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New Alresford Town Council
Meeting of Recreation Committee Meeting
Held at the Alresford Recreation Centre
7.30pm Wednesday, 27th May, 2015
Present
Apologies
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Cllrs K.Barrett (Chair), L.Grffiths, M.Power, B.Jeffs, E.Jeffs.
Sports Club representatives: R.Walls (Rugby), T.Ingram, K.Curtis & P.Peters. S.Bell. (Football), H.
Lewis (Tennis), Andy Joyce (cricket)
Cllr.S.Kerr -Smiley, B.Gower. John Weston.
MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING Resolution: To approve the Minutes of 18th February 2015 as a
true and accurate record. These minutes will be presented to be signed off at the next meeting on 17th June
as amendments were recommended to point 517.4.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION- Mr.R.Atkins gave a resume of the history of the football club at Alresford.
He explained that Mr Ingram had had a large involvement with the initial work and that Mr Ingram and
himself secured a grant from the FA in these early days which helped with the building of changing
rooms and the instalment of seating for spectators.
FINANCE REPORT – The budget is £32,000 for this year.
SPORTS AND YOUTH SECTION –
Football
The Football Club is looking forward to two teams next season. A new tea hut is the latest addition.
Other new impending changes before the season starts will be fencing around the pitch. Drainage
enhancements need to come along with this including gutters and drain pipes coming down from the
smoking balcony. New flood light bulbs have been installed to the cost of £2,500. Mr Ingram requested a
meeting with all the clubs that will be using the Arlebury Park facilities on to find a solution for match
day procedures for spectator parking.
Youth Football
Paul Peters reported that this club is expanding with 218 children already signed up for the coming
season. There will be 16 teams in total. The girl’s teams will play on Saturdays with two possible squads
– under 13’s and under 16’s.
There are concerns that the pitches will be getting a lot of wear and tear, particularly the lower pitch at
Arlebury Park as a result.
Cricket
Mr Joyce reported that the wicket area at Arlebury Park is now in a very poor condition but useable for
their few arranged matches. He continues to search for funding for a new replacement strip. Mr Joyce
requested that the outfield be cut twice weekly as usual for the duration of their fixtures.
Rugby
The rugby AGM is planned for next month and pre-season training will start next week. Sue Bell talked
about the Rugby World Cup which will be held in England this year. ‘Alresford Celebrates Rugby’ is an
event that she is planning when the Webb Ellis Cup comes to Alresford on 26th August 2015, 2-8pm. The
idea being that the public and local community can celebrate a fun rugby day on the new rugby pitches.
Various Societies like the Rotary and Pigs will have a pitch along with food vendors and other facilities.
So far the programme has been arranged around the cup arriving at 2pm when the Mayor of Winchester
will be doing a presentation for the mini players. Matches will be played for minis, youth, women and
senior players throughout the day. This event will be publicised through the new rugby website and
Facebook. Flyers may also be distributed. Councillor Barrett is keen to promote this event and suggested
putting a link on the NATC website.
Tennis
Howard Lewis reported that electricity is being installed in the tennis hut next month and Peter Bridges
will be digging the trench for this. A grant has currently been applied for to help with the cost.
Membership stands at 60 adults and 40 children. There is one men’s A team which is currently holding
its own in Division 3 and the East Hants League.
Mr Lewis requested 14 replacement beech hedging plants.
clerk
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RECREATION GROUNDS & PARKS
Sun Hill Recreation Ground
Cllr Barrett would like to arrange a walkabout of all the grounds and play equipment. When a date has
been decided it will be advertised in the Forum.
Stratton Bates
The lack of storage was discussed. Mr Peters explained that so much of the football equipment has to be
stored in the kitchen and disabled toilet resulting in these facilities to be non-operational. The FA does
give grants for storage. Therefore a meeting will be planned on site with Keith Curtis to ascertain the
specific requirements.
Arlebury Park
The proposed football stand and extra 16 seats under the balcony need to be in place before the new
season gets under way. According to Ian Craig, the Wessex ground grading officer, this will ensure that
Alresford FC will go into the Wessex league. The order of work will be to deal with the gutters and
drains to the new soakaway, put in the base to the stand then erect the stand, install the new fencing and
gateways. A council meeting will be held this week to organise the finance of this new structure.
Storage facilities for rugby was discussed and the best temporary solution seems to be 15’x 8’ container
sited outside the rugby changing room. Long term storage would be better located at the other end of the
football pitch adjacent to the tennis courts. This will be explored further at the full town council meeting
on 11th June.
Wear and tear to the pitches needs attention and the FA are going to take some plug samples to analyse
and advise treatment.
Maintenance to the changing rooms at Arlebury will be addressed when the Councillors do a Recreation
walkabout.
WestField
Excellent reports.
WEBSITE
The new NATC website will include links to all the sports clubs, including their fixture lists. Sports Clubs
were advised that fixture lists could be provided in Excel or PDF formats, allowing easy uploading to the
new NATC website.
NEXT MEETING: 17th June 2015
Meeting closed at 21.25p.m.
Clerk
Clerk