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RHS Minutes 2018-10-17 AGM

Minutes of RHS AGM 17th Oct 2018, 6.30 to 9.00pm at Richmond House.

Copious cakes from Barbara, Annie and Stefania.

20 people plus 8 committee members gathered and were issued with a raffle ticket on arrival for a box of chocolates.

At 7pm Annie opened the meeting by introducing

Helene of Pavilions (our hosts) who spoke of the range of support work offered by their drug and alcohol recovery programmes:

  • Currently 1600 folk in treatment over 3 locations in the city.
  • Around 60 people a month leave with good outcomes, the results include lower NHS costs, less family support needed and less police activity required.
  • In discussion following her short presentation, Helene said it is important that all drug related incidents are reported to the police, either 101 online form or 999 if urgent and serious.

Annie outlined the activities undertaken in the last year.

  • Seasonal singing (19th Dec this year) raised £304 for Martlets.
  • December's advent windows grows each year. This year there will even be a window showing a movie (by G P Page, who had a film studio in St Anne's Well Gardens some considerable time ago). Contact Miriam via email (see back of Round Hill Reporter) if you want to join in.
  • Playsafe has continued on a Sunday afternoon most months from April to October. Halloween event still to come, on 28th October. Cake and hot drinks available for donations. Children not essential - come meet the neighbours.
  • Socials in pubs have seen a decline in attendance, see later item.
  • Garden parties and gardening and clean-ups have continued, and
  • the website, Facebook community noticeboard, yahoo group and newsletter continue to spread information and share ideas.

 

Barbara, our treasurer, reported that we spent more than we raised this year

  • £1100 spent and just £689 raised.
  • Most income comes from Reporter adverts (£380) which would usually cover cost of the Reporter, but extra costs related to this year’s Waste & Recycling inserts pushed up the costs this year.
  • Reporter has become more expensive, Maslens now charge £94 an issue (1000 copies) instead of £86 (check figures again). There are no longer Council grants to access, but
  • Veolia's Environmental Fund was mentioned later which needs exploring.

Rob spoke on Neighbourhood (Community) Watch following attendance with Annie at Patcham Community Watch AGM. During subsequent discussions it was felt that

  • Round Hill is still a safe community, even though there are some bike thefts and burglaries it is still safe to walk the streets at any hour, but
  • street lighting could be better. Intruder lights (proximity lights) also good said Jenn Price and Robin Morley.
  • Existing communication systems provide good general awareness of issues and events, so perhaps a formal Watch scheme is not needed.
  • Even the window stickers help build a sense of community for us and others passing through.

Annie introduced the idea of a Friends of Round Hill group. The nature of the group and how it might be sectioned up for special interests were discussed. At a suggestion from Marigold Rogers the meeting agreed that they would leave their e-mail addresses on attendance sheet with an indication of special interests and that this would be the start of a communication system to be used to alert folk of coming events and activities.

New Committee election: Two folk (Andrew Partington and Jamie Atchison) agreed to join the remaining 10 members (following the departure of Ted Power (due to continuing ill health) and Ray Knight (due to other commitments)). All 12 were elected by a single vote (official roles as previous).

Next committee meeting 8pm at Jan's, 58 Richmond Road on Wednesday 7th November.

The meeting then agreed

  • to renew subscription to the B&H Heritage Commission and
  • to approve Rob Stephenson as our representative on the B&H Commemorative Plaque Panel.
  • There was approval for a building blue plaque on 101 Round Hill Crescent to mark the first mental health hospital for women in the country and run by women.

Social activity discussion:

  1. The new managers of the Jolly Poacher, soon to be renamed The Round Hill (Rosie and Max)
    • expressed interest in getting more involved,
    • offering a community noticeboard inside,
    • taking some Reporters for customers,
    • having an advert and an article in December Reporter,
    • hosting 'eat and meet' events around a big table (vegetarian and vegan foods only),
    • finding a quiet night for a renewed bookgroup, or even a knitting group.
    • The new Round Hill and has a Facebook page.
  2. Jan Curry suggested we rely on and support the pub for our social activities, but that will not include our next dog show (May or June 2019).
  3. Playsafe may well expand to encourage more attendance, especially making it of greater interest to older residents - dog show same day (before Playsafe) and also plant stalls, book stalls, bring and swap tables and other stuff. Dr Bike for all bikes perhaps?

Veolia smells and schemes: Davy (living close to Ted and Jane and Marigold & Jen) has been suffering smells for last 3 to 4 months, and phoning in his complaints regularly but fears they achieve nothing.

  • Perhaps a double pronged approach: support Veolia in their desire to run a food waste collection and composting scheme whilst taking our action up a level to publicity stunts and press photo calls (massed placards and clothes pegs on noses for the Argus).
  • School might help with protests, Env Agency statement that the transfer station is 'not fit for purpose' could be useful quote to hit Council and Veolia with (reminded by Miriam). Early promise to install negative air pressure and filtration kit never kept (reported by Robin Morley).
  • Street trees: On the day that the last mature elm on the Upper Lewes Road was felled, we talked about getting more trees on that road and (easier target) Richmond Road. General support, but where to get money? Veolia was mentioned, and its Community Environmental Fund. Cllr West had previously mentioned a tree fund which might still exist. Street trees could possibly be planted (in road or planters) beside bike racks on the roads like Ashdown and Upper Lewes.

Electric car charging points: If they are to take off we will need on-street charging said Andrew Partington. This can be combined with parking payment points or street lights (where switching is provided in street level box). Pursue with Council.

Between £20 and £25 was collected towards the cake eaten, a collection having been suggested at Treasurer's report stage. Jane Power won the box of chocolates in the raffle and Andrew Partington proposed a vote of thanks for the outgoing committee members, which was approved enthusiastically.

The meeting closed at 9pm.

Return to the list of RHS MINUTES on our Committee Page

This page was last updated by Ted on 06-Jan-2019
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