UNDERRIVER VILLAGE ASSOCIATION
Registered Charity Number: 302831
Minutes
of a meeting held on Wednesday 3rd June 2009 at the The Old Vicarage
at 19.45 hours.
Present:
Nick Jordan, Anne-Marie Jordan , Tony Bird, Fionna Brooks , Mary Owlett, Helen
Watson
1.
APOLOGIES Miles Hayward, Edward
Rook, Jenny Thornton, Michael Tong
2.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON 29th April 2009
3.
MATTERS ARISING
MO
confirmed that she had asked Fidelity Weston to ask if the Jill and Q Fund
would be able to help with supplying a picnic table for the village green and
that Fidelity would be responding shortly.
4.
FINANCE
A
deposit for work on the new aerator for the cesspit system had been sent
off.
5.
VILLAGE HALL/VILLAGE GREEN
NJ
reported that E.ON were offering the possibility of a grant of up to £20,000 to
improve the energy efficiency of village halls and he reminded us that we had
thought of the use of solar panels to heat the water. The question
of planning permission was raised and whether there was anything about these
panels in the Village Design Statement, although TB thought they couldn’t be
objected to any longer. NJ said it would be easy to access the tank in
the roof, although the tank might need replacing. NJ would contact the
E.ON people to make further enquiries. HW said Richard Smetham had
replaced various defective lights and he would be getting in another stock of fluorescent
tubes and starters. It was felt the village green was not mown
sufficiently often at this season by the Parish Council (every 2 weeks was not
enough) and that we should subsidise someone else to do it. HW said we
should lay down specific dates for this to be done but it was also agreed that
the weather could be a problem in this respect. HW had suggested various
jobs that needed doing in the hall: clearing leaves from various areas,
including drains and gutters, paintwork washed down, windows cleaned. NJ
said he would contact Jamie Finley, to ask if he could do these. HW would chase up a starting date on the
cesspit aerator. It was agreed the new chairs were comfortable and smart,
but MO was concerned that one or two seats appeared to be “scratched” as though
there might have been an animal on them – and FB said there had definitely been
prints of a cat (or small dog?) on the kitchen floor.
6.
PLANNING MATTERS
One
application was discussed.
7.
FUTURE SOCIAL OCCASIONS
MO
and FB said that preparations for Underriver’s Got Talent on 26th
September were going very well and that there had been a very good
response. FB showed us the programme.
8.
VILLAGE WEBSITE
AMJ
reported that the small advertising link on the village website was only there
in return for free technical advice to be given to the webmaster.
9.
COMMITTEE REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS
Wildlife Habitat –
MO said she had seen many butterflies, including some Painted Ladies.
Angela Ridge apparently had a nest of goldcrests. HW had had a pheasant’s
nest in her garden raided and, in that connection, said that she had noticed a
lot more crows around this year. A little owl, many woodpeckers and lots
of ducklings had been spotted. Horticultural Society – MO said the
Plant Sale on 9th May had raised £465 in aid of the Kent Air
Ambulance. Schedules for the annual flower show and fete would be sent
out shortly. There would be a brass band at this event. TUG –The
summer barbecue, with jazz band, would be held at the hall on 18th
June (instead of usual first Thursday which was actually polling day). PCC Thanks to all who
contributed to Church Garden Party, including the orchestra of St.Lawrence School. A little over £2.5K was raised to be divided
between the two parishes. Thanks also
for supporting the coffee morning in aid of Spring House, around £276 was made.
At the Annual Church
meeting Mrs Andrea
Pierce OBE replaced Neil Fair as Church Warden, the first woman to hold this
post in this parish. Neil was thanked
and presented with a framed watercolour of his boat under sail plus a cheque,
being the balance of subscription after commissioning the painting. Last Sunday
a combined service of Pentecost was held at St.Lawence at 10.30 am. On Saturday
6 June there will be a churchyard working party between 1030 and 12 noon bring
your favourite tools. On 21 June we
shall again be up at St. Lawrence for their dedication service at 10.30 am. The
next PCC is on 18 June in the church.
Judy Rissik and Chris Hurrion were married on Friday morning 29 May. Cricket
Club – HW said the club had won its last three matches.
ANY
OTHER BUSINESS: There was some discussion on the necessity to get new members
for the committee and in particular a new secretary to replace AMJ. HW
said Stone Street and St.Lawrence’s no longer had a village association, just a
village hall committee.
DATE
OF NEXT MEETING: 29th July 2009 at 19.45 hrs.
