Wednesday, 2 September 2009

Minutes of Annual General Meeting - July 2009

Please click on the "comments" below to read the minutes from the AGM, including an overview from our guest speaker, Emily Miller, from the Meanwhile Space Project.
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LVIG said...

Annual General Meeting – 15th July 2009, 7.30pm at the St.Mary’s Centre, Ladywell Road, London SE13 7UW

Committee members present:
Tony Major, Chair
Tony Rich, Deputy Chair and Treasurer
Eleanor Thompson, Communications Officer

Others in attendance:
Francesca Odell
Rachael Ahmed
Laura Harvey
Rhian Hancox
Ben Hancox
Phil Bliss
Ron Houston
B Huthwaite
Sarah Huthwaite
W Leigh
Sue-Anne Hepplewhite
Sue Luxton
Nadine Fathers
Petra Reekers
Deborah Gyngell
Sarah Hughes
Tim Hughes
John Keidan

1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence were received from Robert Sheppard, Cynthia Lamptey, Lara Thornton and Pete Thornton.

2. GUEST SPEAKER: EMILY MILLER, MEANWHILE SPACE PROJECT
Emily had been invited to the meeting to talk about the national Meanwhile Space project which has been established to facilitate the temporary use of vacant premises in town centres. The project is funded by the Communities and Local Government Department with £150k available for a small number of first phase pilot projects and a further £500k likely to be available for a second phase from September/October onwards. A ‘meanwhile’ lease is currently being drawn up which should be available by the end of July. This is intended to provide maximum flexibility for both freeholder and lessee. The project has also commissioned two ‘how to’ guides designed to help groups develop successful projects. Sample insurance policies are also being prepared. In order to help with communication and networking an internet ‘ning’ site has been developed which currently has 76 members. The ning site is accessible via the main meanwhile website: http://www.meanwhile.org.uk/index.html
During the discussion that followed Emily’s presentation the links between the national project and LVIG’s proposals to establish a cooperative, community-run food shop in a vacant unit in Ladywell were explored. In particular it was felt that the Meanwhile project could help greatly in the provision of funding, advice and an opportunity to link with other groups trying to achieve similar things. It was agreed that the opportunity to use the community shop idea as a pilot in the meanwhile project should be explored and Emily will send LVIG a form which it can use to set out what support it might need for the project in Ladywell Road. The chair thanked Emily for her very interesting and stimulating talk.

3. MINUTES OF THE AGM HELD ON 5TH JUNE 2008
The Minutes were agreed as a correct record.

4. CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT
The chairman’s report was tabled as a record of the activities of the group over the past year. The chairman stated that anyone was welcome to become more involved in the work of the group and this did not necessarily mean becoming a member of the organising committee.

5. TREASURER’S ANNUAL REPORT
The Treasurer’s report was tabled as a statement of the finances of the group over the past year. The current balance in the group’s community account was £711.63.

6. ELECTION OF COMMITTEE OFFICERS
The following committee officers were re-elected unopposed: Tony Major - Chairman, Tony Rich - Deputy Chairman and Treasurer, Cynthia Lamptey - Secretary, Robert Sheppard- Deputy Secretary, Eleanor Thompson –Communications Officer, Lara Thornton – Press Officer. Pete Thornton has had to resign due to competing pressure from work. As no nominations for this role have been forthcoming the post of Membership Officer will be kept vacant for the time being.

7. ORDINARY MEETING HELD ON 18 MARCH 2009
The Minutes were agreed as a correct record.

2 September 2009 at 16:54
LVIG said...

contd. from above...

8. SECOND COMMUNITY PLANTING DAY – 27th JUNE 2009
A report was given on the second planting day. While not as well attended as the first planting day, the second, held on Saturday 27th June was a big success in that four extra planters were installed as well as eight baskets fixed to railings. The second planting day was made possible due to the hard work of Envirowork and the help of John Thompson at LB Lewisham Green Scene. The plants and baskets were funded through the two benefit nights held at the Ladywell Tavern and thanks go to Monty the landlord for letting us stage these and to everyone who attended. It is understood that a visit was paid to Ladywell by the London in Bloom judges although we were not entered into this years’ competition.

9. BIDS FOR MAYOR’S FUND- FEEDBACK FROM LADYWELL ASSEMBLY
It was reported that LVIG was successful in getting its proposal for the Mayor’s Fund to commission a streetscape and urban design action plan for Ladywell approved by the Assembly. The next stage will be for proposals agreed by the Assembly to be put to the Cabinet for approval. Further Mayor’s Fund proposals will be put to the next Assembly in September including one for a themed Ladywell walk from Ladywell Fields to the cemeteries. Several good suggestions were made regarding the streetscape action plan: attending Lewisham Transport Liaison Committee to ask a question of the group, encouraging South East Trains to install planting around the station, try to improve the look of the ‘Dutch-type’ gable ends of the upper storeys of the shops through painting etc.

The current consultation on a possible Ladywell Controlled Parking Zone was also mentioned. The Council leaflet includes suggestions for short-stay parking bays near the shops which are an idea LVIG has been promoting for the past year. In responding to the Council it is possible to support some elements of the proposals (e.g. the short-stay parking) and not others (e.g. the residential CPZ). It may also be possible for some roads that support a CPZ to be designated as part of an existing zone while others that oppose remain outside as this has happened with other similar consultations.

10. PUBLICITY ROUND UP/LVIG NEWSLETTER
Recent publicity includes:

• Article in Mercury on planting day featuring LVIG’s planting day photos
• Article in the News Shopper about power cuts in Ladywell mentioning LVIG

Newsletter
We recently published and delivered LVIG’s second newsletter to local residents. This has again met with an extremely positive response and resulted in another 11 new members since distribution! In response to the request for people to help with printing costs for future newsletters we received two kind offers to run off copies from Ron Houston and Jim Gyngell. After the Summer LVIG proposes to carry out a questionnaire survey to determine peoples’ preferences for future communication channels.

9. AOB
Playtower – Tony Rich
Meeting to be held with the Tabernacle in Algernon Road who are interested in forming a partnership to bring the building back into use
Vacant site on the corner of Malyons and Ladywell Roads – Cllr Sue Luxton
There is a proposal under the Lewisham Transition Town initiative to use this site for vegetable growing as part of the ‘Capital Growth’ initiative being promoted by the London Mayor

The meeting closed 8.50pm
Next meeting - 16th September
7.30pm venue tbc

2 September 2009 at 16:57

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