouraging the Arts in all its forms and in particular to bring performing art and cultural events to Billingshurst by building a calendar of activities throughout the year. These events can be traditional or classical theatre; innovative and ‘risky’ productions; exhibitions and experimental performances, often subsidised or even under written by funding from the Arts council and Horsham District Council.
Parish Plan – Action Plan In our consultations, and those of the Parish Council, certain Key Projects, actions and areas of concern have been identified and many are the direct responsibility of the Parish, District and County Councils. It is in this area that the work of the Partnership and that of the Parish Council diverges. Such concerns as the maintenance of Open Spaces, the reduction and calming of Traffic and Recycling are the responsibility of the authorities. However we will continue to work with the Parish Council in helping to address these concerns and assist, where we can, in raising finance and supplying volunteers to work with the council and the other higher authorities. But in more general terms those projects as listed above are those that as a community partnership we can finance and address.

Hence the Community Partnership Action Plan addresses those projects where we as a group can actively fund and promote them. “Together we can make it happen”.

The Managing Team

Billingshurst Community Partnership

People are reminded that the fishing lake is not suitable for swimming in.

Moving the picnic benches on to the fishing platforms, and then using them for diving, spoils the use of these for others and causes damage to the platforms, as they are not designed for this purpose. It is also highly dangerous as the water depth at the side of the lake is in some cases no more than 500 mm and the exit from the lake is a muddy bank.  Also the environment of the lake is settling down now and the fish are breeding - swimming is disturbing this and keeps stirring up the mud bottom to the lake. So please cooperate with us to keep this lake as a fishing lake and for the enjoyment of picnics and fishing - lastly if you do use the area please take your rubbish away with you. Throwing the benches into the lake is also not funny and causes more work - in the end this is paid for by your local taxes so we suggest ALL parents might like to get the message across to ALL the young people to help keep the lake as it has been designed.

Recent pictures of the day fishing organised by the Billingshurst Angling Club to encourage youngsters to use the facility