Saturday 9th March 2024 2.00pm at Findon Valley Free Church
Welcome and Introduction
The Chair (Lance Allen) welcomed everyone and introduced our guests, Tim Loughton MP, Councillors Dan Humphreys and Nigel Morgan along with Paul Howie, Pharmacy Manager at Lime Tree Surgery.
We also had guest visitors from Findon Parish Council and Patching Parish Council. The Chair stated how nice it was to see so many people attending the meeting and thanked them for coming.
Apologies
Councillor Elizabeth Sparkes, Mary Meadows ( High Salvington Chair), Clive Sanders (Treasurer), Tony Anderson, and resident Miss Rayner Ward.
Minutes of last meeting and Matters Arising
The minutes from 11th March 2023 were agreed as true records. There were no matters arising. The minutes were proposed by Nigel Morgan and seconded by Carol Meech.
Chairs’ Report ( Lance Allen)
Lance detailed events that had been organised by the committee for the benefit of the residents including a very successful Coronation Street Party and a Big Concert at Vale School with Brighton Big Band and Rock Choir. We also hold monthly Artisan Markets in the surgery car park. These are organised jointly with Sharon Leppard from Great Little Farmers Markets and are proving very popular both with traders and the public. Sadly our Christmas Extravaganza for December 7th had to be cancelled due to bad weather.
Cissbury Fields now has a community orchard consisting of 35 local apple, pear and plum trees. It is hoped the community will help to monitor the trees and assist with watering etc when able. There is hope that a Bio Blitz day can be organised in the summer by the council with support from the Resident’s Association.
Lance thanked Matthew Ward leader of the Friends of Findon Valley, who meet monthly to carry out tasks within the community including Cissbury Fields and The Gallops. The Friends have also taken over maintenance of the two wooden bus shelters.
With regard to last year’s traffic survey Clive, our acting Highways Officer, is in contact with the County Council regarding getting some action concerning the feedback they received from him after completion of the survey. Very little is happening at present due to financial restrictions but the County Council are still aware of it.
There is now a new bus stop with real time bus information at Allendale Avenue and in time more similar bus stops will be installed further up the Valley.
Lance reiterated that membership of the FVRA only amounts to approximately 1 in 6 households in the Valley and he hoped that membership would continue to increase.
Chris Van Hagen is stepping down from his role as a Volunteer Gardener after many years helping with the community garden and the Chair thanked him for all his hard work.
Finally, Lance reflected on his four years as Chair and stated how proud he was of what we had achieved. He thanked the committee for all their achievements also as well as thanking all the volunteers who help out at events. He introduced Lorraine Taylor, who has been Vice Chair, as the new Chair and wished her well in her new role.
The Trustees Annual Statement was approved by Graham Scott and seconded by Angela Martin.
Vice Chair (Lorraine Taylor)
Lorraine thanked Lance for his four years of service as Chair and echoed the achievements that the Residents’ Association had made under his Leadership.
She thanked Maggie Winter for her continued work in the community garden. She will now be assisted by Matthew Ward and the Friends of the Valley team.
Lorraine gave a brief history of how the markets started in the Valley and thanked people for supporting them so well. Feedback from Sharon Leppard, the market organiser, was that the Traders love coming to the Findon Valley markets because of the amicable atmosphere.
Numbers of people attending are good with 365 at the February market in spite of the weather. There are plans to add extra themes to the market.
Lorraine appealed for volunteers to sit on the committee with several vacancies at present especially that of Secretary to be filled.
Special thanks to Debbie Chaplin and Buddhi Gunawardena for their help with refreshments for the meeting.
Finally Lorraine gave presentations firstly to the Chair for his great efforts and achievements over the past four years. She also thanked and gave gifts to other retiring committee members, Terri and Colin Binsted and to Chris Van Hagen for his work in the community garden.
Treasurers’ Report ( Clive Sanders)
Apologies were received from Clive Sanders, Treasurer, as he is recuperating from a spell in hospital. Lance passed on our very best wishes for a speedy recovery and gave the Treasurer’s Report on Clive’s behalf. The last year’s accounts are with the auditor but three years accounts were presented in the Meeting Pack.
The accounts for 2023 were approved by Chloe Paddock and seconded by Maggie Winter.
Constitution
LA stated that the revised Constitution as approved at last year’s AGM could not be registered with the Charity Commission as it became apparent that the previous, 2013, version had not been registered at that time. Hence a new version is presented with the 2024 AGM papers for approval, showing the ‘current’ 1991 version with new changes clearly annotated. There being no questions from members, the revised constitution was proposed by Maggie Winter and seconded by Colin Binstead as a unanimous approval with no votes against, no abstentions and no proxy votes received.
Election of Committee
Lance Allen, Chairman is standing down having completed his four year term and Terri Binstead is retiring as Secretary, Tony Anderson has stepped down as Web Administrator and Sean Philip will be taking this position. Colin Binstead is also stepping down from the committee. Clive Sanders, treasurer continues to be Highways Officer in the absence of a new committee member. Lorraine Taylor has stepped forward to stand as Chair person.
