FAKENHAM AREA PARTNERSHIP  

 COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY

Minutes of the meeting held at 6pm on Wednesday 26th October 2011

at the  Community Centre, Oak Street,  Fakenham.

 

Present:  Gloria Lisher (Chairman), Pauline Chamberlain (Vicechair), Tony Irons (Company Secretary),  Lisa Smerdon (Kick Start), Brenda Coldrick (CAB), David Boley, Janet Holdom (Coordinator), Cheryl Anderson (admin)

 

Welcome by Chairman to everyone particularly new members Lisa and David.

 

Minutes of the meeting – 14 Sept 2011  

It was agreed the minutes should be amended to state that Gloria Lisher was proposed as chair and the vote was unanimous. The minutes were agreed as a true record, proposed by Brenda Coldrick, seconded by Tony Irons.

 

Matters arising from the minutes

Brenda Coldrick offered the CAB offices as a venue if needed.  The co-ordinator explained that FAP had been offered a room at the Community Centre at short notice and since the partnership was working closely with the Community Centre Association on the Fakenham Campus project it seemed appropriate to meet in the community centre from now especially since the Community Health Centre was no longer available.

 

Apologies:

Jim Harding, Alan Leventhall, John Lingwood, Geoff Fletcher, David Harrison, David Cubitt, Celia Lee, Becky Palmer, Stuart Ashman

 

Declarations of interest:  

There were no declarations of interest.

 

Chairman’s Report:

Attended a Voluntary Norfolk meeting  at Holt on 20 Oct and used this opportunity to put questions to NNDC Chief Executive relating to the localism agenda and the future of voluntary organisations, including Area Partnerships. Following this meeting the Area Partnership Association had written to the Leader of NNDC re funding and requesting an opportunity to meet representatives of the administration and be included in workshop discussions about community action funding.

Subcommittees set up by directors have not met jointly but further discussions will take place with Janet on partnership business, when more is known about future plans.

The chairman was unable to attend a Community Campus meeting held on 21Oct  which following the completion of the main task of the steering group,  met to form the Transition Group which will take the project through the next transitional stages of the project.  A working group will meet on 10 Nov. to make progress with the work plan.  Representatives will also meet with members of the Property Reference Panel from Norfolk County Council on 16 Nov. followed in the afternoon with a further meeting of the Transition Group.

The chairman has proposed a united project for all Area Partnerships to work together on and this will be discussed at the next LAPA meeting.

 

Coordinators Report:

(Previously circulated electronically) Janet gave a brief resume, for the benefit of new members, of the position with the Community Campus and the need to maintain momentum following the completion of the feasibility study, through the Transition Group.  Their task was to move the project forward with actions as recommended in the business case in relation to the governance model, community asset leases, promotion, revenue development and the search for funding.   A press release is planned within the next few weeks to keep the public informed and build an awareness campaign prior to a public meeting early in the New Year.

Credit Union – High activity in recent weeks was noted.

Tourist Information Point report was noted and congratulations on the 25% increase in turnover this season.  Problems with the mobile phone were discussed and suggestions were made to buy a new phone and transfer the SIM card to maintain the phone number.  David Boley offered to take a look before further action taken.

Community Car Scheme –  Celia Lee had found a replacement co-ordinator to keep the scheme running. There were also problems with their mobile phone recently running up high call costs.  DB agreed to take a look at this phone also. Gloria offered to make a request to the Patient Participation Forum for a contribution towards phone costs for the scheme. The sudden end of the West and North Norfolk Community Transport Forum was noted.

 

Christmas Lights Arrangements:

The co-ordinator thanked Lisa Smerdon as Kick Start representative for their agreement to take on the arrangements for the entertainment programme of the Christmas Lights Switch-on event, November 26th. FAP would continue to be responsible for the display contract installation work which will begin in early November and the post switch on service. FAP will also cover the Fireworks display, fund raising from local businesses and a 1000 ticket raffle. Lisa Smerdon as the Kick Start representative told the meeting that the Christmas Fair and Santa’s Grotto will take place in the Community Centre. Fun fair attractions, entertainment and food vendors will be in the market place from 2pm.  A banner for Benbow’s corner railings and posters are being produced. Santa’s mode of transport is yet to be confirmed and Lisa can sell raffle tickets from the sweet shop and at the Ladies Night to be held at the Community Centre.

