Chesterfield Canal Trust Limited

Minutes of a meeting held on Monday 17 January 2011 at the Parish Rooms Eckington.

Present: Kath & Rod Auton, Steve Thompson, Paul Unwin, David Morris, Dave Fox, Martin Bloomfield, Geraint Coles, John Lower, Richard Allsop.

1. Apologies. Robin Stonebridge, Pete Ramsell, Tony Winfrow, Christine Richardson.

Meeting Chaired by D. Fox.

2. Minutes of the last Meeting.

The comments attached to 9.4 and 9.9 should be swapped over. At 10 “Need for a petition” should read to demonstrate support for the canals heritage and Restoration. With the above amendments the minutes were proposed by Rod Auton, seconded by Steve Thompson and agreed by all as a true record.

3. Matters Arising.

Application for funding to “Esmée Fairburn” Trust was rejected.

Funding the Trust, 2 meetings held. Next on 31 January 2011.

4. “New Dawn” – Update

A written report was submitted, with photographs. · The site compound has now been created and all paperwork required by British Waterways has been accepted. · A container has been hired to store supplies and equipment. · Work on construction takes place Mon –Fri. from 09H30 to 13H00. · Possible open days in future. To include members and also at time of Historic Boat rally. · Approximate build time 12 months. · Trustees extended their thanks to John and Richard for giving up their time to come and brief the meeting.

5. Hollingwood & CIC.

· Building progressing – visit from “Big Lottery Fund” on Tuesday 18 January 2011.

· Build approx. 3-4 weeks behind schedule due to weather conditions.

· Representative from Canal Trust required at February progress meeting.

· Agreed that WRG will be housed in Doe Lee Centre rather than Hollingwood if possible. Action D. Fox. Post meeting note, Doe Lee contacted and they are no longer able to accommodate WRG due to other regular bookings

· Meeting for members of the local community to discuss the uses for Hollingwood at “Barrow Hill” on 27 January at 19h30.

· Memorandum and Articles of Association to be circulated at next trustees meeting. Action GC.

· Agreed that initially there should be at least 5 people present at board meetings.

· Representatives to be Geraint Coles – Secretary, Dave Fox – Treasurer, Robin Stonebridge, Rod Auton and Steve Thompson.

6. Annual Calendar.

· Dates of significant events.

· Project Planner available on Trust Web site. Details available to RA and DM.

· All trustees to bring their own lists to next meeting.

Action All.

7. Awards for All application – Learning Boat.

Proposed that the Trust apply to the above fund for a grant of £10,000.

Proposed by Rod Auton, seconded by Martin Bloomfield and agreed by all.

8. Financial Report.

· Trip boat earnings are down £3,000 as compared with this time last year.

· Now facing a serious potential deficit of £6,000 for the full year. There may need to be a revision of budgets if situation does not improve. · Unrestricted funds – actual cash £4,818 plus Gift Aid. Approx. total of £8,000.

· Treasure to discuss situation with Chair – Budget Review of finances at next meeting.

· Need a review of trip boat charter costs for next September.

· Review of Bank mandate, need to remove the late D. Trickett from list of bank signatures.

Trustees Reports.

9.1 Secretary’s Report – written and accepted.

9.2 John Varley Report – written and accepted.

9.3 Membership Report – written and accepted.

· Now over 1,120 members. All new members were accepted by the Trustees.

· Noted that both Tony Winfrow and Nick Hall are standing down from the Supporters Group.

9.4 Publicity Report – written and accepted.

9.5 Exhibitions Report – written and accepted.

Article to go in Cuckoo about “James Brindley” ( exhibitions trailer) 3rd & 4th September is Model Engineering Society show.

9.6 WEB Master Report – Verbal

Looking at “Shopping Cart” software for various uses, further research required and an update to be given as appropriate.

Secure back –up required for Trust records and intellectual property. Guidance to be distributed.

Action DM.

9.7 Python & Seth Ellis Report – written and accepted.

9.8 Development Managers Report.

· Looking like Partnership will be funded for another 12 months; worst case would be another 6 months. Working on an alternate Partnership Structure.

· Green light given to develop ways of running canal after restoration.

Action RS, GC, MB.

· Rotherham situation is now becoming clearer; an officer will now attend the Partnership meetings.

· Project list is now complete and sources of funding are being investigated.

· Grant application is being developed for presentation to EMDA wind up funds. This to enable the canal to pass under the “Staveley Mineral Railway” before the line is reinstated.

