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Minutes – The Friends of Ashby Bath Grounds
30 January 2017
PRESENT: C Birch, A Ingram, D Bigby, J Birch, J Frost, B. Everitt
APOLOGIES: G Bibby, V Mott,
1.
SUMMARY OF ACTIONS TO BE COMPLETED
C Birch
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Contact Castle rotary to organise presentation by the friends
Research composite bollards costing for maintenance meeting on 10th Feb
Send wish list to Brian
Get costs for gusto and Jims tractor run for 2017
Direct the croqueting event proposer to contact the TC directly
Co-ordinate and books dates at the Vines for the next committee meetings
A. Ingram
 Co-ordinate Survey for heritage project for 04 Feb weekend
 Research alternative bollards costing for maintenance meeting on 10th Feb
D. Bigby
 Supply A. Ingram with survey forms to use this weekend
 Progress proposal by C. Smith to use Heritage contingency fund for further archaeology work
if possible
 Reply to Alan Graham from Trent Rivers Trust regarding SuDS
2.
APPROVAL OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
Accuracy for 28 November 2016 minutes – Agreed
3.
None
MATTERS ARISING
4.
TREASURERS REPORT
Total £2,130.37
Friends £630.37 (not accounting for £40 membership and £30 given on the night)
Includes £1500 from Hicks Lodge
5.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
G Bibby is co-ordinated the membership administration. A. Ingram is focusing on new members and
C. Birch is carrying out a supporting role
42 membership renewals to date
6 new memberships, some from the exhibition
Discussed idea to do a family / household and several year/ life membership - to come back to in the
future
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6.
PROPOSAL NEW COMMITTEE MEMBER
Brian Everett was nominated by Clare Birch to join the committee; this was seconded by Jeremy
Frost.
7.
HERITAGE FOOTPATH PROJECT
An update was given by D. Bigby
Current balance £4,160.55
Project still to pay Mercian for final report, they have been asked for invoice
Payment required also to Ken Hillier for last two talks
A few other costs to pay back.
The Final Exhibition was opened on 21st January 2017 and continues until Feb 11th 2017 - the
opening event went very well. There were invitations sent out, press releases in last week’s Ashby
Times and this week’s as well as poster around town and Facebook posts
A final survey is going out to all members and volunteers for HLF (40 back so far)
Regarding the £5000 contingency. Chris Smith has proposed that Mercian quote to do additional
Ground Penetrating work; the committee agreed it would be good to ask HLF if this money could be
used for that and to get Mercian to quote
The committee discussed whether we could do some surveying and membership signing up at this
Saturday’s volunteer session it was agreed that this might be possible – A. ingram volunteered to coordinate this if survey forms could be forwarded to her
8.
HERITAGE FOOTPATH REMEDIAL WORK – POTHOLES
An update was given by C. Birch
A site meeting regarding remedial works was agreed with the TC for last autumn as reported in the
October minutes – to date no actions have been completed.
Recent communications with the TC to find out what is happening have resulted in n firm date for
the remedial work that was agreed in October 2016
Agreed actions included;
o Temporary fix for pot holes ASAP with a review in the Spring.
o Maximum speed of 5mph signs at the Prior Park gate end of footpath
o When poor weather is forecast, alternative access to BG should be discussed
o Ensure that grass does not grow over the path edges
o Add further gravel around the new bench
9.
CASTLE VIEW WILDLIFE WALK PROJECT
An update was given by C. Birch
 Project progressing well
 Donations have been made from Ashfield house - £1500 for a bench
 £1500 from Hicks Lodge Trust for ground works and hedge improvements
 Volunteer day Saturday 04th has been arranged to work alongside Eden trees to clear ivy and
prep and plant new hawthorn whips
 The Town Council have been informed of works and signs will go up either end of the path to
notify users as to the work in progress
 Further funding is being applied for from the District Council (Green Grant and small Grant
Scheme). It was decided at the working party not to progress with the Tesco’s application for
this project.
 Dave B. mentioned East Midland Airport Community fund may be good to look for further
donations
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10.
PRIDE IN OUR BATH GROUNDS
An update was given by A. Ingram
Litter
Waiting to hear if Ashby Big Tidy up will go ahead in April. If yes, we will link in again. If no, we may
do our own anyway. Last year it was on April 16.
A monthly sweep by the District Council was rejected by the Town Council in the Parks and
Cemeteries meeting in January. R. Bayliss stated that now grounds people were back to full capacity
this would be done by them. Although monies identified have been ear marked if a mechanical
sweep is felt warranted.
Dog mess
We have been doing some spot flagging; will do again if necessary before the Spring
Have had a few people comment on large dogs running very free, away from owners with concern
being whether the owners are aware when dogs are doing their toilet. Some dog walkers have
avoided the park at this time, as they find it upsets their dogs.
