Lucy McCall from DCA joining to provide an update.

DC welcomed Lucy McCall to the meeting today. LM has joined the meeting to provide the Working Party with an update on the progress so far. LM has been working on the Project Director job description which will be sent to KM, DC and the Trustees to review shortly to then be put out to advert after Easter. Interviews to be held in May with the hope of start date to be end of May/start of June. It is hoped the new Project Director will be based at Oldway part of the time.

LM is also reviewing the various Governance Structures, including the way the Volunteer Groups interact and will ultimately be looking to recruit additional trustees for the Oldway Trust. LM hopes to have this ready for further discussions in around 2 weeks. 

To agree the minutes of the meeting held on Monday 14^th February 2022.

            All agreed that the minutes of the last meeting held on 14^th February 2022 were an accurate record.

Covered in the agenda.

KM provided an update on the maintenance recommendations that have been discussed by Council Officers with support from TDA colleagues. 

KM advised that all solutions would be priced up and brought back to a future working party meeting for further discussion prior to any work taking place, or he will seek agreement via email. 

David Blanchard attended the meeting and provided an update on some hammer testing that is happening to check with issues with the balustrades.

There has been some work approved for the boarding up of the Rotunda windows which DB is going to chase up and see if can get this organised earlier than May.

KH raised the issue that there are still some holes in the ceiling in the tea rooms and that there are issues being experienced when it rains, as water leaks through the ceilings. DB advised that he will come and visit the tea rooms to look at this as he thought that this had been resolved. ACTION – DB

A long conversation was held over the condition of the building and monitoring the speed of the deterioration of the rooms. CR commented that he has some photos that he can send to DB which show earlier condition status and PH also has some photos. ACTION – CR & PH to send photos to DB.

It was requested that when the windows are boarded up, that brown plywood is not used and that it is arranged sympathetically. Historic images could be used and a notice board was also suggested.

AT raised that the doors of the tea rooms still require replacing. DB advised that he is in discussion with Jim Blackwell, in Planning over this and believes that this will be replaced as soon as possible. ACTION – DB

TE raised the issue that the Heras fencing at the rear of the Rotunda is damaged. DB advised that he will arrange for a team to check. ACTION - DB

KM updated that he is having ongoing discussions with Torbay Council’s Insurance Officer with regards to the insurer’s requirements for the building.

KM displayed the budget position for the year ending March 2022 and provided a brief update. It is forecasting to be slightly underspent and JW will request that the underspend balance is rolled over into the new financial year 22/23 and both KM & DC agreed with this suggestion. ACTION – JW

KH asked KM if there are plans for the tearooms to be charged separately for electric and water as she had received a visit from Wemco to install sub meters within the tearooms but did not know about this and the engineer could not find the water feed. ACTION – KM & DB to look into this and update KH.

PH provided an update from the Trust. The Gardens Landscape Management Plan has gone out to consultation and is going to be reissued with extended timelines so hopes that there will be increased responses received.

PH advised that he has recently attended two NHLF visits to Oldway and Oldway is very much on the radar with the NHLF. They are very impressed with the joint working of the Trust and the Council and the emerging strategy going forward.

KH advised that the tearooms have been closed recently due to increased COVID cases within the volunteers.

KH asked if there was an update on the traffic lights that are in place on Oldway Road as people are asking for updates due to other road closures nearby. KM advised that we are waiting for responses from Historic England for agreement for works required on the old stable building.

KH will send updated financial figures for the tearooms to KM & DC as an update – ACTION – KH

TE provided an update on the works being carried out within the gardens.

DC thanked all of the volunteers for all the hard work that is carried out within both of the groups.

MJ asked for permission to place a banner up to advertise the bowling groups to place near the tennis courts. KM agreed. 

MJ asked if it would be possible for the coach bays to be remarked as now there is going to be visiting teams attending soon for competitions. KM advised that he will speak to the Highways team to see if the road is in a good enough condition to be remarked – ACTION – KM/LS

MJ also asked about gulley cleaning around the bowling green. KM advised that there are delays with gulley cleaning at present with SWISCo as the gulley cleaning vehicle is nearing the end of its life and needs replacing which is being worked on. KM advised that if there are issues being experienced with flooding then this should be reported to SWISCo.