FINDON VALLEY SOCIETY

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, thank you all very much indeed for taking the time to attend our AGM, I have pleasure in introducing and welcoming our newly elected Worthing Councillors. Our congratulations to them on their victories last month. They are Reg Green, along with our County Councillor, Colin O’Niel, they will be answering any questions you may well have following our AGM tonight. I also welcome Sharna Bowen who is our Community Police Officer for the Valley. (Also to help me keep law and order within the AGM)

I do have three apologies. One from David Morgan, who unfortunately has to go into hospital for a spinal operation, I am sure you will join me in wishing him every success.  An apology also from our new prospective Planning Officer Chris Stephens. Also an apology from our own MP Timothy Laughton, Lucky Tim is dining with Lady Margaret Thatcher this evening. Are there any other apologies?

May I firstly say how sad we are to record the deaths of our long standing Treasurer, Robert Walker as well as our Auditor Gerry Rosen. Our prayers are offered for them and all residents within the Valley who have passed away over the year, especially for the loved ones they have left behind.

We did have our Secretary Angela Giles take on the Treasurer ship but unfortunately Angela resigned both positions earlier this year due to personal commitments.

I am also most sorry that Dianne Culling will not be standing again, Our thanks to Angela and Dianne for all their valuable help and advice over the past years.   My sincere thanks also to our President John Langridge for his great knowledge of the history of the Society and for his most valuable advice.

My personal thanks to the Committee for the sterling work and unstinting support they have individually and collectively given you and I over the past very difficult year or two.

Thankfully we have at last a full committee, They are: Secretary: Pam Pilbury, Acting Vice Chairman David Morgan. Treasurer: Donna Denham, ably assisted by David Goncalves. Membership Secretary Doreen Tickner, ably assisted by Betty Cornell and David Goncalves, Susan Smith as Publicity and Rosemary Hook as South Downs Representative. And, as I write, a volunteer in Chris Stephens of the Estate Agents Jacobs Steel as Planning Officer.  We thank you all most sincerely for filling these most important positions. We are still requiring an Auditor so if we have any willing volunteer we would be most grateful.

Needless to say, due to having no Auditor again this year the accounts cannot be voted upon once again, but we can assure you they are fully up to date and will be duly audited next year. You have a copy of the accounts for last year.

You also have copies of the minutes of the AGM of the 3^rd May last year. May I please have last years minutes agreed? those in favour of accepting the minutes???????

I now have much pleasure in submitting our report for the last year, I think you will agree that our achievements have been first class.

I am sure you have seen the publicity we have obtained in the press over the A24 and A27 and the problems of speed in the Valley.

Due to David Morgan’s pressure on County Highways they are now considering a 30mph limit through the Valley.  His  personal achievement in the recent KEEP CLEAR signs on the Offington Roundabout is acknowledged with thanks. You will have noticed it most certainly helps during the horrendous rush hours.

The traffic light crossing for the Library and Surgery, are now number 6 in the Counties priority list, these should be installed within the next 2 years. You may also have noted that there is a little longer to cross at the crossing lights? This we have achieved in conjunction with Vale School who have done a truly professional presentation to the County Council and Highways for a great deal more to be done for the Valley.  Our very sincere thanks to David Morgan and Susan Smith for the enormous amount of work they have done in representing your Society on that committee and the enormous amount of work David Morgan has done personally in advising the School.

Our thanks to Clifford Barnard who has kept our notice board outside the Library updated every month with committee notices so please look every time you go to the Library or Doctors. Look also on our Web Site.

There have been a spate of car break-ins just lately, 2 of your committee have had their cars written off with the damage these vandals caused, please be careful not to leave any valuables visible in your vehicles. There is an article on our web site on this.

We still have a major problem in parking in the service road to the businesses there and the surrounding roads, this must certainly be looked at most urgently, The service road is a one hour parking area but quite a few vehicles are parked there needlessly all day. There is also the ongoing problem of deliveries to be sorted. We could also do for a motor cycle parking area. We are most fortunate in having these businesses on our doorstep, I do request that we all support them as much as we can, they are such a valuable asset to the Valley.

