Radley
House Partnership
[News Headlines]
[Massey's Folly] [Village
Hall Management Committee]
PUBLIC CONSULTATION - MASSEY'S FOLLY
There
will be a Public Consultation Meeting on
Wednesday 16th April 2008 at 7 p.m. in Farringdon
Village Hall
The Massey's Folly Preservation Trust invite you to take this opportunity to air your views on the future of the building. Their Consultation Architects will be on hand to answer your questions.
For more information: Contact Gillian McCallum on 587423 or E-mail: mfpt@geoff.mail1.co.uk
MFPT Report for Parish Council Village meeting April 2008
|
MFPT
Newsletters 2006 |
| May |
| June |
| July |
| October |
|
2007
|
| July |
| October |
| December |
|
2008
|
| April
Consultation Meeting Rep |
For the new Trustees and members, getting to grips with the complex issues of dealing with Funding Bodies and the strictures laid down by them, was, alone a daunting task, without everything else with which we had to contend.
With much help
and understanding from the teams at Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and The
Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) we have achieved a great deal.
All this has taken an enormous amount of time and effort by the trustees
A grant from
the AHF enabled us to benefit enormously from the invaluable support and
guidance from a Mentor provided by them.
David Trevis Smith, with his immense experience was a fund of knowledge,
and was a saving grace to us Trustees from the minute the new board was
formed.
The funding we had successfully received in 2006 from HLF had enabled us to carry out advertising, interviewing and selecting a candidate for the Project Organiser's post. Sadly because of the upsets at the start of last year the Candidate withdrew .The whole process had to begin again with the result we had wasted a great deal money and time.
To comply with
HLF directives we have to adhere to strict procedures when advertising ,
interviewing and selecting a Project Organiser. We involved representatives
from both the Parish Council and The Village Hall Committee. Keith Haskell
attended the last interview and was able to represent both of the above.
Members from the village were also invited to meet candidates prior to the
interviews.
Geoff Cumbers was appointed.
In addition to
funding the appointment process and the salary of the Project Organiser,
the grant from the HLF was to cover the costs of acquiring tenders from
a minimum of 3 Accredited Conservation Architects, writing the specifications,
evaluating and interviewing the short list and making the final selection.
The successful firm was Radley House from Winchester.
HLF Funding also pays the Architect's to fulfil their Brief; to carry out
the Surveys; produce an Access plan; and a Conservation Management Plan,
with ideas for sustainable use of the building that will suit the villagers
wishes and needs.
Contained in their Brief is the directive to hold Consultation meetings
with the Village and Neighbourhood and to work with them.
The first of these consultation meetings will be held next Wednesday at 7.00 here in the Village Hall and I hope you will all come and make your contributions and ask questions
It is I feel important at this point to re iterate some facts about Funding .
MFPT is a non
profit making Trust and as such it has access to funding not available to
village halls Because of their nature they are not eligible for funding
from AHF for instance since they are a profit making organisation.
It was for this reason MFPT was set up so as to benefit from such a situation.
MFPT can raise considerable funds for the sole purpose of restoring a Listed
Building and from a variety of other charities and funding bodies.
Besides grants from the HLF, the AHF also provides grants for administrative
costs and contributes to part of the Project Organiser's salary.
AHF are also still keeping "on the table" the offer of the Loan
with which to purchase the other half of the building.
MFPT are still awaiting a response to the last offer made to Osbornes -(agents
for the other half of the building.)
MATCH FUNDING.
Geoff Cumbers is seeking match funding from a variety of sources
So that if the village decides that The Folly should be restored, preserved
and brought into community use, then we shall have the match funding in
place
We are not intending, as we stated from the beginning, that the village
should be burdened with providing match funding. Unless of course someone
has a few thousands they don't know what to do with!!
MFPT Trustees were introduced to an interesting source of match funding which the Trustees themselves could supply. They log the hours they give to the project, this is calculated out depending on the level of work undertaken and it is used as match funding.. The example Chrys Browne gave, was that last year her contribution was around £5,000, and mine was similar.
In November a
Steering Group was finally created as suggested by HLF and AHF. This comprised
representatives from, both charities; the Parish Council and representatives
from, when possible EHDC. Radley House members also attended when possible.
The monthly meetings give an opportunity for both charities and others to
share information, plans and exchange ideas.
Once this group was formed MFPT were pleased to hear that grants from HLF
and AHF had been unfrozen.
The two Funding bodies froze both grants because they had some concerns
and decided to wait until clearer evidence of full co-operation between
the two charities existed before releasing them. This was a great relief.
In January the Architects began work on and have completed the Surveys of the whole building.
Thanks are due
to Karen Deane for making it possible and putting up with any inconvenience
Thanks are due also to the EHDC in general and some specific people, for
all their help and support. EHDC have provided our Project Organiser with
a Hot desk and other support in their Petersfield offices
Thanks also to Councillor Kemp Gee for the grant he was able to give us.
We would also like to thank Mary Fagan Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire for her support for the project.
Future plans
are that Radley House will be holding the final Consultation on May 14th.
They will present on the feed back from the survey and what they have prepared
as a result of the first meeting which is as I mentioned next Wednesday
16th April at 7.00
The next step is that MFPT will make a submission to HLF by October for
further funding for the whole project. The result of which we should hear
by early 2009 and we shall then know whether we have been successful or
not.
Please will all of you come on Wednesday and bring your friends . We need
your input and you will have the Architects there to whom you may voice
your opinions and wishes. They will also be reporting on the results of
their recent village survey /questionnaire