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Minutes of Steering Group Meeting
23rd April 2019

Present: Martin Calvert (Chair), Adrian Coltman, Malcolm Robertson, Mervyn & Joan Clayton, Theresa Williams, Trevor & Diane Kitto, Jenny Page, David Miles, Steve Jones-Blackett, Peter Wilkie, Stephen Tyndale-Biscoe, Kay Woodward.

  1. Apologies for Absence
  2. Minutes of the Meeting Held 19th March 2019
  3. Matters Arising
  4. Correspondence
  5. Action Mornings
  6. Gledhow Beck
  7. Lake Action Group (LAG)
  1. Lloyds Bank
  2. Trustees Report
  3. Card Machine for Sales
  4. FunDay 2019
  5. AOB
  6. Dates of Next Meetings

1. Apologies for Absence

Naomi Watts-Kitto, Phil Meadley, Geoff Holden, Stephen Johns, Adam & Carol Bull.

2. Minutes of the Meeting Held 19th March 2019

Agreed as a true record.

3. Matters Arising

  • Thanks to Mervyn and Joan, along with Theresa, for refurbishing more benches. The cost for materials is about £30 per bench.
  • Some of the bark chippings for use in the field have been taken.
  • Posters about Extinction Rebellion appeared on Gledhow Lane early one morning but soon disappeared as reported by Theresa.

4. Correspondence

  • None.

5. Action Mornings

  • Saturday 23 March
    There were 23 volunteers including some new folks. It was considered worthwhile to have Action Mornings on occasional Saturdays. The path flyover repair was substantially completed using 4 tons of sandstone and a lot of timber.

Future Action Mornings

Proposed dates and tasks (subject to change):

  • Sunday 28 April
    Volunteers are to meet opposite the field owned by FGVW. There will be wild flower planting in the field, along with completion of the flyover path work and the spreading of chippings along the hedge.
  • Sunday 19 May
    The date of May 19th was agreed to avoid the following Bank Holiday weekend. The Steering Group Meeting would be on Monday May 13th.

6. Gledhow Beck

After a pollution event including raw sewage, Peter Wilkie started a Twitter campaign to highlight it. David Miles has drafted an e-mail to Yorkshire Water and the Environment Agency, including suggestions as to publicity, filtering the outflow, providing information to FGVW on crossconnections/misconnections, reporting back and a meeting with the Environment Agency and Yorkshire Water. Martin Calvert to send the e-mail after David has consulted with Peter.

It is the householders' responsibility to deal with the issues. Yorkshire Water can issue a statutory notice to householders. There are statutory procedures to follow. The Environment Agency police these procedures.

Joan and Mervyn have been frustrated by Yorkshire Water's response to multiple calls on the issue of wrong plumbing connections. The CSOs have been a good example of their lack of clarity/honesty.

Straw Bales and sandbags put in place to block the sewage discharges have been moved.

7. Lake Action Group (LAG)

There has been another e-mail from two complainants about the recent felling of trees that were growing out of the number 3 silt trap wall. The felling was paid for by FGVW. There is a provisional meeting date of May 1st fot Vicky Nunns, Justin Williamson/Glen Gorner, Phil Meadley, Steve Tyndale-Biscoe and the two complainants.

An animated discussion followed about the need or otherwise for communication between the Council/FGVW and the users of the woods, yellow dotting, the management plan, FGVW meetings as a way of finding out information, extremely subjective opinions and future communication. Many members felt aggrieved by the wording of the e-mails. It was hoped the proposed meeting will enable the complainants to understand the situation more clearly.

David Miles has been organising community involvement plans. The TLC Café will be starting their activities soon. There is a meeting with the Dementia Café on 12th June to assess access and support needs. There will be walks in Spring, Summer and Autumn in conjunction with Martin Calvertand Parks & Countryside.

Bankside School will be having an outdoor meeting in the field. Parks & Countryside will be doing an assembly there on 22nd May.

Hillcrest Academy are hoping to do a "forest school". David Miles will be meeting with Jodie Robertson from Parks & Countryside on 29th April to discuss their contribution in walks, etc.

