MINUTES of the meeting of the COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Committee on Thursday 15 November 2018 at 8.00 pm in the Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.
Members Present
Steve Whitehead (Chairman) Rosemary Burns Allan Brown | David Evans Claire Majsai Bob Sampson |
Also Present:
Stephen Hoyles CLERK TO THE COUNCIL
CA18/015. Apologies for absence and declarations of interest: The Committee received no apologies for absence. The following declarations of interest made in accordance with the Council’s Code of Conduct: Rosemary Burns personal interest Item CA18/020. Parish Council Grant Applications – Torch House.
CA18/016. Minutes of the Community Affairs Committee Meeting held on 19 July 2018: The Committee received and accepted the minutes which were then signed by the Chairman.
RESOLVED: Minutes of the Community Affairs Committee Meeting held on 19 July 2018 are approved.
CA18/017. Matters arising from Community Affairs Meeting held on 19 July 2018: There were no matters arising from the Minutes, which were not covered elsewhere on this agenda.
CA18/018. Adjournment for questions from the public: There being no members of the public present the
Committee was no required to consider whether to adjourn the Meeting in accordance with clause 1(d) of Standing Orders.
CA18/019 Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Neighbourhood Panel: There were no recent crime statistic reports to consider.
CA18/020. Parish Council Grant Applications: The Committee considered and where appropriate approved Council grants to local groups. In the current year 2018/19, a budget of £4000 (Code 4108) was available for small grants, with £2,900 remaining, and £2,500 (Code 4108) for Hurst Festival 2018, which had been granted. The Committee then approved grants 5, 6, 7, and 8 as follows:
Previously approved
Organisation | Amount Requested | Grant Request for: | Grant approved | Date | |
1 | Cancervive | £500 | The grant will go towards core funding and ongoing running costs. Have expanded by 20 clients this year, whilst taking many more telephone calls from prospective clients. | £500 | 19.07.2018 |
2 | West Sussex Mediation Service | £100 | To support the ongoing provision of services to those living within this parish, suffering conflicts in their lives. Each case we service costs our charity around £400. Budget this year is £90,000. | £100 | 19.07.2018 |
3 | St Lawrence Fair | £1500 | Note: this request has already been considered at Council Meeting dated 17th May 2018. The Council granted £500 to this event (ref minute C18/017) | £500 | 19.07.2018 |
4 | Hurst Festival | £2500 | Contribution towards 2018 events. (approved by Finance + General Purposes Committee 6 Sept 2018.) | £2500 | 06.09.2018 |
For consideration:
5 | Torch House | £200 | Contribution to Older Peoples’ Christmas Tea Party. (REF: R Burns email 29October 2018) | £200 | 15.11.2018 |
6 | Royal British Legion | £151 | Payment for road closure signs for Remembrance Day parade 11 November 2018. (Due to the constraints of time the Council has already ordered and placed the signs.) | £151 | |
7 | Hurst Monthly Social | £500 | Towards costs of starting new group for | No grant | 15.11.2018 |
Group | residents of 18 years and over. The Committee felt that the costs were high considering the numbers who might benefit, and would wish to see greater numbers before considering any grant. | ||||
8 | Sayers Common Village Society | £1000 | The planting of trees in verges | £1000 | 15.11.2018 |
RESOLVED: The Committee approves the grants as follows:
(Ref 5) Torch House: £200
(Ref 6) Royal British Legion: £151
(Ref 8) Sayers Common Village Society: £1000
CA18/021 Dementia Awareness project update: The committee noted that two recent meetings had taken place with Rachel Beckett (Dementia Awareness) to carry on the work started previously. It was confirmed that Councillors had agreed the importance of participating in a Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Dementia Action Alliance and that the Council was now at the stage where actions should be put in place. Rachel Beckett recommended that small steps were taken and to resist from trying to implement ‘too much too soon’. As a next step it was suggested that contact be made with various businesses/organisations in Hurstpierpoint, such as retailers, library, cafes, and care homes to gauge interest in them attending a session/workshop, to be led by Rachel. This would be to educate in spotting signs of dementia, actions that could be taken, resources they may be happy to display. Rachel also suggested contact with the group
‘Befriended’ who she believes would be willing to run a session. Any possible date would be in January/February 2019, perhaps when footfall lessens. Rachel also attended the recent Patient Participation Group meeting that took place at the Village Centre and met Michael Bailey, who acts as liaison between the patient group and the surgery.
The Committee consider the best method to connect with retailers and agreed that contact was made with MSDC as part of their retail training programme. It was understood that many retailers were already aware of the dementia programme, but that further work could be done by direct contact.
