AGENDA   

1. 1. Apologies for absence and declarations of interest: to receive and accept apologies for absence and to record any declarations of interest. 

1. 2. Minutes of the Community Affairs Committee Meeting held on 14^th November 2019:  to receive and accept the minutes.  

1. 3. Matters arising from Community Affairs Meeting held on 14^th November 2019:  to consider matters arising from the Minutes, which are not covered elsewhere on this agenda.  

1. 4. Adjournment for questions from the public:  The Committee is asked to consider whether to adjourn the Meeting in accordance with Standing Orders, in order to receive questions from members of the public. 

1. 5. Christmas Festival: The committee will receive a brief presentation from Matt Rosin who is the chairman of the Christmas 

Festival Committee. The event in 2019 will be discussed including how it went, highlights and any planned changes to this year’s event. The committee will discuss the Parish Council presence for this year and how we would like to be involved.  

1. 6. Heritage Trail: The committee will receive a brief presentation from David Clark on behalf of the Hurstpierpoint Society regarding a proposed Heritage Trail. This is an unaccompanied walking tour for residents and visitors. The principle purpose is to encourage people to be more aware of the history and significance of the village. The proposal is to have a notice board in the Trinity Road car park with a brief history of the village, encouraging people to walk around the village, following a printed guide.  

1. 7. Parish Council Grant Applications:  The Committee is asked to consider and where appropriate approve Council grants to local groups.  In the current year 2019/2020, a budget of £4,000 is available for grants for local community groups.   

Small Grants:  Small Grants applications are considered at every Community Engagement Committee meeting.   

Budget for Small Grants 2019/20: £4,000 Remaining:  £1,220 

Grants already gifted in 2019/2020 

Please note that an email was received on the 15^th December from the Community Midwife asking to remove the grant application that was submitted on the 14^th November 2019 Community Engagement Meeting and that was granted. This is due to a business plan having to be submitted to the NHS for change of premises. We have been advised that any approval can take a minimum of six months. The Manager of the Community Midwife has confirmed the plan has been submitted and asked if they can potentially re-apply for a grant in the new financial year. The Assistant Clerk offered support with the business plan and advised she would stay in touch in early 2020 to see if there has been any progress. 

RECOMMENDATION:  The Committee approves the grant as appropriate. 

1. 8. Community initiatives and projects: 

1. (8.1) Christmas Lights: The Parish Office have received several emails, phone calls and comments from residents 

congratulating the Parish Council on the double tree cone lights displayed on the flagpole this year. It was commented that this was a much better and environmental friendlier idea then cutting down a tree. Due to the popularity of the lights the Assistant Clerk has asked the lighting company to provide a quote for purchasing these lights and storage each year.  

(Ref: Double Tree Light Quote – Merlin Lighting) 

RECOMMENDATION:  (1) The Committee AGREE to purchase the double tree light structure as quoted by Merlin Lighting  

(2) The committee AGREE to the installation and removal costs of the double tree light structure by Merlin Lighting 

1. (8.2) Proposed Events Working Group: The Councillors are asked to discuss a proposed events working group. 

This group will help organise the St Lawrence Fair, Christmas Traders event and Annual Parish Meeting. The working group will meet outside of the Community Engagement Meetings but all decisions and work carried out would be fed back to the committee.  

1. (8.3) St Lawrence Fair: St Lawrence Fair will be held in July and is a popular event for residents. Last year some Councillors manned the stand which displayed information about Court Bushes Community Hub, Reeds Lane play area and the proposed cycle path. To ensure we are prepared for this year’s fair the following needs to be considered and discussed; which Councillors can attend, what we would like to promote, leaflets and posters that need to be made and anything else we would like to do.  

1. (8.4) Reeds Lane Play Area: The committee is asked to note that the proposed new play area for Reeds Lane in Sayers Common, has now been put on hold pending receipt of the section 106 money from Kingsland Laines land. The amount of 

£92,692.00 is payable to Mid Sussex District Council payable on or before first occupation. The amount must be used towards play provisions at Sayers Common Reeds Lane Playground and cannot be claimed back retrospectively.  

1. (8.5) Operation Signature Talk: On the 3^rd February at 6:30pm Police Officer Allan Philips will be holding an Operation Signature talk to discuss fraud prevention. The talk will look at different areas of fraud and how complex and deceptive it is now becoming. All residents are welcome to this talk and posters and leaflets have been displayed in Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common. Groups such as Age Concern, U3A, W1, HPP monthly group have all been contacted directly about this.   

