TRANSITION STROUD COUNCIL

Meeting Thursday 12th April 2012, 7.30pm – 9.30pm, The Exchange, Brick Row, Stroud, GL5 1DF

Present: James Beecher, Harry Gardner, Seb Buckton, Simon Allen,Helen Royall (chair), Nick Quail, Greg Dance, John Meadley, Erik Wilkinson (minutes), Gail Bradbrook, Anna Bonallack, Philip Booth, Claire Deacon (Treasurer), Martin Whiteside.

(Meeting quorate)

Apologies: Mark Keogan

  1. Optional social
  1. Decide on chair for meeting

Helen was supported as Chair for the meeting.

  1. Formal introductions and Apologies

For apologies see above. All introduced themselves.

  1. Approval of minutes of last meeting

Minutes of last meeting approved by the meeting.

  1. Actions from last meetings

  • Meetings with SDC / Ecotricity .
SDC– positive about TS and recognise we can do things they can’t. Breakdown given to SDC on how TS would spend funding they might give us. Further meetings to take place
Ecotricity – Positive response to TS’s request for partnership/funding – dialogue continuing. Progress to be reported at next meeting
  • Insurance re draught busting–actioned
  • Practice guidelines for Wood Group – John Fisher currently engaged
  • Company secretary update: Mark Koegan has confirmed he would like to take this on. This was warmly welcomed by the meeting. SA has met with Mark and given him appropriatedocumentsto look at - plus suggestion he meets Directors and Seb. Ongoing process that needs to be completed.Action: Discussion/decision at next council meeting.
  • F/U people willing to make financial contribution. Seb has identified key names. Action Seb will organise how/when contact with them is made. SA willing to ‘phone people.
  • Dutch student f/u Amelia made contact but no response
  • TS e mail and labels for the Exchange Action:Claire reporting progress at next meeting
  • Food Strategy Group – Group has now met twice and still discussing ways to take the action forward. Looking for funding and a bid has gone in to SDC via Down to Earth. Action: Helen to update at next meeting
  • More Directors. TS needs to recruit new Directors as there are currently vacancies and TS’s work is expanding. Discussion on how to do this. Suggestions that we identify and discuss with those who are most active in TS’s work. Also we might consider marketing via social media. Needs early on going actions before autumn AGM. Action:
  • Marketing materials update. Small group has met since last meeting to focus on suggestions and detail. Seb has redrafted some text and designs with Imogen and James focussing on the A6 leaflet. Quotes in for printing so all should be available soon. Need to have lottery logo on all leaflets. . Web site now updated with actions to come to move it to Word press. Going for printing to use up marketing budget fully. Action: Simon and Seb to discuss/agree budgets.
  • Youth Exploring Sustainability Project John (and Anna) added to his briefing paper on YES! (Appendix 2) and CLS sent out before the Council meeting. He confirmed funding has been an issue but YES! will go ahead and cut its cloth accordingly – even although there is not the funding to release a teacher in each school for half a day a week. If the CLS bid is successful and Stroud is one of the ten towns to get a million pounds then these funding issues will be solved. In the meantime additional bids are being put into other charities such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation – who are coming to see YES! Has been hard to get some schools moving into action phase but others have embraced the project wholeheartedly. Recent logo competition very successful with 30 entries (ten from the Shrubberies)
  • Communities Living Sustainably (CLS) Bid: John been drawing up contracts and frameworks with Anna arranging events. The schools residential has had to be postponed so the opportunity will be taken to widen the invitation - now on 4th May for two nights.
Other key dates: Public consultation to be held in Stroud onSaturday 28th April and in Dursley on the 12th May - 10 am to 2 and 3pm. There will also be a training evening for young people on 23rd April - venue unknown. There will be workshops for y/p in schools – carousel of activities at Forrest Green Rovers on the15th May 9. 30 to 2. 30.
On the 24th May there will be a key stakeholders seminar
Very tight schedule as everything needs to be finished by end of May as bid needs to be put in by end of June.
There will be 8 or 9 working groups and John has developed a guidance document for them to use. Suggestions came from the meeting as to who might chair/get involved with these groups.
The budget of £2,000 for project management will be used to employ people who have specialist skills or where they are unable to commit their time on a voluntary basis. When the need for such appointments become apparent, Council will be circulated with the proposals for comment.
If successful it will be a three year project. Directors approved John approaching SWEA re project management and Anna was endorsed as Project coordinator
  • Access Bike: Harry now involved in coordinating and doing an excellent job. See Helen’s report in Appendix 1 for update on activities. Meeting agreed the four payments below that Helen requested and endorsed the idea of Helen having immediate access to a fund to pay for bikes quickly.
£96 payable to Cytek for helmets and locks
£195 payable to A.R. Jones for 6 bikes
£250 payable to Helen - for Accessbike
£800 payable to Helen to act as cash advance for purchase of bikes
James has visited Glos bike project in Barton Street who are keen to work with Transition Stroud.
  • Open Edible Gardens:There will be 40 gardens taking part this year – 16 of them new. Helen Pitel has visited them all. Currently there is £1180 in the account and the meeting approved a budget of £1600 for printing and marketing
/ GB/SA
GB/JF
Council
SB
CD
HR
C/F
SB/SA
SB
  1. Finance report

See Appendix 3 for Claire’s finance report.

