Memorial Centre Project (archived page): WHITEPARISH COMMUNITY WEBSITE

THIS IS AN ARCHIVED PAGE

Contacts: see below
SUMMARY
Late in 2005, a joint meeting of the Parish Council, Village Hall Management Committee and Memorial Ground Trust agreed to set up a working group with three representatives from each party, with the object of having exploratory talks regarding a Community Building on the Memorial Ground. During the course of 2006 this team have met on regular occasions and made a formal presentation to the village to accept the proposal: ' Does the village support the attempt to develop a project for a single community building, providing both village hall and pavilion facilities, to be located on the memorial ground and the necessary changes to the two charities involved to allow this to happen effectively'. In April 2006 - this was accepted by the village with a huge majority vote. Since then, meetings have taken place, architects appointed and initial drawings presented for consideration. A planning application to Salisbury District Council is due to be made in January 2007. Minutes of our progress will be posted on this site following every meeting - which will normally take place every other month - so please do come back and visit to check on progress. Any queries can be addressed to Dave Boakes who will bring these up at the next Project Meeting. Proposed Name of the Building: “Whiteparish Memorial Centre”
CONTACTS
Chair: Dave Boakes - Parish Council Representative, Secretary: Judy Nunn - Independent co-opted Further Parish Council Representatives: Stuart McWilliam, Colin Bray Further Village Hall Management Committee Representatives: Phil Brown, Angela Davey, Dave Crombie Memorial Ground Trust Representatives: Darryl Parsons, Geoff Dear, Sarah Hornby
UPDATE FROM THE PROJECT TEAM, AUGUST 2008
The project to try to develop a community building on the Memorial Ground to replace the existing village hall and sports pavilion is still ongoing. Pre-planning comments have been received from the architects’ panel of Salisbury District Council on the floor plans and elevations submitted by the project architects. The issues raised will be discussed at a meeting with SDC Planners early in September and it is hoped to apply for planning permission soon after that. It has proved difficult and time-consuming to define the requirements of all the prospective users of the new building and to understand what may be needed to erect a building on such a sensitive site. There have also been concerns about the cost estimates suggested by the architects. However, it is very much hoped that all these issues will soon be resolved and that a village meeting can be held to seek final support for the project to proceed to implementation. August 2008
MINUTES
Held on Tuesday 26 September 2007 at 8pm in the Kings Head. PRESENT: Dave Boakes (Chair) Colin Bray, Darryl Parsons, Sarah Hornby, David Crombie Phil Brown, Angela Davey, Stuart McWilliam, Judy Nunn Absent: Geoff Dear. 1. MINUTES: Accepted. 2. MATTERS ARISING The meeting of 9 August did not take place due to non-attendance of most members of the Project Team, as a result of which DB wrote to all members suggesting ways forward. Those present, representing village hall user groups, sporting organisations and the Parish Council, affirmed a commitment to the project. The value and focus of regular (monthly) meetings was discussed, and small working groups addressing issues involved in the project, these meetings to be confirmed if required or not. 3. WORKLIST a) Design plan: Elevation drawings were circulated for inspection and points raised included the lack of a veranda which had been suggested originally and provision for a mower and other ground equipment. The expanse of glass windows and the valley between roofs was questioned and whether there were alternatives to reduce building and maintenance costs. A meeting with Salisbury District Council Planning Dept to be arranged for advice on materials. ACTION: DB to seek cost estimates from HBS to include veranda and path to front of halls and external store. Follow up meeting with HBS after amendments. DB/SH to meet with SDC Planning. b) Funding: With regard to capital funding, MGT permanent endowment funds cannot be used, even as a loan, unless we can show that we have exhausted all reasonable possible sources of external and other funding. We shall also need to carefully comply with Charities Act regulations in selling the lease of the village hall back to the PC at an independently set market price before the site can be sold and proper agreement from the PC to return the proceeds to the project. The Charities Commission are not happy with our plan to put bills through the PC to �avoid� VAT. They are not sure if this is legal. Janette Munro has agreed to pursue possible sources of funding on behalf of the Village Hall Management Committee. We need to identify similar input from the Memorial Ground Trust Committee. c) Business Plan: This will include all aspects of capital and operating costs, income (estimated increase of use of improved and additional facilities, plus fund-raising), expenditure and proposed management structure and plans. d) User groups: Continuity plans to accommodate groups while building is under way, if necessary, include possible facilities at Landford and Sherfield English, with the period September to March preferred by football teams. e) New Charity: A new Charitable Trust will be needed to replace the VHMC and MGT and may have two management committees to administer the running of the Memorial Centre. 4. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Tuesday 23 October at 8pm in the Kings Head. Dates of further meetings (Tuesdays) 2007: 23 October, 20 November, 18 December 2008: 22 January, 19 February, 18 March, 22 April, 20 May, 17 June
Held on Thursday 12 July 2007 at 8pm in the Village Hall. PRESENT: Dave Boakes (Chair) Colin Bray Darryl Parsons Sarah Hornby Geoff Dear David Crombie Phil Brown Angela Davey Judy Nunn Stuart McWilliam 1. APOLOGIES: None. 2. MEMBERSHIP: Bob Twiddy has withdrawn from the project team. The representative of the Parish Council is now Stuart McWilliam. 3. WORKLIST a) Building Design: (DB, DC, AD/DB, DC, DP) Floor plans of the proposed building were presented for inspection and DC believed user groups would approve. No internal storage facilities have been allowed for mower and other large equipment as it was advised that combustibles should be stored in a separate shed. DP suggested removing the toilets in the changing rooms (JN not too sure what DP said about this - please clarify). Elevations drawings are in progress and Salisbury District Council Planning Dept need complete requirements prior to the planning application. b) Charities Commission issues: (DB, TK) The creation of a new charity combining the Memorial Ground Trust and the Village Hall Management Committee will be required which would widen the outside sources of funding, avoiding the need to repay any capital spent from MGT resources over a period, but repaid annually. The VHMC will need to sell the lease of the village hall back to the Parish Council in order for the land to be sold. c) Planning permission(s): (CB) SDC planners have said we should show what our users will be expected to do to continue operating while the pavilion and hall are out of commission, if this occurs. Some form of legal agreement to build a new hall will be required before planning permission can be granted for the old hall site or the proposed project. d) Temporary use plans: (VHMC, MGT) Need to investigate availability and commitments needed to book alternative facilities for user groups, e.g. school, church, Methodist Hall, King’s Head? It was stated that in some instances, developers acquiring (village hall) sites have been prepared to delay development until new facilities have been completed. Another suggestion was to provide a container building for temporary use and build around it later for more permanent security. e) Funding: (PB, VHMC, MGT) As well as knowing plans for self-funding, we need a comprehensive list of outside sources and criteria involved, e.g. sport, cultural or general type (landfill, SWAG etc). Janette Munro is willing to compile a list of funding sources. We have registered for 2008 grants from Wiltshire County Council. We need to find Sports funding, - ? R2 money. Opportunities for sponsorship might be considered but may involve including the name of the sponsor(s). PB will contact the Charities Information Bureau. f. Business plan: (DB, PB) Sell plans to Charities Commission, village and planners. Cover capital plans, expected use income, future operating and other costs, other potential sources of income etc. Include role and commitment of voluntary involvement in management, administration and fund-raising efforts. Propose Trust structure for new charity and any other management or operating organisations after delivery of new building. Note: Appoint a Project Manager as soon as work is underway on building. g. Communication: (SH) Include report of each meeting in Steeple and Street and village website, but not make each meeting open. 4. FUTURE MEETINGS: It is hoped to arrange a village meeting before the end of the year to approve the development. It was agreed that the team should now meet regularly each month. 5. ANY OTHER BUSINESS: None. 6. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Thursday 9^th August at 8pm in the Village Hall. Held on 6th December 2006 at 7.45 pm in the King’s Head 1. Apologies: none. All members present plus Darryl Parsons. 2. Minutes of meeting of 30th. August, 2006: accepted. 3. Matters arising: none other than covered by later agenda items. 