Hemyock

Summary notes of the meeting of Upper Culm CLT Members held on 9th April 2013, including an update on progress, a report on the Gathering of CLTs held at Norton Sub Hamdon on 27th March and suggestions for future projects for the CLT to investigate.

 

 

Directors Attending:             Heather Stallard (Chair), Richard Kallaway (Vice Chair), Neil Carter (Finance Director), Roy Brooke

 

Members Attending:             Donald Attlee, Michael Gay, Bob Hawkes, Kathleen Jones, Jane Major, Steve Major, Ian McCulloch, Janet Mulliner, Laurence Mulliner, Ian Pike, Rebecca Pike, Bob Pike,  Jocelyn Pritchard, Neil Punnett (Company Secretary)

 Directors Apologies:    Tim Barton, Lance Povah

 Members Apologies:    Jacqueline McCulloch, Julie Steed 

 The following are summary notes of the meeting:

• ·      Heather presented a verbal report to the meeting. The Culmstock Road affordable homes project has received planning approval, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement.
• ·      The HCA grant of £496,000 has been approved by the regional body and should be approved by the national body in mid-April.
• ·      the HCA Grant will allow the houses to be highly insulated and use air source heat pumps which will place the homes above the Level 4 standard in the Code for Sustainable Homes and significantly towards the demanding passivhaus criteria.
• ·      There are now 37 households on the CLT Register expressing interest in the Culmstock Road development.
• ·      Copies of the Local Allocation Plan agreed between the CLT and Hastoe Housing Association were e-mailed to all members in advance of the meeting. The Plan was outlined and the priority placed on the strength of the local connection of applicants coupled with their level of housing need was emphasised.
• ·      A report on the Gathering of CLTs held at Norton Sub Hamdon on 27th March. The four CLTs present are undertaking schemes for a total of 47 affordable homes between them. Alison Ward from Wessex Community Assets described the process of community share offers. CLTs can pay modest interest on shares. The median amount raised by community share issues is £135,000. Alison described some exciting CLT projects funded by community share issues including micro hydroelectric schemes, community solar power and community food projects.
• ·      Heather invited ideas for future projects which the CLT could investigate. The CLT Register shows that there is a clear demand for one bedroom homes for individuals and couples in housing need. There was a feeling that no further new build projects should be undertaken until the Culmstock Road development was complete and could be evaluated.  Purchase of existing properties for conversion into affordable homes was suggested and enthusiastically supported. Other proposals included:

o   Small scale wind turbines

o   Solar power

o   Geothermal heating

o   Allotments

o   Retirement/sheltered housing project

• ·      It was resolved that working parties be established to investigate (i) green energy projects  (ii) elderly housing/care provision in the parishes.