15 February 2010
Present: Ursula Windsor (President), Jim Procter (Chairman), Anthea Graham, , Chris Prosser, John Gannon, Carole Carpenter, Bob Wyatt, Jonny Cox, Margaret Robson, Terry Robson, Frieda Caulkett (Treasurer), Leslie Venon (Secretary)
1) Apologies for absence: Chris Prosser, Harry Gleadow (Vice Chairman), Martyn White, Robert Simpson, Russell Steel
2) Minutes from last meeting (4 June 2009) were approved: proposed by Margaret Robson, seconded by Frieda Caulkett.
3) Matters arising:
a) Beech tree: Russell to lop off the tree, Jim will call Russell to take care of it.
b) Entrust: no progress yet
c) Benches: one is being repaired; one has been restored and is now in the square (cost for the reparation: £110)
d) Response to survey: Jim to finish it
e) Carol service: the Christmas carol service was a success, the Reverend Robert Simpson was happy with the event. The committee decided to reiterate the event and it was suggested to choose a date well in advance as the Salvation Army is getting more popular.
f) Letter to Enterprise: Jim has written to Enterprise to thank them for their work on last year’s baskets.
g) Tree maintenance: Jim to act on it and ask Russell for his help and expertise.
h) Hanging baskets: last year’s cost of watering amounted to £358, while the cost for the plants was £100. The committee decided to go ahead with the initiative again this year. We need to get organised before Easter if we want to reiterate the experience.
Jim to get advices from the garden centre as to what type of plants we should buy, and the students from Hartpury will do the planting. Terry will ask Hartpury College when they want the design and when the association will get the planted baskets back from the college.
Last year, the colours were pink and mauve. We could ask Steven Prosser for advice as well.
i) Gate disclaimer: before reaching a decision, we need to ask ourselves: What is the objective of the disclaimer? And what is to be achieved by installing one? The legal advice was not to have one. It was therefore decided to hold a periodical risk assessment of the gardens, checking if the benches and trees were safe, and identify any other potential threats to the public. To that effect, the gardens will be checked twice a year to see if anything is amiss.
j) Wild meadow area: Terry did rake the dead flowers off the wild meadow area.
k) Bulbs: Harry was to bargain hunt for bulbs that could be planted around the dead tree – check progress with Harry
l) Tree maintenance: Ursula gave a tree to replace the dead cherry tree. Jim to see with Russell for the planting.
m) Invoices for remaining subscriptions: Jim hadn’t sent the remaining invoices, but will do so before the end of February 2010, and Terry will distribute them.
n) Free trees from Gloucester City Council: Terry will ask the Council again to see if the association could be given a hawthorn tree, that would be planted by the Bug City.
4) Treasury Report:
Co-op Bank account – Community bank account: £994.89
NatWest Current account: £1053.86 (as of 29.01.2010 – remaining bills to be paid on this account)
- Emma Morris is still officially the treasurer according to the Co-op Bank’s records. Jim wrote to Emma to change the name on the account, so Frieda can access it. Jim to chase the bank to see of the change has been made.
- Remaining subscriptions: Evans & Co paid in £200 for the 2010 subscription on 23 December 2010. Jim to remember not to invoice them.
- City Council: paid in the remaining £1000 from the grant on 22 December 2010.
5) Fund Raising: Chris booked the car park for this year’s fund raising day (on Saturday 9 October 2010). The invoice will be sent to the association.
6) Community Events: the association needs to think of possible events to hold in the square. The committee is keen on accommodating the Art & Crafts fair in May 2010.
We would also like to organise a song & praise event in May. Music events and barbecue evenings could also be held in the summer time.
Volunteers willing to help organise these different events could arrange to meet up to discuss the details.
7) Garden Maintenance & Management:
- Gloucester in Bloom: Margaret, Frieda and Leslie will attend the kick off meeting on 24 February 2010, to find out what grants are available, and how to get them.
- Grass: the grass in the square is soft and spongy and should be rolled regularly. Terry has inquired to members of the cricket club, and they said they could help, and Russell could use their equipment. Terry to explore this option further.
Correspondence: none
9) Matters arising:
- Some teenagers have been in the square for a while, dropping litters and antagonising the neighbours. Flower beds have been trampled and bushes and hedges broken, the table has been tagged, paint damaged on the lamps, and the shed has been broken. Terry talked to them several times, explaining these were private gardens and to behave responsibly, to no avail.
- Due to the vandalism, Terry proposes that the gates be locked from 4 pm to 7 am, and during the weekend, until the end of March 2010, Bob seconds.
If you want to enter the square between 4pm and 7 am, and during the weekend, Bob Wyatt, residing on No 15, has spare keys, and will coordinate key holders.
Terry will sand the table that has been recently damaged.
We welcome a new square resident in the committee: Jonny Cox.
The next committee meeting will be held on Tuesday 30 March 2010, at 7.30 in Christ Church, and the AGM on 12 April 2010.