Fakenham Area Partnership
Draft Minutes
A Community Interest Company
Annual General Meeting – Held at Fakenham Community Centre on 18th May 2010 at 7.00pm.
Present: Jim Harding, Janet Holdom, Alan Leventhall, Andrew Stewart, Jenny Rest, Cheryl Anderson, Brenda Coldrick, Celia Lee, Jeremy Punchard, Andrew Campbell, John Lingwood, Tony Walters, Frances Collinson
Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave apologies for Tony Irons and Gloria Lisher.
The Chairman gave his report, reminding the meeting of the projects which make up the public face of the Partnership, such as the Xmas Lights, Tourist Information Point, Fakenham in Bloom and the monthly Farmers’ Market which had been running for some time now. In addition however there were some 20 projects in development at this time.
The partnership is leading a steering group working towards the provision of Resource Centre facilities in Fakenham. Research work, community consultation and several funding applications have enabled the project to progress as far as a pre-feasibility study completed recently. The Millenium Park project has been delayed through Charity Commission procedures and the posting of Ian Walford who started up the group. The partnership will carry the project forward with the Town Council and Kick Start and their fundraising activities.
Edmondson’s Acres, purchased at auction by the Partnership, will be developing its summer programme of Safari events and country walks with the Wensum Valley Trust. The new town map and walks guide will incorporate Edmondsons Acres and link it with the Gas Museum.
The Coordinator obtained a lottery grant to purchase 1,000 recyclable jute bags for the ‘Coolbag’ project and this has been linked with a design competition using the work of Year 10 FHS students.
Speedwatch has been in operation for over a year and growing gradually. The scheme has spread to Hempton and surrounding villages. There is room for more volunteers on the team.
Fakenham Community Bank is being run from the FAP desk at Fakenham Connect twice weekly. Takeup is slow and steady.
The Partnership should be proud of its achievements and its ability to serve the community.
Minutes of the 2009 AGM.
Brenda Coldrick proposed and Janet Holdom seconded the proposal that the minutes of the 2009 AGM be accepted as a correct record.
Annual Report and Accounts
Accounts – Core funding comes from the grants received from North Norfolk Community Partnership. Small awards were given from the Community Fund to local groups for seed funding. In the report to Companies House it was stated that the Partnership continued to extend its community base and had extended into the hinterland parishes. The Health Check had been completed and distributed in 2009 and Speedwatch launched along with other initiatives, including work with Natural Fakenham.
In answer to a question from the floor, it was confirmed that budget cuts have not affected the 2010/11 allocation.
Appoint Auditors
It was proposed that Stevenson Smart would continue to audit the accounts, although this was a full examination of the books by an independent body rather than a full audit. Meeting agreed that the Chairman would write to thank Martin Benstead of Stevenson Smart.
Proposal by Andrew Stewart to adopt the accounts, seconded by Jenny Rest.
Confirmation of new directors
The appointment of Gloria Lisher (NNDC ) as a co-opted director to replace Margot Walford was confirmed. Alan Leventhall had resigned as a director, in accordance with constitution guidelines on the three year cycle. AL was subseqently re-nominated by the end of March deadline and re-elected unopposed. Amendment of the bank mandate to include the new directors was proposed by Janet Holdom and seconded by Jenny Rest.
Guest speaker Frances Collinson (Project Officer Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History) spoke on plans for the museum’s future sustainability through further funding and the plan to include the local history society and the local archives within the museum. Recruitment of more volunteers will support activities and extend opening hours. Guided tours through the Wensum Valley corridor, including Edmondsons Acres, are planned. In the long term, several million pounds of funding will be needed to bring the museum site up to standard, but there is a huge potential.
Questions from the floor:
Credit Union – although there had not been much response to the launch of the current account, the uptake for savers accounts was steady. A query on the facility to make small cash deposits was clarified.
Xmas Lights investment – fundraising and stock purchase was ongoing throughout the year, whenever best value for money opportunities occurred. The increase to the LED stock meant that electricity consumption would be heavily reduced.
Meeting closed 8.20pm