ASB
There have been ongoing issues since September 2016, with cars entering the Royal Car Park and
ASB leading from there, including intimidating and noisy behaviour, the drinking of alcohol, leaving
litter including glass and damage due to vehicles driving onto the bath grounds from these three
access points. The Cricket club and south street access has been a result of missing bollards.
A meeting was held at the Royal Hotel on 26th January 2017, with the District Council, the Police,
Royal Hotel and Friends. Useful actions were agreed including. The Royal putting boulders along the
edge of their car park preventing entrance to the grounds, Plain clothes surveillance scheduled for
the car park, Diary sheets of ASB to be kept by neighbours, a review of the lighting at the back of the
Royal hotel carpark. Another follow up meeting is to be arranged in February by the District Council
Due to short notice the Town Council were unable to attend the meeting – they have indicated that
they are looking at a different strategy for bollards on the Bath Grounds – this will be taken up by
the Friends during the next maintenance meeting on 10th February.Graffiti - we have asked the Royal
Hotel to paint over graffiti on cricket fence (done on Jan 31) and also South Street neighbour painted
over his too.
11.
MAINTENANCE
An update was given by J. Birch
Actions agreed from the Maintenance Meeting on 04 November 2016
Friends
 Arrange for painting of remaining 1 bench
 J Birch to speak to Matt Longley regarding getting a key for the storage of the roller for TC
use.
 A. Ingram to contact D. Council to see if donated bin keys can be located
 A. Ingram to indicate locations of four bin concrete plinths using spray paint
 Endeavour to arrange a meeting with Oaklands Hotels regarding recent ASB on the Hotel
carpark.
 C. Birch to liaise with Matt Archer at County Council
 C. Birch to investigate what network rail have to offer in regard to maintenance work around
railway arch.
 Co-ordinate awareness scheme to inform public of change of bin use for disposal of dog
mess.
Town Council
 Remove and scatter mound of soil at the back of the bowls club
 Jack to speak with Roger Bayliss and agree with M. Fearn on the best method of removal of
damaged bench.
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Progress with the bin ‘vision’ idea with the aim to look to complete the ‘vision’ by spring
2017.
Carry out the Installation of 4 concrete bin plinths once location has been agreed
Replace missing bollard in front of cricket carpark area
Progress with temporary repair of heritage footpath potholes as soon as possible.
The next meeting is 10 February 2017. Key items will be the repair of footpath potholes and the
strategy for bollards on the Bath grounds
12.
BINS AND BENCH VISION
An update was given by A. Ingram
Co-ordination of three donators for three bins? is moving along well. We now have a local landscaping
and metal working company who are very keen to make a success of designing three benches; that
may be different to each other and have a theme across the three. I am yet to meet with the third
donator to discuss design preference and then the maker will get drawings and costs together to
present to us all and the council. Aiming for April/May installation.
Suggested that bins be donated/sponsors by local companies
Location of bins being co-ordinated with the Town Council
13.
ASHBY SUSTAINABLE DRAINAGE SYSTEM (SuDs) AUDIT
D. Bigby explained that the committee had been contacted by Alan Graham from Trent Rivers Trust
to undertake a feasibility study to identify one or more sites within Ashby that would be suitable for a
retro fitted Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS). It has been suggested re naturalising the watercourse
between Elm Ave and Ashby Park and de culverting the Gilwiskaw Brook in Bath Grounds. It was
agreed that further information was required – D. Bigby agreed to communicate back to Alan Graham.
14.
WISH LIST
It was agreed for Brian Everitt to complete his wish list to add to the one we have. C. Birch to send
list to Brian
It was also agreed to add bollard replacement to the wish list, as a matter of urgency. To get quotes
for composite and other bollard options together to present at the Maintenance Meeting on Feb 10.
15.
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
It was agreed that the Friends should have a presence at events on the Bath Grounds
The Gusto and Jims Tractor Run were agreed as being a minimum.
It was suggested that we should encourage more ‘active’ members to help out at events
C. Birch to look into cost for Food Gusto 27 & 28 May and Tractor run July 30 for 2017
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Confirmed that Castle Field is being bought by TC/ Bullen’s field update
Proposal to have croquet on the Bath Grounds during Jims Tractor run – C. Birch to see if proposer
could contact with Natalie at the Town council directly with this idea.
D. Bigby informed the committee that he had asked for the Bath Grounds lease renewal to be
discussed at the next Parks meeting on 06 March
Civic society presentation arranged for 06th February, C. Birch/A. Ingram
Agreed that future committee meetings could start at 7pm – C. Birch to co-ordinate dates and book
Vine – agreed to try and avoid clashes with D. Bigby’s council meetings.
Next committee meeting to be held at The Vine on Monday 20 February 2017 at new time of
19:00pm