Chair: Jim
Minutes: Harriet from transcript of meeting
Present: Jim S, Lynda S, Paul B, Chris M,
MINUTES
| 1. Agenda item I Welcome and apologies Jim |
Apologies were received from Harriet J, Tila R, Dan, Naseem H, Joe A
| 2. Agenda item II a) Minutes of the last meeting, 06/05/25 b) Matters arising from the last meeting, 06/05/25 Jim |
No comments were received on the minutes of the last meeting. There were no matters arising not covered by items on the agenda.
| 3. Agenda item III BCAG admin Jim |
Total hours spent on BCAG business and projects since the May 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: the annual review of our policies is due with 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 stands at £2,569.
| 5. Agenda item V Social media, Newsletter, publicity Jim |
No social media update this month.
Thank you Joe for the latest edition of the newsletter.
| 6. Agenda item VI Bridge Street Community Garden BSCG (Tila) |
Tila thanked the Garden ‘regulars’ for their ongoing help and support, in particular Jim, Lynda, Milly and Joe. It is great news that Tamzin will be more involved with the Garden going forward.
Monday community gardening sessions continue, ensuring that the Garden thrives.
The water being used to keep the Garden growing now mainly comes from the Garden’s rainwater harvesting system. If this runs out, then mains is used from an unmetered property on Bridge Street; this is clearly a weakness as this is not a guaranteed source.
A grant application has been submitted to TOE for additional planters and benches.
The half-term Family Workshop, 28/05, saw workshops and contributions from Elly from ‘Every Body Dances’, Lynne C with story books with a nature theme, Katie from ‘Singing Mamas’. Thank you to Home-Start for donating food for families to take home.
The Family Nature Session, 23/05, included a nature-based session for families organised with Louise from Home-Start and Tamzin from Modern Art Oxford. There was also a Home-Start family session on 09/05.
Tila, Lynda, Lynne, Joe, and Hilary represented BCAG and the Garden at the Castle Quay outreach event, 10/05. The stand focussed on showing visitors how to grow microgreens which proved a very popular activity and a great focus for engaging with the public. It was good to connect with other local growing projects including Harvest@Home.
A group from Homeless Oxfordshire has visited the Garden several times, joining in with garden tasks.
Sunrise Multicultural Project visited, crafting, bringing a share lunch and harvesting from the Garden.
Banbury Woodcraft Folk visited for a session all about trees, 15/05.
Monday Wild Wellbeing sessions continue, run by Milly.
Garden events are well attended and very popular.
Milly and Joe represented the Garden at the CDC Brighter Futures ‘Age Well’ event, 19/05.
| 7. Agenda item VII Food Action (Dan) |
As of end May, there is around £1500 left of the OCVA food grant and £750 left in BCAG accounts for food action. The latter will be held in hand to be used for future CAG food action activities including in collaboration with the Banbury Larder.
Dan had drawn up a list of possible projects which the remaining funds could be used to support, with a view to concluding this phase of the BCAG food action by the end of the summer.
| 8. Agenda item VIII Browning Road Orchard BRO Harriet |
Working in partnership with Wild Banbury volunteers, there has been a second work party at the Orchard, caring for the orchard trees, adjusting the guards, ties and stakes. This task is now complete for this spring/summer.
| 9. Agenda item IX Banbury Active Travel Supporters group (Paul/Neil) |
Paul and Jim attended the Banbury Traffic Advisory Committee meeting. The bus improvement scheme is still under consultation with BATS liaising with Colin McAllister on that. Under consideration is a cycle route along Lower Cherwell Street but the situation is complicated with tricky issues to be resolved. Proposed improvement of the traffic light situation and pedestrian crossings will be a substantial gain. The Eastern Travel Corridor from Grimsbury has some funding with the feasibility study due for completion this December. Concept designs are planned for the Western Travel Corridor on the Queensway, Ruscote Avenue route. Progress seems very slow! Stagecoach are keen to get started testing the Tramway project with the B3 to Bodicote.
BATS continues to push for lowering the speed limit through the town from 30mph to 20mph.
Paul has written to the newly-elected town councillors congratulating them and letting them know about the work of BCAG including BATS. He has also written to all town councillors asking for their views on environmental issues so we can use the information to update our website.
Jim and Paul attended the Active Travel roundtable for Oxfordshire.
Paul is taking the lead on arranging the BCAG stand at the Town Show, 14/06. The BCAG stand is being funded through a Great Big Green Week grant from CAG Oxfordshire / OCC.
| 10. Agenda item X Banbury Environment Network Harriet |
The meeting with the Water vol group, 07/05, held to discuss the next phase of the water quality testing work, was positive and well attended. The next stage is to finalise the testing sites for this year.
Harriet will be joining Paul and the BATS volunteers on the Town Show stand, running an activity with a ‘pollution in rivers’ theme.
| 11. Agenda item XI Climate Action Jim, Harriet, Chris |
Thank you to Sean Woodcock MP for joining us for an evening discussion on climate and environment issues. The meeting showcased 11 groups from the Banbury area involved in these matters and the message to Sean was clear: there are a considerable number of his constituents committed to and actively engage with environmental and sustainability concerns. Various groups represented presented him with ‘asks’ on which we hope he can take action. We are delighted to have establish this solid link with our MP and hope it will serve well for when matters arise on which we need to seek his support.
We are aware that some of our concerns are at Labour party / Government level, and to some extend beyond Sean’s reach, but we were left with the impression that, as set out in his campaign material, Sean is genuinely concerned about the environment and appreciative of relevant volunteer actions.
Well done to Chris for pulling this together and thank you to Louise B for her contributions to the organisation.
Those present at the BCAG monthly meeting discussed whether to plan for a follow up meeting in 6 months’ time to focus in on some of the issues of immediate concern.
It was also discussed whether to plan a similar meeting to meet Town and/or District councillors.
The summer Give & Take, 21/06, is being held in partnership with the College. Arrangements are going well and the College is very positive about the event.
Lynda is intending to use the G&T to raise awareness of the ‘Right to Repair’ campaign.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
None raised.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be held online 01/07.