First Annual General Meeting of the Storrington & Sullington Community Partnership
as a Company Limited by Guarantee with Charitable Status

         Held in Catholic Church Hall Monastery Lane  on April 21st 2009  7 for 7.30pm

MINUTES OF THE AGM

Welcome and Refreshments / Open of Formal Business – Paul Mackie
PM welcomed everyone and introduced the SSCP core team represented.
PM explained that this was the first AGM of the new Company.

Chairman’s Report – Paul Mackie
PM thanked the acting Trustees, volunteers, service providers, Police, District and County Councillors for their support over the past year.  He also thanked the wives of the core team for their help with the refreshments and support in the work that the team undertake.

PM reflected on the past 18 months as being one of intensive activity for the Partnership.  Within this period the Partnership has become a Company limited by guarantee and has gained charitable status.

The Partnership is now at the end of the last 5 year Action Plan (2003).  Some key projects have been completed, some are underway and some have made no progress.  (see powerpoint slides)

PM felt that now is a time of renewal for the Partnership with fresh effort and participation from the community.

PM informed the meeting of the work that Louise Hayton has done on gathering together the findings from the recent public consultations at Forge House, Leisure Centre and the Parish Hall.  He explained that the posters on display are the initial findings.  Work now needs to be done on how best to continue public dialogue and develop new actions from the findings.  PM thanked LH for her excellent work on this so far.

PM briefly spoke about the development of the Community Hub and the Children and Family Centre in Storrington.

Treasurers Report – David Norman
DN explained that the Partnership had become incorporated as a Company in Dec 07 and gained charitable status in April 08.  Spofforths have audited the accounts on behalf of the Partnership.  The Partnership is grant funded for specific projects and has no other form of income.  Further grants will be required to continue after August 2009.  This will be sought from WSCC.

Forge House Report – Liz Burt
LB spoke of the progress at Forge House Community Hub.  LB thanked Heather Wyeth for her support and hard work since October 08.   In 2008 (Feb – Dec) there were 2520 visits to Forge House but from Jan – March 09 there have already been 1730 visits.   The Forge House team will concentrate on consolidating services for the next year and as needs arise consider starting new activities.

Social Care and Integration – Heather Walker & Peter Herbertson
HW explained that this group came into existence by gathering together service providers from the voluntary and statutory sector, including district and county, in order to identify gaps in local provision.

In 2005 a visiting scheme was started known as the Storrington & Sullington Befrienders.

Another gap identified was the need for access to information on services.  A leaflet was produced and this has now been recently updated.  Forge House also provides information to anyone calling in. 

Another gap that has been identified is the lack of facilities for young people particularly during school holidays.  Service providers were called together to discuss what could be put in place.  PH carried out work on gathering information and a booklet of Services and Activities has been produced and delivered to families across the locality via schools, Forge House and other public places.  These have proved very popular.

HW explained that the group meets approximately every two months.

Election of Officers
LB read out the nominations received for officers.   SSCP requires a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 6 Trustees.

Nominated by        Seconded by   
Chairman         Paul Mackie            Ray Dawe            John Bearman

Vice-Chairman    Heather Walker        Paul Mackie            Heather Wyeth

Treasurer        David Norman        Sally Clinch            Paul Mackie

Trustee        Peter Herbertson        Chris Mason            Louise Hayton

Trustee        David Wright            Jim Sanson            David Norman

There were no other competing nominations and all officers were accepted.

Ray Dawe (Chair of the Parish Council) publicly thanked PM and the other Trustees for their major contribution to the community.

LB resigned as Company Secretary.

Appointment of Auditors
PM proposed Spofforths as Company Accountants.  This was accepted.

Open Forum & Questions
Question: Is it true that there are no plans to curb traffic volume in the Village?  The questioner has emailed HDC and been told that there are no current plans to curb the traffic. 

Frank Wilkinson (FW) responded and admitted that he recognized traffic volume is a problem.  He explained that many schemes and ideas have been explored over the years but none have been agreed.  The main reason for the problems is due to the A27 bypass at Arundel not being completed.  WSCC and others are lobbying the government on a weekly basis regarding the completion of the A27.

A question was asked if the eco town plans would have any effect on the traffic problems?  FW thought not.  FW asked PM to consider starting a second petition through the Partnership.

It was reported that an Air Quality Box has been recently installed on Manley’s Hill so that WSCC can monitor the pollution levels.  HDC & WSCC are legally bound to act if pollution is high but they cannot prevent vehicles coming through the town.

PH felt that the Air Quality Box is a positive step forward for the village.  He informed the group that these are not installed without good reason.

PM said that our roads are not on the Red and Blue Advisory Routes but that unfortunately lorries do not follow these routes.  PM asked that everyone write to lorry companies to lobby change of routes.

Phil Townrow suggested that lobbying satellite navigation companies might be useful.  FW replied that WSCC has written to ‘sat nav’ companies and lorry associations but with no positive result so far.

Peter Westrip asked if the new supermarkets would add to the traffic problem.  FH replied that delivery vehicles use Water Lane and School Hill instead of coming through the village.   He admitted that having Waitrose will increase lorry activity but that they have their own delivery vehicles which will cut their volume. 

Heather Epps asked if WSCC would allow the increase of traffic.  FW replied that WSCC will consider the findings from the developers’ research on increase of traffic due to Waitrose and respond in due course.

David Wright (DW) informed the group of his concern regarding speeding traffic on the Amberley Road.  He suggested a working group be formed in the Partnership to look at traffic.  He invited anyone interested in being involved to write their names down at the end of the meeting.  FW welcomed this suggestion.  The general consensus was positive for a traffic group being formed.

It was suggested that the speed limits need enforcing.  DW responded by saying he was pleased with the support received from the PCSOs on speeding.  Tracy Field (PCSO) suggested a Speed Indication Device (SID) be sought.  This can be put up at approved sites.  Costs would need to be looked at but the scheme can be run by volunteers.  TF agreed that speeding is a problem in the county but that the Police response is dictated by Highways.  She explained that there is a Road Policing Unit in Haywards Heath who will listen to any concerns from the public.  FW reported that he had heard of an unmanned speeding device which costs around £6,000 but that the cost could be shared between parishes.  The device would stay in one place for up to 2 weeks then move on.  The device records all speeding.

PM acknowledged that this discussion demonstrated that the speed and volume of traffic continues as a main issue of concern.

Question: Have there been any new directions (ie activities or projects) from the consultations for the Partnership? 

PM replied that this has been the case in the past but that there has not been enough time to look in depth at the findings from the recent consultations, however, this is in hand.

Question: What is being done about vehicles/lorries parking on the pavement outside One Stop?  She had recently seen a lady in a disabled buggy unable to access the pavement because a lorry was blocking the way.

PM suggested that all complaints and issues be referred to Operation Crackdown on 0845 60 70 999. 

RD reported that the banks and One Stop have been talked to regarding this problem. 

The questioner asked for posters and information to be put up in the village regarding Operation Crackdown so that others would know where to go to complain. 

LB & Heather Wyeth offered Forge House as a place where people could make a complaint to Operation Crackdown.

It was suggested that photos be taken of offending vehicles with mobile phones but this was not thought to be the best way forward. 

Closure of Formal Business
PM closed the meeting by inviting all to stay for a glass of wine and to look at the displays.

PM encouraged everyone to take a copy of the Annual Report, Chairman’s Report and to sign up for any areas of service that they would like to offer help with. 

Informal Circulation & Discussion over a glass of wine
The evening finished with everyone chatting over refreshments.

Appendix  - Presentation used during the AGM- click to view