Mendip Hills AONB SDF Panel Meeting
Wednesday 9th December 2009, 10.30am Charterhouse Centre
Panel members
Present: Nicola Epps(MDC)- Chairman, Martin Grass, Ian Chedgy, Sheila Petherbridge (MDC), Rachael Clarke, Chris Head (Community Action)
Apologies: Dr Simon Gardner Environment Agency
Mendip Hills AONB Officers present
Sarah Jackson Manager
Item Actions
1.0 IntroductionsChris Head CEO of Community Action has replaced Tony Shepperd who has stood down. Panel members introduced themselves. Nicola – Arts Officer MDC has stepped into Chair role following Cllr Harvey Siggs standing down from the Panel during the summer.Chris explained that his organisation is currently working with Rural Community Council Somerset to look at closer working. Each county has rural community council that are funded in part by Defra. Community Action works with rural communities on the ground – village halls, transport and other rural services.Martin is in travel marketing business, caving, Priddy Fair, Mendip and Wells Museum and local resident.Ian has own consultancy business was tree officer with B&NES and lives in Easton. Ian will be standing down from the Panel in March.Sheila is Rights of Way Officer MDC, farmer and local resident. Rachael is local resident from Wookey.
2.0 Current SDF Funding available £45863.2510 applications to be considered at this meeting
2.1 0910 010 Young Ranger Camp – AONB UnitCost of web platform was discussed. Sarah said that it was intended to bring the cost down on this. Young Rangers had met on 5th December to put forward their ideas for the web site.Question raised about child protection policies for the camp. Sarah reported that they would be using Goblin Combe Environment Centre policies.Agreed to grant £3000 @49% of costs
2.2 0910 011 Compton Martin Pond – Compton Martin Parish CouncilThis application is for work in 2010/11. Sarah confirmed that there would be SDF funding in new financial year but at reduced level. Currently expected to be in region of £50,000. Agreed to fund £4000 in 2010/11 on condition that professional advice sought on wildlife before pond drained.
2.3 0910 012 Circular riding route – The Trails TrustAgreed that proposal for leaflet was low cost and effective. Will provide alternative to Black Down that is suffering from heavy use.Suggested that leaflet should be laminated to ensure leaflet is practical to take out and use on ride. Also supportive of further application in future for pack or folder of selection of rides leaflets.Agreed to offer grant requested £ 675 plus the additional cost of lamination up to a maximum of £1000.Note: grant offer is to be £808 @ 73% as total cost with laminating is £1108 Sarah to liaise with applicant to obtain quote for laminating
2.4 0910 013 Mendip Owl Project - Hawk and Owl TrustSarah reported that Chris Sperring had submitted detailed report of last year’s funded work and would request electronic copy to circulate to the panel.Discussed costing of volunteer time that is usually £50 per day per unskilled volunteer and can be more if skilled for work required. Need to ensure that recording of volunteer time is meaningful to ensure that match funding based on volunteer time is valid.Agreed to grant £2090 Sarah to circulate report
2.5 0910 014 Black Down Access Management Phase 1 – AONB UnitSarah explained issue of illegal vehicle access and how the AONB plan to work with the Police with regard motorbike illegal access. Barriers to be installed are standard vehicle barriers as in use on the local Forestry Commission sites.A further application Phase 2 may be made for signage and physical improvements to the public access routes.Agreed to fund £5125
2.6 09010 015 Mendip TV – Mendip TimesIt was felt that the proposal for as feasibility study on the long term prospects for a community based internet TV service was woolly. There was no brief, breakdown of costs or outcomes. SDF had previously funded the setting up of Mendip TV in 06/07 and a further grant had been awarded for production of videos for the site. As Mendip Times has strong base of advertisers in magazine the Panel considered it disappointing that no development had been made in securing the TV sponsorship and felt the web site TV hadn’t moved on since 2006/7.Agreed to refuse the application
2.7 09010 016 Ranger training – People and Places projectThe application to provide training for committed volunteers with the National Trust, AONB, and Natural England whilst appearing expensive as costs are being charged for trainer and per delegate. Sarah explained that this course is being delivered by Losehill Hall the Peak District National Park training business. The trainer has developed a course with the NT to alter the way Rangers interact with visitors i.e to be welcoming and informative rather than old style policing role. Each organisation will invite its long term volunteers on course and pay for half the cost of their place. The other half being funded by SDF.Agreed to grant £1120 on condition that I) any spare places are sold to other AONB volunteers eg Quantocks and Blackdown Hills. 2) Information from the course will be shared amongst organisations other volunteers
2.8 09010 017 Communal Shepherding- Sophie Courtiour artistRachael had done course with Sophie and recommended her work and her suitability to work with children. Sarah reported that Sophie had produced Bear at Ebbor Gorge that is much admired.The proposal for willow sheep to be created at 5 local schools was considered to be very creative and had the potential to link a number of projects including Young Rangers. It was also seen as very appealing to the media.The AONB Unit would offer its support to the project in terms of moving the sheep and identifying sites.The matter of CRB checks and school support for the idea was raised. It was agreed that with future application reference should be made to CRB checks having been undertaken and or child protection policies in place. It will be up to schools to ensure that Sophie has the required paperwork and they may require their own search.Note: since the meeting Sophie has confirmed that she has CRB check. Sophie will be approaching the schools now that she has the grant offer.Agreed to grant £3200 Sarah to ensure information requests this.
