Committee Meeting 21st Sep 2012 Minutes

INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION IPSWICH BRANCH Committee Meeting

Date: Friday, 21 September 2012.

Venue: ‘The Chequers’, Great Blakenham.

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

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APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE. Clive Saville and Lewis Tyler.

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MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 29 JUNE 2012.

Item 5, RGT report, paragraph 4 stated that Gerry Crease had reported on the ‘Boat Association’, this should read ‘Electric Boat Association’. With this amendment the Chairman duly signed the minutes for 29 June 2012.

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MATTERS ARISING NOT INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA. None.

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COMMITTEE REPORTS Chairman Chard reported on an email from Robin, Southern Canal Society, regarding interest in their meetings. Chard had replied saying that the meetings were held too far from our area and we could not justify the cost of travel. He continued saying he felt the meetings were successful and wished the SCS all the best for the future. The RGT had replied saying much the same.

Chard had received the IWA National Festival bulletin which states that the Festival will be held next year to celebrate London’s waterways in 2013 to mark the re-opening of the Bow Rivers and waterways around the Olympics.

Regarding the IWA AGM in Chelmsford, Brian and Diana Holt are hoping to attend to represent the Branch. Brian was asked, on behalf of Spencer, Treasurer, to raise a proposal that IWA should move from Barclays Bank to the Co-op Bank. Spencer wishes the raise the point on behalf of every Branch Treasurer in the Country as Barclays Bank have caused so many problems for treasurers over the past few months. This was agreed by the committee.

Secretary Charles reported on Items received and circulated: Great Ouse minutes for June 2012.

Peterborough minutes for September 2012.

Panning notices received: Ipswich Cord – approval granted. Brian stated that he had received a phone call from a Mrs Robertson of ‘Save Our Countryside’ regarding 5,000 new homes being built in Ipswich and Brian had explained to her that the Branch is aware of the plans.

Norwich – long term proposals. Brian was not aware of anything we should be concerned about and stated that the Broads Authority seems to have a fairly good grasp of not letting anything detrimental happen to the waterways.

IWA HO, Various Bulletins including: Printing and distribution of Branch magazines.

Per capita payment – Charles had responded to the consultation.

National Festival 2013 – Cassiobury Park tbc plus London Waterways Event and possible event 27 July 2013, opening of North Olympic Park.

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Treasurer Spencer circulated the accounts and explained various items of interest. The accounts show money received for funds and the interest received from the current account.

Spencer explained that Barclays Bank had decided that all forms be redone for cheque signatories and this had caused many problems throughout the branches.

Public Relations Officer Brian reported that he and Diana had visited the River Bure Conservation Trusts commemoration of the loss of navigation to Aylsham in the floods of 1912.

Details of the forthcoming meetings have been sent to all the major waterways.

Social Secretary Brian stated that plans for next year’s outing are underway and a rough outline of the weekend has been published in Anglian Cuttings.

Editor, Anglian Cuttings Charles reported that the latest edition of Anglian Cuttings had been produced and distributed.

It was agreed to trial central printing and distribution at HO for the Winter/January 2013 edition of Anglian Cuttings following discussions on cost savings.

Membership Secretary Membership figures are as follows: June – 474 members and 313 memberships.

July – 468 members and 311 memberships.

August – 462 members and 307 memberships.

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REPORTS ON OTHER BODIES River Gipping Trust Spencer reported that the Trust is working on the LDC for the EA to create the by-wash round Pipps Ford Lock. Timbers for the sluice gates at Baylham are now complete with just the gates on the sluices to do. The possibility of a canal camp is being discussed.

Chard reported that he had attended a meeting at Needham Market regarding flooding of the River Gipping. Chard said the interesting part was the EA map of work to do at Great Blakenham in cutting back vegetation, he continued saying that from Creeting to Hawks Mill they plan desilting together with tree and hedge cutting which is good news for the RGT. Broad Authority Forum Brian stated that he had attended the meeting of the Broads Forum on 19 July saying that one of the points to come from the meeting was the small amount of items put on the agenda by the delegates from their constituencies.

The draft minutes of the meeting have been sent to the bodies that Brian represents.

The next meeting of the Broads Forum has been postponed until 22 November to enable the Broads Forum to be formally consulted on the Members Working Group recommendations.

The Broads Authority is moving to new premises in Norwich in November this year which will save them £2m over the next 10 years.

Brian explained that the Broads Authority publishes three newsletters: The Broads Explorer and the Broadcaster, both can be found on the BA web site.

The Broad Sheet, a toll payer’s news sheet, is to keep them up to date with Broads Authority navigation news.

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River Stour Trust Brian Cornell reported that the John Constable is being taken from Brightlingsea to the new campus at Ipswich for 2 nights; from there it will be taken to the VEC at Great Cornard on Thursday, 27 September where it will be craned in to the water. The Jetty has been completed for the barge. Stratford Lock has been cleared of vegetation. Flatford Lock is unusable at present due to the gates being in need of repair.

Pickerel Project Group Spencer had joined the Pickerel Project Group’s walk from Stowmarket to Needham Market and said that the towpath is in urgent need of clearance work. He continued saying that it is very overgrown and some of the stiles are old and dangerous. It was thought that clearance is something the RGT could do. Gerry suggested taking pictures of the problem areas and then consulting the Council. Spencer is to raise this at the next RGT meeting.

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ANY OTHER BUSINESS Chard said he had completed the National Festival Questionnaire which in part wanted to know why we no longer attend.

Chard reminded everyone that 13 September 2014 would be the 40th anniversary of the Branch and it was agreed that there should be some form of a celebration.

It was agreed to send out a circular to all Branch Members in an attempt to recruit new committee members prior to the AGM.

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NEXT MEETING Friday, 7 December 2012.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 2.30pm.

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