Chair: Jim
Minutes: Harriet
Present: Jim S, Naseem H, Harriet J, Lynda S, Chris M, Paul B
MINUTES
| 1. Agenda item I Welcome and apologies Jim |
Apologies from Tila R, Dan P, Lynne C, James N.
| 2. Agenda item II a) Minutes of the last meeting, 06/08/24 b) Matters arising from the last meeting, 06/08/24 Jim |
No comments were received on the minutes of the last meeting.
All matters arising are covered under items in the minutes.
| 3. Agenda item III BCAG admin Jim |
Total hours spent on BCAG business and projects for August were recorded – thanks to everyone for putting in time. Harriet to ask any core members not at the monthly meeting, for their hours.
| 4. Agenda item IV Treasurer’s report Naseem |
The balance stands at around £25,900 – the great majority of this is grant money for specific projects, and particularly the Bridge Street Garden. BCAG central funds stand at around £2,790.
| 5. Agenda item V Social media, Newsletter, publicity Jim |
A very warm welcome to Mike M as new editor for the BCAG Newsletter. Thanks, Mike, for already putting together News for August.
Stats: main Facebook 1,270 followers; Bridge Street CG FB 883 followers. BCAG mailing list 291 for Newsletter of which 220 are members. [Shed 396 FB followers.]
| 6. Agenda item VI Bridge Street Community Garden BSCG (Tila) |
Aspire and the Garden volunteers continue with their regular Monday sessions, getting on with ongoing gardening tasks.
Events and workshops at the Garden included: People’s Theatre Collective; Tai Chi; and Art with Rhiannon.
There continues to be rough sleepers using the shelter of Bluebird Bridge at the entrance to the Garden. CDC and other relevant authorities are aware of the situation.
The Garden will be open as a venue as part of Canal Day 05-06/10.
| 7. Agenda item VII Food Action (Dan) |
The next food action event under consideration is for a Tuesday evening, late September. This will be a “Cook Together Supper Club” run in association with RVS Dementia. Multiple cooking stations will allow maximum participation.
| 8. Agenda item VIII Browning Road Orchard BRO Harriet |
The meeting discussed options for a September Apple Day and concluded that a new format is needed. Without Colin, there is no ready access to water which makes the required level of hygiene difficult to achieve if the event is held in the orchard itself. We will look into the various alternative options.
| 9. Agenda item IX Banbury Active Travel Supporters group (Paul) |
Installation of the Woodgreen Leisure Centre/ Library cycle parking has been put back to September when the Centre will be quieter and the work will be less intrusive. The need for a concrete base is adding to the cost. There is still funding available to install cycle parking in Neithrop and Ruscote wards.
Cycling UK Oxfordshire has produced an online safe-cycling map for the county. Individual town maps are available – BATS are seeking to improve that for Banbury.
The modified 20’s Plenty scheme will be put in place this autumn, with 20mph restrictions for the majority of residential streets but 30mph for the main through routes.
BATS will be part of the BCAG stall at Banbury Canal Day, 05/-06/09.
A sociable bike ride is being planned for 22/09.
Jim represented BCAG at the recent Banbury Traffic Advisory Committee meeting.
| 10. Agenda item X Banbury Environment Network Harriet |
BTC has purchased wildflower seed for an area of wet-meadow at Browning Road Park. The work will be done by volunteers.
The riverfly group continue with quarterly testing of the Sor Brook.
Harriet continues to represent BCAG on the ‘citizen science’ working group of the Cherwell & Ray Catchment Partnership.
| 11. Agenda item XI Climate Action Lynda |
BCAG will have a stand at Banbury Canal Day, 05/06 October. This will include space for BCAG central, and all our projects including the Garden and BATS. BSCG will also be open as a venue for the festival.
To date there has been no definite response from Banbury’s new MP to the invitation to meet to discuss environmental issues on 12th October. BCAG is looking to partner with other environment focused organisations within the town, including the WI, and Greenpeace, to meet with Sean Woodcock, as part of the national Climate Coalition initiative. We are working with Banbury Acts Together to arrange the event.
The next G&T has been booked for 19th October at The Haven.
ANY OTHER BUSINESS
Sue S and the WI Climate Ambassadors were at Fairport 2024, raising the profile of climate issues, focusing on water quality.
Jim updated the meeting on the XR climate action ‘Upgrade Democracy’, held in Windsor, last week of August.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING
The October monthly meeting will be held on Tuesday 1st, 7.30pm, online.