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Parish Council Action Group Minutes
Minutes of the Cowfold Parish Action Group Wednesday 14th November 2007 Present: Kay Blackwell, Bernard Baldwin, Sheena Lucas, Steve Sims, Ian Kemsey, Darren Lillywhite, John Chamberlin, Bob Farren, Eileen Precious, Caroline Collins. Apologies: Maureen Edwards, Maggie Cooper, Mig Cutbush The Meeting 1. Policing Darren Lillywhite (DL) from Sussex Police updated the meeting on the Policing of Cowfold, and how that fits into Policing of the wider area. DL is responsible for the area to the south of the A272, including Neighbourhood Watch, with a team of 4 Constables and 10 Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s). It was noted that the Neighbourhood Watch budget is being reduced and so the Controller position is being lost, but the PCSO’s should bring this into their roles. The reported crimes in Cowfold, in the last 12 months, numbered 58, 17 down on the previous 12 months. These were mainly forms of burglary. DL wishes the relevant PCSO to attend regular Parish Council meetings (Quarterly). Action: BB to advise DL of relevant meeting dates. DL will attend the Parish Council AGM Action: BB to advise DL of meeting date. Other points made by DL included: The recent burglary of an elderly resident in Cowfold, and that ‘Bogus Caller’ alarms are available for vulnerable members of the community. Doing a mail shot to get more neighbourhood watch member in the village, The Police ‘Property Fund’ which makes grants of up to £1,000 to village projects. Test purchase operations to catch the illegal sale of alcohol to under 18’s, based on intelligence provided by the public. Discussion of the Polices experience of illegal drug taking in rural communities. Police, including the PCSO’s, attendance at village events to meet the public. Availability of the ‘Handy Van’ Mr Mike Rumble who is CRB checked and set up by the council. Availability of street scene wardens. Action: JC & MC to publicise the police contact numbers to allow incidents in the village to be reported on, and so to ensure that problem areas in and around the village are known to the Police. DL is willing to provide articles for the Parish Magazine. Action: MC to contact DL when an article would be useful. The problem of the use of the Cowfold public toilets for illegal purposes was raised with DL. DL advised that it is possible to raise the profile of the police in this location to try and reduce the problem. DL was thanked for his contribution to the meeting, which then turned to the last meetings minutes. 2. Matters arising from the minutes. Neighbourhood Watch. Consider the possibility of doing a mail drop to the village to get a new Neighbourhood Watch coordinator. Action: SS to contact Catherine Hayhurst, before her job is cut, to assist in Neighbourhood Watch publicity. Action: MC to try and include Neighbourhood Watch publicity in the Parish Magazine. Film Club. No one covering this area was present to advise of progress. Walking audit of pavements. Hedges have been reviewed by KB and EP. New Pavilion. The Village Hall Committee has voted to propose a new Pavilion is built. This is not to compromise the Village Hall, but provide rooms between the size of the Main Hall and Reading Room, and all sports facilities. This has been put before the Parish Council who wish to hold a public meeting to discuss the proposal in January 2008. The current estimate of costs is in the region of £400k - £450k for a building with a minimum life of 50 years. Action: JC to organise revised drawings of the proposed plan for the Parish Council. Activities for younger people. The Parish Council is now awaiting a quote for the costs of the youth shelter. It is hoped that the bus shelter by the Doctors surgery, currently used by young people for a range of activities, be replaced with a see through, windproof shelter, maintaining the bench that is by the bus stop. There is still some dispute over the ownership of the verge that the shelter is currently on. SID. Continues to work well. It has been most recently use on the entrance to the village at Brook Hill and exit from the village at Fowlers on the Henfield Road. Approximately 30% of vehicles were above the speed limit. Crossing over the A272. The Parish Council has accepted HDCs over of a refuge to cross the A272 to the playing field, but have advised HDC that the Parish Council will continue to press for a crossing. Cowfold is still at number 24 in the queue for such a crossing. Life Long Learning. IK raised the possibility of contacting HACVS, who publicise adult education courses, to assist with Life Long Learning goals and increase use of the Village Hall. Action: IK to provide contact details to KB. JC to locate HACVS leaflet. 3. Review of the Parish Plan. As in the last meeting, this part of the meeting will not be recorded here, until completion. Reminder of sections people are going to look at or have already looked at. Bernard Section s1 and 4 Kay Sections 2 and 8 Steve Sections 3 and 9 Susan Section 5 and 10 Maureen Section 6 Mig Section 7 The meeting closed at 9.00pm The Next meeting will be Wednesday 9th January 2008 at 7.30pm Separate notes for Mig’s review of the plan to date Section 6 Not reviewed as ME not at the meeting. Section 7 Not reviewed as MC not at the meeting. Section 8 8.0 Use of the Village Hall • Village cinema has had one show to date and further showings are being considered. • Life long learning is being looked into by MC and may be assisted by HACVS noted above. • Promotion of Village Hall – This still needs to be focused on to improve use of the hall. 8.1 Improvements to Village Hall • Investigate the legal requirements to provide disabled toilet facilities at the hall. The relevant legislation is not retrospective, and the cost of providing such facilities is prohibitive. The estimated cost (from 2004) was in the region of £8,000. Village provision would be included within any replacement Pavilion. 8.2 Village Festival • Support current Village Fete Committee. Completed. • Investigate linking with other village organisations to test feasibility. Not yet tackled. • Find out how Parishes run their festivals. Not yet tackled. 8.3 Sports Pavilion • Set up committee to investigate options surrounding the Pavilion maintenance/replacement. The Parish Council, with the support of the Village Hall Management Committee, are planning a public meeting in January 2008 to look at the proposal to replace the Pavilion with a new building with cost build cost estimates in the region of £400k. 8.4 Toilet Facilities • Update the current public toilets to provide disabled toilets. The toilets have now been redecorated and JC is looking into the possibility of providing grab rails inside the toilets. New facilities would be included in the new Pavilion if built. Section 9 - Please see notes of meeting 14/11/07 above for this section. 9.0 Policing • Maintain contact with the PCSOs. 9.1 Neighbourhood Watch • This area of work has stalled, as we do not seem to have a Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator. SS will follow up this area with the Police. 9.2 Community Safety Education • Police and Neighbourhood Watch to liase with local organisations. The Police have confirmed that they are willing to attend village meetings, groups etc, when invited, operations permitting.
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