Campaign History

ST LUKE’S HEALTHY LIVING CENTRE CAMPAIGN – A History

We must begin by acknowledging the unqualified support of Temple Sutton School Governors and KeyMed’s Managing Director for this campaign.

2004/05Travel Plan completed by KeyMed in consultation with local residents, pupils from Temple Sutton Primary and Cecil Jones College. KeyMed’s Community Projects Co-ordinator [Peter Holmes] leads the project, working with Temple Sutton’s Headteacher [Frank Gulley].

Late 2004Peter Holmes asks Frank Gulley about the quality of life for local people – he learns that the feeling of isolation has been exacerbated by the recent loss of amenities such as post office, pharmacy, housing office, mobile library and bus services.

January 2005Frank and Peter tour Cluny Square and local area, taking photographs to illustrate the decline and general lack of repair of buildings e.g. the doctors’ surgery, public areas, and need for major regeneration.

They visit the Bromley-By-Bow Centre in East London – and are inspired to establish a similar Centre in St Luke’s Ward – incorporating full health service provision and social enterprise under community ownership.

January 2005Full Service Extended School Administrator [Jannine Speer] is appointed at Temple Sutton Primary.

March 2005Consultation begins with distribution of a Ward Questionnaire to TS Parents, Year 6 pupils, local residents and Years 7/8 pupils at Cecil Jones. They are asked about their ability to access services and to express their greatest needs and wishes for their area.

FSES Administrator researches into poverty levels nationally and at Ward level.

May 2005Responses to questionnaires are analysed, identifying clear concerns about insufficient medical services, youth entertainment and safety measures.

July 2005St Luke’s Partnership Meeting is well attended, residents give personal examples of the need for accessible, good quality health amenities.

September 2005Frank writes to TS parents, asking for support for the building of a Health Centre in St Luke’s Ward.

St Luke’s Partnership distributes a flier to residents incorporating Frank’s letter and asking for comments.

Many residents send letters of support, often with personal experiences.

October 2005Jannine and Peter arrange a visit to the Bromley-By-Bow Centre for representatives from Southend’s Local Authority, PCT, Local Improvement Finance Trust, Social Care, Early Years and Adult College. An enjoyable and inspiring day includes a workshop at which all agree that St Luke’s Ward should have a Healthy Living Centre, and begin practical planning. This visit is pivotal in the progress of the project. On advice from the BBBC leaders, this group of delegates agrees to meet again to pursue this exciting project and its opportunities for partnership working at all levels. Individual actions are agreed.

November 2005Peter, Frank and Jannine attend the LIFT Stakeholder Day at the Cliffs Pavilion at the invitation of Margaret Hathaway, LIFT’s Project Director.

Group meets at Stefan’s, members are:

Debbie Fielding, Julie Garbutt, Frank Gulley, Margaret Hathaway, Peter Holmes, Katherine Kirk, Jannine Speer, Rob Tinlin, Sally Carr – Councillor with Education Portfolio, Paul Greenhalgh – Director of Children’s Services, Anna Waite – Leader of Southend Borough Council.

Full support from all present – further actions are agreed.

December 2005Article in Southend Evening Echo publicises the need for, and intention to build, a Health Centre next to Temple Sutton School.

March 2006Group meets at KeyMed, sharing individual progress. Further actions agreed include:

Preparation of paper to Cabinet regarding release of school land for building.

Preparation of timeline and visit to Temple Sutton to develop “footprint”, by PCT representatives.

Consultation with Sport England regarding school playing field area.

Further meeting is planned before the Cabinet meeting – KeyMed 7th June 2006.

March 2006LIFT Director and Estates Manager visit Temple Sutton site. With Frank and Jannine, they prepare an outline “footprint” of the area required for necessary services.

March 2006Frank and Jannine are approached by, and meet with, a local Dance Teacher who wishes to set up a social enterprise business for St Luke’s Ward based on dance for all ages.

May 2006LIFT Consultant Estates Manager and independent architect visit the school, view the playing field area and discuss the project further with Jannine; architect plans to re-visit before developing the “footprint” further.

June 2006Group meets again at KeyMed to view the draft paper to Cabinet and consider further actions. Agreed to re-convene after full Cabinet meeting 27th July 2006.

Frank & Peter meet with new Council Leader, Murray Foster and Rev. Stephen Dray, local Church and Community Hall representative.

All visitors are fully supportive of the campaign.

July 2006Cabinet agrees to the release of Temple Sutton School land for this purpose.

Frank, Peter and Jannine host a visit from Mark Willmore, Chamber of Commerce.

August 2006LIFT partner is identified.

September 2006Peter, Frank, Margaret and Jannine meet with LIFT partner representatives.

Campaign Group re-convenes to discuss progress and funding possibilities.