  • We now have a petty cash tin.
  • Claire is clarifying which are restricted and which open funds.
  • Claire will be writing some financial guidelines. Action: Claire to circulate for comments before the next meeting
  • Meeting agreed to renew our public liability insurance at £265- which now covers YES! events.
  • Meeting endorsed that e mails from two Directors can approve a cheque/BACS payment for over a £100. Claire as secretary has authority to pay out for sums under a £100.
  • Contracts: Meeting agreed that for any contract that we sign a copy should be kept by the company secretary
  1. Mandate for bank account signatures.

See Appendix 4 for mandate. Currently Simon, John, Nigel and Martin can sign cheques. Meeting endorsed Claire Deacon as an additional COOP Bank account signatory.

  1. Evolving support structure for Development Worker and Events Organiser:

Discussion on Gail’s previously circulated paper on how we now support operational staff effectively. New phase of support needed - recognising that Development Worker post now well established; that we are seeking to broaden number of paid posts; support time is limited and we need a support structure which is both supportive and professional. Outcome:

  • Agreed 12 am meeting on Friday 18th May at Star Anise chaired by James with Seb and Helen coming along with any other available directors
  • This pre Transition Show support slot available regularly as and when needed
  • There will be regular 4 to 6 weekly review meetings/meal where progress will be reviewed and work/objectives agreed. Directors invited to attend
  • Monthly reports by Development Worker (Appendix 5)and Events Manager to be continued.
  1. Any other business
  1. Stroud Life - James has negotiated/agreed to write a regular column on the Transition Show and TS activities. JB
  1. Stroud Community TV – Philip outlined progress- 1200 visitors last month; 270 videos uploaded. It was agreed that SCTV becomes a TS working group for a trial period of one year – so SCTV now comes under TS’s public liability insurance. Further discussion needed on level of contribution to TS’s insurance costs, who represents the group at council, how does SCTV bank account fit in with TS, how TS uses this new link effectively etc. SA
  1. Randwick fuel project - TS working group Met five times and due to meet again soon. 30 people involved with around 12 regularly attending wood gathering sessions
  1. Stroud Fm: £240 membership cost. TS has paid £120. Action. Claire to pay remainder CD
  1. Essentials in community development course: James attended half the course – useful work book available from James.
  1. TS/youth café space: Harry continuing to look for a space
  1. Hawkwood College: Alicia Carey new principal wishes to meet TS. Action: Seb to organise him and Erik to meet with her plus any others interested. SB
  1. SCA marketing post: Opportunity for TS and SCA to coordinate on this post. Action: Seb to contact SCA to discuss. SB
  1. Tanker Drivers: Opportunity for a press release on peak oil and TS’s work
  1. TS Film: James developing a TS film programme. First film on Sunday 15th April , 7pm at the Exchange
  1. Date and time of next meeting

14th May 7.00pm for 7.30pm, The Exchange, Meeting Room

Appendix 1

Updates from Helen Royall

for Transition Stroud Council meeting

Thursday 12th April 2012

Textile Group

  • The Event went well. Some new people came. Stalls well attended by all ages and café a good attraction. Made £25 on café and £34.05 on stalls and donations. (Feedback from Trashion Show – would have been better in daytime when stall holders were there / slower with time to discuss how items were made. Also feedback about small demographic attending.)
  • 8 new names for Textile Group and 2 for TS. Thanks to James for getting stall there and to Amanda for being on stall for some of the time and big thanks to Clare for being in charge of the day on her own as I was unable to attend due to face turning into a large turnip.
  • This event needs to be run more by Textilers in future. Not a great crowd puller – maybe better to respond to requests (like workshops and evening groups).
  • There seems to be a resurgence of ‘Knit and Natter’ groups in Stroud.

Down to Earth

  • Still working on Spring Gardening Event for Sunday 15th April in Cainscross (Victory Park 11 – 4) with DtE, TS and West Country Coppice.
  • Please come along if you can. There will be seeds, plants, bean sticks, charcoal, compost, refreshments etc.
  • DtE Co-ordinating Food Strategy group (see below).

Self Sufficiency Weekend

  • Ellie Sumpter working on organisation with Seb and Permaculture Group.
  • Weekend planned for June 8th to 10th in Horsley – moved to Bernie’s land.
  • Tickets will be £20 (accompanied children free)
  • Any offers of workshops or selling tickets etc. gratefully received.