2.9 09010 018 Sladers Leigh stock fencing and gates – Mendip SocietyAll felt that the application was far too wordy and was difficult to find the core detail of what the project was. Sarah will inform the applicant should they make further applications.The budget appeared incorrect as a figure of £2000 had been added in for cost of volunteers i.e to pay them. Agreed that this was probably put in wrong column/should only have appeared as support in kind to match requested grant.Therefore project was actually costing £2459 not £4459. Mendip Society was not shown as contributing towards the cost other than Management Committee Contingency Fund of £150. It was agreed that all future applications should include latest finance accounts to assess ability to contribute or not as case may be.Based on costs of £2459 it was agreed to offer grant @50% £1230 on condition that that self closing gates are installed and this should be done by skilled person. If there is additional cost for this Sarah would agree an additional payment from the SDF for this. Sarah to inform MS that application too lengthySarah to ensure applicant information requests budget information
2.10 0910 019 Purchase of St Cuthberts Leadworks – Bristol Exploration ClubMartin Grass declared interest as member of the club and Trustee. Martin explained background of the application. The land had been listed in auction but was withdrawn. The BEC who have a lease for part of the site and access to the cave want to secure access to the cave. The current owners and any future owner could give 5yrs notice to the BEC. The cave is the second longest on Mendip and is a SSSI and is managed under a Conservation Plan agreed with Natural England. People come from all over the country benefitting local businesses. The site is also contaminated with lead and therefore potentially is a cost/issue to future owner although being SSSI should have exemption to any new EU regulations to clean contaminated sites. Site has no road access and is mapped as open access therefore development value assumed to be nil.Issue is determining the value of the site and being able to negotiate with the current owners. BEC wish to establish a contingency fund in case site is put back up for auction or comes back on the market with price.Agreed to offer 100% funding to obtain 3 independent valuations for the site including one from district valuer. Grant available for this would be maximum of £2000.It was also agreed that these valuations should form part of a feasibility study to show who would own the site (thought ideally to be Somerset Wildlife Trust) , the management structure identifying who would have responsibility for management of the various elements, site management costs etc. The study would show all the designations and detail character of the site. Sarah would assit with this along with SWT and Hawk and Owl Trust. Sarah to assist
3.0 Application information and Conditions of grant aid
3.13.23.3 To request applications are submitted with: latest financial accounts Child protection policies if relevantSarah will circulate revised SDF Application guidelines and Conditions of Grant Aid for approval at next meetingWhen circulating application information agreed that Sarah would compile one file document of all applications and appraisals to be easier for the Panel to print off. Sarah to check information and amendSarah to circulateSarah to compile on file for future Panel meetings
4.04.14.24.3 SDF Grant FundHaving awarded £18573 for 2009/10 grants above, £27,290.25 remains to be allocatedAgreed that Sarah would produce one final press release for further applications to be submitted by January 22nd 2010. Any unspent money after the Panel meeting in February would be reallocated by the funding partnership. Funding cannot be rolled into the new finance year. Sarah to issue press releaseSarah to raise with funders
5.0 Date of next Panel meeting : February 3rd 2010 10.30am Charterhouse Centre All
6.0 Future Panel meetings 2010/11:31st March 10.30am Application deadline 17th March26th May 10.30am Application deadline 12th May21st July 10.30am Application deadline 7th July8th Sept 10.30am Application deadline 25th August10th Nov 10.30am Application deadline 27th October All to note
