RA Jan-25: AGM!

Present:  James May, Janet Stamp, John Rowe, Debbie Perry, Steve Perry, Paula Fernley, Kagabo Hirwa, Oliver Smith, Matt Lehnert, Katie Bennett, Graham Kendall, Nikola Hall, Craig and Nancy Halsey, Jayne Hill, Korneel Verhaeghe, Julie Fairman, Reji Kombarakaran

Apologies: Colin Stamp,  Anne and John Watson, 

 

Welcome and Annual Report (Fran)

Thanks for attending,

Thanks to the volunteers, three more spaces so please express an interest

Started in Sept 2023 with an open invitation where we heard concerns and lots of opinions about what we should do and the way forward.  

It has been about building a sense of community and bringing people together to nurture voice and pride; to find out what do the people of Tithebarn think.

We’ve faced huge challenges including the pub closing unexpectedly and one of our meetings happening in the car park(!), as well as national elections.

However the hotel is nearly complete and we’ve ran great events including Little library, dog shows, storytelling afternoon, BioBlitz and fun days.  

 

Cafe

We can also announce that the contract for the café has been signed by Lifton Strawberry Fields Farm Shop (https://strawberryfieldslifton.co.uk/) and intends to be open by Easter.  Although it is too early for them to commit to community activities they very much want to be involved when they get settled in.

 

Supermarket

Our Tesco Express store was opened by Fran on 17th Jan and TRA received £500 which will be donated to the defibrillator funds for Tithebarn.   Engagements in Facebook posts topped 36000 which was considered to be down to visual content such as video and images.  Suggestion by resident that future posts use same techniques and not just TRA logo.

Paula also informed that Tesco fund raising tokens are currently focussing on schools and young people so everyone is encouraged to use their tokens, and potentially go in and scan the QR code to suggest other worthy charities.  

The safety of the steps down to Tesco on the corner of Hutchings Drive was questioned.  Paula to investigate.

 

Parish Council Updates

Fran also introduced Julie Fairman our new community connector for the Broadclyst Parish.  Her role is to listen, help and then contribute to improvements.

Plenty on the To-Do list for the incoming committee including organising community building events, ensuring the installation of the ‘Welcome to Tithebarn’ signs (and persuading DCC we actually exist!), requesting installation of some baby swings, resolving ongoing issues with the former dog kennels site, getting the allotments opened and in use.  

 

Potential Events

31st Jan – BPC are running a consultation outside Tesco regarding the next play park.  Their details page is at https://broadclyst.org/news-separator/news/7-news/418-tithebarn-playpark-consultation

You can see the area marked LEAP on Equinox III3a on https://tithebarn.uk/of-which-developments-does-tithebarn-comprise/  Or view approximate location at: https://what3words.com/passing.villager.sparkle.  Please send thoughts to BPC using admin@broadclyst.org if can’t attend.

Thursday 8th May – VE day 80th celebrations. considered location is our town square.  It’s not a bank holiday although plenty of options for getting involved are being promoted. Potential for street party during the day or the main focus being at 9:30pm with lamp lighting, flags and songs.  https://www.veday80.org.uk/ 

BPC will run a fun day on either 9th or 10th August, and likely to be on the field allocated to be the School.   Intending that there is music to attract people there that can be heard during the day, plus activities on site such as a dog show and environment activities. 

 

Events Subgroup

As a result of potential events for the year and a willingness by residents to develop our community, an Events subgroup will be created using the Events Planning WhatsApp group as primary communication.  https://chat.whatsapp.com/ExlrwnsQXgg7ESVI1Kstjw

 

Wider Updates

Paula meets with some developers and EDDC staff and can feed back on progress.

Barratt’s Exeter office is now closed, and Bristol office staff are eager to conclude dealings.  Tithebarn is still missing bins, dog poo collections, effective swales and ditches, 

EDDC currently doesn’t have capacity for dog poo collection due to incremental cost of additional capacity.  

The Sports Pavilion planning consultation is still open.   Summary information and designs, and further links can be found at https://tithebarn.uk/sports-pavilion-consultation/

Street lights along the length of Langaton Lane currently being installed and will improve safety.  Concerns about the high water level remain but residents need to be mindful of the natural spring close to the brook.

 

Finance

The Financial Summary was presented by Qian Zeng and circulated in advance.

 

Management Company

BPC continue to research and consider the proposal to be involved in the management company obligations for Tithebarn, across all the developments.  However, there is still no update yet from them.

 

Broadclyst Village Show

This year there will be a sustainable travel theme.   Residents from the wider parish are encouraged to attend.  Residents made a request for minibus transport to and from the event to encourage participation and demonstrate the sustainability theme in action. 

