Minutes of Committee Meeting 3rd February 2014 

Minutes of Committee Meeting 3rd February 2014 

Present: Ray Cantwell, Bill Woods, Michael Blanch, Annette Harley, Christopher Evans, Carole Nash

1 Apologies were received from Beryl Francis, David Smith, Sara Smith

2 Treasurer’s update
RC provided a summary showing new membership since last the last committee meeting, disposable funds of £253.08 with no outstanding commitments. Mike Short, past treasurer of Havant Town Residents Association had told BW that he (MS) and the past chairman (Ivan Morley) agreed that it would be appropriate to transfer their residual bank balance (£177.49) to HCS. CN will write expressing thanks. We need to find a suitably qualified person, not a committee member to audit our accounts. CN will ask members.

Correspondence
Notice had been received of a Consultation Forum about an application to build 47 houses on farmland accessed via Bedhampton Hill. Community representatives from that area will speak; this is outside our area of immediate concern.

BW described key points from his recent email exchange with HBC following the White Hart decision and publication of the Statement of Community Involvement. This (SCI) is peppered with contradictions and inaccuracies. The process by which the community should be involved is not happening; engagement of ward councillors with residents is critical, but entirely absent. BW has arranged a meeting with HBC’s community planning officers – he (BW), CE and possibly others will attend at The Plaza 10 am Monday 10th February.

4 Planning Applications 
Major changes to determination of planning applications require us to re-assess our procedures. There is now little time between registration and decision, so CE will support BF in monitoring applications. There is even less time for the Civic Society to consult our members and submit a representative view to HBC. In any case, a collective objection is regarded as a single objection. Instead of using our consultation procedure CN will email members with application references and alerting them to contentious issues; members will be urged to make their individual views known, although apparently these will not actually be considered. Members will also be told that requests for an application to be fully discussed by the Development Management Committee must be send in writing to their ward councillor within 28 days of registration.

5 Subscriptions and Membership Renewal
Subscriptions were due in October, but few have paid. A reminder letter is needed, with details of paying by BACS, including apology if payment has been made in last few days. Mail-merged letters can be sent probably by SS; CN will coordinate. AH has prepared a Welcome letter for new members.

6 Publicising Public Meeting March 11
AH now has administrator access to HCS (Friends of Havant) Facebook pages, so will use this for publicity. Issue 4 of the newsletter to members will feature this meeting. Posters will be printed and (hopefully) displayed in Waitrose, Tesco, Wilkinsons, libraries, Lansgstone notice boards, church premises, The Spring and Davis Chemist. CN will distribute.

7 E-Newsletter
Issue 4 will be in the PDF format used previously, e-mailed to members. The12 without email will be distributed by Jim Davis who has offered to do this. Issue 5 will be produced by AH using MailChimp; this will improved the on-line appearance but the printed version layout will be less good.

8 Any Other Business
CE reported that the appeal against HBC’s refusal for part of the old vicarage wall in Lymbourn Road to be replaced by a gate had been unsuccessful.

MB said the condition of the railway footbridge just west of Havant station is now dangerous. CN will write to Network Rail.

AH has a draft of a suggested Data Protection policy for the society. This will be developed and included as an appendix to our constitution.

Thanks to Sara Smith were recorded for her work on the logo.

9 Date of Next Meeting

Monday May 12th was agreed.