2nd December 2015

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Minutes of a meeting of The Garrison Residents' Association held at Hinguar School on 2nd. December 2015

Present

  • Vivien Bycyinski (Chair)
  • Adrian Walker ( Hon Secretary)
  • Viv Jones
  • Pamela Deakin
  • Richard Spence
  • Cliff Marshall
  • Phil Coombe
  • Tom Rae
  • Daniel Puddick
  • Robert Fowler (F&S)
  • Michael Stiers (F&S)
  • Keith Spenceley (F&S)

Apologies

  • Jonathan Hunnable
  • Chris Coomber (Hon Treasurer)
  • Matthew Brittain

Minutes of the GRA meeting held on 7/10/15 were approved.

Matters arising

Residual land

Peter Geraghty of Southend Borough Council has written to Vivien Bycynski confirming the tract of land running from the Beach House to the beginning ofEast Beach, adjacent to the shore, would be adopted by the Council on completion of the S106.

Heritage Centre

Daniel Puddick had learnt that work has ceased on the project, and that the new Coastal Community Team was dealing with it.

Drill Shed

VB had sought professional advice after SBC had rejected the GRA'scomplaints about alleged breach of planning conditions, and there was littlewe could do for the time being. Robert Fowler of S&F said SGMCL should beable to take action under the covenants and suggested this be done once theboard was reconstituted under the control of residents. She advised AbbieGreenwood, senior planner for conservation at SBC has said she willinvestigate claims the building was deterioratingGRA funds

VB said GRA funds were down to about £100 and more was needed for theweb site and possible legal costs e.g. planning appeals etc. It was agreed toraise funds by appealing to residents for a donation of a minimum of £5 perhousehold. Phil Coombe said he would set up a PayPal account for it.

Action: Phil Coombe said he would set up a Paypal account for it. Rob Fowlerof F&S agreed to include a GRA appeal for funding in the January service/estate charge demands. Action: VB to liaise with Chris Coomber and AdrianWalker to produce.

Street lighting

Michael Stiers said this was a continuing issue. We still don't know ifGunners' Rise has been adopted and who is currently responsible for streetlighting or street marking. VB said she had spoken to Abbie Greenwood, whotold her there were no markings because it was a conservation area. VB gaveher view that it would be a pity to have street markings and there wasgeneral, but not unanimous, agreement on this. Cliff Marshall suggestedthere should be speed signs, hump warnings and Neighbourhood Watchalerts all on one sign. VB suggested we contact Martin Warren, in charge oftraffic at SBC, but MS advised waiting till the new board was in place.

Drains and landscaping

Action: F&S said they would undertake a survey of the site.

Chapel

Cliff Marshall said SET should be asked to erect a light on the site, although it was suggested anti-social behaviour in the area was only a minor problem.

Sea defences

CM said he'd walked the site with Richard Atkins, SBC's Coastal Engineer,from the coast station to the boat shed to check sea defences. They identifiedseveral problems on the sea wall and Mr. Atkins had been so shocked he hadordered immediate remedial action. VB pointed out the GRA had beenwarning SBC about this for a long time. CM produced images of the damageand said drainage outlets had not been maintained and some of the recentlyreplaced groynes were missing. VB said, because of this, we needed to keepfighting the proposed new housing development on Gunners' Park.

Fowler & Spenceley update on SGMCL issues and 2016 budgets• How do we go forward with management handover?

Robert Fowler said this was not a big problem in terms of running theGarrison site, since everything will continue to be managed. He said he washappy to treat the appointed new board of directors, drawn from residents, ashis clients.

• VB asked him about changes in estate/service charges and he producedsome calculations F&S had been working on.

• Adrian Walker said we were still waiting for news on SET's funding bid tochange the chapel to a wedding venue. Cultural Engine, the company whois guiding SET through the chapel change of use process, is also thecompany appointed by SBC to run the new Coastal Committee Team andwe should be aware of its wider agenda. They clearly see The Garrison asa 'Visitor attraction' so we need to keep reminding them it is primarily aresidential site. To this end they were recently advised formally by the GRAthat a new management team under the control of Garrison residentswould shortly be in place.

• Post meeting note: Giles Tofield of Cultural Action has advised that their bidto obtain funds for the chapel change of use has been rejected by theHeritage Lottery Enterprise scheme at this stage.

• Social media was discussed as an efficient and comprehensive way ofexpanding the website as a method of communication among residents.

Action: Tom Rae, Daniel Puddick, Phil Coombe and Viv Jones agreed toform a specialist group to take the idea forward.

• Vivien Bycyinski said she believed the developers would enter an appealjust before Christmas against the rejection of their application for thedevelopment of Gunners' Park. This would reduce the time available forany objections. CM and VB would continue to deal with this matter. Wemay need to take on legal representation, in which case we may appeal toresidents for funds. Action: F&S agreed to check our insurance for anyprovision for such action.

• Action agreed. Jonathan Hunnable is consulting with F&S on the matter oftraffic management over The Garrison site.

• Action agreed: Michael Kennedy is liaising with Havens about the annualhalf-marathon event and with the organisers of the annual 'Bikeathon'

• Action agreed: Pamela Deakin agreed to attend the next meeting of theCoastal Community Team on behalf of the GRA.

Any other business

Richard Spence asked if there was any proposal to challenge the Council onthe matter of un-adopted roads on The Garrison, since SBC seemed keen touse them for their and others' convenience while refusing to pay themaintenance costs and denying the residents jurisdiction over them. VBreplied it was a complicated issue which needed some serious discussion.

VB suggested the following dates for GRA Committee meetings in 2016:3rd. Feb

  • 6th. April
  • 1st. June
  • 3rd. Aug
  • 5th. Oct
  • 28th.Nov AGM
  • 7th Dec

There being no more business, the meeting closed at 9.15 pm.