Billingshurst Community Partnership Ltd

Company No. 05573204. A Company limited by guarantee
Registered in England & Wales.

Minutes: Sandy Duck -SD

Welcome: Chairman opened the meeting with a warm welcome to 2 new members to the partnership meeting.

1. Jason Russell - representing Billingshurst Parish Council (BPC), he will take the place of Helen Abbott who has decided to step down. PP thanked Helen in her absence for her contribution to the Partnership.

2. Dick Southward - representing Billingshurst Sports and Recreation Association.

36.1 Declaration of Interest: None.

36.2 Apologies for Absence: Tony Burke; Maggie Burt; Denise Campbell; Owen Davies; Peggy Davies; Geoff Lawes;

36.3 Minutes of the Meeting held on the 8^th March 2007: - minutes approved.

36.4 Matters Arising: - None

36.5 Financial Report:

AB reported through SD: he is currently working on Annual Report and Accounts – 31^st March 2007. There is little activity to report a present; a full report will be given in June's meeting.

PP reported that our application to ' Awards for All' has been unsuccessful

36.6 Project working group progress:

1. Walking & Cycling

Guide book will include a walking map for ' Walking in the Village' as Billingshurst has many Historical Monuments and places of interest which will be included.

2. Station regeneration

KJ reported slow progress. WSCC have now accepted that they will factor the various jobs within the project into their work load priority, but confirm they have no budget at this moment in time. The project needs moving forward and WSCC are looking at 106 funding.

Discussion took place to move, that Station Regeneration be taken forward and incorporated into the new Action Plan 2007 - 2012. It was agreed by all.

3. Billi-Links (Village Transport Link)

KJ - Following the year's pilot exercise, there is 3 year funding to support the project and we are now looking to expand the scheme, currently using Jakes Taxis. 30 - 40 people are using it each month. Billingshurst community Transport have been asked to take over the promotion and admin of the scheme and they are negotiating recompense for the work as

WSCC will no longer carry out these tasks due to the staff involved having had funding withdrawn for their positions..

This item can now be discharged - agreed.

4. Economy

KJ reported 2 or 3 things are happening.

4.1. Chamber of Commerce: Initial meeting held on 14^th March. 14/15 businesses were represented where a raft of issues were identified.

5 people stepped forward to form a committee, and the first meeting has held.

10 -12 people attended a second public meeting to debate anti-social behaviour.

There are probably up to 20 businesses who will be interested in being involved and a further Steering Committee meeting at the end of the month will take place to agree the Constitution etc.

The next item to discuss will be the Car Parking issues. The new owners of the land are being held up by a legal technicality regarding a road traffic order on the land. A paper is currently being produced outlining what their charging policy will be.

At the next meeting, there needs to be a discussion on what action the C of C wants to take about it.

C of C is progressing - but slowly

JG offered his support to KJ on this project.

KJ accepted his offer as he is finding it hard to get people to show any enthusiasm for this issue.

4.2. Developing a Plan for Sustainable Service Provision in the Rural Community

A meeting took place on 10^th May between AIRS; HDC; BPC (KJ & PP attended) and the New Parish Clerk to discuss the above paper and its proposals.

A brief out line of this is set out below; the full paper was distributed to all members at the meeting, and will be attached to these minutes:

This is a Government down initiative, to use a collective approach working with all PC's and smaller communities.

The Proposal

1. To undertake research in order to study the relationship between services available in villages and hamlets and their reliance on the market town (and other centres) for services and facilities
   

2. To determine whether a ' sustainable communities' model for looking at both service demand and provision can be formulated which might be used to help inform the delivery of SEEDA's Small Rural Towns Programme and new Rural Access to Services Programme.

3. To use Billingshurst, West Sussex and its surrounding 10 parishes as a model for this pilot project.

Why Billingshurst? Billingshurst, in West Sussex, formulated its action Plan in 2003 following the completion of the Countryside Agency's Health check process. The Community Partnership formed as a result of this process (as a Company Limited by Guarantee) has had considerable success in completing a broad range of projects, raising grants in excess of £300K in the process.

Expected outputs

1. A model of the pilot area that can be used to define sustainability issues and solutions for other rural communities

2. A community plan for Billingshurst and its surrounding parishes, which has full ownership by the local community and the local authorities that can be used to help target limited resources

3. An understanding of the issues of crossing the boundaries of counties, districts and parishes

PP/KJ advised of the following relevant points:

• BCP have been chosen as we are seen as successful in the work we undertake.

• West Sussex will receive £1m to support the process throughout the County.
• Objective at Government level is to delegate down to local authorities to manage their own affairs – a form of devolution.
• No firm decision on the way forward at present
• SEEDA will be the fund holders
• BCP are looked upon as the HUB to all the other local communities
• Great opportunity to gain professional help to assess the Economy of Billingshurst

All members of the meeting were asked to read and make serious consideration to the decision of being a part of this exciting new initiative.

If all agree, we need to get the PC onboard with us, PP agreed to take the action to speak with the appropriate people. A paper also needs to be put together.