Access Bike

  • Harry’s doing a great job and quickly learning what to do.
  • Have exchanged their first 6 bikes for students at Maidenhill.
  • £110 collected from students and given to Bonzo / £195 owed to Bonzo / £96 owed to Cytek for helmets and locks.
  • Shrubberies have 2 students ready to take bikes and 3 students who will need bikes with adaptions.
  • Thomas Keble are getting their students ready after the Easter break.
  • StroudCollege have 3 students wanting bikes and have offered us 4 bikes to do up and sell on. Ian from StroudCollege has also offered Bonzo space to store bikes in future and can sometimes help with bike transport. He is also interested in the idea of StroudCollege having a Bike Pool (like SDC) and our trainers helping them with our Back2Bike scheme.

Bikes in the Park

  • Planning stalls and activities for Saturday June 24th
  • SVP are organising a publicity event for local newspapers to get people signed up for sponsored bike ride.
  • Nick James and Harry Gardener helping with organisation.

OpenGardens

  • We now have 40 gardens – 16 new ones, this year including Hawkwood.
  • Mark has offered to help with getting website sorted and James has offered to help update if needed.
  • Working on booklet.

Open Homes

  • Went to a meeting (with Becky) in Glos where they would like to start an Open Homes weekend. They have some funding to support Gloucestershire so offered all groups help with advertising and leaflets. All felt meeting was helpful and would like to meet again. Also suggested it would be good to have a meeting for Transition groups in Gloucestershire.
  • Next meeting Thursday 4th March in Glos again.
  • Next meeting for Stroud Open Homes Wed 18th April, 7.30 at my home.

Heart and Soul Group

  • Still discussing what this group is about. Very interesting discussions and sharing food.

Food Strategy

  • Very energetic and detailed meeting but still thrashing out what it is we hope to achieve and how and who should be involved.
  • Next meeting sometime week beginning Tuesday 8th May, 10.00am.

Stroud FM

  • Still need to pay £120 for membership.
  • James and I talked about possibility of having a regular column (like Farmers Market) in Stroud Life each week. James has follow up as he has a contact there. Could write up what's been on show or what’s coming up as well as updates about TS.

YES! project

  • Meeting regularly with Frank Gann until project sorted.
  • Met with small task group of students to introduce idea and possibilities of YES project.

Appendix 2

UPDATE ON YES! AND COMMUNITIES LIVING SUSTAINABLY

  1. YES! In brief, there is a significant commitment from the schools, SDYC is holding its residential weekend shortly in the Forest of Dean, the mentors are working with the schools and funding is slow. We had a major setback with the response from the Esmee Fairbairn Trust and the Tudor Trust, possibly because they perceived this as asking them to pay for what schools should be paying for themselves. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation has invited us to meeting in two weeks time and other funding sources are being approached but as the schools are preparing their timetables now for 2012/13 we are not a position for them to plan on the basis of releasing a teacher. Anna and I have discussed this with Stuart Wilson, Head of Marling, who takes a very positive and encourages us to proceed and to “cut our coat according to our cloth”. A letter will be sent shortly to the schools to this effect. We will build YES! around the funds that become available. If we are successful with the CLS application then all funding problems will be solved.
  1. COMMUNITIES LIVING SUSTAINABLY – FUTURE NOW. Having won a place amongst the 30 successful applicants we are now dealing with the realities of this.. Having signed all the documentation there are still small things that need to be addressed and it will probably be another 10 days before we receive any funds.

There are two items underlined on page 2 on which I seek your support and below is an indicative budget.

BIG Budget / SDC budget
Project Coordination / 4000
Project Management / 2000
Consultation Facilitation / 800
Financial Expertise / 500
Community Survey / 650
Youth Residential / 2800
2 Public Consultations / 500
Key Stakeholders Seminar / 550
Youth workshop / 750
Posters, flyers / 250
Total / 10000 / 2800

Anna Bonallack (see final Para below) is leading on project coordination (preparing the bid, organising/leading the consultation activities etc.). Having facilitated a recent countywide workshop at Forest Green on CLS-related issues, Nick Weir has been asked to facilitate the two stakeholder workshops and a training session for young people to participate in the public consultations. The budget of £2,000 for project management will be used to employ people who have specialist skills or where they are unable to commit their time on a voluntary basis. When the need for such appointments become apparent, Council will be circulated with the proposals for comment.

Project implementation. In our bid we will need to state who will be the contracting organisation and who will be the project coordinator.

Project contractor. I would like to secure agreement to open discussions with SWEA to identify what options might be possible.

Project coordinator. The project bid will need to identify the project coordinator. Anna Bonallack was appointed as co-coordinator of YES! (with Sarah Jackson) in December 2011. Anna and Sarah quickly defined their roles as being education/technical and administrative respectively. Sarah has now taken up a full time job and Anna is now working more than full time as project coordinator and bid coordinator. I have been very impressed with Anna’s approach, commitment and can-do attitude and she has built good working relationships with the schools, partners and local councils. We need to have a firm candidate who will continue the bidding process and also be named in the bid. I nominate Anna for that post and seek your support.

I have to significantly reduce my workload and will continue to look at opportunities for involving others. John Meadley (11 April 2012)