Board of Trustees Meeting Summary - Nov 2013 (PDF

Summary of Board of
Management Meeting 225
12 November 2013
In attendance was:
Colin Chatfield (Chairman)
William Armitage (left meeting 1pm)
Ian Cotterill (Vice Chairman)
Heather Edwards-Hedley
Lynda Needham
Denise Poynter
Michael Underwood
David Walker
John Lewis (Chief Executive)
Tim Roxburgh (Projects Director)
Michael Ambrose Financial Consultant) in late
Jas Kaur (Deputy Company Secretary)
Glen Dawson (Head of Marketing & Communications)
CC
WA
IC
HEH
LN
DP
MU
DW
JL
TR
MA
JK
GD
The following items were discussed, noted and/or agreed:
1
Matters arising from 224th meeting
GD would be forwarding to Terry Hone information on the Letchworth
Bombe which was used during the World War Exhibition undertaken by the
Foundation. All the material is still available and can feature in a collection.
2
Declarations of interest
David Walker and Denise Poynter – Arts Centre
3
Standalone Farm presentation
Kevin Brown and David Ames joined the meeting
Following the presentation from Planning Solutions Consulting at the Governors meeting on 24 th September
2013 which reviewed options for the upgrading of Standalone Farm. Kevin Brown provided the Board with
some proposals that had been developed following that meeting taking into considerations comments and
feedback from the Governors and stakeholders.
Three development scenarios were considered by the Board:
1. Low intervention, low risk and low capital requirement - utilise existing buildings and
focus/enhance the current visitor experience
2. Medium intervention – building on the low level of intervention, this would create a step change in
the operations, developing Standalone Farm into a year round destination. This would comprise the
refurbishment and extension of the existing visitor centre (currently the reception, retail and cafe
areas); the introduction of a major new outdoor play area and indoor play barn and other outdoor
initiatives such as bushcraft/nature trails.
3 High intervention –the major difference would be the replacement of the current visitor hub with a
new purpose built visitor centre as well as a new animal ‘show’ barn and a covered amphitheatre.
Summary of Board of Management 214Meeting
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The Board were recommended to consider the medium intervention and
consider the following quick wins in the short term:
Enhancing the cafe and improving the food offer
General smartening of the onsite infrastructure including improved signage
New outdoor play area
The Board were provided with the final Phase 1 report for their consideration and discussion at the
January 2014 Board meeting and were asked to provide their comments/amendments to David
Ames by 9th December .
The Board NOTED the report and thanked Kevin Brown for the presentation and the report.
Kevin Brown then left the meeting.
4
60 WILLIAN WAY
The Board were recommended to APPROVE the application for ground floor and first floor rear
extension, new windows and removal and existing side gates to this Modern Garden City Home.
The Board APPROVED the recommendation.
5
Estate Management
The Board noted that between 13 September and 15 October 2013, 15 applications had been
issued with an Initial Approval Letter and 12 had a formal Approval Notice issued. The following
number had been received during the same period:
Residential Applications
64
Pre-application Advice
25
The Board NOTED the Schedule of agreed Estate Management Formal Application
Approvals.
6
7
Housing growth dialogue – proposed decision process
By the 12 December the Foundation is required to confirm to NHDC whether the site North of the
Grange can be supported by the Foundation and added to the other proposed sites included in the
second stage of the Local Planning Process in order to provide land suitable for the development of
approximately 1500 new homes. To help inform the decision the Foundation will be seeking views
from residents and businesses within the town.
This would be achieved through the holding of an exhibition facilitated by the University of
Hertfordshire and located at the Community Hub from 18 - 29 November. An ‘On line’ debate would
also be held using our residents panel together with a quantative research exercise. A dedicated
web site is available to share all information and encourage people to register their views. Technical
reports have been prepared regarding specific issues related to the potential housing expansion and
these will be available to the public when they visit the exhibition and on line.
The Board considered at length the positives and the negatives of increasing housing stock in
Letchworth.
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The Board discussed at length the proceedings of the Governors meeting in regards to a decision
whether the site North of the Grange should be offered for housing development.
The Board:
NOTED the sites agreed in September (minute 298/09/13) which have already been confirmed
to North Hertfordshire District Council as options for potential housing sites to provide in the
region of 500 homes.
NOTED the Housing growth dialogue arrangements regarding the site North of the Grange .
AGREED the decision process regarding the potential inclusion of the site North of the Grange within
the second stage of the Local Planning Process.
8
Design Principles – New Housing Developments
The Board were updated and provided with the draft Design Principles for New Housing
Developments which set out guidance to assist developers when formulating proposals for new
residential development. The preview process ended on 30th September 2013.
The Board considered and requested the following amends to page 5 of the new Design Principles
for new housing developments:
1) Confirmation that all two storey dwellings should be 2m from the side boundary and single storey
dwellings and associated buildings should be 1m from the side boundary.
2) Removed ‘In most cases’ when referring to the requirement for 50% soft landscaping on property
frontages
The Board APPROVED the Design Principles for New Housing Development subject to the
above amendments on page 5 of the Design Principles for New Housing Developments.
David Ames left the meeting.
9
Health and safety
From 18 September 18 October 2013, 2 incidents have been recorded involving both
employees employees, and three Foundation premises, which the Board NOTED.
10
Garden City events
The Board was provided with a schedule of current events planned to take place in the Garden City.
Christmas lights would be put up by contractors this year and not the Foundation’s landscaping
team. The Board discussed the success of the Pam Ayres “book signing” event at the Cinema which
was arranged by David’s Book Shop.
The Board NOTED the Schedule of Garden City Events.
11
Trustee’s Working Group update
The Board were asked to consider the recommendations of the Trustee Working Group which
included changes to the organisation’s year end. MA is currently looking at any issues which may
arise to changing this.
The Board NOTED the report and the actions agreed by the Trustees’ Working Group as outlined in
the board report. The Chairman asked that this Board report be distributed to all Governors for their
information.
12
Grants Committee October 2013
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The Board received the Minutes of the Grants Committee meeting held on 18 October 2013. To
date, grants totalling £43,936 across the three new programmes (Club Together, General Grants,
Be the Best) have been awarded from the annual budget of £205,000.
William Armitage, Chairman of the Community Grants Committee shared the number of application
to be considered at the meeting on 15th November 2013 which amounted to £169,000.
The Board NOTED the minutes.
13
Letchworth Arts Centre
David Walker and Denise Poynter declared an interest and left the meeting.
The Board were asked to consider the annual grant to Letchworth Arts Centre and the role of
Letchworth Arts Centre (LAC) in light of the work being undertaken to develop the artistic and
cultural offer across the town.
The Board:
APPROVED a grant of £32,600 to Letchworth Arts Centre. It also agrees to the payments
being made in two equal instalments of £16,300. The first instalment will be paid immediately
and the second instalment will be paid in April 2014.
The Board AGREED to the Heritage Foundation’s Chief Executive working with the Trustees
of Letchworth Arts Centre to scope LAC’s role within the holistic long term, town wide, arts
and cultural offer.
David Walker and Denise Poynter returned to the meeting.
14
Any other business
War Memorial – Letchworth
JL advised that the Government announced plans to award listed status to hundreds of war memorials across
the country and that Letchworth is named as one that will be Grade II listed along with Upwell in Kings Lynn
and Walsoken in Norfolk.
Royal Horticultural Society
JL advised that a project meeting was held with RHS to start to develop the joint educational programme and
the designs for the demonstration gardens. He also advised that the RHS were keen to invite the Trustees to
Wisley next spring to see the breadth of work undertaken by the Society.
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