## **FRIENDS OF MIDDLETON-ON-SEA POND & GREEN MINUTES** ## **MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING** ## **Small Village Hall, Middleton Wednesday, 4th October 2023** **MEETING STARTED:** 7.36pm ## **MEMBERS PRESENT:** Nicky Mills (Chairman), Michael Leete, Richard Wiseman, Jacky Pendleton, Robin Lush, and Don Faircloth. ## **APOLOGIES:** Barry Ingate. Jenny Wright. ## **MINUTES:** The Minutes from the 22nd March 2023 meeting were unanimously agreed and signed. **Proposed by:** Don Faircloth and **Seconded by** : Robin Lush. A copy of the Minutes to go to the Parish Council. **Action-Gillian** ## **MATTERS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES:** Nicky still to submit application for a water supply. **Action-Nicky** Wildflower Meadow - contact re the rotavator fell through and another company quoted but was far too expensive plus they planned to use a weedkiller. Don will update under Item 6 on the agenda. ## **CHAIRMAN’S UPDATE:** Christine Johnson had resigned from the Parish Council which meant she was required to stand down as a Trustee of the Middleton Pond & Green Charity. Parish Councilors unanimously voted Jenny Wright, WSCC Footpath Inspector as their 3[rd] representative trustee to replace her. Nicky has sent her the various paperwork and said she was currently on holiday. Charity Commission website needs to be updated. **Action-Gillian** ## **TREASURERS REPORT:** As discussed at the AGM. On Barry’s return Nicky will discuss with him costings for essentials and develop a budget plan. ## **MAINTENANCE UPDATE from DON:** 1. 10 work parties have taken place since the last AGM. 20 people are advised in advance of which about 15 are volunteers and average 8 helpers per work party. 2. The woodland strip continues to be cleared to introduce new native plants and bulbs and evergreen shrubs to be cut back to three or four feet to open up views of the pond and allow more light into the area. Elm sucklings will be removed as Dutch Elm disease is still in the area. 3. An area of roughly 5m x 3.5m on the Manor House side of Sea Lane has been covered by black plastic to kill the grass in preparation for the wildflower meadow in spring 2024. 4. A tidy Northern ditch has been achieved by removing brambles etc over the last two or three years allowing planting of bulbs and primroses. Now similar work on the Southern ditch is well under way with the area between the Southern ditch and Sea lane needing to have some invasive weeds carefully removed in the spring to allow for better control and colour along with further planting of wild flowers. 5. Undergrowth on the Western side of the pond will need to be cut back, but due to the present water levels will need to be done from the bank in agreement with the shared owner. 6. A winter task will be to cut back brambles and undergrowth around the bus shelter and Parish Notice board just to tidy the area up. 7. Bat boxes may be offered to put up in the trees and will be fixed accordingly. 8. Daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses, fritillaries and bluebells have been ordered and will be planted following the leaf clearance. 9. The six water lilies have survived with one that actually flowered and hopefully more will flower in 2024. They attracted more dragonflies/damselflies during 2023. 10. All other tasks at the Pond and Green are carried out regularly by our Committee Members and Volunteers and Don thanked them all for their support. ## **LAND REGISTRY UPDATE:** Michael reported that a title number had been allocated and that finally supporting paperwork received. Nicky once again thanked Michael for his hard work. ## **CHRISTMAS CAROL & MULLED WINE COMMUNITY EVENT:** Potential date of **16th December at 11.00am** (with a second choice of 9th December). Jacky will speak with Father Paul regarding having the church choir singing carols. **Action Jacky.