The MINUTES of the Meeting of the COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT COMMITTEE held at 7.30pm on Thursday 3rd April 2025 at Hurstpierpoint Village Centre.

Also present:                         Viv Aloy, Assistant Clerk

CE24/25.038. Apologies for Absence: There were no apologies for absence.

CE24/25.039. Declaration of interest: Cllr Thompson declared a pecuniary interest, as a High Street Trader, in item 7.2a, the grant application for Santa Sunday.  Cllr Sampson declared an interest in item 10.2 request for shopping bags as he had designed one.

CE24/25.040. To receive and accept the minutes of the Community Engagement Committee meeting held on 13^th February 2025: Members reviewed the minutes, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee AGREED the minutes of 13^th February 2025 meeting

CE24/25.041. Adjournment for Questions from the Public:

CE24/25.042. The Committee discussed Version 5 of the 2024/2025 action plan in detail, and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee AGREED:

i)             to Version 5 of the 2025/26 Action Plan

ii)            for the Assistant Clerk to update Version 5 of the 2024/25 Action Plan as per the committee discussions and bring it to the next meeting as Version 1 of the 2025/26 Action Plan.

CE24/25.043. Budget Monitoring: Members reviewed the budget monitoring report for the Committee, noting:

1. The Nominal Ledger (Year to Date) and
2. Detailed Income & Expenditure as of 28^th February 2025, and it was:

RESOLVED that the committee NOTED the budget monitoring report including

a)            the Nominal Ledger

b)            the Detailed Income & Expenditure as of 28^th February 2025

CE24/25.044. Grants:

CE24/25.044.1 New Small Grant Applications to be considered 2025/26: Members noted the Grants Budget 2024/25 was £4,500 with £4,500

There were no small grant applications received.

CE24/25.44.2 Community Events Grant Applications to be considered 2025/26 Membersnoted the Community Events Budget was £4,500 with £4,500 remaining.

The Committee discussed each application in detail.  Councillors were unanimously in support of the Santa Sunday application, noting the further intent to share resources such as gazebos with other parish community events.

Councillors noted the low number of ticket sales in Hurstpierpoint for Hurstfolk, although it was accepted that all performers were from BN6 and that the event therefore provides exposure for local talent and brings people to the village.  Councillors also expressed that some aspects of the Hurstfolk budget lacked clarity, particularly regarding the specific purposes of certain expenditure lines. There was also concern raised about funds intended to be carried forward from last year’s event, which were not clearly reflected in this year’s budget.  It was:

                RESOLVED That Committee AGREED to

1. Award £1,000 to Santa Sunday towards gifts for children, public liability insurance, a gazebo for musicians & signs.
2. For Assistant Clerk Aloy to go back to Hurstfolk with the questions raised over the budget and for the application to be deferred to the 12 June Community Engagement Committee meeting.

CE24/25.044.3 Health & Wellbeing Grants application to be considered 2025/26 Members noted the Health & Wellbeing Grants Budget was £1,000 with £1,000 remaining.

There were no Health & Wellbeing Grant applications received.

CE24/25.044.4 Sustainable Communities Grants applications to be considered 2025/26. Members noted the Sustainable Communities Grants budget was £1,500 with £1,500 remaining.

There were no Sustainable Communities Grant applications received.

CE24/25.044.5 Health & Wellbeing Projects Budget 2025/2026. Members noted the Health & Wellbeing Projects Budget was £1,000 with £1,000 remaining.

There was one new Health & Wellbeing Project received.

The Committee discussed the application, noting that Knit and Natter were not a formally organised community group with a bank account and therefore would not qualify for a grant in the usual way.  Historically this has been done as a health and wellbeing project with the Parish Council paying the hire fee directly to the Village Centre.

Councillors were unanimous and it was:

                RESOLVED That Committee AGREED to pay £256.80 to the Village Centre to fund the 12 months room hire                 fees.

CE2024/25.045 VE Day 8^th May 2025: Committee discussed the suggestion to display the jubilee bunting in the High Street for the 80^th Anniversary of VE Day this year, noting that the St Lawrence Fair team have previously put up the bunting and it was:

RESOLVED: That the Committee AGREED to fund costs up to £250 from the Parish Council Events budget

to display the jubilee bunting.

CE2024/25.046 Reeds Lane Recreation Ground Phase 2: The committee discussed the proposals for the play equipment consultation for Reeds Lane and it was:

                RESOLVED: That the Committee AGREED to the proposed consultation structure and timeline.

CE2024/25.047 Information Items, Correspondence Received and Requests:

CE24/25.047.1 High Street Update: The Committee received a verbal update from Cllr Thompson, including Santa Sunday and ongoing concern regarding the parking charges and potential impact on footfall.

CE24/25.047.2 Hurst Shopping Bags: The Committee discussed the request from a member of the public for a further run of shopping bags, noting the possible designs and costs involved.  It was highlighted that the run of bags which were given away at a previous APM were funded from an MSDC grant.  Any run of bags ought to be self-funding. It was:

                RESOLVED: That the Committee AGREED for Cllr Thompson to discuss options with the High Street Traders                and come back to Committee to advise if there was genuine interest.

CE24/25.047.3 External Communication: Cllr Majsai provided a brief verbal update from the Communication Strategy Meeting which took place in the Village Centre Conference room earlier today, most of which had been covered during the earlier discussions over the Community Engagement Action Plan.

There being no other business the Chair closed the meeting at 9:35