enhancing our community

meeting notes









BAWDESWELL VILLAGE HALL & RECREATION GROUND DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

MINUTES OF A MEETING OF THE STEERING GROUP HELD ON SATURDAY 3 SEPTEMBER 2005 IN THE VILLAGE HALL AT 10.00 AM

   PRESENT:     James Lilwall (Chairman), Jayne Bown, David & Janet Cockburn, Bill Flynn,

                      Gillian Horner, Alex Kirby, Marietta Menzies, Fel Roberts,

                      Graham Swain, Piers Wallace, Nicholas Ward

 

APOLOGIES:    Peter Jervis, John Mallen.

 

The Chairman opened the meeting by welcoming Bill Flynn and was pleased to see him looking so well. 

 

Minutes of the Last Meeting

The Chairman went through these quickly to remind the steering group of the situation to date.  He also reminded the secretary to ensure a copy is sent to the Parish Clerk.  There were no matters arising not covered by this Agenda.

 

Brand Identity

PW tabled samples of proposed logos and it was agreed that the one including capital letters would become the logo of Project Bawdeswell.  This will now be used on all documentation and PW will send it to everyone and JC will include it with her notes for the Reeve’s Tale.  The Mission Statement will be included under the logo on all documentation.  The Chairman thanked PW for his hard work in preparing the various samples.

Action:  Piers Wallace, Janet Cockburn

 

Community Survey

The Chairman thanked everyone involved in preparing the draft survey and AK tabled the proposed questionnaires. 

 

Questionnaire for 5-10 age groups

AK told the meeting that GH had already agreed the wording for the children’s questionnaire and they will finalise it based on the suggestions made. 

Action:  Alex Kirby and Gillian Horner

 

It will also have to be distributed to the children who live in the village who do not attend Bawdeswell School.  JC reported that she had given it to two children to complete as “guinea pigs”

 

Questionnaire for 11+ age groups

The Chairman said he believes this is the most important questionnaire and that it needs a lot of consideration.  There was much discussion and it was agreed that tick box answers to some questions would be helpful and some written answers from which we could learn (hopefully) what the teenagers of the village would like in order to be involved in the village community.  FR said that Reepham and Dereham schools need to be involved with this questionnaire.  FR offered to do a survey of the young people that work in the shop and will seek to find out the questions that they think would be relevant to their age group and offered to find a “guinea pig” to complete the questionnaire for older children.  PW said he would be happy for his mobile telephone number to be used for text responses and the Chairman is going to ask help from IT people about an e-mail option of completing the questionnaire.

Action:  Fel Roberts, Piers Wallace and James Lilwall.

 

Adult Survey

AK tabled this draft questionnaire and said she was keen to see this as a follow up to the Village Appraisal.  The draft was gone through in detail and the Chairman asked everyone to spend some time considering it and to feedback to AK any questions that need asking: any ideas on layout, format and content.  He went on to say he thought it was an excellent start and that we should not rush this part of the project because it is so important and the investment in time should pay-off in the long run.  DC suggested that we should also undertake a trial of the adult survey and it was agreed that this would be done.  AK asked that any comments on the questionnaire be sent to her by 2 October 2005.

Action:  All

 

Web Site Update

DC said that the new website is up but is not the final version because he has been waiting for the logo.  AK said she would like to alter it slightly.  The Chairman asked that everyone looks at the website by the next meeting and makes 5 comments either negative or positive and also asks a neighbour or friend to do the same.  PW will provide DC with the logo.

Action:  David Cockburn, Alex Kirby, Piers Wallace and all.

 

Any Other Business

 

Bawdeswell Heath

The Chairman asked Bill Flynn to report on this.   BF wonders if there is a possibility of including the future conservation of the Heath into Project Bawdeswell.   The Chairman and the meeting felt that there was, as it is undervalued at present and does not have the money to get things done.   BF is concerned about the day to day running of the maintenance of the Heath, and has for some time been attempting to raise an enlarged , and active voluntary conservation group.   In the past the probation service has helped with this maintenance, but BF asks for support through Project Bawdeswell to encourage more voluntary support. 

In the long term, it may be that the Heath should be viewed in a different way than in the past.    At the moment it is administered by Trustees who are an aging group, and has its primary concern as a charity to raise funds for the benefit of village needy.   It was felt by the meeting that it is a wonderful asset, but an undersold amenity within the village.   The Heath covers 17 hectares(about 40 acres) and is totally within the Parish boundary, but the Parish Council has responsibility for 2 acres only.   One possibility for the future may be that an organisation such as The Norfolk Wildlife Trust could arrange management on behalf of The Trust and the village.    The danger is, that any outside agency would attempt to impose unacceptable restrictions on public use, and thus change its unique character as an all embracing public amenity.  It was mentioned that it would be even more accessible if a footpath between Park Farm and the Heath Could be arranged on a permissive basis. 

 

BF agreed that although grants under The Countryside Stewardship Scheme had been paid by DEFRA, further funding could be available under a wider, revised agreement to cover improvements to car parks, footpaths etc. 

 

The Steering Group is fully responsive to the Heath being included in Project Bawdeswell.    The Chairman asked BF to prepare a brief about  The Trust, including the history, and a map of the area, for the next meeting, so that we can consider how it can be taken forward.

 

Date and content of next meeting

Saturday 8th October at 10am in village hall, when Jean Hanks from Little Ellingham will speak about their village hall project. (This meeting subsequently cancelled).

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or write to:- The Secretary, Project Bawdeswell, High Windows, Meadow Loke, Bawdeswell, NR20 4TG