Annual Parish Meeting – 30th April 2025

Minutes of the Great Longstone Annual Parish Meeting

held at 7pm on Wednesday 30th April 2025

in Longstone Village Hall

DRAFT AND NOT APPROVED

Present. Cllr Jane Rigby, Cllr Phil Barrett, Cllr Andy Douglass, Cllr Stevie Hornsey, District Cllr Helen Froggatt, Simon Headington (Clerk), 9 speakers and 35 parishioners and friends.

The meeting was opened at 7.02pm.

1. In the absence of the Chair and Vice Chair, Cllr Barrett had agreed to chair the meeting and deliver Cllr Long’s Report
2. Apologies for absence. Cllr Wendy Long, Cllr Caroline Briggs, Cllr James Cox
3. Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting 15^th May 2024. Proposed as an accurate record by Cllr Rigby, seconded by Cllr Douglass. All in favour.
4. Chair’s report – delivered by Cllr Barrett. Key points were that it was another busy year, with highlights including:
   1. working with the LASRA committee to support the establishment of the new charity and the refurbishment of the Tennis Court
   2. completion of the allotments water supply project
   3. working with the Churchyard volunteers to help increase biodiversity in this area
   4. the success of the Christmas Eve Carol Concert
   5. work lead by Cllr Douglass on starting the Neighbourhood Plan process
   6. welcoming new Councillor Stevie Hornsey

Cllr Long also announced that she would be standing down at the start of the May meeting of the Parish Council, immediately after a new Chair has been elected. This will bring to a close 18 years of service to the Council, 10 of which have been as Chair.

5. Presentations from Community Organisations
   1. Bakewell & Eyam Transport – Helen Chapman, Community Development Officer, took the audience through the key services that are provided by this small Longstone based organisation.
   2. Under the Edge – Adam Rae-Smith, Editor, explained how the production of the newsletter was organised and funded and how it has developed and grown since the first issue in 1998.
   3. Longstone Area Sports & Recreation Association (LASRA) – Mike Meurer, Chair of Trustees, explained the work that had gone into the creation of this new charity, its objectives and some of its early achievements, including a highly successful Sports Day in July 2024, which the plan to run this again during in the 2025 Longstone Week.
   4. Great Longstone Cricket Club – Dave Richards, Club Captain discussed the return of Cricket to the village after a 5-year gap, the work done with LASRA to restore the Cricket Square and the 14 friendly fixtures arranged for the season, the launch of ECB accredited Junior Cricket Coaching with Dynamos [5-8] and All Stars [8-11] .
   5. Longstone School – Mark Knight, Headteacher discussed the draft School Strategy that aims to make Longstone the school of choice for local families, developing contacts with the local community and specifically to increase the numbers from the current figure of around 90 back up to 110+.
   6. Thornhill House – Lucy Wright, Chair of Trustees explained the history and ethos of the Charity, which aims to provide a “Home from Home” for its residents. In addition to Residential and Nursing patients they provide a respite and outreach services, including meals-on-wheels, 365 days of the year. With 50+ staff and a turnover of over £1m it is a significant local employer and provider of key services to the community.
   7. Longstone Events and Activity Programme (LEAP) – Julia Morgans explained how LEAP was set-up, following the Covid Pandemic, to help support activities for local residents. It now has a busy programme of activities that are based on the Village Hall.
   8. Hope Valley Community Energy – Sheelagh Handy, Director & Trustee discussed their purpose is “to help the local community take positive steps to create and conserve energy – mitigating climate change and improving community wellbeing”. Specifically they are looking for ways of supporting communities such as Great Longstone in areas such as retrofitting older buildings.
   9. St Giles Parochial Church Council – Frank Hurst, Churchwarden explained that St Giles is now part of a wider group of 8 churches, based on Bakewell and that they are looking at ways of sharing expertise and experience. Frank also talked about caring for the Grade I listed building and in particular the work done with local Stained Glass artist Jane Littlefield making art works based on the “boss ends” that are otherwise hard to see high in the 15^th Century ceiling.
6. Update on Longstone Week 12^th to 20^th July 2025

A range of activities have been brought together for the 2025 Longstone Week. It will be particularly busy during the first weekend with the PCC Open Gardens on both days, the Well Dressings in both Great and Little Longstone and Grumpah Band (in Little Longstone) on Saturday 12^th. From Midday to 7pm LASRA will be running its annual Sports Day. A number of evening activities have been arranged and with a number of Cricket Matches and “Little Longstone Day” on Sat 19^th July.

7. Update on progress with the Village PlanCllr Andy Douglass talked through the work that has been undertaken over the past year, including Consultations at the FOLS Summer Fete and LASRA Sports Day, in July 2024, the very well attended PNDPA Local Plan Review event held in the Village Hall in November (which over 60 people took part in), a number of articles in Under the Edge and a launch events in February and April. This all culminated in, the creation of a project Steering Group, which met for the first time on the 28^th The project area has been provisionally set as being Great Longstone and Little Longstone. A draft “Terms of Reference” has been agreed and this will go to GLPC and LLPM, who both have meetings on the 14^th May, for approval.
8. Persons on electoral roll. Matters to raise.

• A parishioner asked if Hope Valley Community Energy had any experience of working with homeowners in Conservation Areas. Sheila Handy explained that this is something that they regularly come across as most of the local villages have Conservation Areas.
• A parishioner asked how the proposals for the Neighbourhood Plan had been publicised in the village. Cllr Douglass referred the questioner back to the information provided in the previous agenda item.

The meeting closed at 8.30pm

Simon Headington
Clerk to Great Longstone Parish Council

c/o Village Hall, Church Lane, Great Longstone, Bakewell, DE45 1TB.
Tel: 07968 295258
Email: clerk@greatlongstone-pc.gov.uk