We also still have the problem of parents delivering their children to Vale School in vehicles, the School is dealing with this with our support.

I have been informed of a possible large scale development at Hillview Rise, there are to be plans submitted to demolish No 13 Hillview Rise as an access road and build 8 new properties in the back gardens of numbers 1 to 11 Hillview Rise. What are your views?

I am delighted to inform you that I have been informed over the past week that all the security work on the Durrington Cemetery has finally been completed, the only problem left is that the main gate in Findon Road will be left open, we have suggested that it is more reasonable to close it at 10pm, it is after this time that vandals tend to invade. I am pleased that they have now agreed to having CCTV within the cemetery and police dogs patrolling the grounds at odd times to deter vandalism  

I have been in touch with the managing agents of Tesco well over 2 months ago regarding the dreadful mess within the entrance to the flats upstairs, the door is hanging off and the walls and stairs inside are disgusting, unfortunately to date they have done nothing.

Lime Tree Surgery Patients Group are holding their AGM next Tuesday May 23^rd at 7. 30pm in this hall. There will be a presentation by the doctors on “How will Lime Tree Surgery Survive”. The end of General practice as we know it. This will be of interest to everybody in the Valley so please do support them.

We have receive the following MOTION:

That Findon Valley Society and Residents Association make application to West Sussex County Council for the Status of  FINDON VALLEY CONSERVATION AREA.

Proposed by Guy Osborn and seconded by Leroy Bryan.

The reason for this motion is that Findon Valley was built in the 1930s , and zoned as a retirement area which it still is.  Now there are far too many 2 bed roomed bungalows being bought and changed into 4 bed roomed houses, many because planning consent is not required, only building regulations. This practice is spoiling the character of the Valley, and means that many previously private gardens and properties are now overlooked and overshadowed. This is pricing properties within the Valley way out of reach of the many elderly.

Guy and Mrs Osborn have done a great deal of research into this motion and have presented us with quite a thick file on the reasoning behind the motion.

I therefore put it to this AGM for voting upon.

We now come to the election of your committee for the coming year. You will note that your existing committee are all prepared to stand and that must be a good omen.

Firstly I would like to thank David Morgan for his great assistance to me as acting Vice Chairman over the past year and I would very much like to personally propose David Goncalves to the vacant post as Vice Chairman. David is the person who is to be congratulated for designing our fantastic Web Site and keeping it updated regularly and also ably assisting myself, our Treasurer and Membership Secretary.

I now hand over to Councillor Reg Green who will take the nomination for Chairman of Findon Valley Society.

Those standing for election are:

 President:            John Langridge.

Chairman:            Leroy Bryan.

Vice Chairman:   David Goncalves.

Secretary:            Pamela Pilbury.

Treasurer:            Donna Denham.

Membership Sec: Doreen Tickner.

Assistant Mem Sec: Betty Quinnel.

Webmaster:         David Goncalves.

Publicity:             Susan Smith.

South Downs Rep: Rosemary Hook.

Planning:             Chris Stephens.

Are there any further nominations for the committee? 

I declare the committee duly elected for the coming year.

Please may I make an appeal for more ROAD REPS we have had a few retirements this year, if you could spare a little time in going round the Valley once or twice a year we would really appreciate it. It does create a good opportunity of making friends with your neighbours?

I believe Doreen Tickner, our Membership Secretary would like a word.

Before I close the AGM I would like, on behalf of you all, to propose a very sincere THANK YOU to Penny Forbes of the FINDON VALLEY DIRECTORY, Penny has distributed our Newsletters at no charge for the past two years, this is the first time in many years that EVERY household has received our newsletters. Penny has also encouraged us to write an article for her magazine at any time.

We must also thank all our local ESTATE AGENTS who print our 2000 Newsletters free of charge twice a year.

Thank you all very much indeed for your support. Unless there are any questions to the Committee strictly regarding the AGM?

I declare the AGM for the year 2006 closed.

              I now invite any questions for your Committee or Councillors.