Following his appointment as a Director of St Edmund’s Hall Management Company (the local Church Hall’s organisation), a company with charitable status, Frank receives approval for that group to act as a leader for funding bids for the Health Centre project.

October 2006Peter and Jannine arrange another visit (12th October) to the Bromley-By-Bow Centre for interested parties, including Rob Tinlin, Borough Council’s Chief Executive, and three Headteachers from adjacent Wards.

FG/JS submit outline bid to Invest to Save Round 9 (ISB) via SBC’s Economic Regeneration Unit – unsuccessful but draws favourable comments and interest from the Local Strategic Partnership.

November 2006Campaign Group meets to discuss next steps and possible funding routes.

Rob commits time and expertise of SBC’s Regeneration Unit re: funding and creation of a business plan.

Debbie advises possibility of a bid under the Department of Health Social Enterprise Pilot Fund – meets with group representatives to prepare full submission based on FG’s earlier ISB bid. Following feedback from all group members, the bid is submitted.

December 2006Debbie advises members that the PCT bid has been assessed as a Priority One for the East of England area – further news due in late January 2007.

January 2007Debbie receives confirmation that this project has been awarded Pathfinder Status – announced at ministerial level, one of 25 successful bids from 400 applications.

February 2007Campaign group meets and agrees to set up a Community Interest Company as the project’s controlling body, to allow formal steering by named Directors, leading to a large membership from the local community.

This will enable the Pathfinder to proceed with a formal, accountable structure and to hold Pathfinder funds whilst maintaining community ownership.

March 2007Brian Burgess and Catherine Tollington pledge professional support from the Community Action Network (Frank is a member), and meet with the Campaign group.

Frank, Peter, Jannine and Debbie liaise with CAN representatives and group members to agree arrangements for Project Leadership and Administrative support.

Debbie and Catherine finalise and submit the follow up application to DoH for funding 2007-2008.

April 2007St Luke’s Healthy Living Centre CIC is incorporated; initial Directors represent the community, business and local authority sectors respectively.

Debbie and Jannine meet with Catherine to agree a Project Plan, areas of responsibility and timelines to September 2007.

May 2007First CIC Board meeting takes place. New Director welcomed, a local resident with accountancy and financial skills.

June 2007Debbie, Frank and Jannine finalise and submit a bid to EEDA for funding for a feasibility study.

The Board appoints a fifth Director, representing the Voluntary Sector and links with Health.

July 2007PCT Health Improvement Team leads a consultation of local people attending Temple Sutton Summer Fayre – results show ongoing support for, and interest in, the HLC.

August 2007CIC receives formal confirmation from DoH Pathfinder Team that capital (£495K) and revenue (£50K) funding will be available to the CIC for this financial year; DoH acknowledge the likelihood that capital build funding would follow.

September 2007More than twenty delegates representing key Stakeholder organisations attend a Workshop, hosted at KeyMed House by CIC Directors, facilitated by CAN Health & Sport Ltd. The Workshop results in a shared vision for the HLC and its place in the local community, and a commitment to work together to achieve all the agreed outcomes. This enables the CIC Directors to continue to work with health professionals and business consultants to develop a robust business case to satisfy the Department of Health Pathfinder Team and other prospective funders.

November 2007CIC Board agrees to accept the LIFT Team’s proposal to develop a detailed service planning and business model, including design and development aspects. [December 2007 to March 2008]: including a feasibility study funded by the successful application to EEDA Thames Gateway.

Frank and Jannine meet with Dr Shan Whitear, a GP who was instrumental in setting up services at Bromley-By-Bow. She shows great enthusiasm for the project and agrees to become involved in any appropriate way.

December 2007The CIC Directorship expands to include representation from Health and Police.

January 2008Gareth Gault is appointed by the CIC Board as Social Enterprise Director.

Gareth meets all LIFT representatives, instigating a programme for developing a full business plan by the end of March 2008.

Gareth and Jannine meet Mahroof Kazi, Thames Gateway/EEDA representative.

Andrew Pike, Chief Executive of SEE PCT visits Frank, Gareth & Jannine, to view the site and discuss proposals for a full partnership between the CIC and PCT to ensure all health, social and business opportunities are included in the HLC to best benefit the local people and meet Government targets.

February 2008Frank, Gareth and Jannine meet with Zawar Patel from the DoH SE Unit. Zawar is very positive about the DoH support for this kind of project, without giving any funding guarantees, and invites further discussions as the business plan progresses.

Frank and Jannine host a visit from Nikki with Marc Levinson and Adrian Banks, architects, and Clive Jones, Builder, taking them on a tour of the site and surrounding area. They are all very enthusiastic about the HLC development and offer to produce some concept drawings based on the draft schedule of accommodation and their conversations with Assura and CIC representatives.

