MINUTES of the meeting of the Community Affairs Committee on Thursday 26 January 2017 at 8:00 pm in the Village Centre, Hurstpierpoint. 

Members Present: Bob Sampson (Committee Chairman)  Amanda Geel  

  Rosemary Burns   Tony Lank 

  David Evans   Steve Whitehead 

Also Present:  Joel Havicon, PCSO 

  2 members of the public        

  Roberta Taylor (Assistant Clerk) 

CA16/047.  Apologies for absence and declarations of interest: No apologies for absence were received prior to the meeting.  No declarations of interest were given at the meeting. 

CA16/048.  Minutes of the Community Affairs Committee Meeting held on 17 November 2016: The Committee received and accepted the minutes which were then signed by the Chairman.    

CA16/049.  Matters arising from Community Affairs Meeting held on 17 November 2016:  There were no matters arising.    

CA16/050.  Adjournment for questions from the public:  There were two members of the public present; however the Committee was not required to adjourn the meeting in accordance with Clause 1(d) of Standing Orders.  

CA16/051.  Police issues and information:  The Committee received the crime figures for the Parish from PCSO Joel Havicon.  It was noted that there have been a number of burglaries at the moment.  Operation Rock Lane was discussed, concerning cash and jewellery being taken in Henfield, rural Horsham, rural Crawley and Mid Sussex.  The public is being asked to report any suspicious looking people or vehicles. 

CA16/052.  Short Presentation by Richard Cherry, Chairman, Neighbourly Care.  The Committee received a presentation from Richard Cherry, Chairman of Neighbourly Care, about the organisation and changes that have recently been made.  Neighbourly Care is a charitable organisation run by volunteers, which aims to make our community a better and more caring place by providing practical help to housebound or isolated older people, people wo are sick or disabled, people who are lonely, parents with young children or people in a sudden crisis.  The group is based out of Burgess Hill but covers neighbouring villages/communities.  Neighbourly Care would like to increase both its number of volunteers and clients in Hurstpierpoint.  They are asking to be publicised via social media and newsletters/magazine articles. 

CA16/053. Parish Council Small Grant Applications:  Small Grants applications are considered at every 

Community Affairs Committee meeting.  £4000 is available for the current year 2016/17.  See attached list of past grants. 

(Ref: List of Community Grants Awarded by Parish Council in 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and requests for January 2017) 

  January 2017  Budget for Grants 2016/17: £4000.  Amount remaining in 2016/17 (as of Nov 2016): £1828.02. 

The Committee agreed to grant the amount that St Catherine’s Hospice requested.  Amount remaining for 2016/17 (as of Jan 2017):  £1628.02. 

RESOLVED:  that the Committee agreed to grant St Catherine’s Hospice the amount that they requested. 

CA16/054.  Community Affairs Committee Budget 2017/18:  The Committee noted the Committee Budget for 2017/18 which will be going to Council at its meeting on 19 January for approval.  (Ref:  Community Affairs Committee Budget 

2017/18, 2 Jan 2017 v5) 

CA16/055.  Local Emergency Plan.  The Committee noted that the local Emergency Plan was updated recently and sent to MSDC and WSCC Emergency Team contacts.  The WSCC Advisor of the Resilience & Emergencies Team said that together with MSDC, they are discussing the feasibility of a table top exercise (TTX) for parishes to validate their plans.  It is being proposed that Parish Councillors directly involved with the implementation of the Plan should engage with the exercise, if possibly.  If that is not possible, then it would be advised that a representative should be present who 

has a clear and thorough understanding of the Plan so that it could be activated ‘notionally’.  This will enable the Parish to revisit any shortfalls or anomalies in the Plan identified during the exercise.  The Council will be advised when the TTX will take place.  The Committee agreed to take part in this TTX exercise, with the appropriate person(s) to attend. 

