Minutes – Community Affairs Committee – 3 March 2025

The agenda and papers for this meeting are available here: Agenda and papers – Community Affairs Committee – 3 March 2025

The minutes of this meeting are presented below.

You can also download a PDF copy of the minutes here: Minutes – Community Affairs Committee – 3 March 2025

COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE

Minutes

Date: Monday 3 March 2025

Time: 5.30pm – 7.14pm

Location: The Council Chamber – The Council House • North Street • CHICHESTER • West Sussex • PO19 1LQ

PRESENT: Councillors Apel (CA/Chair), Chant (RC), Knight (SK) and J Gershater (JG).

ALSO IN ATTENDANCE: The Town Clerk (TC), Deputy Town Clerk (DTC), Communications, Civic and Council Support Officer (CCCSO), Community Officer (CO), Councillors Scicluna (AS), Butler (AB), Miall (RM).

Helen Marshall (Chi BID), Anne-Marie Flynn (Chichester Cinema), Karenza Holman (VAAC), Caroline Sanderson (VAAC), Paula Chatfield (Chichester Tree Wardens), Pam Bushby (Communities Manager CDC), Michael Beavis (Friends of Chartres), Jacky Storey (Friends of Ravenna).

78. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Committee NOTED apologies from Councillor Kondabeka (JK), the Mayor, Councillor Quail (SQ) and absence from Councillor Moore

79. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE IN MATTERS ON THE AGENDA FOR THIS MEETING

Councillor RC declared an interest in the grant application for the Sussex Creative Art Network and noted their membership with Chichester Cinema.

Councillor SK declared an interest in the Chichester Community Development Trust.

80. MINUTES OF THE COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 9 DECEMBER 2024

The Committee approved and signed as a correct record the minutes of the ordinary committee meeting held on the 9 December 2024.

81. PUBLIC QUESTIONS

None were received.

82. TO NOTE REPORTS RECEIVED FROM COMMUNITY GROUPS

The Chairman moved this item up the agenda.

The committee noted the receipt of reports from the following groups and members from each group added:

• Friends of Chartres: Outlined the contents of their report, highlighting that all friends groups are collaborating well.
• Friends of Ravenna: Reiterated the benefits of joint working with other friends groups.
• Friends of Speyer: Reported a successful visit to Speyer in December 2024. A visit to Chichester is planned for August 2025.
• Friends of Valletta: Announced a visit to Valletta at the end of May.
• Chichester Tree Wardens: Tree and hedgerow planting is taking place on land at Parklands using trees from the Woodlands Trust. The Chairman thanked the Tree Wardens for their efforts and hard work.

83. SCREEN ON CATHEDRAL GREEN EVENT

The Committee considered a request to allocate £1,850 from the Events budget to support the New Park Cinema/Chichester BID open air screening event.

Anne Marie Flynn from the Chichester Cinema gave a presentation of a proposal for a joint cinema event to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Chichester Psalms. The event will consist of a screening of West Side Story, introduced by Alexander Bernstein at 3pm, followed by an evening screening of ‘I Confess’, the Hitchcock thriller starring Montgomery Clift and Anne Bancroft. The event is currently a partnership between Chichester Cinema and Chichester BID and the City Council were invited to join as a third partner organisation.

Following a detailed discussion the Committee RESOLVED to support the proposal and allocate funding of £1850 from the 2025-26 events budget towards delivering a partnership event.

84. The Chairman moved the following item up the agenda:

POLICING AND SECURITY IN THE CITY

The committee received the following reports:

Community Wardens

Pam Bushby (Communities Manager CDC) advised that the new City Centre warden is in place and is settling into the role. The wardens’ service has now been running for 20 years and still includes some of the original team members.

The wardens are working closely with police and businesses regarding ASB issues in the City, especially at Eastgate Square and the Cathedral Green. There is also evidence of issues at Southgate and South Street, although these have been targeted for intervention, which seems to have helped.

UKSPF money is being used to fund night patrols until the end of March – the hope is this can be extended beyond March subject to additional funds being allocated.

Chichester Police

Pam Bushby (Communities Manager CDC) advised that issues with young people and knife crime are being targeted by Sussex police, who are leading on intervention at known hotspots and with specific vulnerable individuals.

Chichester BID Ambassadors

Helen Marshall (Chi BID) provided an update. The BID Ambassadors are currently working five days a week and it has delivered a significant improvement in the service for businesses. A third member has joined the team, which gives better coverage for annual leave, rest days, etc.

Shoplifting remains an issue, although this is a UK wide problem, not specific to Chichester.

85.SHOPMOBILITY SCHEME

The Chairman introduced Karenza Holman and Caroline Sanderson from VAAC who had been working with Chichester City Council Officers to develop a proposal to reintroduce a Shopmobility scheme in the city, based at the Council House. The previous scheme closed in 2019 and has caused problems for people trying to access the city ever since.
VAAC secured funding from CDC to investigate reinstatement of the service in the city, subject to a suitable, sustainable operating model being developed. They have worked with City Council Officers to develop an operating model that will allow the scooters to be housed in the Council house, with the scheme administered by CCC officers and staff.
The Committee RESOLVED to support the scheme and implement it at the Council House.

