Members are summoned to attend the Community Engagement Meeting to be held on Thursday 7th October 2021 at 7.30pm in the Court Bushes Function Room. Members of the public have a right to and are invited to, attend the meeting. Please note we strongly recommend the Government’s COVID guidelines are followed.
Sarah Groom Clerk to the Council 30th September 2021
AGENDA
1. Apologies for Absence: To receive and accept apologies for absence.
2. Declarations of Interest: To receive and record any declarations of interest.
3. Minutes of the Previous Meeting of the Community Engagement Committee: To receive and adopt the minutes of the 5th August 2021 Community Engagement meeting.
4. Adjournment for Questions from the Public: To consider adjourning the meeting, to receive questions from members of the public in accordance with Standing Orders.
5. Parish Council Grant Applications:
Grant Budget 2021/22: £4,000
Grants awarded in 2021/22: £1,300
Grant Budget remaining in 2021/22: £2,700
| Organisation | Grant Request For | Grant Approved | Date Grant Approved |
| Victim Support | Supporting victims and volunteers. | £300 | April 2021 |
| Sussex Clubs for Young People | For the continued running of the youth provision in Hurstpierpoint at Court Bushes | £500 | August 2021 |
| Know Dementia | To cover the costs of part support for the Memory Moments café for the year April 2021- March 2022 | £500 | August 2021 |
New Grant Applications to be considered 2021/22:
| Organisation | Grant Request For | Amount Requested | Grant Approved |
| Age UK | A grant of £200 would enable us to support around 13 local older people. A grant of £500 would enable us to support around 30 local older people. | £200-£500 |
5.1 Health & Wellbeing Budget
Health & Wellbeing Grants budget 2021/2022 £1,000
Health & Wellbeing Projects budget 2021/2022 £1,000
Health & Wellbeing grants remaining in 2021/22 = £0,000
Health & Wellbeing projects budget remaining 2021/2022 = £1,000
| Organisation | Grant Request For | Grant Approved | Date Grant Approved |
| YMCA (Downland School) | Counselling Sessions at Downlands School | £1,000 | April 2021 |
New Grant Applications to be considered 21/22
| Organisation | Grant Request For | Amount Requested | Grant Approved |
6. Community Initiatives and projects
6.1 Budget Monitoring: To receive the budget monitoring report for the Committee.
Ref: 6.1 CE Nominal Ledger
Ref: 6.1 Detailed Income & Expenditure
6.2 Budget Setting for 2022/23: To consider the requirements for the Community Engagement budget for 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023. This will allow the Finance & Governance Committee to consider a first draft budget on 18th November 2021 and a second draft on 9th December 2021, which will result in a recommendation to Council for approval 16 December 2021.
Ref: 6.2 Community Engagement Committee Budget 2022 2023 DRAFT
RECOMMENDATION: The committee AGREE to present the Draft Community Engagement budget to the Finance & Governance Committee in November.
6.3 Review of Action Plan: To note that the updates that were discussed in the 10th June 2021 Community Engagement meeting have not yet been updated on the Action Plan. The Chair will be discussing the new format with the Clerk and will bring a verbal update to the meeting.
6.4 Heritage Trail: The Heritage Trail was successfully launched on 24th August and has been well received by the Parish. The original stock of pamphlets held by the Parish Office have already run out through demand from the public. The Hurstpierpoint Society have since re-stocked the Library, Charity shop and Parish Office with more pamphlets. The Parish Councils website has a page dedicated to the Heritage Trail including the direct link to the interactive guide. The Chair would like to thank the Hurstpierpoint Society and Christopher Maidment for their hard work and dedication on getting the Trail up and running.
6.5.1 Christmas Lights in Sayers Common: Fifteen columns (14-28) were structurally tested and calculated by KIWA in late August. The Parish Office submitted the Christmas Festive lighting application to SSE on the 31st August to ensure we had met the deadline of the 1st September. The structural report and calculations were sent to the Parish Office in September and show that one column is inadequate to attach a Christmas motif, six columns will need to be re-tested next year and eight retested in two years. The Parish Office re-submitted the application to SSE on 23rd September outlining that we would like to use columns 27,26,25,24,23,22,21,19 and 18. The Parish Office sent an Unmetered Connection for festive Lighting application to UKPN on the 23rd September. UKPN need to approve this application and send a certificate that can then be forwarded to SSE to complete this part of the application. The Parish Office have also requested permission with SSE for Merlin Lighting to carry out the next stage of the project, electrical infrastructure on the columns. The Assistant Clerk has also received confirmation from Merlin Lighting of a reduced cost for purchasing the Christmas Lights at £350 +VAT per unit.