· HLF bid for “Railway Mile” – this will include Spinkhill Bridge and both the Old and new canal tracks.

· Leader Funding – this has now been withdrawn.

· Basin contract at Staveley – not yet let, problems with lowest bidder. Negotiations are now under way with next contractor on list and contract should be signed within 2 weeks. Provisional agreement with contractor to have volunteers on part of the site.

· “Waterside has now met all planning requirements. First phase of development likely to start towards the end of the year.

· Site at Works Road, Hollingwood reserved for waterside development.

10. Planning Matters.

Bassetlaw District Council has adopted “Worksop Waterway Renaissance scheme”.

11. Future Agenda Items.

· Appointment of Vice Chair.

· Approval of 2010 accounts/ AGM · Structure of Supporters Group.

· Annual Calendar.

· Budget Review.

· Acceptance of terms of IWA grant for Staveley Town Lock.

12. Any other business.

· The carol service at the “Lockkeeper” in Worksop will be a fund raiser for the canal.

Action DM.

· Apologies for not being able to attend the AGM received from the Secretary.

· Photo competition details to go in “Cuckoo”, with a view to best entries going in 2012 calendar.

13. Date of Next Meeting.

Next meeting will be on 21st February 2011 at Eckington at 7.00PM.

Meeting closed 22H25 Martin Bloomfield 12 February 2011.

Signed by Robin Stonebridge (Chair) 21.2.11.

Secretary’s Report

1. Attended Transport Users Group at their request. Will attend the quarterly meetings to represent the Canal Trust.

2. Have agreed to serve on the Cycle Forum sub group of the TUG to help develop the cycle network policy for Chesterfield.

3. Attended and distributed minutes of Restoration Group meeting held on 21/12/2010.

4. Completed Secretary’s section for annual report and also produced notice for AGM to go in “Cuckoo”.

5. Contacted Michael Chase (WRG) and he has agreed to come and look at Hollingwood in February to see if suitable accommodation for summer work camps. He will also join group to develop build plan for Staveley Town Lock.

6. Costings and Build plan for Staveley Lock – a team is being assembled to do the pre planning for this, to include work party, WRG, County Engineer, Geraint & myself. Will update when build drawings are available and date of first meeting set.

7. Work Party have capped all the wall at Constitution Hill, further progress can not be made until final line of canal channel has been agreed with DCC.

8. Scrub clearance on the Hall Lane to Mill Green length continues, this will include “stump pulling” to prevent re growth. Three trees need to be felled on this length, clearance has been gained and date needs to be arranged by 3 valleys staff.

9. Once all clearance work has been completed, levels will need to be checked and an “all user” footpath/ haul road will need construction. This is required to allow rerouting of the Constitution Hill footpath prior to re watering and the construction of a new footbridge at Constitution Hill.

10. WRG North West will be coming in February to help clear debris from Hollingwood Lock. The offside chamber wall has moved and will be investigated once the lock clearance work is completed.

Martin Bloomfield 16 January 2011.

Training Officer's Report

The John Varley has now been cleaned and returned to The Mill pub, this is the first time it’s been run since the bad weather. All the items used over the Christmas period are now residing in my loft at home. I have notified Mick Hodgetts regarding some serious damage that has occurred to the wash wall just prior to Weeldon Mill lock on the towpath side. Because of the current low water level between Tapton Lock and Weeldon Mill Lock I may have to cancel a charter for Inkersall Infant School due to take place on the 26th January.

This month I am scheduled to visit the Nottinghamshire Narrowboat Project on behalf of the NCBA regarding training and moderation.

Paul Unwin.

Membership Report

Membership currently stands at 1118.

Since the last Trustees’ Meeting we have welcomed the following new members. Mr & Mrs A Coulthurst Doncaster Mr & Mrs B K Fawbert Chesterfield Mr G Hall Staveley Mr A R Meikle Chesterfield Mr A P Trickett & Ms A Evans Chesterfield Mr & Mrs M Trickett Loughborough Mr G L Turner Eckington Mr & Mrs C Ward Brimington Mr C M Wilson Chesterfield

Took JB to Rotherham and Staveley Victorian Market.

Met with a journalism student.

Visiting people to collect for the Thoresby Hall exhibition.

Attended two Fund-Raising Meetings and Supporters’ Group Meeting.

Kath Auton.

Publicity report

Did press releases about Santa Specials and Canal memorabilia for Thoresby Hall exhibition.

