The new Trustees of the Three Rivers Partnership as of the AGM 2008 are: (information has been provided by the nominee or the nominator)

Clive Drake

• Member of Gillingham Action Team '98 -'01 Chair of Inward Investment & Marketing
• Founding Trustee of The Three Rivers Partnership '04 -'07
• Interests: Sport, Education, Regimental Association.
• Business: MD Carewatch (Wessex) and Carewatch (Christchurch). Delivering Health & Social Care to elderly and infirm in their own houses.
• Qualified and experienced in financial management.
• Due to be President of Dorset & Wilts RFU '09, currently Deputy President

Since I have been involved for 10 years in community activities and with the Chamber of Commerce, School (Foundation Trustee) and Rugby Club for more than 15 years, I wish to see Gillingham get the organisations and facilities it deserves.

Cllr Mrs Janet Robson
Cllr Mrs Janet Robson was nominated by the Gillingham Town Council. She has been a member of the Town Council since February 1996 and served as Mayor in 2000.

Elaine Stewart
I have been a marketer in one form or another for thirty years - mainly with large corporate companies, but also with a small corporate and on the other side of the fence in an advertising & marketing agency of 20 people.

I consider my main skills that would be useful to Three Rivers are an ability to get on with people and manage disparate and virtual teams of people to achieve common goals.

In my professional life I have managed internal communications both print and internet-based. I have managed teams, as well as worked as part of virtual teams bought together for a specific project. I have had control of seven-figure budgets and the financial planning and control that goes with it.

Latterly I managed a large global events programme and a team of people who were not UK-based to deliver the programme. The events were successful because the team worked together and everyone knew what they had to do.

I feel Three Rivers needs to be more visible to local people - Gillingham needs to know what is going on with their Leisure Centre and be reassured that the trustees are active on Gillingham's behalf with all parties involved in the remodel. Three Rivers also needs to engender trust that the trustees are the right people to manage and run a leisure facility that serves many thousands of people.

The events listed in the Events section are run by Three Rivers Partnership.

New events are listed first.

Once an event has happened it is taken from this list and a report on any outcomes will be available a short time afterwards.

Events not run by Three Rivers but connected to what we do are also listed on this website. If your event is not here and you think that it should be included, please contact us.

Notice of Annual General Meeting

Tuesday 24th June 2008
Gillingham Primary School
7pm

Nominations for Trustees have closed
There were three vacancies on the Board and there were three nominations received. This means that the following people have been elected unopposed to serve on the Board of The Three Rivers Partnership:

• Clive Drake
• Cllr Mrs Janet Robson
• Elaine Stewart

More information on these new trustees is available here

The very last event to be staged at the Gillingham Leisure Centre will be an exhibition about the new community leisure centre which is planned to replace it.

The Three Rivers Partnership, with North Dorset District Council and Gillingham Town Council will be staging an exhibition of plans and proposals about the new community centre on Friday 28 March (6.00-9.00pm), Saturday 29 March (9.00am-7.00pm) and Sunday 30 March (10.00am-3.00pm).

It is intended that the new centre will act as a hub for the wider community, serving all ages and the varied requirements of everyone from Shaftesbury to Mere, as well as the ever increasing population of Gillingham itself.

Sport and leisure facilities will be high on the agenda. At last year’s Expo, when the Three Rivers Partnership consulted local people on what they wanted in the new centre, a 25 metre swimming pool was top of the list.

However, there will also be purpose built meeting rooms for clubs and societies to use. Local businesses will be encouraged to make use of the centre as well, so that it can play its part in the economic generation of the area.

Many local organisations, sports clubs and other groups have already pledged their support for the new community centre and the exhibition will pay tribute to those who have been actively involved in the process to date.

North Dorset District Council has a long term commitment to support the project with £4 million capital. So too has Gillingham Town Council with £250,000. The organisers are keen to encourage others to declare their interest in the proposals and they hope that many organisations and individuals will do so when they visit the three day exhibition.

