Minutes – 14 July 2014

Minutes of the Meeting of Visit New Mills held on Monday 14th July 2014

 

  • Present:

Barry Bate, Sean Whewell, Northe Slack, Jean Fildes

In attendance: David Cooper

 

  • Apologies:

Beth Atkins, Mike Daniels

 

NOTE:  Following previous discussion about Torr Vale Mill Beth had invited David Cooper to attend this meeting and bring members up to date with the history and current work of Torr Vale Mill Preservation Trust.

TVM closed for manufacturing in 2000 and was subsequently acquired by the Cunningham family. TVMPT was set up by a mix of local authorities with input from Matin Dougherty – but was not at that time a charitable trust.

A variety of possible uses for the mill were discussed but no solid plans for the building materialised. Subsequently, it was decided that the Memorandum and Articles should be changed so that the Trust could apply for charitable status and the direct control by local authorities would cease. New ideas for the possible use of some of the buildings were put forward.

In 2012 an HLF meeting in Manchester promoted a new strategy – Heritage Enterprise. This strategy fitted well with the aims of TVMPT and was of interest to the building owners – who had moved a production facility into part of the Mill in 2012. Several planning permissions have subsequently been sought and granted. TVMPT are still working closely with the owners and recently have held a joint meeting with them and HLF staff to discuss Heritage Enterprise funding. A brief has been written for a viability study and Lathams Architects won the tender to complete it. The study is currently about two thirds complete. The whole project might cost £9m – £10m so must be ‘phased’ quite carefully.

Work is currently on-going on a possible partnership agreement.

David was thanked for his presentation – and left the meeting.

 

  • Minutes of the Meeting of 23rd June 2014:
  • were accepted as a true and correct record.

 

  • Matters Arising

From 4) Matters arising – 7) Action Plan – draft policy. Barry circulated a copy of the email response he had received from the Chair of the Town Council. Sean outlined how correspondence was managed within the Council. Following discussion it was agreed that Barry will collect together information about all relevant actions/ discussions that VNM members have had and formulate a response to the email (above).

From 6) Website – Barry has collected the information and sent it to Karl – with a request for another update meeting, preferably at Spring Bank Arts.

From 8) 3) A.O.B. Barry circulated copies of correspondence with Terry Lane. A response was formulated and this will be sent.

 

  • Finance Update

Sean circulated copies of the balance sheet and explained how to interpret it. Current total capital and assets are £1,510.92.

 

  • Website Update

The information requested by Karl has been forwarded to him.

 

  • Action Plan Update

Jean has circulated copies of the Action Plan. It was agreed that this topic will be the main agenda item for the next meeting. Consequently members are asked NOT to invite any other people to that meeting and to prioritise this issue.

 

  • Any Other Business
  • Sean reported on a proposal to run a series of midweek Bushcraft courses during the summer as part of a programme of ASB work. The intention is that they are run by High Peak Instruction, funded by DCC and facilitated by VNM. He reported that Paul Finn and Steven Lewis were in favour of the project.
  • Northe reported that tickets for the Bella Hardy concert at Spring Bank Arts are now available at High Street Books. This event is in collaboration with E.F.D.S.S. It is hoped that this will develop into a series of concerts.
  • Northe reported that the Folk Train for the One World Festival had been a great success.
  • Barry requested that he be reimbursed for two black printer cartridges as recompense for the VNM printing that he had done in the last nine months. This was agreed.
  • Jean reported that (following the meeting with High Peak Borough Councillors Atkins and Barrow) she had sent copies of all correspondence between herself and Joe Brookes regarding a proposal for a review of the New Mills conservation area. Unfortunately, she has not yet received a reply.

 

9)        Date of next meeting

Monday 11th August from 3.00 until 5.00 at Jeans’.

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