WESTMINSTER PARK RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Committee meeting held on Wednesday 3rd November 2021 in the Community Centre

MINUTES

Present: Jennifer Crew, Colin Dollimore, Sue Britton, Penny White, Dave Craggs, Brian Westcott, Olwen Bellis, Susan Eva, Pauline Brown.

Apologies: Richard Short, Sandra Magilton, Annemarie Macfadyen, Tracey Casey, Karen Liddle.

Andrea Hopkinson came to observe as Newsletter Editor.

1. Minutes of the last meeting held on 9th August 2021 were agreed as a true record by those who attended.

2. Treasurer’s Report: Summary already circulated. A bid for funding from our Councillors of £1,050 for warm white lights for the tree opposite the Emporium has been submitted and a new advertising banner. The bid for funding for grit bins is ongoing.

3. Membership: Very nearly 500, the subscription form for 2022 membership will be included in the Newsletter for December. The ‘cut off’ date for membership will be 1st December. Colin will write up some notes for the Newsletter.

4. Social/future events: Community Christmas lights switch on event will take place on Thursday 2nd December. Brian reported that the ‘temporary’ tree will be arriving at approx 12 noon on Sunday 28th November and will cost £125. He and Dick Pole are away that weekend so Neil Macfadyen will be asked to supervise the erecting of it. It requires three men to put the tree up, and then it needs to be decorated with lights etc. Barlows will fix the box at the Coop. Sue said the ‘replacement real tree’ is coming from Morreys in about two weeks.
Peter Cocker will be Father Christmas this year. Colin will liaise with him re the suit and Peter will buy a beard and be recompensed from funds.
Sheriff of Chester Jill Houlbrook is coming to switch on the lights. Keith Scott is lined up with PA system. Jennifer will speak to PCSO Cain Jones.
The Coop has been alerted and a letter sent regarding their contributions. We need to speak to the other shops and put posters on shops and other noticeboards, Facebook etc. Penny has spoken to all the shops and all are enthusiastic. The Emporium have a wine tasting event later that evening and are already planning a community event with Bebbington’s but are happy to take part in this. I assured them the carpark would be reopened by around 6pm. Chatwins usually shut at 4 but will arrange to stay open later, are happy to do as in previous years: PA on their step, using their electricity supply and Father Christmas changing on their premises. However Barbers are open until 7pm anyway that evening so that might be a better venue for that. The Italian takeaway man was concerned as how to serve the food, this is probably something we need to think about everything we are serving that evening.
If we have bad weather the event will be called off.
Colin said he was arranging a Christmas Quiz for Saturday 4th December which he proposed would be split between WPRA/Rotary. After some discussion it was decided that WPRA would have their own quiz in the Spring as usual and this quiz will be for the benefit of Rotary. Helpers and attendees would be welcomed.

5. Kings Moat/WRD: Brian has been in touch with Ian Jones regarding flooding/pumps this winter who is liaising with site and will get back to him.
Regarding meeting with the Council’s Education Officer: Brian has spoken to Neil who has been having meetings, there seems no reason for us to meet up. There is a questionnaire which has been circulated around our local schools which has to be in by 5th November. Apparently school building starts in 2022 with handover by September 2024. It will be situated at the top of Whaddon Drive, with 45 entry per year. The process is ongoing. There is Section 106 money to be made available for schools to make temporary provision for more children in the meantime.
Nothing to report on Health Centre progress.
Kate Birnie (residents of Kings Moat) wants to set up a Residents Association, Brian, Jennifer and Pauline will meet with her.

6. WP Maintenance: Brian’s working party did a great job at the shops tidying up the green areas etc. He proposes to have another one in the Spring, after the spring flowers have died down. Incredible Edibles are now in place.

7. Winkwell Drive: nothing to report.

8. CRAG: held a meeting 16th September and AGM 30th September, 18 RAs were represented. Pauline will send a report to be circulated.

9. Media/Newsletter: Andrea Hopkinson is taking responsibility for this. There was some comment on groups wanting to put in large advertisements, it was suggested the website has more space for this.

10. Evergreen: meetings restarted in August with restricted numbers, prebooking has been a good idea. The programme is in place for 2022 which will be released this month and we will be pushing for members to rejoin and for new members to join in the new year.

11. Gardening Club: held their first meeting with a speaker. Bulbs are being planted on 10th December. We will see what their committee decide regarding tree planting which will have to be approved by the Council.

12. AOB: A call for more publicity of the location of local defibrillators has been raised again but as with the suggestion of a Parish Council and/or Neighbourhood Plan it all creates a lot of work the committee are unable to fulfil.

There was mention of the Lache master plan and Neighbourhood Watch survey.

Olwen raised the matter of the cul de sac opposite her house, she has produced a letter she is being sent to the Council and asked if we approved it, we did.

13. Next meeting: to be held on Wednesday 2nd February 2022 in the Community Centre, the hall has been booked.