The big question is: when will the centre be built? The organisers are keen to press on as quickly as possible and they stress that the greater the commitment they get from the community then the sooner the builders can start work.

So come to the exhibition, find out what the plans are and pledge your support for your community centre. The exhibition will not only show what the centre might look like but also how it will be operated and financed.

Many thanks to everyone who came along and supported the EXPO. It was encouraging that a total of over 1300 local residents, including young people, attended and made their views known. Thanks, too, to all the many volunteers who helped to make it such a successful event.

The Three Rivers Partnership set out their plans for the development of the Leisure and Community facilities in Gillingham at the Town Hall over the weekend of 28/30th September 2007.

A key objective was to assess the level of local support for the Partnership to pursue options for developing a new leisure centre in the town. A range of options was presented, and, as far as possible at this stage, the likely costs and the level of financial support needed was set out for each. This meant estimated capital costs (to be met from existing funds set aside, sponsors and partners) – and operating costs, and the estimated level of support from local council tax for the facility to break even.

The more expensive proposals, which would include a new swimming pool, are clearly ambitious for an area with Gillingham’s population, and there are few precedents for community-sponsored projects of this sort to learn from. But the partnership is determined that if there is strong enough local mandate, every effort should be made to bring modern leisure and community facilities to Gillingham and the surrounding area.

Funding difficulties are made worse by Government raids on lottery funds to prop up the 2012 Olympics, and by the parlous state of North Dorset District Council (NDDC’s) own finances.

The Expo also asked views on whether local council tax support should be provided for services being withdrawn by NDDC – notably street cleaning and public toilets.

The full content of both the Roadshow and the Expo are available from this website.

Results:

1. Services being withdrawn by NDDC at the end of March 2008, i.e. street cleaning and public toilet:
   • An overwhelming majority agreed to the proposition that Gillingham Town Council should take over these services.
2. On the Leisure Centre options:
   • It is clear that the vast majority of residents who engaged with the Expo information have indicated that they are prepared to accept an increase in their Council Tax to offset the inevitable deficit involved in running a swimming pool.
     The options were to include either a 4 lane 20 metre pool, or a 6 lane 25 metre pool.
     The overwhelming majority of swimmers and non-swimmers chose the 6 lane option.
3. Open Spaces – North Dorset District Council's Local Delivery transfer of land to communities
   • There is a clear majority wish for negotiations with NDDC to continue and Three Rivers to employ a person to manage those areas in and around Gillingham.
   • Three Rivers Partnership has set up a Land Trust to receive the proposed ownership of land, which will keep them in community ownership in perpetuity and protected from development.
   • Painstaking research work has been undertaken by our forensic accountant, the report is expected soon, and full details will be in our next Newsletter and soon here on the website.

   Next Steps

   We now know that people are prepared to pay for the running of the project.

   1. To supplement the £4 million from North Dorset District Council a further £10 million is needed for building costs. We need to appoint professionals to determine whether the money is out there and accessible to us.
   2. Assuming it is shown the project is achievable, then 3RP will employ a high-calibre full-time professional fundraiser, and at that point will establish a permanent office and take on someone for administrative support.
   3. We are following up with the other market towns and villages who are critical to the success of this venture.
   4. We will continue our fortnightly meetings with senior members of NDDC to ensure everything is managed in the best possible way.
   5. Volunteers – All interested groups will work together to achieve a successful outcome as quickly as possible. Three Rivers will help coordinate voluntary help for all that needs to be done, in particular local fundraising events. Skills of all kinds will be required and we are grateful to all those who have already offered their services. We will be in touch with you soon to put those skills to good use!

      

The Expo is intended to provide all Residents of Gillingham Town and the surrounding Parishes with an opportunity to examine the true facts and figures behind the proposed new Sports and Fitness Centre and the package of Services that Gillingham Town Council is proposing to deliver to the local area.

The Expo will be presented in Gillingham Town Hall and doors will be open 0900 to 2000 on Friday 28th September, and 0900 to 1700 on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th September.

