Clerk: Mrs. L Rampton

Parish Council Office,

Winscombe Community Centre,

11 Sandford Road, Winscombe,

North Somerset BS25 1JA

Tel: 01934 844257   Fax: 01934 844292

WINSCOMBE WAR MEMORIAL RECREATION GROUND COMMITTEE

Minutes of Meeting held 2^nd December 2008, Winscombe Cricket Club, 7.30pm

Committee Members

Steve Bridges                Chairman                                  Archie Forbes                Parish Council Representative  

Mike Williamson               Treasurer                                   Chris Sampson              Ex Officio - PC Chairman

Doc Davies                      Cricket Club                              John Westlake               Parish Council Representative  

Peter Keenan                   Football Club                             Gerald Lloyd Parish Council Representative  

Hugh Fountain                  Football Club                                                                            

Trudy Lynham                Hockey Club                              Ann Harley                    Village Representative

Vacancy                         Rugby Club                              Margaret Ballard            Village Representative

Trish Burgess                   Tennis Club                               Robert Bird                    Village Representative                                                                                                                Dave Hucker                  Village Representative

Committee Members Present:             Margaret Ballard, Robert Bird, Steve Bridges, Doc Davies, Archie Forbes, Hugh Fountain, Dave Hucker, Peter Keenan Gerald Lloyd, Chris Sampson, Mike Williamson, John Westlake.

Invited Guests:                         David Bailey, Winscombe Cricket Club

Andy Flint & John Rivers, Winscombe AFC

                                                            Brian Peat, Winscombe Rugby Club

Clerk:                                       Lynne Rampton

Members of the public:                        None

Apologies for absence:            None

1. Declarations of Interest – none declared.

2. Approval of minutes as a correct record of the previous committee meeting  dated 21^st October 2008

It was proposed by GL, seconded by CS, that the minutes were approved as a correct record of the meeting, all committee members present at the last meeting were in favour.

3. Update from previous minutes – none

4. Public Participation - none

5. General area

a. Repair/replacement signage for car park area – current car park signs have been vandalised and require attention. Due to limited budgets remaining for the remainder of the financial year to 31^st March 2009, SB will approach the Finance Committee at their January meeting in this regard.

b. Additional ‘dog control’ signs. Whilst considered a good idea, due to limited budgets remaining for this financial year, a decision to install these signs was deferred until 2009/10.

6. Changing Rooms

a. Floor level rectification. Works required to alleviate water problems in the corridor were detailed by SB for the benefit of invited guests. Quotations for works have been requested and provisional figures included within the 2009/2010 precept request to the Parish Council.

b. Flat roof – repairs required – One quotation received indicates that the whole area does not require re-roofing and therefore costs are not as high as anticipated. A second opinion/quotation is still to be obtained. SB will request approval of the finance committee for works to be carried out before the start of the next financial year.

7. Pitches & Ground

a. Repair of goalmouths to training area. Works to repair goal mouth areas should ideally be carried out in the spring. HF to carry out works on supply of soil and fertilizer.

b. Oak tree overhanging Tennis club-house – a tree that has been subject to professional attention earlier this year should be re-inspected to assess any extra works required.

8. Matters to be considered at the request of the Cricket Club

a. Water logged pitch – top right hand corner – it has been reported that this section of the grounds has been heavily water-logged this summer, effecting the ability to play cricket in this area for much of the time. This could well have implications for the junior football. It was reported that the situation has gradually deteriorated, exasperated by the excessive weather conditions this summer. Details of drainage schemes installed at the Recreation Ground show that no drainage system is currently in place for the effected area. A number of theories for the increased water along with possible causes for this were debated. Ditches that have gradually filled over a period of time are considered to require mechanical assistance to reinstate them to the former condition and could not be undertaken by the Community Service Team. In conclusion, it was agreed that a drainage expert be consulted to investigate and report on the condition of this land and ditches with this matter to be considered by the WMRG Committee at a meeting in 2009. Indicative costs from previous drainage works carried out on this land would suggest a figure of £20,000 be added to the committee budget request for the 2009/10 financial year.

b. Condition of pitches at the start of the cricket season – this matter was included for discussion on request of the Cricket Club Playing Committee Chairman. In communication received, it reported that the football club continued to use the grounds for both junior & senior games until end of April 2008 with the land then being left in a hazardous condition for cricket players. Previous requests of this committee have asked both the football and cricket clubs liaise regarding land use. From discussion at this meeting including both football and cricket club representatives, it would appear  that the football & cricket clubs are satisfied with the current arrangement and therefore no further action is required in this regard.

c. Advertising boards around the cricket area – after discussion it was agreed that 2 no boards to be financed by the cricket club are permitted either side of the sight screens (making eight boards in total), no larger that 12’ x 2.5’ and displayed during the cricket season only.

d.

9. Health & Safety – issue of asbestos register for storage units at the Recreation Ground – it has now been recommended to the Parish Council that an outbuilding identified as the ‘tractor shed’ be added to the Parish Council Insurance policy schedule as ownership of this structure is unclear. The roof to this building is made of asbestos and cement roofing materials and is considered a low risk material in a Health & Safety Inspection carried out October 2008. A copy of the asbestos register for the units at the Recreation Ground was issued to guest representatives of the football, rugby & cricket clubs along with copies to authorised key holders to the locked shed, PK, HF & DT. In accordance with H&S recommendations, signage has been purchased advising of a fragile roof and this passed to the WMRG Orderly for installation. Football and cricket clubs are to finance a further investigation (£75 from a quotation obtained by SB) into the type of material used.

