MINUTES OF THE STORT VALLEY PROJECT MEETING

8th March 2000

HELD AT SAYSBURY MANOR SAWBRIDGEWORTH 

 

PRESENT:  Steve Karn (Acting Chairman)   

Monya Billings Joyce Vincent

Ted Burrow  Warren Richards

John Rider  Michael Vincent

Susan Clark (Rural Enterprise Project)    

Hazel Mead  David Mead

David Thorogood (Agenda 21 EHDC)

Jacqueline Dore Stan Barker (Sheering PC)

Liz Greenwood (landscape Officer EHDC) 

APOLOGIES: Lanier Pole  Michael Brown

Diana Richards (Sbw Town Council)  

   

MINUTES:

The minutes of the last meeting were distributed in good time and accepted by all at the meeting. 

MATTERS ARISING: 

The Constitution  

John R presented sample copies of constitutions to help in writing one for the SVP. Warren R agreed to produce a SVP constitution for discussion at the next meeting. It was thought we needed a chairman, secretary and treasurer with a dedicated bank account. Charitable status was felt to be helpful but not essential. It was proposed that we publish our constitution in the local press and Church & Town. Monya B saw this as a method of promoting our aims.

Post meeting note: The Constitution * has been kept simple, perhaps our aims should be spelt out in an accompanied article.

It was suggested we meet on a regular monthly basis specifying the 1st Wednesday; Warren R was asked to check with the A/S so we don’t clash with their meetings.

It was noted that our AGM will require an agenda and adequate notice for names of people willing to stand for office to be put forward. 

AGENDA ITEMS: 

1 The Flood Plain. Ted B and Warren R erected notices off Springhall Lane and the Northbrook allotments to request that motor vehicles keep off the environmentally sensitive flood plain.

    1. EHDC Agenda 21 Committee. Three members of the SVP attended the meeting and mounted a display of the flood plain. The Chairman invited us to sit with the members of the Committee and we were presented with an interesting video on Waste Awareness. The Committee’s discussion on Sawbridgeworth Meads was confidential (due to finance) so the SVP members had to leave the Chamber but our local EHDC member Diana Richards represented our views. Minutes of Agenda 21 Committee.*
    2. Lobbying of local Councillors. Warren R tabled a draft letter to be sent to local Councillors asking for their support at the next Environmental Services Committee meeting and full Council meeting; under our Chairman’s signature. Members asked for various changes to be made. Post meeting note: The letter* was faxed to local Councillors and the Chairman of the Environmental Services Committee, who subsequently visited the flood plain site.
  1. PEAP, LHI, VDS. We have had information on these three vehicles to formalise the community’s ownership and wishes for a “perfect” Sbw. Susan C with her experience of Sbw and other communities through Rural Enterprise offered to give her views on how these three processes relate to the work of the SVP. She felt we should continue as we are focusing on individual projects and using the Local Heritage Initiative (LHI) as a vehicle for funding these projects. In the future using our project experience as basis for growing a PEAP. While the PEAP concentrates on environmental action, the Village Design Statement considers the whole infrastructure of the community and to be considered as supplementary planning guidance would require agreement with EHDC Planning Department. Susan agreed to supply a list of possible sources of funding for our projects.

2.1 Our decision to present our ideas on the above to the Town Council via the General Purposes Committee has been cancelled.  

3. May Fair. The Sbw May Fair will be held on April 30th and members suggested the following to raise awareness and funds:

  1. A millennium map of Sbw
  2. Environmentally aware badges
  3. Logo competition for the SVP
  4. Solar energy DIY information.
 

4. Solar Club. David T explained that there had been discussion with the national body because we were near to an existing centre at Uttlesford. This had now been resolved and the first Hertfordshire Solar Club centred at Standon should start soon. 

5. DNM. The 5th April 2000 at 8.00pm in Sayesbury Manor. 

* Items held in SVP file in Reference section of Sbw Library.