Findon Valley Residents' Association
Protecting the interests of our community and the countryside around us
Monday 8th February: Remote meeting via Zoom
In Attendance:
Lance Allen (LA), Paula Barns (PB), Kayla Shepherd (KS), Lorraine Taylor (LT). The meeting commenced at 7.30pm.
Apologies
Clive Sanders, who is currently in hospital, and all sent their best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Minutes of last meeting and Matters Arising
Minutes from 11 January were agreed as a true record, and will now be published on website and noticeboards. Matters arising are covered below.
Chair
AGM 2021, The date was agreed as Thursday 22 April at 7.30pm via zoom. All official invitees can make this day. LA to draft a planning and publicity schedule.
Vacancies, We still require a secretary, membership secretary, highways officer, communications officer and auditor. KS has resigned from the committee due to family commitments. She was thanked for her positive and enthusiastic contribution as Events Co-ordinator, and was welcomed to continue as a Friend of FVRA.
Four local residents have expressed interest in helping, one as auditor. Two other potential committee members will be invited to the March meeting as observers. The fourth will contact us further, later in the year.
An email request for further committee volunteers has gone out on mailchimp.
Winter Salt Bins, WSCC response was inconclusive as to training, procedures and responsibilities. LA to speak with Vale Drive key holder, then PB will approach Vale School who have indicated willingness to manage the Vale Drive bins. The other bins will not be progressed at this stage.
Worthing Borough Local Plan, LA had reviewed this publication and emailed a summary to committee 26 January. It was noted that no sites in the Valley area had been earmarked for housing development.
Vice Chair & Environment
Farmers’ Markets, Awaiting confirmation from Lime Tree that their car park can again be used. April could be the ideal start-month, but dependent upon Covid restrictions at the time.
Volunteer Group, LT had progressed the proposal to establish a Findon Valley Volunteers group to tackle small practical projects, similar to Findon Village Volunteers. LT has received positive feedback from WBC and SDNPA, and a potential new committee member who may be able to act as co-ordinator. SDNPA may be able to provide finance for suitable hand tools.
Tree Planting, Contractors have removed a significant number of diseased ash trees. SDNPA is looking to plant 1,250 new trees at Sheepcombe Hangar and 650 at The Gallops.
Litter Picking, A couple of residents have been active independent litter pickers. Charities such as FVRA cannot organise such events whilst face masks etc are considered as hazardous waste.A few inconsiderate individuals had dumped waste next to the Community Chest hopper by the toilet block. One resident had taken waste to East Worthing Recycle Centre. The hopper is emptied regularly. It is a “Textile Bank”, and the contents are sorted and sold for recycling, for the benefit of Worthing area charities.
Community Garden, another ‘call for plants’ will go out to residents. Spring bulbs are beginning to show themselves.
Homeless Man, Seen a number of times around the library area in bitter weather. LT has put him in touch with WBC Worthing Outreach. Another resident had done similar.
Treasurer
The monthly accounts for January were circulated by CS before his hospitalisation. There were no questions.
2020 Annual Accounts, also circulated. Committee members confirmed no further 2020 expenses were outstanding.
Direct Debits, To be followed up when CS has recuperated.
Membership
Position Vacant, Its was noted that some members pay by standing order, as low as £1pa. The extent of this is to be reviewed and contact made with those residents regarding the shortfall.
The membership form, redesigned late 2020, needs tweaking regarding direct debits (which will be the preferred method of payment) then bulk printed, so road collectors can distribute these. A printer-friendly version without the watermark picture, may also be used.
Schools Liaison
The Love Heart Trail poster had been circulated via Parent Mail, as will the Spring Photos poster at the beginning of March.
LA to investigate the permanent “Cut Your Engines” signs at West Worthing railway level crossing, as a useful precedent for Vale Drive.
Highways
WSCC has cut the verges and tidied Findon Road in the cemetery area.
Following a resident’s concerns LA has been in contact with Cllr Sparkes regarding the flooding at the bottom of Bost Hill, but Highways had yet to resolve this.
Communication
Position Vacant, LA to contact Jim Booth to set up Gallery pages for Love Hearts and Spring Photos. LA to draft generic response wording as acknowledgement of items submitted to photos@findonvalley.org.
KS will pass the mailchimp administrator details to LA. It was noted that the mailchimp list needs to be kept in synch with the membership register email list.
March Sussex Local will include Cissbury Fields, Spring Photos, the A24 Cycle Path, Leroy Bryan (past chairman & president, who has recently passed away) and committee vacancies.
Events
The Love Hearts Trail has seen a number of good submissions. The Spring Photo initiative will be launched at the beginning of March.
The schedule of potential events that KS had prepared, will be held and considered once Covid restrictions allow.
One suggestion was an informal mental health group, including youth mental training. This was acknowledged as an important social issue, and Lime Tree Surgery’s “Time to Talk” was already over-subscribed.
Cissbury Fields, WBC have issued a press release about taking back control of the fields and re-wilding. The Worthing Herald carried an article 4 February. LA has contributed to a BBC South Today piece but this was not broadcast. LA has obtained WBC confirmation that there would be no housing development or solar power farms planned for the site.
FVRA position and response to be discussed further when CS is able to take part.
AOB
Library Drop-in, Still suspended due to Coronavirus.
Next zoom meeting – 7.30pm Wednesday 10th March.
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