 

Committee

The Committee were unanimously appointed.  Thanks to everyone for volunteering, and thanks to the outgoing committee for the work they have done to get us this far.  

 

Motions

“Games evening social event for all residents.” – approved

 Ideas include Games Social at Dunhelm.  Chocolate Bingo for the family around Easter.  Science Park would like to help so Events group to consider which events might work there.  

 

“A motion to request the Residents Association seek a formal plan of action from Broadclyst Parish, East Devon District and Devon County Councils to ensure the successful delivery and long-term future of Tithebarn.”  – Deferred until May 2025 meeting

 

Wide range of issues discussed and updates from various councils were provided.  EDDC will issue a strategic plan in the next few months.  Deferral agreed until after this has been shared.

____________________________

Agenda:

• Annual Report
• Nominations and Agenda items received by 7pm on Monday 20^th January 2025:

• • Chair: Korneel Verhaeghe
  • Vice Chair: none
  • Secretary: Marc Coton
  • Treasurer: Qian Zeng
  • Committee:  Paula Fernley, Fran Aggleton, Debra Perry, Craig Halsley, Reji Jose Kombarakaran

• • All positions are uncontested.  Therefore, there will be a single vote to accept the proposed committee as detailed above.  The committee will the decide between themselves how to fill the remaining vacancies should they wish to.
• Financial Statement: Attached.
• Motions by Residents for consideration:
  • “Games evening social event for all residents.”  Proposed by John Rowe, Seconded by Marc Coton

• • “A motion to request the Residents Association seek a formal plan of action from Broadclyst Parish, East Devon District and Devon County Councils to ensure the successful delivery and long-term future of Tithebarn.”  Motion proposed by Matthew Lehnert, Seconded by Katie Bennett.

End of Agenda

___________________________

[Previous Event Contents for reference]

Hello,

As you will know from previous emails, our first Annual General Meeting is to be held at The Black Horse at 7pm on Thursday 23^rd January.    All ten committee positions will be up for nomination and everyone who is over 16 and a resident of Tithebarn is welcome to put themselves forward.  The area is defined in our constitution and shown on the Tithebarn Village Map as the area in red.   Please use the layers menu in the top right hand corner if it is not visible.  The code of conduct also provides more details about our aims, membership and code of conduct.  Please read this in full before being nominated.

The agenda for the meeting will be as follows:

• Annual Report
• End of year statement of accounts
• Election of Committee
• Vote on elements of the constitution
• Resolutions put forward by members
• AOB

 

• All matters for the agenda need to be given in advance by Monday 20^th January 2025, including nominations for the committee positions.  To do so, please contact the secretary marc@tithebarn.uk or on 07581 179890 via text or WhatsApp.

 

• Should more than one nomination be received by the deadline then a simple majority vote will take place.  Voting will take place by the issue of a slip of paper to write your chosen person upon at the time of the vote so please bring a pen!  The current Secretary will count the votes and therefore exclude themselves from voting so as to remain impartial during the counts.   The votes will be counted immediately and a decision announced.

 

• The voting for the roles will take place in the following order:  Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, then up to 6 committee members.  Any resident may be nominated for any or all positions and this must be done in advance.  So for example, if a person was willing to stand as Chair, Vice Chair or Committee member then they would need to submit three nominations.  Should that person be appointed Chair then they would be removed from the nominations for Vice Chair and Committee member as they have already been appointed.  Should they not be successful at the role of Chair or Vice Chair then they would remain in the nominations for the Committee member.

 

• If the current Chair does not wish to stand for the position of Chair then they will have the casting vote in the election of the new Chair.    If they do wish to stand then that role will fall to the current Vice Chair, and in their absence, Secretary.  The new Chair will take over immediately and have the casting vote in the subsequent elections.

 

• Only one Committee member per household is allowed although nominations from several household members for multiple roles can be made.  Only the first person to be voted into a role within a household will be appointed.  All other household members will be withdrawn from subsequent votes.

 

• Only members present may vote and each member has one vote.  For this reason, it would be really helpful if anyone who has not attended before could contact me with their name and address in advance so as to avoid the collection of details at the start of the meeting.

 

• Further communications will be sent out after the deadline of 7pm on 20^th January with a list in advance of those nominated.  Should sufficient nominations not be received then I will detail the process for dissolution of the committee instead (but let’s hope not!)

 

We have several Committee members stepping down this time so we will need new recruits if we are to continue.  On behalf of the current committee, we would like to thank all those who have contributed in 2024 and look forward to the new team shaping the next phase of our community.

 

Marc, on behalf of the Residents Association Committee.