The WSCC Advisor is also planning ‘What If?’ training for volunteers under the Sussex Community Resilience Partnership.  The first two modules entitled ‘An Introduction to Emergencies’ and ‘You Can Make a Difference’ are now complete.  They have asked any interested Town & Parish Councils to provide a venue and some dates so that the training can be given in Mid Sussex.  The Committee decided more information about the training is needed but would be happy in theory to enable training to take place in the Parish. 

The Committee also noted that the WSCC Advisor has asked that our Emergency Contacts Directory is kept up-to-date.  

The Assistant Clerk will undertake this action in the next few months, as the Directory was compiled in August 2015. 

RESOLVED:  that the Committee agreed that the Council will take part in the table top exercise which is being planned for Parishes to validate their local Emergency Plan.  The Committee agreed in theory that training for volunteers involved with Emergency Planning could take place in the Parish but would like more information about the training. 

CA16/056.  Hanging Baskets and Street Scene Improvements.  The Committee noted that Martin Dean, 

Greenscenes, is coming up to the second year of a three year contract for providing hanging baskets on Hurstpierpoint High Street and at the Sayers Common Village Hall.  The planting for the upcoming season was discussed; it was suggested that the plants include more colour and be planted less densely. 

The Committee noted that work is in progress on the Street Scene Improvements project, being undertaken by the Parish 

Council office.  Discussions are taking place with the WSCC Highways Officer about the process and locations.  The Committee was very supportive of this project; they discussed the type of planting on the verges, and asked questions such as who would maintain the plantings. 

CA16/057.  Christmas Lights 2016 update and 2017 thoughts.  The Committee received the following update:  The High Street Christmas lights and the real Christmas Tree with lights on the Village Garden went well with no problems.  Several favourable comments regarding the real Christmas Tree have been received at the Office. The contractor the Parish has been using for the past 2 years for Christmas Lighting is a West Sussex based firm – Merlin Lighting and a good relationship has been built up with them.  Costs 2016/17:  £3,055; Budget for 2017/18:  £5,000. 

The Committee commented that the Christmas Tree looked really lovely and that next year there might be more lighting around the Village Garden, on existing trees and other sites. 

CA16/058.  Albourne Road Allotments.  The Committee received the following update.  There are currently 5 vacant plots on the allotments. The waiting list has 10 people listed; however this will reduce when all vacant plots are taken. 

CA16/059.  Older Persons’ Event:  The Committee received the following update.  The most recent tea party (10 Jan 2017) took place at a lovely home on the Hurstpierpoint High Street.  The numbers of people attending fell on the day due to illness; however the event still had 12 people attending, which included one new person, which made a very cosy afternoon.  Entertainment was provided by Belinda Sharp (accompanied by Dave on the keyboard) who sang a number of songs along with a few poems for variety.   18 tea parties have now taken place, which included the Silver Sunday Celebration at Clair Hall in October 2016 but does not include the additional outing to Rushfield Garden Centre in August 2016. 

CA16/060.  Information Items and Correspondence Received:  the committee noted the receipt of the items below 

(all items available to be seen in the Parish Council Office).  

CA16/060.1.  Thank you letter from Michael Nailard, Chairman of The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group (WFF, 20 December 2016, for the grant funding received in November 2016 and for agreeing to take responsibility for the litter picking activity, previously performed under the WFF Group umbrella. 

CA16/060.2.  Letter and Winter Newsletter 2017 sent by Agnieszka Tworkowska, Engagement Officer, Working Together, NHS, January 2017. 

CA16/060.3.  Annual Management Plan for the Millennium Garden for April 2017 – March 2018, sent by Mrs S McNeill, Secretary of St George’s Millennium Garden Trust, 11 Jan 2017. 

CA16/061.  Any Other Business, for information only.  The Chairman talked about a project called Community 

21 to get young people, aged 8 – 12/13 years, involved in their town/parish.   Community 21 project is a community and university collaboration working better to build better communities.  It would be run by the Parish Council together with Brighton University.  Estimated cost:  £3000.  Website:  https://community21.org/    The Committee asked the Assistant Clerk to investigate funding from MSDC or WSCC. 

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 9:50 pm.      _______________________________     Chairman