CA18/022 Age UK Centre – Hassocks: The Committee noted that a meeting had taken place with John Rose, Chairman of the Pauline Thaw Centre in Hassocks. The purpose was to discuss the services offered to members of the elderly public and to find out details of their catchment area and any help and assistance they need to continue their valuable work to the community. Their Welcoming Centre is open Monday – Friday 8.30am – 16.30pm and provides a daily three course meal, afternoon entertainment, hairdressing services, chiropody services and accompanied day trips, a group recently visited the Shard in London. At present they financially secure, due to a substantial beneficiary recently received. However the areas of assistance required is the search for new Trustees, as older Trustees are now stepping down, and volunteer drivers to take residents to and from appointments and volunteers who could provide entertainment in the form of informative talks, playing a musical instrument etc. The new year sees their existing charity shop being extended and the creation of a new Shop Frontage. Regrettably due to lack of trained staff the centre is only open to people that can feed themselves and who have need for the immediate assistance of trained medical staff. It was understood that a number of Hurstpierpoint residents are able to access the service.
CA18/023. NHS Pre-natal services for the parish: The Committee was asked to note that a discussion had taken place with Mid Sussex Healthcare about ante-natal care, to better understand the current services. The care is made available following a self-referral to mypregnancymatters.co.uk at the Princess Royal, Haywards Heath. It was advised after contacting the department that 99.9% of women are able to access the care at the hospital, however in special circumstances, such as patients with a disability or are home bound the midwife will call at the patient’s home. Was advised each case would be decided on its’ own merit. The Committee expressed concern that women were expected to travel to Hayward Heath for ante-natal care, when a substantial health centre facility existed in Hurstpierpoint. After discussion it was agreed that the Council would contact the Health Centre, asking why no such service was available.
CA18/024. Independent retailers training – 19 November 2018: The Committee noted that MSDC was holding
a training session to assist retailers with their strategies and processes, to help their business growth. The Parish Office was assisting in distributing the information leaflet. (REF: MSDC email 7 November 2018 and leaflet 19 Nov 2018 )
CA18/025. Publicity: The Committee noted the following:
- (1) Hurst Life – Following the decision of the Committee at its meeting 19 July 2018 the first of three one-page items was included in the November 2018 issue.
- (2) Newsletter – The Autumn 2018 issue was published September 2018. There was a modest response to the suggestions about Council spending in 2019/20.
- (3) Website – There has been no further action on the redesign of the website. (REF: Briefing Note: DRAFT Terms of reference New website 10 July 2018)
- (4) Social Media – The Parish Office is working to increase Facebook posts, with an aim of 3/4 per week going out. The page is also being monitored regularly for any comments/shares.
CA18/026. Christmas lights and High Street closure: The Committee noted that the lights had been installed and would be switched on by Friday 30 November 2018. The Village Garden Christmas tree would also be installed and lit by this date. The High Street Traders group had arranged for a road closure of the road from 3.00pm Saturday 8 December 2018 with a series of events culminating on the village Garden. (REF: BRIEFING NOTE Christmas Lights
2018 – proposed changes)
CA18/027. Hurstpierpoint Strategic Partnership : The Committee noted the meeting of the Partnership. (REF: NOTES of Hurstpierpoint Strategic Partnership mtg 18 June 2018)
CA18/028. Community Affairs Committee Budget 2019/20: The Committee reviewed the Working Draft Budget for its sector (showing the Budget for 2018/19 and the initial proposals for 2019/20). The Committee would set or confirm the expected spend and also consider which items might be deleted or added. The Finance & General Purposes Committee would finalise budget proposals at its meeting on 6 December 2018 and perform a final review (following Tax Base data) and propose the budget and precept to Council at its meeting on 24 January 2019. The Committee agreed to the following changes to the Draft budget v2 – 2 Oct 2018: Hurst Life publication: £1000
Website: £3000
(Ref: Community Affairs Committee Budget 2019/20 draft, ; Parish Action Plan 2016 – 21)
RECOMMENDATION to Finance + General Purposes Committee: The Committee proposes its budget for 2019/20.
CA18/029. Community buildings: The Committee was advised on current progress regarding the future management and operation of Hurstpierpoint Village Centre and Court Bushes Community Hub.
CA18/030. Information Items and Correspondence Received: to note the receipt of the items below (all items available to be seen in the Parish Council Office). No additional information.
There being no other business the meeting closed at 9.30 pm Chairman