Chair: Jim
Minutes: Harriet
Present: Jim S, Harriet J, Joe A, Lynda S, Paul B, Chris M, Sue S
MINUTES
| 1. Agenda item I Welcome and apologies Jim |
Apologies from Tila R, Dan P, Lynne C, Naseem H, Neil W.
| 2. Agenda item II a) Minutes of the last meeting, 05/11/24 b) Matters arising from the last meeting, 05/11/24 Jim |
No comments were received on the minutes of the last meeting.
| 3. Agenda item III BCAG admin Jim |
Total hours spent on BCAG business and projects since the November meeting were recorded – thanks to everyone for putting in the time. Harriet to ask any core members not at the monthly meeting, for their hours.
Action needed: this year’s end-of-year review of our policies is due: Lynda/Harriet to check we have in place those we need, and that they are fit for purpose.
| 4. Agenda item IV Treasurer’s report (Naseem) |
BCAG central funds stand at £2,466.
| 5. Agenda item V Social media, Newsletter, publicity Jim |
BCAG is delighted to have Joe as our new Newsletter editor. Joe, you are warmly welcome! Joe’s first Newsletter, December ’24 has had excellent feedback.
January stats: main Facebook 1,291 followers; Bridge Street CG FB 947 followers. BCAG mailing list 307 for Newsletter of which 236 are members. [Shed 412 FB followers]. It’s great that all numbers show an increase on those from November.
| 6. Agenda item VI Bridge Street Community Garden BSCG (Tila) |
Tila has been using the holiday period to catch up with paperwork and accounts, and to submit the necessary grant reports to TOE and CDC. Additional bids for funding are also being prepared.
Thank you to Jim for his daily check of the Garden, and to Joe for the great coverage of Garden activities in the December Newsletter.
November and December Garden activities included:
Collaboration with the International Tree Foundation to distribute free tree saplings for people to plant in their own spaces.
Restore and Homeless Oxfordshire groups visiting to help with the gardening tasks and decorate bird boxes.
A joyous Christmas session with singing teacher Patricia Cuberos.
Art workshops with Hira, held jointly with the Banbury Larder.
Events for young families with fun activities provided by dance teacher Elly and Lynne.
Willow weaving workshops led by Chris, as a creative addition to the Monday gardening sessions.
Sunrise Multicultural Project youth club visiting for a crafts and music session, with Patricia leading the singing.
The Cook and Share event with Nasreen and Zainab was a stand-out event. Nasreen spoke of her life, her eldest granddaughter Maryam and other family members helping with translation. She also provided delicious food cooked to her traditional Pakistani recipes. Thank you to everyone who helped spread the word about the event, and to all those who came along to enjoy the positive community spirit.
| 7. Agenda item VII Food Action (Dan) |
Following the closure of the Cornhill Centre due to structural issues, Dan has been fully occupied with RVS matters over the festive season.
| 8. Agenda item VIII Browning Road Orchard BRO Harriet |
Discussion with Vaughan and Winnie as our local resident reps, and Banbury Town Council, has led to the suggestion of a seed and plant swap at the Orchard. Harriet to discuss further with the relevant parties.
| 9. Agenda item IX Banbury Active Travel Supporters group (Paul/Neil) |
BATS are holding their first meeting of the New Year next week and will use this to set their programme for the coming year.
Despite the greyed-out signs suggesting otherwise, the 20mph speed limit across the town came in to force in December. BCAG will keep up the positive publicity about the scheme to counteract the voices of those who do not yet understand the benefits of slowing traffic.
The draft CDC Local Plan currently out for final consultation, strongly promotes active travel. See aob below.
| 10. Agenda item X Banbury Environment Network Harriet |
With the Cherwell & Ray Catchment Partnership project officer moving on to work on the River Ock, Sue and Harriet are stepping back in to coordinate the Banbury and area citizen science water quality testing group.
| 11. Agenda item XI Climate Action Lynda |
The draft of the CDC Local Plan 2025-2042 is out for final comment, closing 14/02. It was agreed that BCAG should respond to the consultation. At this stage, any suggestion for amendments goes to the Planning inspectorate and must match a strictly defined set of criteria. Our response will therefore be to show support for the broad climate-based approach to the plan.
Paul to take the lead on registering a BCAG response to the Plan, welcoming its emphasis on facilitating and promoting active travel. Chris will write a contribution in support of the climate-concerned approach displayed in the Plan. Harriet to put together a paragraph in support of the positive recognition of the importance of biodiversity.
The next G&T will be held in partnership with the Banbury Larder, at the Marlborough Road Methodist Church. Lynda is taking the lead in the arrangements.
Chris met with our new MP, Sean Woodcock, as a follow up to earlier requests to meet to discuss climate and biodiversity issues. Sean was receptive to further engagement on climate issues and the work of BCAG, and the meeting discussed possible options for taking this forward. Jim will talk with Maria / Banbury Acts Together. Meanwhile, Harriet / Chris / Joe will draft a letter to Sean to thank him for representing our concerns through pledging to support the upcoming second reading of the Climate and Nature Bill, 24/01.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Sue S gave an outline of the WI ‘Climate Capacity’ project she will be working on with Bath University, running 04/25 – 04/26. The project would like to secure a link with BCAG through our Group being funds-holder for the work. All work for the project will be carried out by Sue as project officer and WI climate ambassador for Oxfordshire, and will be monitored by the team at Bath. Sue will design and lead workshops to trial the idea of a ‘climate capacity calculator’. The majority of workshops will be with WI groups but there will also be options for BCAG convened groups to become involved.
The meeting supported the idea of raising climate awareness in this way and was in principle in favour of BCAG handling the funding for Sue’s role in the project.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The February meeting will be held on 4th February, online.