March 2008Frank, Gareth and Jannine meet with Alan Richards, SBC Asset Manager and Peter Tremayne, SBC solicitor, at Rob Tinlin’s suggestion. Both are very supportive and enthused by the project; they are both confident that issues of land transfer, consideration and appropriate documentation can be resolved within existing systems.

Most of the CIC Board, Gareth and Jannine visit the Sunlight Development Trust, in Gillingham, Kent. Hosted by its Chief Executive, Peter Holbrook, the half day proves to be interesting, entertaining and helpful in informing future planning. The Trust has also developed several Social Enterprises including a Café, Recording Studio and Parenting Courses.

Frank, Gareth and Jannine attend a pre-Planning meeting with SBC’s Head of Planning (Steve Kearney) PCT and LIFT representatives; first indications from the planning department are favourable –Steve suggests CIC should make an initial presentation to the Planning Development Team.

Frank and Gareth take concept drawings to the PDT meeting, noting the need to address issues of parking, access and impact on local residents and highways; liaison with Sport England should be ongoing.

The first draft Business Plan is presented to, and considered by, the CIC Board; the Board is made aware that the second bidding round for the Social Enterprise Investment Fund will invite applications for funding based on a large loan element.

 

April & May 2008Urgent and detailed liaison with all parties is undertaken by Frank and Gareth, supported by Jannine and the CIC members. All funding avenues are explored, and a drastic re-thinking of the proposed facilities becomes necessary.

The Board agrees that all members and officers of the CIC should lobby influential parties whenever possible, as this project meets all the Government’s current policies and strategies for regeneration, health and social outcomes.

May 2008The SE Unit confirms to Gareth and Jannine that capital monies may be spent on new build or refurbishments to achieve the stated objectives, and that a more precise spending profile should be submitted by September 2008 to enable discussion of a further carry over into 2009-10.

Sport England Eastern Region representative meets with Frank, Gareth and Jannine and confirms that any plans for a new build on the school playing field must demonstrate a clear intention to provide space for community sporting activities as defined on the Sport England website. Sport England are planning consultants and will not recommend any development without that specific provision.

June 2008SE Unit advises the CIC’s SED that all monies profiled must be spent before March 2009. The SED understands that no SEIF funding may be invested in a LIFT project and queries this.

July 2008SE Unit confirms in writing that “in principle” the funding COULD be invested in a LIFT project to enhance it and to pursue the social purpose envisaged in the original bid to SEIF.

March 2005 –

March 2008Frank, Peter and Jannine invite individuals to meet at the school, view the area and contribute to the Health Centre Project. All guests are interested, enthusiastic and wish to be kept informed or take part progressing the project:

Julie Welsh – Waitrose Community representative

Alison Westney – KeyMed

David Garston – Councillor

Debbie Fielding – PCT Executive Nurse & SBC Assistant Director for Targeted Services

Karen Reeve – Social Care

Jeff Appleby – Inspector, Southend Police

Brian Kelly – Councillor

Julie Garbutt – Chief Executive PCT

Simon May – Southend Library Services

James Duddridge MP – Southend East

Michael Bracey – Southend Youth and Connexions

Rob Tinlin – SBC Chief Executive

Mark Murphy & Steve Kearney – Regeneration Group, SBC

Kevin Robinson – Councillor

Katherine Kirk – Chair of PCT

Tony Le Masurier – President of PCT

Peter Cripps – Evening Echo

Mike Lambert (Chief Executive) and Stuart Greengrass (Chair) of Renaissance

Reverend Stephen Dray – St Edmund’s Hall Community Centre

Murray Foster – Leader, Southend Borough Council

Mark Willmore – Chamber of Commerce

Brian Burgess – Community Action Network

Catherine Tollington – Community Action Network

Simon Leftley – SBC Corporate Director for Adult Services

Sally Holland – SBC Corporate Director for Support Services

Sheila Adams-O’Shea – PCT Chief Operating Officer–Provider Services

Jane Theadom – SBC Head of Schools Support & Preventative Services

Traci Manners – Neighbourhood Services Manager, South Essex Homes (SBC Housing)

Prof. Nigel South – Pro-Vice Chancellor, University of Essex

Anna Waite – Councillor, St Luke’s Ward

Dr Shan Whitear – GP

Nikki Hopkins & Matthew Dyer – Assura Group (LIFT)

Mahroof Kazi – Thames Gateway/EEDA

Andrew Pike – Chief Executive, South East Essex PCT

Zawar Patel – DoH Social Enterprise Unit

Marc Levinson & Adrian Banks – Murphy Philipps, Architects

Clive Jones – Galliford Try, Construction Company

Alan Richards – SBC Asset Manager

Peter Tremayne – Borough Solicitor