Minutes - Babergh District Council

PILOT HADLEIGH STEERING GROUP
NOTES / ACTIONS OF MEETING, MONDAY 4th AUGUST
2PM – 4PM
In Attendance
Pilot Steering Group Members:
Brian Riley (BR) SCC/BDC Ward Member
Kathryn Grandon (KG) BDC Ward Member
Jan Byrne HTC
Jane Snowdon (JS) (Hadleigh Community Forum)
Mark Wincer (MW) Wincer Kievenaar LLP
Tony Addison (TA) Chamber of Commerce
Mary Munson (MM) HTC/BDC
Anne Gower (AG) SCC/St Eds – Item 4
Clair Harvey (CH) SCC – Item 4
Advisory/Support Officers.
Dave Benham (DB) BDC/MSDC
Sue Dawes (SD) - BDC/MSDC
Mike Evans (ME) BDC/MSDC
Tom Barker (TB) – BDC/MSDC
1. Welcome and introductions
BR welcomed all to the meeting followed by round the table introductions.
2. Apologies
Kelvin Avis, (Avis Newsagents) Mark David (The Cooking Experience) Jessica Nevard
(HTC); Jim Wilding (Porch Project) Andrew Macmillan (The Ram) Tracey Loynds (South
Suffolk Leisure) Carol Bailey (HTC) Sandra Scott (SS) (BDC)
3. Note of Meeting 9 June 2014
SD advised a very limited response had been received from the Tourism Questionnaire
circulated amongst the businesses, SS to provide updated position at a future meeting.
AM and JS have put down some thoughts on the Vision (statements) for Hadleigh. No
update available for this meeting.
Action: SS to liaise with AM/JS to take this forward for a future meeting
Notes were agreed.
4. Presentation on Haverhill One Project by Ann Gower/Clair Harvey (AG/CH)
BR welcomed Ann and Clair to the meeting.
ME provided a brief description of some earlier works BDC/MSDC had undertaken to
support the Strategic Plan and Transformation Enquiry Groups (TEGs) through this work
AG had provided a presentation to the TEGs on the “One Haverhill” project. ME felt through
sharing this experience, common themes and lessons learned from the “One Haverhill”
project could help the journey forward for Hadleigh.
AG outlined the initial vision was to cut through the obstacles that three tiers of authority
bring, to have a “single conversation” to drive things forward. Close working with
members/officers on perspective and relationships was important.
“One Haverhill” had been selected as one of 12 national pilot areas for testing
neighbourhood community budgets. Securing £125k DCLG funding, the money used for
community engagement, concept H1 “One Haverhill” branding and PR/Comms and project
management.
The “One Haverhill” Community Budget Plan was tabled Haverhill One Presentation and a
discussion took place around the vision, rationale, collaboration, governance, impact and
the future, questions were received from the steering group and answered by AG/CH
Main points for noting included:










Getting the vision right
Transparency being paramount
Formation of a good cross section of representatives to sit on Board, each body with
one vote, with elected members/officers in the minority. Task and finish
representative sits on the board.
Avoid piggy backing off other meetings, this leads to confusion
Leadership role is important but politics should be kept out
Long process
Not duplicating and ensuring everyone buys in to the vision
Accountability lies with those around the table who collectively make decisions,
although as an un-constituted body, the final rubber stamping sits with SCC who is
the accountable body for the DCLG funding.
Hadleigh needs to do it their way, engaging with the community, feedback will inform
where you go
Take bite sized approach
Other items discussed:
Hadleigh Neighbourhood Plan, JB advised the town council has agreed to undertake a
neighbourhood plan and need to buy in professional help to support this. The town council
has identified a small amount of money to set the ball rolling. JB questioned the differing
advice received from BDC to that at a recent RTPI conference in respect of prior
questionnaire with the community requirements being undertaken prior to submission of
notification to BDC. TB to clarify the position.
TB advised, community engagement is not just a questionnaire, a feeling/sense check of
understanding would be needed to test the towns desire for a neighbourhood plan.
Action: TB to clarify the requirements for Neighbourhood Plans specifically the prior
community engagement questionnaire with Jonathan Free.
Action: SS Item for next agenda - Hadleigh Neighbourhood Plan update
Action: ME to liaise with Sue Roper and Steve Emmerson, SCC to identify the level
of SCC spend in Hadleigh on highways, children and young persons and public
realm. To be reported at the next meeting.
Action: SS to include the above on next agenda
Action: ME to liaise with Rich Cooke Spatial Planning on Hadleigh allocations and
provide feedback to the HSG.
BR thanked AG/CH for sharing their experiences with the Steering Group, AG/CH left the
meeting after this item .
5. The Wool Towns LEADER project (European funding Initiative)
DB circulated the LEADER strategy to the HSG this followed the successful first round bid.
2 workshop sessions were held in June which helped identify themes/activities for inclusion
within the strategy.
This will be a five year programme, based on three themes, Economic, Social and
Environment.
Invitations to seek representatives to sit on a Local Area Group (LAG) for the LEADER
project had been sent, this group will form governance of the programme, monitoring and
funding. SCC has been put forward as accountable body for the funding.
Likely timescale:




18th August 2014 - LEADER steering group to review the draft strategy and revisions
leading to initially sign off.
5th September 2014 - The finalised singed bid will be submitted to Government on
November 2014 - Successfully schemes notified
Promotion of scheme
If successful bid


January 2015 – early running of scheme (employment of facilitator and admin) with
potential to accept projects at this time.
April/June 2015 – funding for fist batch of projects
Action: HSG Revisit vision, look at the LEADER programme and what you want to
achieve and put forward as a bid for funding.
Action: SS to confirm whether Andrew Macmillan is still able to be a representative
on the LAG.
Action: JB to send details of projects to DB and Gavin Talbot.
JS showed an expression of interest for an indicative project to be included. ‘Hadleigh Year
of the Sheep’
Action: JS to forward electronically the project to Gavin Talbot.
Action: HSG to co-ordinate workshop session for LEADER if successful – November
onwards. Future agenda item.
6. Any other business
KG advised that no item was included in the community news for September to provide the
public with an update on what the steering group is dong. BR to ensure cover in future
items in releases as previously agreed.
7. Items for future meetings
September 15th 2014




Hadleigh Neighbourhood Plan update
Hadleigh One, follow up from Haverhill presentation
SCC spend in Hadleigh, Highways, CYP and public realm – September 15th meeting
Children and Young People Services Hadleigh – Discussion and consultation
response BR to provide HSG members a link to the consultation document
Future meetings
Babergh Headquarters accommodation review – earliest October meeting
LEADER workshop session – November onwards

Download Report