Eastleigh Borough Council Bursledon Windmill Joint Management Committee Meeting

RESOLVED –

That the minutes of the meeting held on 18 March 2021 be confirmed as a correct record.

Emma Banks, the community manager representing the Hampshire Cultural Trust, presented a report on activities at or relating to Bursledon Windmill. Staff were mainly furloughed throughout the beginning of the year until the end of May. Health and safety checks continued throughout this time at the windmill.

The windmill has a very active events plan for this year after seeing the success that events brought last year. The first music event was launched at the mill with the second on 16 July 2021. Sound bath sessions had been successful and there were now three scheduled over the next three consecutive months. Other events include a strawberry fayre over the weekend of 17 July 2021.

Weekend visitor numbers have been quieter than anticipated, but the events programme has been very active and has made up for any shortfall from weekend visits. The budgeted target for June was 204 visitors but 288 visitors attended. To date over £1,600 has been raised through community fundraising and £2000 raised from Trusts & Foundations. Horizon 20:20 has continued to support young people including at the Bridge Education Centre. New visitor survey to be issued through QR code or email.

The windmill was included in the HCT monthly e-newsletter, which has 60,000 subscribers to which it has promoted features such as the Bursledon Windmill May Fair and Support our Sales campaign. The Windmill had been chosen as one of 10 sites to participate in the South East Museum Development Innovate to Generate scheme, which will offer £1,200 for museums to pilot new ideas, starting with 4 workshops. The windmill project is focusing on the food and beverage offer available on site. There was also additional funding of £500 from a bequest from two years ago which will be used for this project. Training element of the programme ends this month and then afterwards can apply for funding that is currently ringfenced. 

With an increase in staycations the windmill was expecting to have a good level of attendance throughout the summer. Ross Mclean offered to help with promoting events that the windmill is hosting. The windmill has received requests for weddings, the feasibility of which is something that can be investigated in greater detail after the food and beverage grant.

Update from HCC states that after further research and investigations, the stocks of the windmill need to be replaced with new stocks along with some remedial work on the sales. There is a very specific high grade quality timber that is used for the replacements of stocks which is very difficult to source at the size required. Specialists have advised the most common form of replacement is a bespoke laminated timber solution which would mean a solicited building application is required. Recently there was a sight meeting with John Skipper from the Heritage Team who will take forward the programme and will review an application in the next three weeks. The recommended date for the site work to be carried out is March/April 2022. 
Concerns were raised over the lack of plan as to how to get the mill working, running and staff trained. Emma stated that there needs to be a constant repair list due to the nature of the windmill and that a conservation management plan is needed for further investment but there is currently not one in place.

Further concerns were raised over funding and the lack of self-sufficiency of the windmill. Ross raised that Bursledon, Hamble and Hound Local Area Committee have now drafted a basic service level agreement based on the original principle that each year will be a reduction in funding for the windmill. Ross is to meet with Deborah & Emma soon to discuss this. 

Consideration was given to the Financial Report presented by Jess Reilly from Hampshire Cultural Trust. The figures shown in the meeting corresponded to Quarter 1 of 2021 rather than Quarter 4 of 2020. Community fundraising had raised £3,500 so far. Smaller spends on the café. Eastleigh Grant Holding to be discussed with Ross after the meeting. Visiting figures have been positive especially for events which has been inline with revenue forecasts. Concerns were raised over the expenditure being more than £10,000 over income, Jess stated she would investigate why this is and inform members. Hampshire Cultural Trust has attained Covid Grants which will be distributed but unaware as to how much the windmill will receive at this stage.

The next meeting will take place on 25 November 2021 at 10:30am.

Councillor Alan Broadhurst was elected as Chair for 2021/22.