 

Project Updates:

Farmers Market – photo for next year’s postcard had been received and the meeting agreed the same package for postcard production as last year, 2,500 .

Feasibility Report – electronic copies of the final report were available on request, hard copies were being sent to the key stakeholders and were available in public offices.  

 

AOB: Geoff Fletcher sent a message that a meeting of Natural Fakenham was being organised.

A preliminary meeting was to be held at 7pm on 16 November on plans for the Fakenham Walking Festival – Planning for 2013. The co-ordinator had met with representative from iDox re  Grantfinder services but their subscriptions were very expensive.

 

Date of next meeting:

30th November 2011, Fakenham Community Centre,  6pm.

 

Meeting Closed :   7.10pm.

 

 

 

CO-ORDINATOR’s REPORT OCTOBER 2011

 

FAKENHAM COMMUNITY CAMPUS  

With completion of the task the Resource Centre steering group set out to achieve the committee has merged into a new Fakenham Community Campus Transition Group complete with new Terms of Reference, to pursue a new set of objectives.  The Feasibility study is in the process of being distributed to all partners and contributors.  It will provide the strategic overview required by partner organisations, local authorities, asset managers and potential funding bodies on the project’s future development plans relating to governance, marketing, communications, fund searching, management and leadership.  The transition group has agreed a work plan which has been formulated from the recommendations in the Business Case to set out a schedule of actions to be taken over the next few months. A meeting with Norfolk County Council Cabinet member and officers is being arranged for November. A press release will drafted by the end of October for release in November. It was agreed that the public meeting would be best delayed until some early stage progress had been completed, perhaps early in the new year.

 

MILLENNIUM PARK LIFE  

No meetings or further progress during summer months. Quotes from construction partners awaited.  Proposals and further applications for funding to be discussed at next meeting.  

 

FAKENHAM IN BLOOM

Flower baskets and troughs taken down and removed to storage second week of October.  Thank you card sent to Philip Howell.

 

CREDIT UNION  

Enquiries and applications for small loans have increased over past month. According to Norfolk Credit Union – Fakenham’s business turnover is one of the best in North Norfolk. Alan Leventhal has offered to host another BALANCING THE BOOKS event in the Library.

 

TOURIST INFORMATION POINT

Cheryl’s report on the season’s activities attached under separate cover.

 

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT

Application for support funding to Rotary club was not successful. Susan Chambers will take over co-ordinator duties in November. Some problems anticipated with mobile phone signal.

 

LOCAL AREA PARTNERSHIP ASSOCIATION & THE LAP REVIEW

Attended workshop in Cromer with other partnerships for intensive session run by Action for Market towns on Finding and Bidding for Project Funding.  Excellent informative and has given rise to……………

Extensive enquiries to find funds from Landfill Communities Funds….

BIFFA – limit 10 miles, nearest site 16 miles.

VIRIDOR – limit 10 miles, nearest site Suffolk

KIER contractors for NNDC

Investigated possibilities of linking to Grantfinder software support services.

Discussions with Nationwide and the Co-op bank re Account signatories, following director resignations.

Chairman and co-ordinator alongside other LAPA members have attended NNDC meetings to monitor progress and lobby support in the continuing debate around Area Partnership’s funding.

Attended VCSTogether Forum on Community Action – Help Shape the Future.

 

COMMUNITY GROUPS SUPPORT

Meetings have taken place with:

The Community Centre Association, NNDC officers in Coast, Localities and Assets, the FCC steering group and the feasibility study consultants in the further development  of the Fakenham Community Campus project.

Kings & Barnhams and the Christmas Lights cttee

Through Pauline Chamberlain at the Learning Community with the Headmaster, Fakenham High School reference youth engagement and community projects.

Business sponsors and donors to Christmas Lights.

Kick Start members re entertainment programme at Christmas Lights.