Committee minutes 14 march 2014

INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION IPSWICH BRANCH Committee Meeting

Date: Friday, 14 March 2014 Venue: ‘The Chequers’, Great Blakenham.

Present: Chard Wadley (Chairman), Charles Stride (Secretary), Spencer Greystrong (Treasurer), Brian Holt (PRO), Diana Holt (Social Secretary), Brian Cornell (RST) and Gerry Crease.

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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Clive Saville and Lewis Tyler.

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MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 31 JANUARY 2014 Under Membership Secretary the average members total for the year should read 456 not 356 as recorded; with this amendment the Chairman duly signed the minutes for 31 January 2014 as being a true record of the proceedings.

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MATTERS ARISING NOT INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA There were no matters arising.

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COMMITTEE REPORTS Chairman Chard reported on the email from Toby Gomm, Fund Raising Officer for IWA regarding sponsorship for the ‘Acheman Challenge’ which is being undertaken by 4 members of Head Office on 5 April. Points put forward were that WRG have helped Ipswich Branch in the past and that the work and effort that WRG put in makes them a good cause to support. Spencer suggested a donation of £1,000 being sent from the branch and this was agreed by all present.

Chard explained that the Chairman’s Award for 2014 had been given to Trevor Chatting and as he was not at the AGM in February, Chard had presented the award to him at the work party at Pipps Ford Lock. Chard had received an email from Trevor saying how pleased he was to have received the award.

Chard had received letters from Brian and Diana Holt and Clive Saville regarding their resignation from the committee in February 2015.

Secretary Charles reported on the following items received: Minutes received and circulated: Great Ouse for January and February 2014 Peterborough for February 2014 Milton Keynes for January and February 2014.

Eastern Region AGM notification for Tuesday, 18 March at Peterborough.

Planning notices received: Stowmarket – Mill Lane – Discussed with the Trust. A request was lodged with Planners to upgrade the towpath/footpath suitable for wheelchairs. Request acknowledged but the report states: ‘It is acknowledged that improvements to the River Gipping path and other pedestrian and cycle links are desirable but it is considered that they fall outside the criteria of which a planning obligation can be sought. Any improvements will require other sources of funding’.

Babergh/Mid Suffolk – Local Plan adopted.

IWA HO, various bulletins circulated: Various Bulletins and Press Releases received.

Other items circulated: Waveney Trust – various messages.

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Correspondence Email received and replied to from Jean Maxwell who has moved from Essex to Suffolk and is transferring to us from Chelmsford Branch. Charles has also sent her an Anglian Cuttings for future meeting dates.

Treasurer Spencer supplied a copy of the Accounts to the committee and explained various items saying that we paid HO £97.80 for printing Anglian Cuttings and this will be the last time we have to pay this.

Public Relations Officer Brian said he will notify the waterway magazines that we are donating £1,000 to the Acheman Challenge.

Social Secretary Diana reported that 22 members attended the AGM in February 2014. Diana has booked the meeting room at Needham Market for the winter programme 2014/15 and speakers were discussed.

Editor, Anglian Cuttings Next edition will be May/June 2014.

Membership Secretary Chard gave the following membership figures: January 2014 – 452 members and 302 memberships February 2014 – 445 members and 297 memberships 5

STEFANIE PRESTON’S COMMENTS Stefanie’s email regarding ideas for recruiting new committee members was discussed at length.

Following many suggestions being put forward it was agreed that Charles would send a reply to Stefanie with the thoughts and ideas of the committee members.

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REPORTS ON OTHER BODIES River Gipping Trust Spencer reported that the bridge is progressing well.

Spencer explained Geocaching saying that Mark Ward had laid the Geocaches down then the floods started but now the floods have receded these had proved very popular and there has been positive reports. Spencer said at the moment they run from Great Blakenham to Needham Market and he hopes they will be extended and therefore it is necessary for the path be kept clear.

Spencer said that the Pipps Ford Survey had been done and explained there had been a rethink on the strategy. There are to be talks with the EA. Broads Authority Forum Brian had attended the Broads Authority Forum on the 6 February and the minutes had been distributed.

Brian explained that he had notified the four bodies that he represents that he will be resigning from the IWA committee next February and will also resign from the Broads Forum at the same time. Following this email Brian had received a thank you from Alan Faulkner. Chard then thanked Brian for all he had done.

River Stour Trust.

Brian Cornell started by saying that it had been agreed to get the lock gates from Martin Childs and the RST have £65,000 towards the cost with another £5,000 required for the winding gear.

Regarding new volunteers, Brian said they had now had 60 people apply.

The Annual Dinner at The Granary was attended by 60 people and went very well.

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Chard reported that he had received a letter from the Treasurer of the RST requesting a donation of £5,000 pounds towards the lock gates. Chard continued saying that as the branch can only donate up to £1,000 then the request for more will need to go to HO. Waveney Trust.

Brian and Diana had attended the second talk organized by the Trust which was ‘History of the Waveney and the Mills’. The third talk will be on Artists who have captured the River Waveney on canvas.

Pickerel Project Group Clean-ups continue on the River Gipping by the Pickerel Group.

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40th ANNIVERSARY – SEPTEMBER 2014.

Names of those to be invited to the anniversary lunch on 4 October 2014 were decided and Brian is to print the invitations.

The Secretary was asked to write to Trusts in our Region offering them an Anniversary grant.

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ANY OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business raised.

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NEXT MEETING Friday, 27 June 2014

The Chairman closed the meeting at 2.45pm

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