COMMUNITY HUB GROUP

Notes from Community Hub Meeting 15 January 2024

 

These notes are a brief resume of the topics discussed and suggestions/ideas put forward.

Once approved, these notes will be circulated to those who attended, and then posted on our website.

The names of those contributing to the discussions will not be named, except for those attending in an official capacity, i.e. Tom Duxbury as a representative from the HOTV Management Committee, Nick Sloan as the person responsible for guiding Phase 3 of the building works, and Marilyn Clarke acting as convenor of the meeting.

 

Tom Duxbury informed the meeting that the Management Committee (MC) has reviewed the original business plan, and  is working on a new Vision/road map which will underpin the ongoing management process.  This will be fed back from the MC to the Community  via the  HOTV  website.  The subject of improving communication from the HOTV MC into the wider community had been discussed, and using the Community Hub was felt to be a way of doing this.   Updating websites of HOTV is also being implemented.

Tom handed over to Nick Sloan to inform the meeting of the progress   of Phase 3 and respond to comments from the meeting

 

Phase 3

Extensive discussion ranged around this topic and the following notes have tried to capture this.  

Some of the concerns raised:

1. Inconvenience to customers,  staff  and volunteers, and potential impact on trading.

2. Queries about need to  carry out his work at this point in time

3. Risks associated with any possibility of not keeping to budget and time scale for works

4. Lack of communication with the community regarding the plans.  No written supporting evidence had been available and the plan had been posted in the pub corridor where not everyone was likely to have seen it.  

5. Clarification as to whether the decision had been taken by the MC to go ahead with work as per the plan presented during the open day in December.

 

Nick Sloan was able to address most of the issues raised, and informed the meeting of the following after listening to ideas and concerns from the meeting.

 

Relating back to the issue of communication regarding consultation over the Phase 3 planning, Nick was clear that the MC had provided a plan with written commentary and that minimal response had been forthcoming from members of the community over the past two years.   Not all in the meeting were happy that this had been the case.

 

The justification for extending the café area to accommodate more covers for service pub food was that without increasing the income raised by selling pub food the pub business would not be viable in the future.

 

In response to points raised, Nick assured the group that there would be minimal disruption to the operating of the shop/café/pub during the building works.   These would easily be achieved within the time scale proposed .  The MC were confident that costs would come in as per the budget.  The flooring into the café would be changed to match the tiles in the pub and corridor.

 

Nick established that the Phase 3 work was to go ahead as per the plan that had been posted in the shop/pub corridor. No radical changes would be considered but minor ‘tweaks’ may be appropriate.

 

 

During further discussion among those attending other comments were made:

Supporting the need for a larger café space – in addition to the above; the café as currently configured made it a tight squeeze when all seats were utilised; when the weather was not suitable sitting outdoors some groups did not use the café at all, and more seating might enhance the utilisation of the café.  

 

Access to the function room:  An outside lift would be too expensive at present but possibly this need could be met by applying for additional funding, or local fundraising.   The meeting was assured that the installation of a stair lift would not impede or restrict use of the stairs as it would sit to one side when not in use leaving adequate space for those walking up and down stairs.

Money from CIL would cover the cost of the stair lift and ramp at the front of the property as well as disabled parking space.

 

Skittle Alley.  No plans to return this facility to a double alley in order to accommodate visiting group for competitions.   Nick reported that this would not be considered to be a priority in the near future due to financial considerations.  A suggestion was made that perhaps the skittlers need to be made aware of this decision.

 

Volunteers

A few newer residents in the village reported not having received any information regarding HOTV in general nor having received a flyer through the door.  

 

Suggestions made:   

1. That an information booklet with all local information be available in the shop/café and delivered to any new residents in the village.

2. The MC to look at contacting local groups who held regular meetings with a view to a member of the MC, or co-opted member of the volunteer community,  ask for a few minutes to talk about the types of volunteering, how the system works and the rewards/social benefits  often felt by volunteers.

3. A volunteer focussed afternoon tea event where volunteers could meet up with the wider community, possibly on a Saturday.  Advertising this with a big wall banner.

4. Bigger posters needed  asking for volunteers.

5. Discussion of approaching the school/parents to provide information – some aspects of utilising the school as a method of reaching more potential volunteers had been found not to be acceptable in the past.  Perhaps MC could find a way of doing this, bearing in mind that a lot of parents use the RO car park.

 

Future of this Group

A suggestion was made that this group was very negative and that the community should be grateful to the HOTV MC for all the work they have done, and continue to do.  The MC should be left to make all the decisions without hinderance.

 

A discussion followed.  It was hoped that this group could act as a positive force for facilitating the exchange of information and ideas between the MC and the wider community.  There was general agreement that the continuation of the group would be valuable to both the community and the MC.

It was asked that a clearer Agenda be available before any future meetings.

 

It was decided that the Community Hub group should aim to meet, say,  4 times a year.  Concurrently the Hub would continue to act as a forum  for suggestions and ideas.   Should any particular areas of significant concern, or ideas of significant brilliance, be forthcoming to the group, or indeed the MC wishing to reach into the community for a particular purpose, then an interim meeting could be called.