Chair/ Trustee | Lorraine Taylor |
Vice Chair/ Trustee | Vacancy |
Treasurer/ Trustee | Clive Sanders |
Secretary/ Trustee | Vacancy |
Membership Secretary / Trustee | Neil Worsfold |
Schools Liaison | Paula Barnes |
Highways | Clive Sanders (Interim Position) |
Web Administrator | Sean Philip |
Historian | Terry Field |
Auditor (non-committee role) | Vacancy |
Co-Opted Member | Chloe Paddock |
The committee members were elected en bloc: proposed by Buddhi Gunawardena and seconded by Matthew Ward.
[ End of formal Committee business]
Presentation by Paul Howie Partner, Limetree Surgery.
Available to view via this link:
Questions followed;
Paul confirmed that the Medicines Team at Limetree aim to turn around prescription requests made on line or by email within 48 hours. The dispensing at the pharmacy can then take a further 7 days.
Paul confirmed that LIVI is a private company used to fill clinical gaps. A similar third party company is used to ensure pharmacist cover by Paydens.
A resident asked why it was still not possible to book blood tests on line. Paul will find out and let us know.
It is hoped that those who screen their calls and therefore miss call backs from the surgery will be mitigated when the new telephone system is on line.
Paul sympathised with a resident who has tried, unsuccessfully, to get through to the pharmacy by telephone for a minor medication query. His advice is to call the surgery and choose Option 4 to be put through to the Medicines Team.
The new Pharmacy First initiative has been rolled out to enable some specially trained pharmacists to prescribe for 7 common health issues, saving a clinical appointment.
A resident gave a vote of thanks for the noticeable improvements that had been made at the surgery and a round of applause was given. Thanks were also given by the Chair.
Update by Tim Loughton MP
Mr Loughton began with an apology for not attending last year’s AGM. He was impressed with the excellent turn out for the meeting and paid tribute to Lance and the FVRA team for provision of excellent events, the monthly markets and for participation in Cissbury Fields initiatives.
A27 improvements proposed by Highways England were rejected and it is now back to the drawing board.
It is hoped that new regulations regarding permits for and fines for overrunning temporary roadworks will improve the ad hoc way in which utility companies currently cause disruption on our roads. Funding for enforcement officers has also been agreed.
Pot holes are once again causing issues but new machinery has been purchased that will more effectively repair them and hopefully reduce reappearance. Pot holes should be reported online, will then be marked and repaired within two weeks. Mr Loughton is happy to receive pictures or videos of troublesome potholes!
The Pharmacy First scheme mentioned by Paul Howie is featured on Mr Loughton’s website and it is hoped this will save 10 million GP appointments across the UK.
Community diagnostics are now being undertaken at Southlands to help clear backlogs of CT, MRI scans and xrays. There are plans to offer a walk in service and maternity scanning later this year.
The downgrading of Worthing Hospital is almost certainly as a result of the formation of the larger University Hospitals of Sussex health trust which includes Brighton and Haywards Heath hospitals. CQC inspections are now getting back underway following Covid and it is hoped that the current rating will improve.
There are a shortage of secondary school places in West Sussex. Mr Loughton reported that there is a new Head Teacher at St Andrews who has improved the Ofsted rating .
A recent trip to Kiev (Kyiv) in the Ukraine gave huge thanks for help received from UK.
The Sussex Bay Project is continuing to regenerate kelp forests off our shores. This will provide food for humans and animals and be used for fertilizer. Kelp absorbs 6 times the amount of CO2 compared to trees!
Mr Loughton reminded everyone that there are local elections on May 2nd for councillors and the crime commissioner as well as a General Election at some point.
Update by Dan Humphries Worthing Borough Councillor
Due to budgetary constrictions and a £2 million overspend in Worthing there is little to report. Adur Council is not in similar financial dire straights.
The perennial issues concerning parking/antisocial and criminal behaviour in Storrington Rise and Coombe Rise carparks continue. The locking of Storrington Rise seems to have stopped, Dan was unable to ascertain why.
Dan is happy to help with any local issues which can be sent direct or via FVRA.
Update by Nigel Morgan Worthing Borough Councillor
Nigel is currently working on scam and AI workshops.
A height barrier for Coombe rise car park has been requested many times but there seems to be no progress, probably due to lack of funding. This is despite ample evidence of issues with large vehicles accessing and staying overnight.
A question was asked about why tradesmen were not tasked with the repair costs for broken footpaths following access to undertake building works. Nigel reported that there may be some leeway to extend the enforcement officer roles to include this.
The planters in Kings Parade were again raised as an issue to visibility when turned north. Dan Humphreys has PROMISED to action this!
Cyclists riding along Kings Parade instead of turning up Limetree/Maytree was raised. Nigel will look at the signage to see if this can be improved.
Allie Moore Minister FVFC
Allie welcomed everyone to FVFC and thanked Lance and the FVRA team for continued excellent provision of community events in the Valley. She expressed her desire to create a community hub in the Valley making use of the facilities at FVFC. A questionnaire will appear in the next Inside Cissbury paper asking for ideas from which an Action Plan will be drawn up. The FVRA will play a role in this initiative.
Film Show
There then followed a showing of The Downlanders film Spirit of the Downs: Perseverance brings Success introduced by Maggie Winter. Questions were then answered by filmmakers Trevor Hodgson and Steve Nethercott-Cable. A donation will be made from FVRA.
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