AGM 2010 Minutes

Present

Steve Cornish (SC),Chair, John Wills (JW) Secretary, Ben Dewhurst (BD),Treasurer, Tom Godfrey,Rebekah Clark, Kath Whittam, Hari Karam Singh, Jerry Hewitt, Alan Chadbourn (AC), Paola Miller, M Reardon, Andrew Doyle.

Apologies

Chandra Eastwell, Peter John, Lisa Rajan, Barry Mason, Anne Chadbourn, Guru Kana.

The Minutes of the AGM held 16th December 2009 were approved by the meeting as a true record.

Matters arising

Kath Whittam (KW) asked if another meeting had been held within the year since the previous AGM. SC said that though it had been intended to hold one his illness had prevented it.KW said she thought it would be good to hold two meetings per year. All agreed. KW asked if any funding had been applied for. SC said that for the same reason this had not happened yet.

SC said that fly tipping had decreased and passed round photos from 2002 showing the level it had reached then. Jerry Hewitt said the he believed vandals had been made a police target group but he said bikes were on the increase.

Election of Officers

Rebekah Clark proposed that the committee be re-elected en masse. This was seconded by KW. SC asked that Tom Godfrey be elected to the position of Vice-Chair. This was proposed by RK and seconded by KW. The committee and Tom Godfrey were duly elected unanimously.

Report from the Chair

SC reported that Green Flag status had been awarded again to RDW and that Festivals in the Park had been a contribution to this renewal.BD said that the signage needed to be improved if it was to be won again in 2011. Interpretation was a problem. SC said that Paul Highman had promised a 2nd notice board. Hopefully, 3 or 4 would be an optimum number for the park. RC said that one was needed at Globe Pond.

Natural Ribbon

This is a new development. SC said this would run along Waterman’s Walk. BD said that throughout the wet woodland areas the idea is to create a bio-diversity enhancement. It would attempt to retain more water with min weirs leading into a series of descending pools. The banks will be weeded and covered with a wild-flower turf. Wild berry hedging will be put in where house gardens front the woodland and all species are native to a wet woodland environment. KW asked if the infill used originally would affect the berries. BD said he thought RDW was a new park and that tons of topsoil had been imported to create it so he didn’t think there was a huge risk. He mentioned that Stave Hill tests had shown the heavy metal content to be light.

BD said that the whole Natural Ribbon scheme involved some £20k worth of work. SC added that the proposed development on Quebec Way would involve “SUDS” (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems) to replenish the ponds. He said that it had been suggested that English oaks be planted in the middle of the green. This would be expensive but he hoped that Section 106 money could be found to pay for it. BD said that the results of this would not be seen in the present meeting’s lifetime and asked about the future style of RDW. At the moment there were no exceptional or notable trees planted with the exception of the Trees of Heaven. Black poplars were new and a swamp cypress had been suggested. He felt that after the Natural Ribbon had been implemented some thought should be given to idea to make the woodland more individual, planting was currently short-term e.g. willows which do not have a long life.

SC mentioned the duck weed problem in the waterways. BD said the war was not over yet. SC proposed a vote of thanks to Quadron. RC suggested a meeting with Quadron, their boss and Paul Highman to re-jig the Quadron work schedule. BD agreed and said that he thought there was no scoping or management plan at present. RC said that there were some things still being done that were no longer necessary e.g. indiscriminate strimming which was in danger of destroying the new wild flowers. SC asked if Quadron needed to liaise more with T.R.U.E.

BD said a plan was needed and RC reminded that there must be a plan somewhere. SC agreed that there must be a meeting with Paul Highman to resolve this.

Picnic Benches

SC said that 3 new benches had been installed and that he felt that this was now sufficient. AC said that after any good day there was always a problem with litter. He suggested that photos be published to show this and that people be asked to take their rubbish home with them. Andrew Doyle suggested a slogan:

“You may be tidy, but the wildlife isn’t!”

JH asked if the litter bins were of the correct type. He said that those on Hampstead Heat were of the brick variety. Maybe MacDonald’s be approached as a sponsor.

SC said that there were now no issues with foxes and that Agnes Appleby had done as promised at the last AGM and put up notices.

Fire Hazards

SC said that there had been several serious fires over the summer with incidents of exploding trees. These had shown that there were access problems. There was a post in the way for the Fire Brigade. The fires had been caused by 4 youths of about 16 and these had been drawn to the attention of the police who had approached them. Since then the fires had stopped.

Globe Pond

There were plans to get the fountain playing again. SC had suggested Cleaner, Greener, Safer (CGS) money could be found for this. The meeting agreed that a funding request should be submitted for this. JH said there was currently some concern about the future of CGS.

BD asked what had happened to Section 106 money and the much publicized Project Bank. Where had it gone? SC said that we had always been told it could not be ring-fenced. JH suggested exploring the viability of events and filming etc.

Development sites

SC said that Downtown was now the subject of another Judicial Review since Barratt’s had removed the promised provision of a Community Hall from their plans.

Quebec Way

SC said that the developer had come up with conceptual visions in 2004 that were unacceptable but had now employed Alan Camp architects. The Committee had met with the developer and architect on site and the initial opinion was that the new plans were an improvement. The plans indicated that there would be no sheer building against the woodland and gardens would back on to it. There is an ongoing argument about urban/suburban densities. Fiona Colley and Peter John have promised to keep the area designated as suburban.

Meditation in the Park

HKS said that the vent had been really successful. It had been more like a village fete with a tight schedule. It was hoped to repeat and grow it in 2011. It was hoped to advertise it more extensively. KW suggested book bags. Funding will be applied for a series of events on the Green: photography, painting etc from “Awards for All”. BD said there should also be wild-life events. KW suggested approaching the Amicable Trust or Consolidated.

The Treasurer’s Report

This was distributed, explained and adopted.

Any other Business

RC asked about hedgehogs. M. Reardon (MR) said that they had spread widely on the peninsula. RC reminded the meeting that they are officially an endangered species and suggested a Hedgehog Watch. SC said that we are awaiting the return of the Kingfishers, reed warblers had nested in the Downtown Pond area and that Sparrow Hawks were muscling in!

SC paid tribute to Lisa Luars and her work for local wildlife. He suggested that her name be put forward for “Woman of the Year” as a posthumous award.

SC thanked everyone for coming and closed the meeting at 20.35hrs.