Summary of next steps once SSE has confirmed our application:(1) Merlin Lighting to carry the electrical infrastructure on nine columns in Sayers Common (27,26,25,24,23,22,21,19 and 18) at a cost of £300 + VAT per column. (2) The Parish Office to send a PO for 9 Perle Scintillante lights at a cost of £365 + VAT per unit from Merlin Lighting. (3) The Parish Office will contact the Sayers Common Shop to ask for the £3,000 donation to be transferred. (4) The Parish Office to send a PO to Merlin Lighting to install, maintain, remove and storage of the nine columns lights in 2021 at a cost of £105 + VAT per column.
Ref: 6.5.1 Sayers Common Map
Ref: 6.5.1 KIWA report
Ref: 6.5.1 Email from Merlin Lighting confirming Christmas Motif Price
Ref: 6.5.1 Budget for Christmas Lights in Sayers Common
6.5.2 Christmas Light Infrastructure: At the Estates and Facilities committee meeting held on 9th September 2021 the committee discussed the electrical boxes on the high street and recommended that the work was carried out and funded under budget line 301/5610 (community engagement/Tourism & Attractiveness). Minute: EF21/22.024.
Ref: 6.5.2 High Street, festive lighting improvements Briefing Note
Ref: 6.5.2 Tourism & Attractiveness Budget 2021 22
RECOMMENDATION: The committee AGREE to award Merlin Lighting the improvement works of the two electrical boxes at a cost of £245 plus VAT.
6.6 Youth Offer: The Chair will bring a verbal update.
6.7 High Street Update: Cllr Ranger and Cllr Bedford will bring a verbal update to the meeting.
6.8 Safe Place Project: The Assistant Clerk has organised for the Safe Place training to take part on Wednesday 20th October, there will be several time slots throughout the day. The volunteer from the Burgess Hill Dementia Action Alliance will train anyone attending on how to deal with different situations and to help develop the confidence to deal appropriately with situations involving someone who is lost and confused. The following places have confirmed they would like to be involved in the project: PoponIn, The Melting Pot, Sayers Common Shop, Health Centre, Library, Sussex Osteopath and Charlotte Grace Casuals. The Chair would like to encourage all Councillors to spread the word of this project to see if we can get more High Street shops involved.
6.9 Update on additional Community Engagement Activities: The Chair will bring a verbal update.
6.10 Wash up conversation after Covid: The Assistant Clerk received an email from the Hurst-19 Covid Group earlier this year to ask for the Parish Council to consider and discuss the following questions: What was learnt from the pandemic and things to consider for the future. The committee is asked to discuss these questions.
6.11 Annual Parish Meeting: The committee is asked to discuss the Annual Parish Meeting for 2022 including how this will be run, the subject for the evening and when the working group will start the planning process.
RECOMMENDATION: The committee AGREE to appoint the events working group to organise the Annual Parish Meeting in 2022.
7. Publicity: The Committee is asked to note the following:
7.1 Communication: The Parish Office have produced ID badges on Lanyards for all staff members and Councillors. The committee would like to encourage the use of these ID’s to help promote the Parish Councils work in the Parish. The Hurst Life continues to be a valuable way of communicating what the Parish Council is achieving and working on. All Councillors are encouraged to think of articles for the future and send any ideas to the Parish Office. A follow up communication meeting is scheduled on 12th October between the Chair of Community Engagement, Chairman and Clerk. This meeting will cover achievements so far, goals for the future and look to work on the branding for the Parish Council.
7.2 Website: A new defibrillator page has been added to the website listing all the sites where a De-Fib can be found.
7.3 Social Media: The Facebook page continues to grow and is regularly used by the Parish Office. The page currently has 495 likes and 610 followers. All Councillors are encouraged to send any Facebook material to the Parish Office which can be reviewed and posted.
8. Information Items, Correspondence Received and Requests: To note any items.