Designed petition and am collecting it (1213 so far).

Put several articles and photos on the website and Twitter and updated the calendar regularly.

Sent out E-newsletters nos. 11 and 12.

Sent off bid for Healthy Place Award.

Sent out £390 worth of Brick certificates as presents.

Took JB to Rotherham and Staveley Victorian Market.

Met with Babbling Vagabonds and am helping write an Awards for All bid.

Met boss of BHESS.

Met with a journalism student.

Went to official opening of new towpath.

Visiting people to collect for the Thoresby Hall exhibition.

Trying to set up Hollingwood Hub Meeting for 27th.

Attended two Fund-Raising Meetings and Supporters’ Group Meeting.

Rod Auton.

Promotions and Exhibitions Report Activities:

Took Trust petition to Killamarsh Christmas Lights switch-on And to Killamarsh Co-op store

Produced annual report

Wrote articles for Cuckoo

Assisted with JB at Staveley Victorian Market

Attended 2 Fund-raising meetings

Attended Supporters Meeting at Kiveton

Producing JB events list 2011 (provisional attached – article for Cuckoo))

Researching additional (new) sales items

Liaise with Rod Auton on up-date of exhibition cube and details of Thoresby exhibition

JB:   Following the response to my circulated email on suggestions as to how we approach the forthcoming year with JB I have decided to concentrate on events along the canal corridor, particularly as we are urging the public to sign our petition demonstrating support for the continued restoration of the canal.

The second factor in this decision is the ongoing increase in fuel and the obvious cost of running the TD to take the trailer to places further a-field. Should the Trust receive invitations to go to worthy events we shall consider them on merit and endeavour to do so, but for the moment I feel we should try to harness the undoubted support we have between Chesterfield and West Stockwith.

JB sales

Eva has spent some time researching sources of low-cost easily transportable items to supplement the canal-related items we sell at events. Our main problem is small profit on each item (books/guides etc) we currently have on offer. As we demonstrated with the “Muddy Waters” books, there are potential large sums of money to be made using the right materials.

There may be a feeling that on JB we should be concentrating on promotion/recruiting members, but there is no reason that by selling the right stuff we cannot make these events profitable, or at least cover expenses and not eat into Trust funds more essential to restoration etc. I therefore attach a separate sheet indicating some sales sources/prices.

Steve Thompson

Webmaster's Report

Produced new end-to-end guide leaflet with Messrs Auton and Blackburn. This is available for free download from the website and has received some external publicity from BW amongst others

Visited site of bridge replacement on Boxing Day to photograph work being done by Network Rail

Currently investigating a new shopping cart plugin for the website (VirtueCart) with a view to making membership renewals as well as trip boat booking payment available.

David Morris.

Seth Ellis and Learning Boat Reports

Seth Ellis

Following the successful public trip weekends last September we are planning to do seven this year from different parts of the canal ranging from Kiveton to Walkeringham. Heritage Day was also very busy and this year will coincide with our own Historic Boat Gathering in Retford, and last for two days, details later in the year.

The Santa trips were not so successful owing to the recession and above all the weather. We had to cancel the first weekend as crew were unable to get to the boat due to snow, and the remaining weekends were done as a static grotto with everything available except cruising due to 8 inches of ice. Most people who had booked were happy about this, but a few cancelled.

Python

September saw Python, after a successful static display in Retford on Heritage Day cruise to West Stockwith to pick up about 20 large fencing panels and take them to Shireoaks Marina to be used for the compound for The New Dawn Project (more on this from John Lower etc) This trip took the best part of a week.

The end of the year saw Python get a new waterproof deck cover, just in time for all that snow. A special thanks to Terry Berridge, Dave France and Rod Auton for making a new pathway running the whole length of the boat, no more muddy feet marks on our new cover.

This year the Python team will be very busy, firstly rewiring and plumbing the cabin, then the rest of the restoration continuing throughout the year. Her first working days will be towards the end of March when she will do a clean up in Retford followed with another in May this time including Worksop. In June she will go on a 3 month tour comprising of Historic Festivals at Stoke Bruerne, Braunston, and then onto The National at Burton upon Trent, and culminating with a proposed run to Victoria Quays in Sheffield, before returning home in August. In September she will do a static display at our Historic Boat Gathering in Retford. October and November we will do clean ups again. Hopefully during this year we can have a Learning Boat co-ordinator for the education side of things.

Pete Ramsell.