INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION IPSWICH BRANCH Committee Meeting Date: Friday, 27 November 2009. Venue: ‘The Chequers’, Great Blakenham. Present: Susan Brown (RST), Brian Cornell (Pickerel), Spencer Greystrong (Treasurer), Brian Holt (PRO), Diana Holt (Social), Charles Stride (Secretary), Lewis Tyler (RGT), Chard Wadley (Chairman), Carolyn Wadley (Minutes). 1
APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE Clive Saville.
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MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD 2 OCTOBER 2009 The Chairman duly signed the minutes for 2 October 2009 as being a true record of the proceedings.
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MATTERS ARISING NOT INCLUDED IN THE AGENDA Charles stated that a letter of condolence had been duly sent to the Norfolk Industrial Archeology Society as requested. Lewis said that he and Mitzi had attended the Southern Canal Society meeting in October and had had a good day.
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COMMITTEE REPORTS Chairman Chard asked if everyone had seen the HO email regarding the online petition for BW and suggested it should be mentioned in the forthcoming Anglian Cuttings. Chard had received an email from HO reference a seminar to be held on 6 February 2010 and Charles replied that he had registered interest and awaits confirmation. Secretary Charles reported that the Parliamentary Cuts information letter had been sent to the Broads Society, North Walsham and Dilham and the EAWA together with copies of the brochure. Charles explained the planning item from Mid Suffolk saying item 2 states ‘There are also aspirations to make the River Gipping navigable for leisure purposes including lock preservation. The Council would support these aspirations where they are practicable’. The Broadland District Council Plan update had been received and also the Norfolk Local Transport Plan. Minutes had been received from Milton Keynes and Peterborough and associated IWA notices had been circulated. Charles suggested that regarding the Pickerel cleanup dates we should ask to be notified in advance if there is to be a requirement for specific action on the Gipping and Brian Cornell will mention this at the next Pickerel meeting. Regarding the AGM in February, Charles explained that Chard Wadley and Spencer Greystrong are both due for reelection and Michael Carter is to retire from the committee. Charles checked the date of the SOS action day as being the 3 May 2010 and asked if the RST is aware of this date. Brian Cornell is to check this with the Trust and arrange for it to be held at the Granary, Sudbury. Treasurer 1
Spencer explained the expenditure on the accounts sheet showing the donation from the Branch to the River Gipping Trust. The income and expenses list shows what has been spent and donated item by item. Brian Holt raised the funding of the monthly meetings saying that running a raffle is not cost effective. It was put forward that perhaps a donation at branch meetings could be suggested which would help towards the cost of speakers; it was thought that this idea could be raised at the AGM. Public Relations Officer Brian said that he had responded to ICON Norfolk Library Information about the branch. An email had been sent to Martin Purbrook to tell him we no longer intend to run our own web space as we have moved to the IWA hosting, Brian had not yet received a reply. Brian had contacted Compila, our ISP, and reduced our account to just maintain the Branch URL and point it to the IWA site. Social Secretary Diana said a thank you had been sent to David Stevenson for his talk in October and his expenses together with a £10 donation to Foxton Incline Plane had been paid. Keith Froom, who gave a talk on the Mid Suffolk Light Railway in November, had also been sent a thank you and a receipt for the donation to the MSLR is awaited. Diana has tried to contact Warwick branch to see if they have any knowledge of the person who has offered to do talks about the Grand Canal in China but has had no reply so far. Editor, Anglian Cuttings Charles explained the new layout of Anglian Cuttings asking for comments from the committee, all approved and items to be included were discussed. Membership Secretary In the absence of the membership Secretary, Chard reported the figures as follows September – 511 members and 323 memberships. October – 512 members and 323 memberships. 5
REPORTS ON OTHER BODIES River Gipping Trust Lewis said a Management meeting had been held following the last branch committee meeting in October and another is to be held after Christmas. The restoration work continues well and an RGT membership leaflet, which was enclosed in Navvies, has helped to make others aware of the Trust and so more people have joined and there are now a total of 97 members. The newsletter went out in October and Future Planning is on the agenda for next Tuesday’s meeting. River Stour Trust Susan reported that the season was now at an end and the boats were out of the water for maintenance saying that Rosette had been painted. Susan is no longer on council and Jeff Boroughs is to finish at the end of the year which is the financial year end for the Trust. Dorothy Howe and James Edward have been coopted onto council. Stratford is now cleared, the gabions done and work has now stopped for the winter. Negotiation with EA and planning for next year’s work at SSM is in hand. The Annual Bazaar is to be held tomorrow, Saturday, 28 November. Norfolk Industrial Archeology Society Spencer asked about renewing the NIAS membership and it was agreed to renew for another 2
year. East Anglian Waterways Association Spencer had received the latest newsletter and commented on interesting articles. 6
ANY OTHER BUSINESS Lewis commented on the very good report in Canal Boat on the WRG work camp. Spencer said that the IWA website should be transferred to the new site in midDecember.
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NEXT MEETING Friday, 22 January 2010.
The Chairman closed the meeting at 3.40pm.
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