MINUTES OF THE STORT VALLEY PROJECT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

4th APRIL 2001

HELD AT SAYSBURY MANOR SAWBRIDGEWORTH

 

PRESENT:               Ted Barrows (Chairman)

Warren Richards (Secretary)            John Rider

Michael Vincent (Treasurer)           Joyce Vincent           

Jacqueline Dore                      Stan Barker

Tony Vidler (Sbw A/S)           Eric Puncher (Sbw A/S)                                 Monya Billings                      Gary Tedds

                                  Joan Willitt                         Edward Willitt                         

Carol Bartlett                                 Paul Ashwell

           David Mead                         Hazel Mead

David Thorogood (Agenda 21 EHDC)                      

Bob Wright                                  Maureen Wright

Robert Jones                                 Rob Street (GAP)

                                 

APOLOGIES:           Janet Rolph (Thorley PC)     

Tom Potts                      Diana Richards (Sbw Town Council)           

                                  

                                              

                                  

MINUTES:Everybody was happy with the minutes of 7th March being our AGM.

 

MATTERS ARISING:

Grants. Our support to managing the grant from HCC. John requires a presentation photograph of the cheque. Items for expenditure:

a)      Stationary with Logo.

b)      Web site.

c)      Promotion at the May Fair.

d)      Tools for wetland management.

e)      Photographs of work areas.

 

EHDC Agenda 21 Meeting. The meeting covered the magnitude of the task managing waste disposal and the need for encouraging recycling of as many materials as possible. As the landfill sites disappear and become ever more expensive, if we cannot recycle we will have to burn to generate electricity or develop community-heating schemes.

A second talk was given by a person who supplies used glass to companies like United Glass. Most modern glass factories can only deal with used glass and the problems of putting the wrong type of waste glass in the collection points was illustrated.

Millennium Volunteers. The Sec has to get in touch and see what is available and how we could fit this in with a programme of work.

Land Purchase. The lower piece of land being purchased from the Abbey Cross A/S; there is sill a dispute with EA and until this is resolved EHDC will not complete the purchase. David T is personally dealing with negotiation to resolve the problem.

 

 

 

 

Agenda items.

Guest Speaker Rob Street.Rob is from Green Action Puckeridge & Standon (GAPS) a group supported by EHDC Environmental Services. He was welcomed by the Chairman and gave a talk on installing solar hot water heating through the Solar Club. This is a none profit organisation if you do the work yourself but a trained plumber comes at commercial rates. Members were mainly concerned about the pay back time and it was agreed this would be in excess of 10 years.

Post meeting note. As good environmentalists we should look at it as an investment not a saving, as money saved could be spent on polluting activities. If water is heated by gas the saving will be £100, which is 5%, return on £2000, if by off-peak electricity it will be a 12% return and if by ordinary electricity it will be a 25% return.  

May Fair.Joyce V proposed we shelve the photographic competition at the Fair due to foot and mouth; this was agreed.

John R said he could be ready with quiz sheets for the Fair and it was agreed to sell these at £2 a sheet with a completion date in July-prizes and mode of presentation to be agreed.

Logo.Tony V brought several samples of headed notepaper layouts for our selection. Members made a selection –Rockwell Type-and Tony agreed to get 1000 printed.

Publicity/Grants.John R wanted some photographs including one of Treasurer being presented with the cheque for a report to HCC. Consideration was given to charity status but opinion is at present moving away from the idea.

Visit to Wicken Fen. The local National Trust group is organising a visit on 16th June and the Sec had organised that we could join their party if they had spare seats after May.

Post meeting note.Sec cannot make this date himself, who is entitled to 2 seats.

.7. DNM.The 2nd May 2001 at 8.00pm in Sayesbury Manor. Note meeting in June is on Thursday 7th.

8.AOB.Members asked for a hall to be booked for a special meeting in October.

The Chairman reported on his attendance of the EHDC meeting on Pollution. He said the attendance was only 6 people and most of those left before the end. The level of pollution along the A1184 between the Bull and The Congregational Church is already above the limits set for 2005 so there is no way of meeting this target without a Bypass. He will be writing to highlight this catastrophe especially when hundreds of children are exposed to this pollution every day. He wanted a census of schools using this route of how many children suffer respiratory problems. Members felt that Brook Road and Station Road must suffer the same level of pollution at peak times.

The Sec showed some pictures of the limited access into the side of Barclays Bank where they are proposing a disabled entrance to meet legislation. While members agreed this needed a rethink they were also concerned about the cash machine attracting people parking opposite the Bank including the pavement.

 

 

 

 

* Items held in SVP file in Reference section of Sbw Library.                SVPmin33