Minutes of the annual general meeting of the Greenham and Crookham Conservation Volunteers, 22 Mar 2007
Members present
Derek Cutt, Derek Emes, Andy Phillips, Pam PickettApologies received
Parker family, Neil RickmanMinutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the AGM in April 2006 were agreed and the Chairman signed a file copy.
Actions from the previous minutes
- Derek Emes and Derek Cutt both to provide Simon with documentary proof of identity and address, to complete the bank account application. Completed.
- Alex and Andy have contacts who may be able to supply clothing, and will both obtain quotes. Superseded by sourcing tee-shirts from a colleague of Derek Cutt's.
- Derek Emes to produce a logo design. Completed. The logo has not been used on any material, but will be kept on file in case of future needs.
- John and Laurence to investigate specifications, prices etc. for a Scouts dining shelter and teapot. Completed, the equipment was bought and has been very successful.
- Derek Cutt to write to Paul Hendry seeking written confirmation of the possibility of funding for signs or banners. Also to supply Andy with an image which the Councils sign supplier can use as a basis for artwork. Completed, two banners were funded by WBC and have been used a number of times.
Election of officers for year 2007-08
Derek Emes offered his resignation as Chairman, to make way for anyone else who may want to serve. There being no alternative nomination, Derek was proposed, seconded and unanimously re-elected. Derek Cutt and Andy Phillips were also re-elected.
Officers for the coming year are therefore…- Chairman: Derek Emes
- Secretary: Derek Cutt
- Treasurer: Andy Phillips
Derek Emes also offered his resignation as our appointee on the Commission. Again, there being no alternative nomination, Derek was proposed, seconded and unanimously re-elected. Derek Emes therefore remains our appointed Commissioner.
Chairman's report on activities since the previous AGM
For a list of specific tasks and number of volunteers attending, please visit the Task record.
Turnouts continued to be good. Since the last AGM in April 2006 we have had 12 events and a total of 118 volunteer-days. The maximum turnout was 16 and the minimum was 5 volunteers, giving an average of 9.8 volunteers per event. These figures are GCCV volunteers only, although we did joint tasks with BeC, Basingstoke CV and BTCV on seven occasions.
The Chairman noted that, as usual, most tasks were clearance work (trees and scrub, bracken, gorse, ragwort) but the December event was spreading heather clippings to encourage heather regeneration on an area of bioremediated soil.
Our September event was filmed by the BBC, and we were shown on South Today. Our appearance was brief because the article was related to the 25th anniversary of the women's peace camps, coverage of which occupied much of the broadcast piece.
One task was not on the common. In February we joined a scrub clearance task on Pigeons Farm Estate, as part of the Greenham Community Woodlands Project co-ordinated by BTCV.
The Chairman wished to record our thanks to John Parker for sourcing and purchasing the shelter, extra kettle, and teapot.
Report from the Greenham & Crookham Commons Commission
Derek Emes reported the main items discussed and achieved by the Commission in the past year:
Grazing Committee
A set of regulations governing grazing on the common has been finalised after consultation with commoners, and has been forwarded to the the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for approval.
Management Plan Committee
Fieldwork is complete but the actual wording of the plan is still in preparation, mainly by Andy. English Nature have seen and agreed those parts of the plan which are nearing their final form.
Bylaws for the common will adopt those set out in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, with the addition of a prohibition on model aircraft flying, and a prohibition on kite flying during the bird nesting season from March to July.
Carriage driving. The committee recommended that the Commission approve a request, from the British Driving Association and Riding for the Disabled, to allow carriages occasionally to drive on the common. They will stick to the tracks, maximum two carriages at any one time but not driving together. These are not racing or competitive activities. The Commission approved the request but no driving has yet taken place.
Planning Committee
Derek Emes is a member of this committee, which is a new entity set up during the past year. It has scrutinised the following applications with potential effects on the common:
- Prologis distribution depot. The Commission raised concerns over noise, lighting and visual impact on the common, and suggested various conditions to be applied if the application were approved. In fact it has recently been rejected.
- GAMA site (vehicle storage). Approved with conditions. There is an outstanding issue of providing HGV passing places on Brackenhurst Lane, which would require conversion of some common land.
- Extension of the telecoms mast at Venture West. The Committee saw nothing objectionable in this application.
- Roundabout and associated changes to the layout of the junction at Greenham Road / Bury's Bank Road / Pinchington Lane. The Committee feels this is a positive development which will make the junction safer and, especially, improve pedestrian access to the common.
If members want anything raised at any future Commission meeting, please let Derek Emes know.
Treasurer's report and Financial Matters
Andy reported that our bank account was opened with a balance of £500, a grant from the Greenham Common Trust. We spent £238.26 on the shelter, kettle and teapot, leaving a balance of £261.74.
Andy still has £90 in his care, income from other sources, but is still having technical difficulties gaining electronic access to the account. ACTION: ANDY to try again to get access, and to pay in the funds.
Derek Emes reported that, while we have not yet been officially notified, our application to the Greenham Trust for £190 for pruning saws is very likely to succeed. We have a promise of a small discount from Kalehurst Garden Machinery. However, WBC have recently moved their chainsaw procurement to Kalehurst and expect a better discount, so ACTION: when the funds are received Andy will buy saws through the WBC account and then reimburse WBC from GCCV funds.
Derek Cutt pointed out that later this year our website will be two years old. Web hosting and rental of the domain name gccv.org.uk were initially taken out for two years. We should expect an expense of approximately £40 to £50 to renew them for another two years.
Other business
Derek Cutt raised the issue of prompt start times, especially when working with other groups. He felt that when volunteers give up their time to help on the common, they should not be kept hanging around waiting for guest groups to arrive. It was agreed that in future, visiting groups will be asked to be on site at 10:00. When this is not practicable, we will start at 10:00 and if necessary somebody will wait at the workshop to meet visitors when they arrive, and direct them to the work site.
There being no further business, the meeting closed at this point.