Minutes - March 2010

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
2 March 2010

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Marcus (Vice-Chair), Cath (Treasurer), Jo (Secretary), Megan (co-Secretary), Jenny, John
Apologies: Melissa, Jeanette, Simon

1. Chair opened meeting, noted apologies and thanked Marcus for chairing the last meeting

2. Chair’s Report:

• Tony has updated the Surrey Gardens TRA website with the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) pre-application information as agreed at the February meeting. Next step in the process is to finalise the project plan on Monday 8th March to complete the application requirements

3. Treasurer’s Report:

• Nothing to report

4. Any other business:

• Marcus contacted the Community Payback scheme to request support in ground clearing at the back of St Paul’s churchyard. Next step is to agree a date with Community Payback and Grahame
• Marcus contacted the council to request:
• A bin for the corner of St Paul’s churchyard and;
• A bin for the end of Lorrimore Rd, next to recycling bins where a significant amount of rubbish is dumped
• Still awaiting a response from the council
• The Cleaner, Greener, Safer (CGS) programme have been in touch with Tony and provided the following information:
• A plan to plant new trees and re-pave the existing area of the cut through around the trees
• That new lighting cannot be incorporated within the existing budget and plans as they stand
• That planters can be incorporated
• Tony agreed to request more information from CGS on how the £15,000 CGS funding will be allocated, and to try and incorporate lighting into the plan – which was felt by the TRA to be an essential part of the original application
• The mosaic refurbishment in Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Square has been completed. Tony posted pictures of the roundel onto the TRA website. John confirmed that the contractor had been paid upon completion. Jenny has planted some new plants into the borders in Lorrimore Gardens. A big thank you from the TRA to Jenny and John for planning and managing the project, and for the additional planting
• Artwork for the electric substation:
• Sue has submitted a proposal for the art project on the electricity substation in Lorrimore Square, with a cost of £1,000
• The cost depends upon assistance from volunteers to take down and replace the pictures once complete
• The TRA voted to approve the proposal
• Tony to e-mail Sue to give the go-ahead
• Cath to liaise with the school and Sue to plan next steps
• Cath noted that the TRA need to add an additional cheque signatory for the TRA bank account. Cath will leave the form with Tony to complete, to become the additional signatory
• Tony noted that scaffolding had been erected without notice outside 16 and 17 Lorrimroe Square. The contractors also had no ID and no proof of their instruction from the council. Jeanette and Tony both pursued this with the council and with Councillor Caroline Pidgeon, who has tried to chase this internally
• John offered to raise this at the next West Walworth Housing Forum meeting
• John noted that there is a police meeting in Pasley TRA Hall at the end of March
• Cath noted that there may not be consistency in council tax banding in the area, and that TRA members can take the opportunity to compare bandings and assess if there is an opportunity to challenge

5. Next meeting – the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 6 April, 7.30 pm in St Paul’s, Lorrimore Square. This meeting will not be leafleted, but will be advertised on the TRA website and via e-mail

6. Thanks from the Chair and close

Friends of Pasley Park

The next meeting of the Friends of Pasley Park group will be held on 25th March, in the Pasley TRA Hall on Stopford Rd, SE17

Go along and hear what they've been up to recently

Heritage Lottery Fund Application

Many of you know that the area of Southwark in which we live has a rich history, going back many centuries. Last summer, aspects of this history were acknowledged by the Southwark Council event in Pasley Park (Surrey Gardens), based around the zoo that used to be located there until the latter part of the 19th century.

Following an idea that came out of the TRA last year, the Chair has been working with representatives from the Friends of Pasley Park, The Cuming Museum and Southwark Council on an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. If granted, the fund will be used to develop two historical boards to be located within Pasley Park - helping to raise awareness amongst the local community of the history of the area.

An initial consultation letter has already been sent to various local groups, councillors and organisations asking for their support, and the project team has met on several occasions to discuss the application in detail. Fuller consultations with the wider community (helping to develop the actual boards themselves) will be conducted if and when the grant is awarded. Stay tuned for more details!

Park Improvements II

For those of you who haven't seen it yet (and, let's face it, it's hardly been picnic in the park weather) here's the new roundel in the park - all finished in next to no time at all!




Looking good! Hope you agree.

This is just the first of many projects that we have planned for this year to be delivered. Come along to the next TRA meeting to find out more!

Park Improvements

Many of you will have noticed the tarpaulin that's covering what once was the mosaic area, in the centre of Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Square. The great news is that this signals the start of the refurbishment of the area.

