Minutes of Core Group Meeting
5th March 2012

Present: Martin Calvert (Chair), Adrian Coltman, Joan & Mervyn Clayton, Adam & Carol Bull, Trevor & Diane Kitto, Mike Betteridge, Emma Trickett.

Apologies for Absence Minutes of the Meeting Held 6th February 2012 Matters Arising Correspondence Action Mornings Stewardship

Groundwork Application Grant Applications FunDay 2012 AOB Dates of Next Meetings

1. Apologies for Absence

Paul Ellis.

2. Minutes of the Meeting Held 6th February 2012

Agreed as a true record.

3. Matters Arising

• New FGVW Constitution
  The new Constitution agreed at the AGM is now available on the FGVW website.
• Action Day
  An additional Action Day is to be arranged to remove 4 tonnes of stone that could not be moved during February's Action Morning due to inclement weather.
• Display Boards
  The new boards have been put on hold as the funding for them may be included as part of the Brackenwoods project.

4. Correspondence

The Group has received a very generous donation of £50 from Mr Roger Kojan.

5. Action Mornings

• Sunday 4 March 2012
  The Action Morning was brought to an end early due to the very bad weather. The conditions were very wet and slippery with sleet and rain. The carriageway has been cleared on either side. The Council has cleared the top half of the carriageway and will be coming to finish it off later.
• Saturday 14 April 2012
  The Group will be litter picking near the Horses' Field and working on the path in that area. Volunteers to meet near the junction of Gledhow Lane and Gledhow Valley Road, opposite the Horses' Field.

Future Action Mornings

Proposed dates and tasks for the coming year (subject to change):

• Sunday 13 May 2012
  Work on the top path.
• Sunday 8 July 2012
  Work on the middle path.
• Sunday 5 August 2012
  Work on the top path.
• Sunday 2 September 2012
  Bath House clearing ready for the Heritage Open Day.
• October 2012
  Work on the meadow.

6. Stewardship

Emma Trickett from Leeds City Council attended the meeting to explain the Stewardship Scheme to the Group. The general aims are:

• To discuss the work that the Group will be doing in the woods with a Woodland Officer every 6 months.
• It will no longer be necessary for a Council member to attend each Action Morning, giving the Group more independence.
• The Agreement sets out the Council's Management Plan and Health & Safety requirements, etc. giving the Council more re-assurance that the Group is working within the Council's guidelines.
• The Agreement would be initially drawn up with input from both the Council and the Group and would be renewed on an annual basis.
• The Group would need their own public liability insurance.

The Group discussed the pros and cons of the scheme, and raised the following points:

• If the Group does not agree to the scheme, the situation would continue as present with any activities being agreed and overseen by the Council.
• The Group suggested that the Council must actually produce a Management Plan so that both parties could agree what was in the best interest of the woods.
• The Group would like it to be a partnership rather than one-sided in favour of the Council.

Emma agreed to take the points raised by the Group back to the Council and the Forestry Department to request a Management Plan to be drawn up for the woods.

7. Groundwork Application

The project is nearly finished and ironwork on gateway one is due to be completed by the end of March. An opening ceremony will take place on 25 April at 10am near gateway one. Pupils from Gledhow School will be attending and planting plugs near the old garage area. The Group will provide a gazebo, refreshments and be on hand to help out during the event. Bunting and flags will be provided by Community Spaces.

The Group has also applied for a sustainability grant to help sustain the project, up to £3,500. Martin has applied for the Grant to help with promoting the Community Spaces project and increasing awareness of the new gateways at the FunDay, a PA system, some tools and also some plug plants for the meadow.

8. Grant Applications

Adrian has applied for grants with Wade's Charity and First Buses, who can give grants of up to £1,000 for tools. He is also due to see Councillor Jane Dowson. Yorkshire Building Society also offers community grants so Adrian has agreed to look into this.

9. FunDay 2012

The FunDay will take place on Saturday 9 June 2012. Core Group members agreed to start booking people in, especially the main acts.

• Permission - Martin to contact Dan to agree the FunDay as a Council event and to contact the licencing officer for a public licence. He is also looking for grants from the Area Committee and Green Leeds. Risk assessments also to be confirmed.
• Ice Cream man - Mike to get confirmation.
• Indie Ices - Confirmed.
• Red Cross - Confirmed.
• Hope Pastures - Declined (due to difficulty in obtaining transport).
• Horsforth Silver Band - Confirmed.
• Tailwaggers - Possiblility (still awaiting final confirmation).
• Radish - Confirmed.
• Magician - Confirmed.
• Clay Modelling - Adrian to provide tools.
• Leaflets - The design is using up a lot of ink. Adam to alter the design to a tree outline instead.
• Firefighters/PCSOs - Adrian to invite.
• Birds of Prey - Confirmed.
• Beekeepers - Confirmed.
• Lion Learners - Confirmed.
• Councillors - Mike to invite.