SOUTHLANDERS COMMITTEE

MINUTES OF MEETING HELD AT MILWARD COURT, WILMOT ROAD ON 21st APRIL 2009 AT 7.10pm

Present: 

Acting Chairman: Martyn Warren, Acting Minute Secretary Ann Thayre, Project Manager Andy Bray, Web organizer Peter Rose, June Gibb, Dora Mitchell, Mary Proctor, Keith Humphrey, Peter Berry and Wendy Bryant.

 

Apologies:

Barry Thompson, Vanessa Thompson, Mike Dixon, Matthew Gurr.

 

Approval of May Minutes

The minutes of the previous meeting were not available.

Andy circulated the Southlanders report.

 

CAFÉ

Wendy reported that numbers of visitors were still up.

A new menu to reflect the move from Winter to Summer, is being produced and will be on offer soon.            ACTION WENDY

 

THE SITE (computers) ‘The Site’ is self supporting at the moment with Matt continuing to do out-reach work eg Fishersgate.  12 people have signed up for the Monday afternoon computer instruction.

 

HEALTH AND WELLBEING PROGRAMME Was a great success.

There is the possibility of an exercise class starting which will be run on a month to month basis.  This means that anyone signing up for the classes will be expected to pay up front for a month at a time.

It is also possible that we will be able to secure the room free of charge and negotiations are under way with the manager of Milward Court.

Concern was expressed on the time of day these would take place and it was agreed that it should be held in the mornings.         ACTION ANDY

 

NEIGHBOURHOOD JOB CLUB – ‘One stop – Job top’ This will be for the unemployed, people recently made redundant and anyone seeking assistance with employment.  This is not a course and will be run as a drop in centre; no one will be penalized for not being there.  It is hoped that the CAB and DWP will be strongly involved.  Martyn expressed concern that he hoped it would not be used as a means for the DWP to spy on people.  Ann stated that if people claiming benefits were not abusing the system and had nothing to hide then they had nothing to worry about.

Martyn put forward that we could also provide information for people when newly bereaved.  It was agreed that there is already plenty of information provided by doctors, hospitals, DWP, Cruise etc.

 

COMMUNITY GARDEN Now has disabled access. We do not have the space to legally erect a greenhouse.  Joyce has been informed.

Polly tunnel is in the process of being erected.  People are now beginning to use the allotment.  We need a committee to run it so it can open on different days and different times. People would be trained by Sue.

Following a lengthy discussion it was agreed that we should now proceed with CRB checks on all members of the committee and volunteers.  This did not have to be done in the past as we had not been in a position of being around children and vulnerable adults.                  ACTION ANDY

DEVELOPING A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY

Ann reported back on the success of the two open events.  Following the views expressed by the attendees at these meetings the next step is a ‘taster’ session for volunteers on 16th May.  Flyers are being distributed advertising this.

 

TRAVEL

A rumor has been circulating that the Ostend trip had been cancelled – this is not so.  Currently we have 25 bookings.  It was agreed that an advertising ‘push’ was required and new posters produced for the notice boards.  Martyn expressed his concern that it would take him too long to do this as he was not as comfortable with the use of producing posters on the computer.  After discussion it was agreed that Peter produce 25 posters for Martyn to circulate.    ACTION PETER R / MARTYN

 

It was also agreed that a press release be put out.     ACTION ANDY

 

The coach company requires payment by 7th May.     ACTION ANDY

 

Following further discussion it was agreed that for future events these could be advertised in the council and town circulations eg Town Centre Partnership paper and Adur Outlook.  To be discussed again.

 

TEA CUP TRAILS  Amberley a success.  Bosham date will be changed due to bus not available.

 

ARTS

Workshops planned for children and parents in the summer at no charge. ACTION PATTI / CHRIS

 

SPORT

The football cage was a great success.  The Sussex Police have given us £600 to purchase sports training equipment.  Steve and Lisa are compiling a list of what is required for the football team.             ACTION STEVE / LISA

Shoreham Fire fighters have qualified coaches who are willing to assist.

 

SECRETARY

Andy knows of someone who may be willing to take on the role and he is gently coaxing them on board.

PARTNERSHIP WORKING

Keith attended the LSP (Local Strategic Partnership) committee meeting and has put forward ideas of what we want from both the LSP merger.  Another meeting in May.

 

ACCOUNTS

Down to £3,000 but payments from various invoices are due in. We have been given £1830 from Adur Wellbeing Partnership.

Although the accounts are looking healthy at the moment there is a possibility we will soon be running out of initial set up funding as we will not be viewed as a new group.  We will need to start serious fundraising to generate our own income.

 

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

1.Car boot sale a great success with £125 being donated to the Railway children’s charity and £70 for our purse.  Concern was expressed that if these are held once a month it will be too much especially relying on volunteers on a regular basis.  Martyn reported that the feed back from the sellers was very favourable due to the hard standing which means they can sell all year round.

The following was agreed:

Martyn be issued with people’s phone numbers to assist him in seeking volunteers

Martyn to bring to the next meeting a time slot sheet so that committee members could say what times they would be available – especially for the August Car boot.    ACTION MARTYN

Thanks were expressed to Peter R for finding and advertising on sites on the internet.

 

2.Ann reported that earlier in the evening she had spoken with Caroline (a local resident) on concerns that she had with regards to the neighborhood.  Ann invited Caroline to put these to the committee which she did.  These concerns and the replies are as follows:

a. Damage in the area.

Reply: We have no control over that and she should come to the Police meeting in May or if she prefers to write her concerns and we can pass them on.

b. Nothing for the children in the evening.

Reply: Andy explained the issues with getting volunteers and feedback from the community as to what they want.  He also explained that the youth support worker that had been promised by ADC had not happened.

Peter Berry explained that we had been given a table tennis table and we had a fireman to coach but we could not obtain the insurance to cover this activity.

 

3.Members were asked to submit their items for the next Agenda asap.

 

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.25pm.

DATE OF NEXT MEETING 19 May at 7pm.

Minutes circulated by:  Ann Thayre

Approved by:   

 

NOTES FOR DIARY

A draft job description for the roles of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer has been posted on the web site.  Please can you read and forward any comments to the Chairman in time for the next meeting.  If you do not have a computer you can access one at the café on Mondays.

April 25th British Legion Grand Sale, Methodist Church Hall Shoreham 9.30am–Noon.

May 9th  Plant sale at Southwick Community Centre

May 14th Police Neighborhood Forum meeting Milward Court 8pm

May 16th Volunteer taster session Milward Court

May 24th Community Fair Southwick Green