1. (8.6) Defibrillator Training at the Village Centre: On the 21^st January 2020 defibrillator training was due to be held at the Village Centre. This training was purchased with the defibrillator unit which is now positioned outside the Village Centre. The training unfortunately did not go ahead as planned due to the trainer not attending. The Assistant Clerk is now in the process of trying to re-organise in February.  

1. (8.7) VE Day 75^th Anniversary 8-10 May 2020: The Committee is asked to note that it is the VE Day 75^th Anniversary in May. 

The Committee is asked to discuss if there is anything we would like to do to mark this celebration with consideration to budgets. Mid Sussex District Council are offering £250 per organisation for street parties and events during the VE Day commemoration weekend. A grant application must be applied for and although we have missed the deadline the Assistant Clerk asked for an extension due to the date of this meeting.  

1. (8.8) Village Garden: The Autumn newsletter contained information regarding the planned panting for the Village Garden. The Parish Office has had several positive emails regarding the changes. Two residents outlined concerns and issues relating to Yellow-legged Mining Bees and the choice of plants.  

(REF: Briefing Note Village Garden 14.1.2020) 

RECOMMENDATION: The committee discuss any alterations to planting ready for May 2020.  

1. (8.9) Mid-Sussex Health and Wellbeing Network: The Chair of the Community Engagement Committee attended a Mid Sussex Health and Wellbeing Network meeting on Wednesday 22^nd January and will bring a verbal update to the meeting.  

1. (8.10) Safe Place Project: The committee are asked to note that the Assistant Clerk has been working on this initiative and we are now able to move forward.  We have 6 high street shops who would like to be involved and the medical centre. The library has also been contacted and we are awaiting their answer. The flow diagram that will be handed out to all high street shops is completed and the trainer has been confirmed although dates need to be scheduled. The sticker to be displayed in the shop windows (only who have received the training) has been designed by the Vice Chair of the Community Engagement committee. The stickers do incur a charge for printing, the minimum order is 45 stickers at a charge of £45 + VAT.  

(Ref: Safe Place Hurstpierpoint Flow Chart and Safe Place Sticker) 

RECOMMENDATION: (1) The committee AGREE to the designed flowchart and stickers (2) The committee AGREE to purchase the stickers using the General budget 2019/2020. 

1. (8.11) Annual Parish Meeting: The Annual Parish Meeting is to be held on Tuesday 19^th May 2020. The committee are asked to discuss whether the venue can be changed from the Village Centre to Court Bushes Community Hub due to the need to increase Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Commons awareness of the building and its functionality. To attract a higher attendance it has been proposed to invite local groups/organisations who would like to advertise or promote what they do in the community. The Chair from Community Engagement would like to propose inviting a speaker to the Parish meeting to again help increase attendance.  

1. (8.12) Parish Action List 2016-2021: The committee is asked to review the Parish Action Plan. The Community Engagement committee has 22 action points included on the plan and it has been asked by the Clerk to ensure that these have not been duplicated and could therefore be combined to fewer points. The committee is asked to review the action points to ensure we are working towards meeting them. The committee is asked to come with comments regarding this plan.  

1. 9. Publicity: The Committee is asked to note the following: 

1. (9.1) Newsletter –. The Assistant Clerk was asked to investigate reducing costs of the newsletter especially with regards to printing. The Parish Council currently spend £478.08 ex VAT per newsletter. We have received quotes for printing on similar paper to the current newsletter and recycled paper.  

(Ref: Briefing Note – Printing Cost for the Newsletters 5.12.19) 

RECOMMENDATION: (1) The Committee AGREE to use Lemonade Print Group to print future newsletters using the 170gsm stock.  

1. (9.2) Website – The website contract has now been signed and returned and we are awaiting a timeline of the next steps from the designer. The contract for Office 365 has been signed and all relevant paperwork has been sent to Tech Quarters. We are awaiting login details and once received these will be sent to Wasabi design to manage the set up process. We now own the domain name, Hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk and will be used for our new website and email addresses.  

1. (9.3) Social Media – The Parish Office are regularly using facebook to update residents of relevant information however we need to attract more people to like our page. This is being targeted through the newsletter and Hurst Life.  

1. 10. Information Items and Correspondence Received:   

 Protocol for filming and recording at public meetings:  The Council has a protocol for public filming, recording and photography at its meetings, which is available on the Council’s website or on request at the Parish Office.