The meeting with Flood Risk Management went well. They have agreed to do maintenance on silt traps 1 and 2, along with the clearance work of silt trap 3 and to provide gauge boards to measure silt build up. A great result.

Flood Risk Management have also agreed to review the tender documents before they are sent out and to help with the necessary approvals. There will be meetings in future with all parties invited.

David Miles is looking at funding of £1,000 from Carriers for Causes for marginal planting and has applied to the Tree Council for a grant for community engagement work in hedge planting. David suggested a hedge to replace the roadside logs if it was considered feasible by expert opinion.

David stated that additional funding of up to £100k is available for further work. This will be discussed further at the Trustee Meeting on May 2nd.

Phil Meadley sent an e-mail stating that the tender specs haven't gone out yet and that we are still waiting for confirmation of the meeting with the complainants.

Steve Jones-Blackett is laminating an A1 size plan of the Heritage Lottery Fund project. It was suggested that it would be useful to have more than 1.

8. Lloyds Bank

A group from Lloyds Bank would like a working day in the woods. It was suggested that a day in June would be good for litter picking and a small project. Martin Calvert to liaise.

9. Trustees Report

The next meeting will be on 2nd May.

10. Card Machine for Sales

Adam Bull has some news about this which will be discussed at the next meeting.

11. FunDay 2019

Adam and Carol are accepting tombola prizes and Group members are asked to donate if possible.

There was also a request to store books for the Book Stall and when there's a critical mass Steve Jones-Blackett will provide storage before the FunDay.

Joan Clayton asked for as many plants as possible for the FunDay plant stall.

Steve Johns sent an e-mail providing an update on the FunDay:

  • As reported last time, things are generally on course.
  • We now have a Circus Skills chap booked in place of Matt Tiffany (someone he recommended in fact).
  • With Adam and Steve Jones-Blackett's help we will get posters and flyers printed over the next couple of weeks. Volunteers will be needed for putting up posters in the last couple of weeks of May, and volunteers for delivering flyers to schools immediately after half term i.e. first week of June. Flyers will be distributed as necessary once they are printed.
  • The Council is being chased for the formal permission (as Steve has to do every year) and arrangements with all the stall holders are being re-confirmed.
  • Adrian Coltman has booked the PA.
  • The Fire Service has been invited.

So far, volunteers have agreed to deliver leaflets to schools as follows:

  • Diane Kitto: Gledhow, Chapel A and St Matthews
  • Theresa Williams: Roundhay and Kerr Mackie
  • David Miles: Hillcrest and Bankside
  • Steve Johns: Talbot
  • Martin Calvert: Bracken Edge and Immaculate Heart
Steve Jones-Blackett will liaise with Adam for flyers and leaflets and printing (maybe 7,000 this year?), possibly for May 13th. Distribution will be after the Bank Holiday week.

12. AOB

  • Peter Wilkie was introduced by Steve Jones-Blackett and David Miles. He explained his Twitter campaign.
  • Mervyn suggested planting hornbeam above silt trap 3.
  • Theresa Williams spoke regarding the area by the Lodge House entrance, to stop cars parking, She has blocked it off with wood and put seed down, with support from other users. The wood was cleared once but she replaced it and it is still in place now.
  • Theresa asked for some dog poo notices and will liaise with Joan.
  • Jenny Page spoke about the need for communication regarding tree anxiety issues.
  • Steve Jones-Blackett reported that the users of the petrol miniature cars have had some negative comments which he will discuss with them.
  • Stephen Tyndale-Biscoe suggested that it would be a good idea to have open spaces agreed and mapped by Leeds City Council and the Wade's Charity if possible, to prevent any misunderstanding.
  • Everybody commended Stephen Tyndale-Biscoe on his fallen tree tidying, making a big difference.

13. Dates of Next Meetings

  • Steering Group Meeting - Mon 13 May 2019, 7.30pm (Gledhow Sports & Social Club)
  • Action Morning - Sun 19 May 2019
  • FGVW FunDay - Sat 15 Jun 2019

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