WHALEY 4wards Wednesday 14 th December 2011 MINUTES OF SEVENTH MEETING 1. Welcome: the following were present: Cllr Jon Goldfinch Cllr Martin Thomas Amy Hubble Cllr Suzanne Lomas Mary Nother Cllr Barrie Taylor Cllr Anne Winter Paul Evans Barry Rudd Guest: Jill Turner Chair/WBTC Secretary/ WBTC / Amenity Soc High Peak Architects FV COGS / WBTC Horwich End W.I. WBTC DCC WBTC / Amenity Soc Parks Liaison Officer, HPBC W3 High Peak Community Arts 2. Apologies for absence: these were received from: Paul Evans Ezra Garside Cllr Rodney Gilmour Sam Gray Stephanie Raybould Sandy Schofield Robin Wignall HPBC Park Liaison Officer Local resident / business WBTC WBA Clerk WBTC FV COGS Friends of Whaley Bridge Station 3. Prior to the start of the meeting two special items were discussed: 3A. Sports Multi User Games Area (MUGA) Cllr Goldfinch reported that the project was likely to be fully funded. 1
3B. Skate Park (extra agenda) Paul Evans reported that work on the Skate Park is now suspended due to the mud. He will make up the path and clear it of mud. He confirmed that there is damage to two land drains, although they are still passing water and there is no sign of puddling. He confirmed that any damage would be put right. Written into the bid is to replace the drains. The drawings need to be located for the land drains. The contractor is responsible for making good. Completion scheduled for March 2012. 4. Minutes of 6th meeting held 9 th November were approved 5. Actions Round Up a. Cllr Goldfinch has requested formal written quotes from David Hancock. Action: Cllr Swift to be asked to provide names of potential alternative contractors. b. Cllr Goldfinch reported that he had met with Alan Harrison at the Football Pavilion to set up the redecorating project. Alan will complete a risk assessment before Christmas. c. Action c/fwd to write to Alan Harrison re Street Furniture, once Cllr Thomas has completed photographing the former. [Some old benches will be released from the memorial park]. d. Cllr Goldfinch has written to him regarding the Swings on Orchard Close and Bridgemont Children s Play Area Equipment. e. Regarding the damage to the pathway on the linear park, Cllr Goldfinch to check if this has been done. f. Cllr Taylor confirmed that some of the Coronation Rowans need pruning. He and Cllr swift are going to attend to this themselves once permission obtained from British Waterways. g. Cllr Thomas has spoken to Lorraine Coverly of the Show Committee. She will ask the committee to consider supporting a floral display / vegetable plot / front bulb display competition, but they have limited resources, so organisation will have to be led by others. 2
6. Presentation on the Sculptures at High Lea Park, New Mills Jill Turner of High Peak Community arts gave an illustrated account of the project to create a Woodland Walk and Sculptures that had been carried out at High Lea Park. The salient details were as follows: Funded by the Big Lottery Community Wildlife Fund (now ended) 8,700 grant received Key success factor was the community involvement. Pupils & students of New Mills High School had been involved in creating a planting plan and in designing the animals on the displays. Derbyshire Wildlife Trust had been involved in the project to ensure local fauna was protected. A professional, Lorraine Botterill, carried out the actual sculpture work. However, she provided tuition to the students as part of the project. Altogether she worked 11.5 days on the project. There is an agreed artist rate of 200 / day for such work. Chain saw work is expensive, and scaffolding at three levels had to be set up. Project aided by the availability of a felled oak tree, and a sycamore tree stump. Duration 2 years from funding bids to completion (recent). Jill advised that the location of any sculptures be considered carefully, and that local schools & Youth Club be involved. 7. Sculpture Trail in Whaley Bridge Memorial Park a. We still need to formally find out the attitude of HPBC to such an idea. b. Paul Evans reported that two elms are to be felled. c. He has in mind to create / restore a pond in the park with the involvement of primary school pupils. This could be the site of one of the sculptures. d. A Willow Weave was suggested as a habitate to encourage small creatures. 3
e. It was agreed that any felled trunks would be repositioned after carving so as to get the optimal siting. f. The meeting confirmed that it was interested in involving Stockport College in this project, should they have the skills and interest, and the project proves viable g. Alternative funder is Awards for All. 8. Signposting & Display Boards for Shallcross Incline a. Mary Nother produced a report on the proposed sites for displays & signposts, commencing at the Canal Basin and through to Fernilee, which the meeting welcomed. It was agreed that it was desirous to get the signposts installed by March 2012, with the displays to follow. It was agreed that intermediate waymarkers might suit, accompanied by an explanatory leaflet for walkers. b. Stephanie Raybould is working on the main display board. c. Cllr Thomas agreed to speak to Sue Rowlands and Jerrry Jarvis regarding the project: to seek their support and assist in the detail of the sites and design. d. A logo could be designed to assist in identifying the route to the incline on markers. Next step: produce sign wording. 9. Community Info Point (Red Tele Box) a. Cllr Goldfinch has provided detailed information on the costing to Sam Gray. He has also written to Garie Bevan with a spec for the work. b. Cllr Thomas agreed to inform Sam Gray that no planning permission is required, just owners consent. c. Drinkwaters have offered to relocate the box for free. d. Barry Rudd reported the box needs urgent attention to avert decay. 4
Action: Cllr Lomas to ask Garie Bevan to provide a written quotation by 5 th January so that it may be considered at the January WBTC meeting. 10. Litterpick (26 November 2011) On 26 November 2011, Cllr Thomas & Barry Rudd had cleared the Canal Basin and Tom Brad s Croft of litter, but the winds soon returned a lot of garbage to both sites. 11. Flower Tubs Sponsorship 12. Next Steps as above a. Cllr Thomas reported that Stanways have indicated they would consider sponsoring a floral tub. After Christmas, Cllr Thomas will write to other potential sponsors. b. It was agreed that Piranha provided a good value for money service and to recommend to WBTC that their bid be accepted. c. The sponsors to be responsible for their own advertising, but these to be limited to [5 x 8 ] in size. d. Agreed to go for uniformity of design 13. Next Meeting: Wednesday 11 th January 2012, 7pm Mechanics Institute 14. AOB The meeting supported WBTC getting in some extra Christmas Tree lights, and white was the preferred colour. PS Contact Details For Lorraine Botterill: Bracken Moor House Stanley Road Stocksbridge Sheffield S36 2FQ Tel:0114 288 4424 E-mail: lorraine@brackenmoor.plus.com 5