Affordable Housing Working Party Report
Notes from the meeting on 21st November 2007 at Church House Inn
Present: Paul Arrowsmith, Sue Colwill, Gill Gray, Liz Ross,Belinda Owen, Gill Simpson
1 Apologies: Mike Bonney
2 The notes of the meeting on 10th October were approved.
3 Matters arising: i) An article should be going into the Western Morning News on 24th November. ii) Mid-Devon Advertiser: They had contacted Paul re Affordable Housing and the survey. They wanted to come on 23rd November to take photos, but did not say what they wanted to photograph. Paul had given them some of the history of what we have been doing. iii) Paul will re-arrange his cancelled visit to Whiddon Down site. Action: Paul
4 Site for affordable housing and Playpark/Trustees: Liz had been advised that she needed to contact the Trustees of Holne Church Charity through Corynne. It was proposed that they have a meeting with us. This should preferably be after the survey results were back. It was suggested that a letter be sent. Action: HPC agenda January 2008
5 Letter from Chris France: As the letter had not been circulated, it was agreed to put this item on the next agenda. Action: next AH agenda. Paul to circulate copies of letter.
6 AH survey update: CCD had over-estimated the number of surveys for BWPC, leaving 70 left over which will be returned to CCD. Action: BWPC/Sue As a result of conversations with householders while delivering the surveys, it was agreed to have an open meeting, so that everyone from Holne and Buckfastleigh West can come and express their views. March was agreed as a good time at a venue to be arranged. Format of meeting to be decided. Action: Discuss at Jan. meeting There will then be time to advertise in February Parish Link/Buckfast News Holybrook Exchange/HPC website. All the committee to come with dates which are not suitable, because of other local events. Action: whole committee. Gill S to contact booking secretaries for both halls. All the surveys have been delivered. About 5-6 people came to each CCD drop in session. Liz asked if people had to go on the SHDC housing register. We need correct information before giving advice, as there are different routes for achieving affordable housing. We also need to see the survey results, because advice could depend on the type of housing that people need.
7 Noss Mayo Seminar: Affordable Village Housing-Partnerships with Parish Councils. This was an excellent day put on by the Rural Housing Trust, with a broad representation of Officials from Devon and Nationally. The key message that came across was that we are going in the right direction, have ?ticked the correct boxes?, completed what we should have done and timewise are about average so far. Some villages had set up ?shadow committees? to oversee the work of the first committee/move the work on. In principle this was felt to be a good idea, but where would we get the volunteers to be on that committee? It was decided that we have so many questions/discussion points that we talk about during our meetings and never really have the definitive answers to, that we should make a list of them all so that we can then seek the correct answers/advice from the appropriate sources. Action: next agenda
8 Items for next agenda: Chris France letter. Questions/discussion points (to be accurately minuted). Public meeting: date, venue and agenda. Letter of thanks to Sue Hitchcock from HPC and BWPC.
9 AOB: i) What does BWPC feel about affordable housing? Do they discuss it, what is their vision? Action: Gill G to attend open forum of their next meeting ii) Sue will ask for another member of BWPC to join our committee.
10 Next Meeting : Tuesday 15th January 2008 7.30pm Venue: Church House Inn, unless the Tradesmans Arms is open.
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