86. UPDATES ON ACTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETING

The Committee noted the completion of the following actions:

• Minute 70 – CO to add recommendations to the Community Asset Register.
• Minute 72 – CSSM to place ‘Public Arts Policy’ on the next Full Council Agenda.
• Minute 73 – TC to renew Admiral Murray Statue licence for 12 months.
• Minute 75 – DTC to inform grant applicants of the outcome of their application.
• Minute 76 – CCCSO to place items on the next Community Affairs Committee agenda.

87. ANNUAL REVIEW OF OUTSIDE BODIES

The Committee reviewed the council’s engagements with external organisations, including the Friends and Twinning associations.

The Committee noted that Councillor Vivian had resigned from the Chichester BID and APPOINTED Clare Apel as the City representative.

The committee noted that Councillor Corfield had resigned as the representative for the Chichester District Association of Local Councils (CDALC) and APPOINTED Robert Miall as the City representative.

The committee noted that the representative for the Sussex Community Rail Partnership Arun Valley Steering Group remained vacant and APPOINTED Clare Apel as the City representative.

88. DELEGATED DECISIONS

The Committee NOTED that a contribution of £900 had been provided from the Public Realm budget to support the Friends of Centurion Way in restoring the Gateway Arch.

89. CHICHESTER CEMETERY

The Deputy Town Clerk introduced the report on Chichester Cemetery costs and the agreement between Chichester City Council and Chichester District Council. It is likely that the cemetery will be full within the next five years with no new alternative burial sites identified within the city.

The committee considered the report and the subsidy that the City Council currently provides towards the burial costs of City residents (City residents currently receive a 50% discount on the cost of a plot or internment) and REQUESTED that the item be brought back to the next meeting for further consideration.

90.CITIZENS ADVICE BUREAU REVIEW

The committee noted the reports provided by the Citizens Advice Team based in The Council House.

91. MAYOR MAKING CEREMONY 2025

The Committee considered the arrangements for the upcoming Mayor Making Ceremony and AGREED that the same format as the previous year should be adopted for 2025.

92. PUBLIC SECTOR BODIES (ADMISSION TO MEETINGS ACT) 1960

Proposal to resolve that the public and press be excluded from this meeting for Agenda Item 11 due to the confidential nature of the business to be transacted namely financial and business affairs of third parties.

93. CONSIDERATION OF GRANT APPLICATIONS

Chichester Chamber Concerts:

The grant will support the season of chamber concerts at the Assembly Rooms, specifically covering the additional costs associated with replacing the disbanded Atanea Quartet with the more experienced and higher-cost Heath Quartet

Committee AGREED the grant amount of – £500

Councillor SK left the meeting.

Chichester Community Development Trust:

The grant will fund a Heritage weekend at Graylingwell Park, celebrating the hospital’s history and engaging the community. It will cover staff, volunteer expenses, and marketing.

Committee AGREED the grant amount of £1,500

Councillor SK rejoined the meeting.

Chichester Forest Schools CIC:

The grant will support the mental health of children under 11 affected by the Covid pandemic through outdoor activities like fire lighting, campfire cooking, woodcraft, and bushcraft. These activities aim to boost self-esteem, confidence, and connection with nature.

Committee AGREED the grant amount of £3,000

Sussex Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (SASBAH):

The grant will help create a safe and inclusive community for Chichester residents with complex disabilities by funding tailored advice, advocacy, social inclusion activities, and regular support group meetings to address the rising cost of living.

Committee AGREED the grant amount of £1,000

Councillor RC left the meeting.

Sussex Creative Art Network (Sussex CAN):

The grant will provide exhibition space for artists, raising awareness of Chichester’s growing art community. By showcasing diverse art, we aim to encourage local artists to share, experiment, and create.

Committee AGREED to allocate a grant amount of £2,500. An initial payment of 50% will be made for the first two events, with the remaining balance to be released upon satisfactory completion of these events.
Councillor RC rejoined the meeting

Matt Black Barn CIC:

The grant will fund two educational events this summer, addressing community feedback by focusing on sustainable practices, artist networking, and local teacher training.

Committee REQUESTED further information on costs and clarification of how many residents of Chichester would benefit from the proposed projects.

94. ITEMS FOR NEXT AGENDA

• Cemetery Charges
• 2025 Charity Cycle ride for Stonepillow
• CIO Update
• Murray Statue

95. DATE OF NEXT MEETING

DATE OF NEXT ORDINARY MEETING: 7 APRIL 2025

The meeting closed at 7.14pm

ACTIONS ARISING FROM THIS MEETING

Minute ref.	Agreed action	Assigned for action to
83.	Distribute funds for the Screen on the Green event in collaboration with Chichester BID and New Park Cinema.	DTC
89.	Arrange the Mayor Making Ceremony for May 2025.	CCCSO
91.	Notify grant applicants of the outcome of their applications.	DTC
92.	Add items to the next Community Affairs Agenda.	CCCSO