Meeting Notes /
MEETING / Loughborough In Bloom AGM
DATE / 11 September 2014 / LOCATION / Committee Room 1, CBC
Board Member Attendees
Andy Rush (Chair) / Mike Jones / Cllr Hilary Fryer / Cllr Marion Smith
Karen Setchell / Josie McCree-Falconer / John Bush / Jonathan Hale
Rupert Harrison / Harry Cook
Non Board Member Attendees
Neil Greenhalgh / Sarah Ritchie / Cherry Foster / Beth Sherratt (minutes)
Kelly Adams
Apologies
Debbi Payne / Nicola Clarke / Peter Lewis / June Bush
Meeting Type (Team, Board or other)
Board
Meeting Notes
1 / Welcome and apologies
Andy Rush (AR) welcomed everybody to the meeting. Apologies for absence are shown above.
The Board voted in Andy Rush as Chair and Mike Jones as Vice-Chair.
Josie McCree-Falconer (JM-F), June Bush (JB) and Mike Jones (MJ) had been elected by the Community Participation Group with Harry Cook (HC) as reserve, as members of the Loughborough in Bloom Board.
2 / Minutes and actions from the previous meeting
a. Minutes
The minutes of the meeting held on 14 August 2014 were agreed.
b. Actions from the last meeting
The short guidance note for BID and Chamber of Commerce for 2015 Bloom is currently in progress. NG & SR need to liaise with Sylvia Wright. JM-F was not aware that she had to email the community groups regarding membership of Neighbourhood Watch schemes, but would do so.
c. Planning for 2015
KS had contacted Alison Barlow and it was agreed that the funding from the Arts University was not appropriate as we are only able to have £500 - £700 funding. Quadron have not yet confirmed if they can sponsor this -on going.
3 / Project plan 2014
Cherry Foster (CF) will update the project plan to reflect discussion at this meeting.
a.  General
NG confirmed that he had nothing to add. JH and RH commented a representative from LCC is required to attend Bloom Board meetings.
b.  Community
The Catholic Church dropped out of Its Your Neighbourhood (IYN) and was replaced by King Edward Road Gardeners. Staveley Court and Fielding Court have taken an interest to take place next year.
c.  Media
The IYN presentation will take place in early October at the Cricket pavilion on Derby Road. MJ will book this via CBC once the date has been confirmed. The Loughborough in Bloom website is up to date with all stories.
d.  CBC / Quadron / LCC
NG/SR have looked at an internal meeting for projects next year which includes the end of Southfield Road, there is discussion around a sculpture being placed there. Planters on Loughborough Town Hall will be wall mounted and there will be one on each pillar. NG would like a replacement of the current planters in the town centre (also known as ‘the daleks’). Current planters are to be donated to community groups. MJ praised NG regarding the planters at the bottom of the A6. MJ suggests that the next planters are not prone to vandalism. It was noted that some of the trees on the new inner relief road were dying, it looks as if they have not been watered, SR to contact Hans Leatherby.
e.  BID and Chamber
JH felt that the theme for BID didn’t work very well around Baxter Gate & Wood Gate. It was suggested that next year there was to be a new theme for this. SR said Charnwood need more say in what goes into the planters, the colours did not come out properly in the town centre. JH reported that the Best Business Winner this year was John Storer House. JH is organising a presentation ceremony. Artist has been appointed, this will be happening on the 18th September at the Museum Café anyone is welcome.
f.  University
No updates required. Garden looks spectacular.
g.  Competitions
·  Tallest Sunflower: MJ said that judging had taken place and the winners were:
·  First: St Mary’s School
·  Second: Sacred Heart School
·  Third: Beacon Academy
·  Public Sector Competition 2015: Someone needs to take on responsibility of getting in touch with competitors (Police, Fire Brigade, NHS and all the public sector groups).
·  Balcony competition 2015: MS had received positive feedback. SR suggested this needs to be incorporated more with Bloom, Housing, Housing Associations & Private Housing. Ideas from the Bloom Board were welcomed.
4 / Any other business
HF advised that the hanging baskets by the Brush bridge were dead and needed attention. SR would investigate.
5 / Date and time of next meeting: 06 November 2014, 9:30-11:30 am, Committee room 1, CBC offices
Note of future meeting agenda items
November 2014 / How to engage Public Sector in Bloom 2015 (possibly with invites to key Public Sector colleagues).
Summary of actions from this meeting
Agenda item / Topic / Who
2b / Develop short guidance note for BID and Chamber of Commerce for 2015 Bloom. In progress, NG&SR to liaise with Sylvia Wright. / SR/NG
2b / Email community groups re membership of Neighbourhood Watch schemes. / JM-F
3a / Advise LCC that a representative is needed to attend Bloom Board meetings if Debbi Payne is not available. / NG/SR
3c / Book Derby Road Cricket pavilion for the IYN presentation in early October. In progress. / MJ/BS
3c / Keep AR / John Bush (JB) up to date. / AR/JB
3d / Discussions about planters and sculptures 2015 / NC/NG/SR
3d / Contact Hans Leatherby about the trees on the new inner relief road / SR
3e / New theme for Baxter Gate & Wood Gate 2015 / SR/NC
3e / JH to organise presentation for business competition / JH
3g / Advise PL of EMIB Children’s arts competition results. / MJ
3g / Someone to take responsibility for public sector competition / SR/NC
4 / SR to liaise with PHS about hanging baskets by the Brush Bridge / SR
Items to note for 2015 planning / thinking
·  Planters for street furniture on the new ring road (previous notes say NG to action).
·  School Arts competition – clarity on deadlines for EMIB submission (these were extended at a late stage in 2014), develop our understanding of other competition rules e.g. Heart of England.
·  Town Hall planters.
·  Clarity about when we will receive the themes for 2015.
·  Bloom banners / posters.
·  SR and NG to develop a short guidance note for BID and Chamber of Commerce.
·  Epinal Way Beds (Beacon Road/Forest Road) – need to be in better order, LCC responsibility.
·  Balcony competition (MS already consulting on this).
·  How to engage public sector in Bloom 2015 (previously agreed that this should be on the agenda for the November Board meeting)
·  Public (sector?) buildings competition.
·  Sculpture options and funding.
·  Learning from other towns and cities.
·  How to reflect Ladybird centenary celebrations.
·  Refreshing / changing the route.
·  Musicians, artists, poets, writers etc. (e.g. “Writer in residence” approach), PL to lead.

S:\Contracts\MOS\Loughborough in Bloom\In Bloom\2014\Bloom Board Minutes, Agendas\Bloom Board Minutes - 11 September 2014.doc