4. Project team composition: to make up for the loss of Margaret Tarrant, Colin Bray would switch to being a PC member & Darryl Parsons would join as MGT representative, subject to the approval of their host bodies. ( PC subsequently approved for Colin). The group has no secretary & no member wished to volunteer for the job. The suggestion to rotate the job was not enthusiastically received. Left in abeyance. ( Subsequently, following an initiative by Colin Bray, Judy Nunn has been invited & has accepted to have a go). 5. Work in progress: i. Old village hall site planning permission: still awaiting advice from Janet Wallace as to how many houses she is likely to accept. ii. Funding developments: Phil Browne gave out some recent information which says we would need to apply to the ‘big lottery’ by April next to be considered for the next tranche of funding. We would not be able to make any practical start on construction until a request for funding was determined. Depending on the amount we are seeking we would need to enter into a legal agreement for varying periods up to 20 years to use the facilities only for the agreed purposes. We would need to have approved plans, an estimate based on competitive tendering & evidence of a proper management structure for the project & its subsequent operation. Other sources of funding we should look at include the Sports Council (pavilion), the Arts Council (stage equipment), the Landfill Tax regime, various local WCC/SDC funds, an appeal to the village, individual sports bodies where appropriate & Council Tax. iii. Communications: Sarah hopes to get information on our activities into Steeple & Street & the village website in the near future. iv. Architects’ drawings & design queries: two sets of drawings from HBS, with a meeting & feedback in between had not resolved all our queries. The ‘pavilion’ facilities were OK, but there remained the question of how to handle the stage & its surroundings, & a more recent area, the feeling that we should try to include a second largish space for use as a ‘youth hall’. There was also concern that costs seemed to rise every time we looked at the size & layout of the design. Several roughly prepared footprint areas & cost estimates were reviewed. Eventually it was agreed to go back to HBS with comments & specific requirements as to spaces needed, with specific reference to a permanent end stage, or at least a building long enough to accommodate one & a second smaller hall on the side of the main hall, capable of being totally opened up as an extension to the main hall. It is probable that any such design will push us to a need for outside funding to quite a significant extent but this was not felt to be a reason for not trying to progress in this way. 6. Any other business: none. 7. Next meeting : to be decided at a later date. Held on Wednesday 30th August 2006 at Whiteparish Village Hall at 7.45 p.m. Present: Dave Boakes, David Crombie, Phil Brown, Angie Davey, Bob Twiddy, Margaret Tarrant Apologies: Geoff Dear, Sarah Hornby Minutes of the previous meeting were approved. Architect Selection Bob and Dave have spent a lot of time talking to and communicating with these companies. Dave has responses which were compared to come up with a decision to recommend HBS. Their proposals were circulated to the Group for comment. The next meeting with the architects should involve one person from each Committee plus Dave Boakes. These will be David Crombie, Colin Bray and Bob Twiddy. It was agreed that Angie should also attend as her Company are donating the Building Control service. The Parish Council will pay for the initial work which will take us to step D of the RIBA work plan. Phil said that he would run a finance check on HBS. A formal vote was taken to ‘accept the proposal to accept the recommendation that HBS should be appointed as Architects to take us through to Step D of the RIBA Work Plan’. All agreed. Funding – Phil has still to organise this. He is also making an application to the Big Lottery. It was agreed that a notice should be put in Steeple and Street asking for volunteers to assist with the project. Green Issues - Janette Munro has collected a lot of data, some of this may be included in the plans. Question, ‘ should we consider investing beyond what is economic or leave it to the Architects to sort out green issues. It was agreed that we should use their knowledge to decide what we use in the building. A discussion followed on what the new building should be called. Dave had had several Villagers requesting that the word Memorial should be included. Dave proposed that we should keep it fairly short and recommended Whiteparish Memorial Centre. Planning permission for Village Hall Site – the Plans had been returned to Colin as the rules have now changed for Outline Permission and more detailed planes are required. The cost of this will be £3000. The Meeting closed at 9.15 Date of next meeting will be Wednesday 4th October at 7.45 p.m..

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