Unfortunately, over the years, the mosaic had become damaged and was beginning to look unsightly.



The plan is to install something much more hard-wearing, and yet still attractive, which will last for years to come - looking something like this...

It won't be long until you get to see it in the flesh, as work is expected to only take a few more weeks. We hope you like it!

Minutes - February 2010

Surrey Gardens TRA General Meeting
Minutes
2 February 2010

In attendance: Marcus (Vice-Chair), Cath (Treasurer), Jo (Secretary), Megan (co-Secretary), John, Paul
Apologies: Tony (Chair), Jenny, Andrew

1. Vice-Chair opened meeting and noted that he would Chair the meeting on Tony’s behalf. Tony, Jenny and Andrew sent their apologies

2. Chair’s Report (delivered by Vice-Chair):

• Marcus provided an update on the pre-application that Tony has submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to provide Historical Boards for Pasley Park. Tony has been working with the friends of Pasley Park, Southwark Council and the Cuming Museum to prepare the pre-application form. Letters have been sent to approx 20 community representatives (faith groups, TRAs, council representatives, schools and local organisations) to consult and gather input. Around 5 responses have been received so far. If the pre-application is approved, there will be further work to prepare the formal application. HLF have acknowledged the pre-application and suggested improvements – work is now underway on the full application, which should happen in the next few weeks. Tony will see if he can put relevant information on the website. John noted that the Durning Library may be able to assist with content for the historical boards. Marcus noted that the Cuming Museum has agreed to provide content for the proposal and will be involved with workshops with local people to help inform and generate content
• Marcus reported that Tony and Jo had worked up and submitted the TRA Tenants’ Fund application for 2010. Confirmation of receipt has been received from the Council

3. Treasurer’s Report:

• Cath has received reimbursement from the council for the park insurance for 2009. Cath now has the new contact details for the appropriate council representatives, so reimbursement should be faster this year
• The TRA currently has almost £6000 in the tenants’ fund, with just over £2,208 (incl VAT) committed to the refurbishment of the mosaic area in Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Square

4. Any other business:

• Cath raised the fact that Art in the Park have not come back with a revised quote for the art project with the John Ruskin school to re-do the paintings on the electricity sub-station in Lorrimore Gardens. It was agreed that Cath would not chase Art in the Park again, but seek quotes from other sources
• Mosaic Refurbishment in Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Square: John reported that work commenced this week (w/c 1st February, 2010) and presented an updated plan with minor changes to the design, which were approved by the group. Work will take a few weeks to complete
• Marcus proposed that the TRA purchase some bulbs to plan in the St Paul’s Churchyard. This was approved by the group with a budget up to £100
• Marcus proposed contacting the Community Payback scheme to request support in ground clearing at the back of the St Paul’s Churchyard
• Marcus to contact the council to request:
• a bin for the corner of the St Paul’s Churchyard
• a bin for the end of Lorrimore Road next to recycling bins where a significant amount of rubbish is dumped
• Cath to e-mail Caroline regarding the temporary tarmac which was put down on Carter Street, but has not been replaced by paving
• John has been attending West Walworth Housing Forum and offered to raise any questions on behalf of the Surrey Gardens TRA members

5. Next meeting – the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 2 March, 7.30 pm in St Paul’s, Lorrimore Square. This meeting will not be leafleted, but will be advertised on the TRA website and via e-mail

6. Thanks from the Vice-Chair and close

End of Year Drinks - December, 2009

End of Year Drinks 2009
Tuesday 15 December

In attendance: Tony (Chair), Marcus (Vice Chair), Cath (Treasurer), John, Jenny, Megan, Simon, Fr. Moore

Apologies: Jo, Andrew, Melissa

Many thanks to those of you who attended the End of Year Drinks at the Beehive Pub in December. It was great to raise a few glasses to the successes we've had as a TRA this year. Whilst not a formal meeting, a number of issues were decided upon:

1. Costs for the refurbishment of the mosaic area in Lorrimore Gardens, Lorrimore Sq, were agreed and set at £2,208 including VAT. John will secure examples of the contractor's work as well as of the granite setts to be used within the construction

2. Cath presented costs of £1,850 for the school art project. Tony agreed to go back to Art in the Park and ask for reduced costs

3. Next meeting - an exact date for the next meeting was not set, but it is likely to be held on the first Tuesday in February (the TRA does not meet in January). The meeting will be both advertised on the TRA website, and leafleted

4. Thanks from Chair and close