** Expenditure was agreed for more lights and it was decided to purchase a big Christmas tree to be erected & decorated for the Christmas duration. **Robin** will inquire at Chalcroft Nurseries. **Don** said he may have a contact. ## **OLD SEAT REPLACEMENT:** The old seat is rotting at one end and will need replacing. Looking for either a four seater or possibly a seat with a table. Approach MMB who provided the recycled seats. ## **Action-Nicky.** ## **ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS:** No additional non voting members so far, approach volunteers. It was suggested that putting up a sign at the pond ahead of each work party morning could be useful to attract more volunteers. A small removable notice board was suggested instead of using the trees, perhaps rustic looking - approach Kevin Wymbs for suggestion. ## **AOB:** Richard asked if we had re-registered with the Charities Commission website as it had been updated - Gillian confirmed that this had been done. Richard mentioned that he has loads of newts under pots in his garden, an excellent sign that the pond life was thriving. It was suggested that as the last Ecological Survey and Management plan was done in 2015 it was time to see if Kate Ryland would do a follow up survey. **Action Nicky.** A request was made for Thanks to the Chairman and Don for all their continuing work, be minuted on the AGM minutes. **Action-Gillian** ## **NEXT MEETING: TBA** Friends of Middleton - on - Sea Pond & Green Charity a)arity No 1170594 Income and ExpeThlwture Account for the year endI￿a 31st May 2023 2022 2023 Fund Income Parish C(yJn(il West &tssexCC Grant Donation5 induding GrftAid Fund Raising 2.(XYJ.CXI L323.56 1.178.41 5.898.86 45OL97 Expenditure 330.(KJ 384.60 100.00 legal and Professional intin& Stationeryand Po5 &te Malntenan Brown Bin5 229.74 552 Tree li8hDng 19637 39239 L(Ul.17) 5L32 2.785.C(I ty￿08 5.15L87 Tree Wotk 3.41554 Excess Ofir￿c￿e0¥er 1482J3 I649.￿) Balan￿ Sheet a5 at 3tst May 2023 Assets 2023 CurrentA85ets Cash atb￿k Cash In hand &Crflg.91 736429 78.41 Total Assets &092. 7.442.70 abilities cUrr￿tt Liabilities Capkal and F(eseNtt I￿￿te2} Geneial 4.442.70 nking Fund ReseThe 3.CW. 8.IV31&J 7.442.70 frkltes tothe accounts Note l. The General MaintenarKe costs i￿lUde £540 for the IloaDn8 island. The ra))ainder relates to bulb5 and Corn￿. Note 2. Reseryes Genetsl Sinkin8 Fund ljune 2022 SurplusllDeftttl forthe year Transfers S.IW2.60 1649.9)) 3.IMI.(A) 31 May 2023 4.442.70 3,W).(M) The Sinking Fund has been establtshed to ensure sulTK*nt funds3￿ set aside to meet major anticipated eKpendtture fortree illaitrtenarKe and pos5ibletree remowdl 8 R Ingate Honorary T r ended 31$1 Z023 My examination was£arried out in atcordarKevrith gerval DIreL1K￿KTrjen bythe Chffjcomml￿tXl. An examination induded a review of the accountiry records kept bythe charity and a tC*71parison of thÈ accounts PTesented with tIK>se rewrd& Italso induded consideratlon of any unu>J￿ items or disdowrÉs inthe act￿nty and 5eekinB e￿a￿)￿)n$ from thetrustees toncÈrnin8suth matteF& The proEeduies undertaken donot prry4Kle all that be re4uired fot an audit. and consequentlyllo opinion isyven 3stoWhethertheacr￿nts presenta ¥iewaThl therewtis fimited tothose matters set out in the $￿ement below. In conneC￿n￿th myexamlna￿. rm) m*erial matters hwe ¢tyneto myattthtion. which gr•es me (ausetobelwethat in. any rnaterial fespe£Lthe ac(xxJntir¥diecx)rd5 were notkept in accorda*(eMth setbthj Wjof the Chatittes A¢the accounts did and Reports) Regulations 2LTh other than re4utyeme¥rtthatthe ￿ciNJrts give a Irue ￿￿fai< view i£ ￿1 a matter COn￿dered a% part of an indeperKIEwrtexaminatyxL I h3ve corne across no othermattersin coor￿cti￿ withthe examination to shtyjkt be inthi4 report in orderto enablea k¥oper understsndir4ofthÈ&ttyJ5rt5to ￿ rethd. Si8ned: JDa3 Independent Exa