Minutes 4th March 2011

Minutes of the Meeting of the
SWANAGE TOWN & COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
Held at the Town Hall
On 4th March 2011 at 10.00am

Present:
Ann Faulkner Chair, Swanage Town Community Partnership (STCP)
Martin Ayres Treasurer and STC Town Clerk
Karen Delahay STCP Working Group ,SPHA and STRATA
Kim Gallagher Vice Chair and Honorary Secretary, STCP
Cllr L Gloyn-Cox Swanage Town Council
Dave Pratten Swanage Middle School
Mike Tyrer Vice Chair, Swanage and Herston FC
Geoff Atkins Chair, Education Swanage
Carl Styants Education Swanage
Ian Allen Swanage and Purbeck Rotary Club
David Bale The Mowlem
Collette Drayson PEAT/Transition Purbeck, Education Swanage
Cllr Ali Patrick Swanage Town Council
Colin Brixton Purbeck Society
Phil Dowding Swanage Medical Practice
Maggie Hardy NHS Dorset
Sarah de Lean Harrow House
Dawn Ramsden Harrow House
Bernard Bettles Swanage Methodist Church
Davina Smith STCP, LINKS
John Wood Parish Churches and Churches Together
Stuart White Emmanuel Baptist Church
Alex Clothier Purbeck District Council
Frances West Purbeck District Council
Roger Sewill Dorset County Council
Cllr Bill Trite Swanage Town Council
Lesley Kennedy Save Herston Fields

1) Welcome
Ann Faulkner welcomed everyone to the meeting

2) Apologies
Apologies were received from Ian Brown, PS Des Connor, PC Dave Cox, Richard Wilson, Swanage Museum, Carol Lander, Mo Andrews and Mike Hadley

3) Minutes of last meeting 14th September 2010
Kim Gallagher proposed, seconded by Laurence Gloyn Cox and AGREED UNANIMOUSLY

4) Matters Arising
David Bale noted that the lease for restaurant and bar at Mowlem was for 30 years and that since the last meeting the lessees are seeking to sell the remaining portion of the lease through a local estate agent.
KG was advised that the trip to Lyme Regis Development Trust was on hold pending the outcome of the Asset Review and review of the Community Strategic Plan, which will be conducted later in the year.

5) Determining Land and Property Requirements for the Swanage Community
a)Overview of Swanage Asset Review
Ann Faulkner advised that this was the start of a very important conversation between the public and third sector/voluntary organisations to determine the land and buildings required to deliver the long term aspirations and needs in Swanage. She also advised that the comments from this meeting would be taken to a meeting at PDC on 8th March where all the Purbeck Locality Asset Reviews will be considered.

Frances West, Roger Sewill and Martin Ayres outlined the process and purpose of the Locality Review of Public sector assets. Frances advised that the document and map has been produced by building a relationship of trust between all parties and it is hoped that this can be extended to the third/voluntary sector.

Roger Sewill explained that they had set out to achieve a joined up approach that moved from service to area based thinking. Through this process the parties mapped their assets and shared their aspirations and needs. They then went on to brainstorm opportunities which may or may not be possible. Roger also advised that the document was a snapshot and would change over time. He said it should also be recognised as an officer report that is not polished or a fait accompli. He confirmed that the document would be available electronically. Finally, his stated ambition is that “we will get it right if we all work together”.

Martin Ayres stated that the whole driving force of this asset review is to enable services to keep going in Swanage for our local community and to address the provision of social housing.

It was generally agreed that there was extensive property/land ownership by public bodies in and around Swanage, which in turn provided opportunities for efficiencies.

b) Input from local organisations
Organisations were then invited to share information and make comments on current and future asset requirements for the Swanage community.

