Congleton Sustainability Meeting 06.03.2017

Congleton Sustainability Group meeting took place recently, please download the full meeting minutes HERE.

Hightlights include:

Dane Valley Community Energy.

The scheme has a new name “Havannah Weir Hydro”.

Public meeting being held at Eaton Bank Academy , Tuesday 28^th March 6.30pm.

This engagement event will both brief the public on the scheme as a whole and the opportunity to become involved in community share ownership and volunteer support to the project.

The main partners Siemens, HMK and EBA will all be in attendance and fully supportive of the scheme.

Neighbourhood Plan.

A.Thompson is planning a drop in session with each of the group chairs to through the policy detail fo their groups.

A group chairs meeting is planned for March to follow up the drop ins and sing off their documents for their teams.

Regulation 14 stage will then kick in with consultation on the document with CEBC .

Planned timetable:-

w/c 13 March 2017	draft the Neighbourhood Plan for the Regulation 14 consultation with Cheshire East, other statutory bodies and the wider local community. There is a 6 week period of consultation.
May 2017 (Steering Group booked 11 May)	we review all of the responses received and consider revisions and amendments to the plan. We edit the plan and include all photographs, plans and supporting documentation.
June 2017	we finalise the neighbourhood plan, complete the statement of consultation and basic condition statement for submission to Cheshire East under Regulation 15.There is a further 6 week period of consultation.
Summer 2017	Cheshire East appoint an Independent Examiner.
Late summer 2017	The Examiners report is received and the revisions and amendments to the neighbourhood plan are considered and a decision is taken to take the plan forward to Referendum.
Autumn 2017	the Referendum is held.
Autumn / Winter 2017	After the Referendum the Plan is found sound and is ‘made’.

Congleton Cooperative OSM Project.

BF/MT have be working on trying to get of the OSM’s energy costs, using a large amount of Oil/ Electricity. Insulation is the major issue. PA contact Mike Rance but he could help other than suggest we contact someone in The carbon Trust.

PP advised that she has a contact for Eco Schools that does this king of work (cost around £150) she will see if he can help.

Family may be willing to sell the whole site to Congleton Cooperative, need to way up the pros and cons before spending too much more money on the building.

Flowcrete have taken OSM on board as part of their social/community support and working on improving its profile.

Bookings are still growing , we now have around 30 members registered, PA to take application forms to the exec meeting 7.3.17

Now have a bookkeeper Joanne Reeves and accountant John Davies

Annual account now moved to end of March (tax year end)

AGM will be held April / May.

Kitchen upstairs now being developed and have been gifted a disabled toilet which is currently being built.

Room Rates. New room rates and booking form being put out.

PR – Facebook followers 217 / Email 1100 (400 readers)/ Chronicle, Bear Necessities & looking at The Independent.

Signage. MS look at a “Blue” similar to play area signs off Antrobus St, and discuss fingerposts with JMac

Cycle rack. PH to design a rack to go on the front of the building

Next meeting: Mon 3^rd April 2017 The Old Saw Mill ,10.00am