Meeting:
January 2024

Present

• John Gilbody (JG) - Chair
• Tracey Gilbody (TG) - Secretary
• Lisa Needham (LN) - Member
• Phil Steer (PS) - Member
• Wayne Roddis (WR) - Member

Apologies

• Nigel Griffiths (NG) - Events lead
• Luke Streeting (LS) - Vice Chair

Treasury

Treasurer did not attend the meeting nor did he give any financial update prior to the meeting.

Summer camp

This was arranged by Luke Streeting who arranged funding from the Lottery bid. We still have £4500 in the bank as the full plan of events did not take place due to the adverse weather. LS had agreed he would arrange camps for the October half term and Easter break. The October camp was never arranged and there has been no communication from Luke in relation to the Easter camp.

LS had tendered his resignation from WGRA committee in August 2023 but stated he would remain as treasurer until the next AGM. During a recent meeting he promised he would complete the planning application for the community grow, by Friday 12/1/24 if this work was not completed by this date he would hand over the work he had completed to date. He stated the piece of work was nearly complete it just required spell-checking. Although this promise was made, despite numerous messages and emails asking for the documents Luke has ignored the committee.

It was agreed an email would be sent to Luke Streeting outlining the committees agreement to accept his resignation forthwith and request for the up-to-date accounts be prepared and returned to the committee along with the cash in hand.

Also for him to contact the Lottery fund with a view to returning the money.

PS offered help in relation to the treasurer's role.

Community Grow

The committee were updated that an artchitects was currently drwaing up the plans for the community grow and the planning application would be submitted within the week. The area had been cleared by a local haulage company at a cost of £350, the fencing along the boundary is to be erected over the next few weeks to secure the area from any anti social behaviour.

A full costing of the project has been produced.

Stones

We have received notification from RMG that they have been instructed to remove the stones from the grass verge on The Grane which were placed several years ago to stop parking and damage being caused to the grass. The local parish councillor Carole Robson complained to the council re this, as a resident but also acting as a councillor but not at the request of the residents within Woolley Grange.

WR has arranged a local farmer Nicholson to remove the stones free of charge. A discussion took place in relation to the stones being replaced by knee-high fences. WDC have offered to pay £1500 towards new fences the total cost being over £3000, and it was agreed the residents should not have to pay the remainder of the money as this was something instigated by the PC (Carole Robson) therefore they should pay the outstanding balance.

Actions

• JG to email the PC re this issue.

Road adoption

This is ongoing and Bovis Vistry have agreed to buy the land from Luke Devine which had been the issue in relation to the adoption.

Actions

• WR is continuing to monitor this situation.

Directorship

Not much progress with this at present, Steve Bailey had spoken to the PA of the current resident director who had asked him to source a new management company. No update re this at present.

Any other business

PS stated he had spent some time recently updating the Website and had written some content for this. All the documents we have can now be uploaded to the public facing space of the Website.

JG to liaise with PS to progress this.

WR informed the meeting that 2 new dog bin had been installed, one near to Dearne Court and one on the grassed area on Gresford Close.

WR informed the meeting the damage to the slide in the playground area would cost £2000 to repair and may take some time. Until then the playground would remain padlocked.

Damage has recently been caused to the small library near the playground.

Treasury update

Below is the email sent to Luke Streeting from WGRA committee on the 26th January 2024.

Hi Luke.

Hope you and your family are well.

As you are aware we had a WGRA committee meeting last night (25/01/2024), I am unsure why you didn’t attend as you did not reply to the invitation to the meeting. During the meeting, the current position with the community growing area was discussed in particular the planning application you have been working on for approximately 18 months. The committee appreciate you have a busy career and a young family which has to take precedence over the completion of the application. However, at a meeting at the beginning of January you assured us that you would either complete the application or hand over what you had completed by the 12th January 2024. You did not do either of these and despite numerous communications from several committee members you still have not supplied WGRA with any documents. As a result of this we have completed the application and necessary supporting documents which will be submitted to Wakefield planning department imminently. Thank you for your efforts however we no longer require you to progress this piece of work.

The monies from the Lottery fund for the Summer camp 2023 was also discussed as this remains within WGRA bank account. Could you let the committee know your plans in relation to this please, at a previous meeting (August 2023) you indicated you would be organising a holiday club in October and Easter breaks to utilise this money. Obviously, the October break club did not take place, if you do not intend arranging an Easter club could you please make the necessary arrangements to return the money to the Lottery fund.

The committee would appreciate it if you could provide fully up to date accounts ASAP please. In August 2023 you stated your intention to resign from the treasurers role and from WGRA committee. If you could complete your outstanding actions in relation to the lottery grant funds and the WGRA accounts as a matter of urgency, within 14 days, the committee will be happy to accept your resignation with immediate effect.

We thank you for your work throughout your time as a committee member and wish you and your family the best for the future.

Woolley Grange Residents Association.