Name Current assets in Swanage Future requirements
John Wood

CoE churches 3 Parish Churches used as centres for community life. St Mary’s also has a Rectory classroom, St Mark’s a school and a hall. All Saints is a modern church with flexible space. No plans to reduce or expand assets, although felt they had a lack of space and some maintenance issues.
Geoff Atkins

Ed Swanage Nil Looking for quality secondary education space, similar in size to Grammar school or Middle School sites. Need access to sports facilities but they do not have to be on site
Stuart White

Emmanuel Church Church in Howard Road and building in Victoria Ave, that is used by community. New church with community rooms and halls on Victoria Ave site. Negotiating with; STC to buy adjacent land (old WCs) for car parking; and DCC for a strip at front.
Phil Dowding
Swanage Medical Centre Now 35 years old and does not meet current requirements. Wants new building with more parking and extra, larger rooms to expand services. Willing to co locate.
Maggie Hardy

NHS Cottage Hospital, including Everest House. Victorian and high maintenance costs.

James Day Home. Currently in limbo pending outcome of govt. Health Services Review, though have aspirational views for a joint site, possibly with James Day.
Currently market testing for either short or long term lease to develop as modern care home.
Dawn Ramsden

Harrow House Educational establishment with good facilities. Take international students in summer and uk ones in winter.
May have limited capacity for additional services No asset requirements..
Ann Faulkner
Sports Partnership and STCP Done feasibility study for a costed, self financing, community based multi function centre Issue of site and funding. Preferred site is at the Middle School to complement other facilities.
Mike Tyrer

Swanage & Herston FC Days Park. Football club on STC land. Drained part of the pitch. Hall hired for many sports and events. Working on securing FA Charter.

King George’s Field. Minimal facilities. Looking for 50 year lease to then get funding for improvements; replacing stands, all weather pitch, flood lighting, all purpose floor in sport hall, asbestos roof removed and replaced.

Want 4 room changing room to comply with FA standards and set up girls club.
Karen Delahay

SPHA Proposal that STC explore available 30 year lease at Mowlem for TIC and other community uses. Suggests cost of current maintenance may offset lease costs. Noted that lease is for food use and would need to change.
David Bale

Mowlem Mowlem has some spare hire capacity to meet educational requirements of Trust Requires some building work. Noted that he thought there was a lot of space capacity in town that keeps hiring prices low.
Ian Allen

Rotary No physical assets Has set up Swanage Hub that will provide good communication tool for third sector. See www.swanagehub.org.uk.
Also offer of club member expertise.
Bernard Bettles

Methodist Church Church and Hall. Used by community and for summer scheme.
Shop front and upstairs flat in use.
Has capacity for more hirings No asset plans..
Colin Brixton

Purbeck Soc No assets
Cllr Laurence Gloyn Cox No assets Proposed that the mechanism of Sec 106 divisive and unsustainable. Quoted Dutch example where first available site is used for social housing.
Peter Clark
Lib Dem No assets Learn lessons from Grammar school site and do not sell assets in a hurry.
Collette Dryson

PEAT No assets Queried terms of Grammar school site purchase- whether should be offered to STC first . Also whether CPO could apply.
Lesley Kennedy

Save Herston Fields No assets. Campaigning to keep fields as Village Green. Queried how this process fits with Localism Bill to ensure community engagement. Noted that Swanage seems to be public assets rich while threatened with service cuts.
Kim Gallagher

STCP No assets Plea that an holistic approach is taken for Swanage and that the perceived need for buildings is balanced with open spaces and land, as Swanage AONB. Noted that also needs to work alongside other strategies such as the Swanage Community Plan and Core Strategy.

6) Summary and Next Steps
The meeting generally agreed that this had been a very productive meeting and wanted to carry on being involved. All agreed that this process was about working together for Swanage, building trust, and not setting one group against another.

Carl Styants suggested that an easy way to improve communications was to have one Community notice board where all could post information.

Martin Ayres advised that there was a further opportunity to raise issues and make comments on this and other community issues at the Parish Meeting on 24th March, 7pm, Mowlem Community Room.

Ann Faulkner advised that all these comments would be taken forward to the 8th March meeting by Kim Gallagher and herself and that this review will be a standard item at future SCP meetings.

7) Date of Next Meeting, AGM
17th June at 10am, Swanage Town Hall.