All Residents of Gillingham Town and the surrounding Parishes are encouraged to come and see for themselves.

The scope of information about the Sports and Fitness Centre will include:

• The proposed design of the new facilities
• Details of a phased build programme
• How much it will cost the Community to build
• How much it is likely to cost the Community to own and operate
• What this will mean to each household now and in the future

The scope of information about the Services will include:

• A description of each Service being offered
• How each Service will be delivered to Subscribers
• How much each Service will cost the Town Council to provide
• The unit cost to buy each Service based on full subscription from the Town and the Parishes
• What this will mean to each household now and in the future

In addition to getting an honest story, all visitors will also have the opportunity to discuss their views and issues with representatives from the three partnering organisations and, importantly, to register their support for what is being proposed.

For more information please ring 01747 823588

Since May, representatives from 3 Rivers, GTC and NDDC have been meeting regularly to determine the best way to bring about the proposed changes in how local services are delivered to the Town and surrounding Parishes and how to bring fruition plans for new Sports and Fitness facilities for the whole area.

Whilst it has not been possible to notify the Public at every turn, the three Partners are committed to presenting a clear picture of the true situation, what is being done by them to address key issues, what are the real options and what are the hard decisions the Community and Partners must make.

A joint ROADSHOW will tour the whole area during August and September with the aim of raising awareness and stimulating discussion between Residents and their Town and Parish Councillors. Representatives from 3 Rivers, and NDDC will be on hand to capture your and answer your questions.

Come to the ROADSHOW and get the real picture!

Following on from the Roadshow a major EXPOSITION will be staged at Gillingham Town Hall from Friday 28th September through to Sunday 30th September to give the Town and Parish communities full details of the scope, cost and benefits of the Services that Gillingham Town Council proposes to offer, together with full details of the design, build and running costs of the new Sports and Fitness centre that 3 Rivers is proposing to develop on your behalf.

You will again be able to discuss your views and questions with representatives from the three partnering organisations. Most importantly, you will be invited to register your support for the proposals.

Come to the EXPO and make up your own mind!

Since May, representatives from 3 Rivers, GTC and NDDC have been meeting regularly to determine the best way to bring about the proposed changes in how local services are delivered to the Town and surrounding Parishes and how to bring fruition plans for new Sports and Fitness facilities for the whole area.

Whilst it has not been possible to notify the Public at every turn, the three Partners are committed to presenting a clear picture of the true situation, what is being done by them to address key issues, what are the real options and what are the hard decisions the Community and Partners must make.

A joint ROADSHOW will tour the whole area during August and September with the aim of raising awareness and stimulating discussion between Residents and their Town and Parish Councillors. Representatives from 3 Rivers, and NDDC will be on hand to capture and answer your questions.

Come to the ROADSHOW and get the real picture!

See the Roadshow schedule

Following on from the Roadshow a major EXPOSITION will be staged at Gillingham Town Hall from Friday 28th September through to Sunday 30th September to give the Town and Parish communities full details of the scope, cost and benefits of the Services that Gillingham Town Council proposes to offer, together with full details of the design, build and running costs of the new Sports and Fitness centre that 3 Rivers is proposing to develop on your behalf.

You will again be able to discuss your views and questions with representatives from the three partnering organisations. Most importantly, you will be invited to register your support for the proposals.

Come to the EXPO and make up your own mind!

The Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday 15th May 2007 at Gillingham Primary School.

The Chairman, Mark Hebditch gave a presentation on the activities of Three Rivers over the past year and an outline of future plans. His full presentation is below.

The Special Resolution was passed unanimously. Details of the Special Resolution are included in the AGM 2007 Briefing.

The new Board of Trustees was accepted. The Trustees of The Three Rivers Partnership are:

• Mark Hebditch (Chairman)
• Andrew Cattaway
• John Havill
• Jackie Kemp
• David Littlewood
• Caroline Sharman
• David Webb

The accounts for the year ending June 30th 2006 were accepted.

The proper record of the AGM will be published shortly.

To read the document below you need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader which is free to download.