10. Ground Development

a.   Car Park extension update and agreement of the sports clubs to pursue this project.

The Committee Chairman detailed three options explored for the surfacing of the proposed car-park extension and gave indicative costs varying between £37,000 and £76,000.  Traffic & civil engineers would be required to produce design works for a forty space car-park and to submit a planning application on behalf of the Parish Council. Anticipated fees through the planning application, specification & design stages are likely to be in the region of £1,800 plus an hourly rate being charged for site visits during construction. Due to limited budgets remaining for the remainder of the financial year to 31^st March 2009, SB advised he will approach the Finance Committee at their January meeting for planning & design costs.

It was drawn to the attention of the meeting that the Parish Council at this stage has not agreed to fund this scheme and finance from other sources including sports clubs using the facility would be required. Alternative less expensive solutions to parking problems that largely exist at week-end periods should be explored prior to committing expenditure for design and planning application costs. Consideration should be given to down-scaling this project to be created on land leased from Sidcot School.

It was proposed by CS, seconded by GL that the car park extension scheme be placed in abeyance due to considerable costs involved.

An amendment to the above proposal to explore possible solutions costing up to £10,000 before the scheme is placed in abeyance was proposed by MW, seconded by SB. 10 in favour, 2 against. Amendment carried.

It was proposed by MW, seconded by SB that possible car park extension solutions be explored costing up to £10,000 before the scheme is placed in abeyance. All committee members were in favour.

AFl reminded the committee that at present, there is no commitment from the sports clubs towards this project.

11.   Proposed charges to be levied on Sporting Clubs for use of Changing Rooms and Grounds 2009/10

SB advised sport clubs members that they should all declare a personal interest in this item. LR advised that members of this advisory committee could not be instructed by the committee chairman to declare an interest.

As requested at the last meeting of the WMRG Committee, Chairmen or other representative of the rugby, football and cricket club had been invited to this meeting in order that proposed charges for the 2009/10 financial year may be discussed prior to submission to the Finance Committee January meeting.

       A lengthy discussion ensued in which questions were answered by MW regarding allocation of payments made for the 2007/08 period and proposed budget for 2009/10. MW advised that one boiler may soon require repairs/replacement, consideration should be given to providing an additional water tank and there is little area for the proposed budget to be ‘trimmed’. Rent collected from sports clubs using the facilities support the WMRG budget provided by the Parish Council. Some considered that even excluding funding for car-park extension proposals, the considerable rise in budget request for this committee is excessive. Cheap costs for the annual hire of pitches for football and cricket clubs was debated versus the fact that the two clubs pay for their own fertilizer, equipment and utilities which would not be the case should they hire other grounds. HF advised that pitch hire was agreed annually and in previous years an inflationary rise only agreed.

       MW had compiled a document suggesting annual rent charges from 2009 – 2014 that was circulated to those present at the meeting. Both football and cricket clubs considered the initial tenfold increase in charges suggested to be excessive with these first becoming payable in four months time. It was argued that the Parish Council spend a considerable amount of money maintaining the changing rooms although the committee was reminded that the football club had made, and paid for considerable improvements to their own changing rooms.

       In response to those present being advised that Parishioners are paying for this facility through the precept charge levied on them by the Parish Council, the football club confirmed that 70% of its junior members live in the parish. MW argued that fees charged to clubs have not increased over a number of years, making this rise necessary. Cricket & football clubs were united in their agreement that whilst a rise in costs was acceptable, an increase of this size on top of other rising charges with little notice is unfair. All sports clubs provide an invaluable benefit to the community by supplying healthy exercise to a large number of youngsters from the Parish where little other interests for youth exist. Increases to membership subscriptions for both football & cricket clubs were suggested.

       It was proposed by SB that the increase suggested by MW be implemented over a ten year period rather than five years to assist clubs with initial increased costs. The document provided at this meeting would be reworked by MW to incorporate the proposed rise over a ten year period with an inflationary rise of 5% compound. MW will send suggested figures to the three sports clubs for their agreement. A question arose as to whether present parish council members of this committee would support the ten-year plan.   GL responded that it was quite impossible to commit themselves to either the five or ten-year plan as they were required to, and should, hear, during a parish council meeting,  the views of all other members of the council before making their own individual decisions.'

       MW requested a response from representative clubs within a ten day period of this meeting.    

12.   Meeting Dates 2009 & venue

20^th January, 21^st April, 21^st July, 20^th October

       It was advised by the Clerk that meetings of the Parish Council should not take place on licensed premises in accordance with Local Government Act 1972, Sch 12 10(1).

       It was proposed by MW, seconded by GL, all members in favour that against the advice of the Clerk, due to the exceptional nature of this advisory committee being largely made up of non-Parish Councillors, that committee meetings continue to take place in the cricket club on licensed premises. Meetings on site are considered preferential to enable members to assess issues arising. The necessary addition to Parish Council Standing Orders should be made.

13.  Matters for Information

AFl drew the attention of the committee to min 12 of the WMRG Committee meeting held 21^st Oct 2008. It was advised the football club committee are likely to oppose the abolishment of the constitution as rights of the clubs are protected in this legal document.

Meeting Closed:                       10.00 p.m.

Date of next meeting: Tuesday 20^th January 2009.

Minutes: LR                   Checked: SB

Signed _____________________________________ (War Memorial Recreation Ground Chairman)  

Date ____________