All agreed to go ahead.

4.3. Tourism & Visitors

Visitor/ Tourist Brochure: Horsham Market Towns Forum produced a brochure to be used to encourage local people to visit other parts of their district, whilst also encouraging visitors from further afield.. The funders have stipulated a need to measure effectiveness a passport scheme will be introduced with the brochure, which will encourage shops to 'join in' and includes a poster for the window of all shops who agree to take part.

When your passport is full you send it in and each quarter there is a prize draw for £100.

It was felt that this process will not bring in 'New Visitors' to the area, and that it would be better to place the brochures into recognised ' Visitor Areas' e.g. Fishers Farm and other areas of interest, this would make the passport scheme more sense, as it is hoped, would draw visitors in and encourage them to visit the other areas.

Funding for the leaflet was given on the understanding a measurement of it's success can be evidenced.

KJ. Asked if it would be better to go into shops and ask them to join the scheme, free?

All agreed.

4.4. Notice Boards / Art Work

Horsham Market Towns Forum have offered to consider the funding of more notice boards, or alternatively to fund the art work Discussions continue

5. Sports and Recreation (Burnt Row progress and BSRA)

The BSRA brought together the old Billingshurst Sports Association (cricket and adult football), Junior Football and Angling.

Members of the BSRA are in the early stages of establishing the pavilion, grounds and working procedures for the Association. Nevertheless progress is being made in the core activities of the Association and elsewhere.

There are ten boys' junior football teams ranging from under 7 to under 16 and two girls football teams. Three men's football teams play on Saturdays and two play on Sundays. There is also a veterans XI.

There are six colts' cricket teams, and three adult teams, which cater for all ages and abilities. Next year there will be more. Speaking for the cricket club, every effort is made to encourage membership, including the setting of levels of fees, waived in cases of difficulty, putting on high class matches, and simply making people welcome and showing the facilities.

Fishing is yet to come on line (or on stream?), but has started.

Considerable voluntary effort and time is being put to make these run successfully.

Other activities are taking place or being planned.
Archery will be on the middle field.
One holiday sports scheme has taken place and another is planned.
The Weald School have made some limited use of pitches for football, and discussions are taking place with them about some use of cricket pitches.
Discussions are taking place with the Lions, who meet in the pavilion, about a firework display.

A problem is the vandalism taking place at the fishing lake. Another is drainage. A need for us, and for any future non-core activity, is storage. We will however continue to do our best to make good use of the facilities.

6. Care of the Young - WAKOOS C4C / Children's Centre – JG

Specification:

County Council have agreed to WAKOOS having a 25 year lease with a get our clause for WAKOOS within.

Detailed discussion will be taking place in the next couple of months re rent/agreements.

Time Scales:

Project in going to tenure 16^th July 2007

Tenures to be returned 28^th August 2007

Work is to start 5^th November but I have requested an earlier start of September - this is of course subject to the access road for the swimming pool being completed.

10^th March Completion - although this would come forward accordingly if earlier start.

Project still has a shortfall of £55,000, funding applications have been sent out and we are waiting replies. WAKOOS have agreed to access a loan for any shortfall to avoid the project being delayed.

This project is on target to be completed by March 2008 which meets with the SEEDA and government requirements.

7. Elderly

World War II concert was a great success

A day's outing to Eastbourne is planned for 11^th June.

8. Disadvantaged

PS reported - Having problems with finding trustees

AGM is being held this week and hoping to find funding etc.

Secure filing cabinets are needed for the office, to comply with the data protection act.

9. Arts and Youth.

Denise reported through PP

There are many reports of problems with young people around Jengers Mead and Clevelands areas.

Would like to mirror the Pulborough Project and engage with the youngsters.

36.7 New Action Plan

SD reported that 57 questionnaires had been received and collated onto a spreadsheet for analysis. JG agreed to analyse the out puts and requested SD to forward the document on to him

36.8 Members of and reports from other organisations or affiliations

BAIT

There is currently a problem with BAIT as Helen has stood down – Paul Berry may re-join in October.

36.9 Walking Bus

PP - A meeting is to be held at the Infant School on the 11^th May, PP & JG will be attending as BCP representatives.

36.10 A.O.B

1. PP requested SD send her details to AIRS as the new contact for BCP

2. JG expressed his interest in getting involved with the Chamber of Commerce meeting on

Tuesday 29^th May - KJ accepted his offer.

3. PP asked Jason Russell if he could report back to the PC at their meetings. Jason agreed, once he was settled into the new job. KJ said he would represent BCP at the June meeting.

36.11 Date for the next meeting 14^th June 2007 at 7.30pm

36.12 Meeting closed 9.30pm

Title Minutes dated 8^th March 2007.

Ref 36

Owner P Perks

Author S Duck

Name P Perks
Role Chair, Billingshurst Community Partnership Management Committee

Release Date 14^th June 2007

Signature - Patrick Perks

Those present

Apologies

BPC

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