Minutes of HTWN

4th planning meeting

15.1.16 @ Tesco’s Community Room,
Bewell Sq store.

Attendees: Mo Burns ( MB) Minute Taker; Richard Cotterill (RC) Kington TW & HTWN coordinator; Lewis Goldwater (LG) Kington; Martin Hales (MH) Fownhope TW; Alan Jones (AJ) Weobley TW; Gillian Menzies (GM).

Apologies: James Bisset; Mike Darley; Jane Denny; Nicky Geeson (NG); Lin Hoppe; Heather Evans; Dave Marshall; Angela Pendleton; Helen Stace;

Agenda
Item / Key points and matters arising / Action
1 / Meeting roles and intros:
GM agreed to chair meeting and welcomed everyone.
MB agreed to produce draft minutes. Apologies as above.
2 / Minutes of last meeting and matters arising:
Minutes of 24.11.15 had been amended to replace MB (non officer) with GM (Officer as Chair of Network) to become a signatory to bank a/c for Network, as required by Bank. Formally agreed.Bank signatories are now David Marshall (as Treasurer of Network), James Bisset, Gillian Menzies and Richard Cotterill (as Secretary of Network). DM to open A/C forthwith. RC to be given a paying–in book for use in Kington.
GM was in contact with Emily Warner of Eaton Bishop who was keen to offer her IT skills before she left county in summer. RC has put her in touch with the Eaton Bishop TW. GM proposed she and Emily collaborated on essential paperwork and tools needed to improve the promotional side of HTWN such as a presentation tool to PCs, a TW booklet of advice etc. MB reported she and NG urgently needed a power point for HCC presentation in Feb, so had just started compiling one for city council meeting in Feb. GM requested they made a generic one for the whole county. MB agreed, subject to OK from NG.
LG asked for confirmation as to whether all parishes should have to pay TW fees if they had a TW on their patch? RC responded ideally yes but it was not obligatory, rather an understanding and appreciation by PCs of the benefits of supporting such volunteers who work on their behalf. If a PC would not support a TW, then the individual interested in becoming one for his/her Parish is entitled to seek support from another organisation.
Richie to check which organisations can perform this role (HTWN?) with Jon Stokes.
Locality Stewards: No news from HS so MB will pursue this item with her. / DM
GM
MB
NG
RC
MB
3 / Coordinators update:
Group had a short discussion on how best to put TWs in touch with their PC Clerks; RC reported on the parishes including Withington, Prestigne, Eardisland, Malvern (Worcs), and Bartestree that were offering support. GM was promoting HTWN to Ledbury TC and will approach their footpath officer too as has issues with their ash stock; MB and NG were in discussions with Hereford City Council.
It was agreed there was a need for a set of guidance notes for PCs including on tree diseases. Jon Stokes had advised at HTWN launch the Tree Council were writing such guidance - to come out next year, but something simple for now was needed that would signpost PCs to official information, as suggested by GM with EW – see item 2.
RC noted that West Mids Forestry have issued guidance on Tree diseases.
RC to compile a list of tree surgeons, contacts etc that PCs could call upon.
RC reported the Tree Council wanted the names and contact details of all TWs who had registered so far. Currently he only had 6 forms back from TWs, some 14 are outstanding. There are 36 potential TWs across county so far. RC to check if TC sign-up is voluntary?
MB suggested it would be helpful for applying TW’s could be given a short form of instructions on the process of registering to become a TW. This could be given to them by anyone from Committee or PC Clerks to clarify and speed up the process. It would need to be in two parts including outlining why TWs are a good thing and what is on offer:
1.  What a TW needs to do to apply and register with their PC;
2.  How to download a contact form off HTWN page on HTF website for registering with the HTWN via RC.
3.  How to book onto training courses etc.
If their PC wasn’t ready to sign up to the HTWN, that didn’t mean the individual couldn’t apply to become an active TW, registered to and part of HTWN in the meantime. See 2.
MB agreed to draft a form for TWs but RC to check if the Tree Council has a proforma first. / GM
MB
NG
GM
RC/All
RC
RC/MB
4 / Finances:
GM, DM, RC and JB to meet to open a new a/c. RC reported he had four cheques from PCs to bank so far. DM and RC also had some launch monies to bank; approx £300 on a/c. RC to contact SN when HTWN A/C is officially open about her kind offer of £200 donation.
RC confirmed he had approached Anthony Bush as he has contact list of all PCs, re the most efficient way to send out annual invoice reminders to PCs, but AB was unable to do this as was HTWN official business. AB recommended RC do an FOI request to HC for the official list of all PCs. Alternatively, it could go through individual TWs but that might be considered onerous for some.
LG suggested creating a system of ‘annual reminders’ to PCs that could go out to Clerks as emails. GM argued that if for any reason a PC stopped their TW support, then they should return their Tree Council manual for other PCs to use. It was suggested the manual might continue to be useful, however, if the TW then transferred to being supported by another host organisation such as HWT. RC to contact JS for clarification on this point.
Subscriptions: RC wanted to rationalise the collecting of subs from PCs, so he would be sending a reminder to PCs in October 2016 for January start for 2017. / DM/JB/GM
RC
RC
RC
5 / Forward Planning for 2016:
RC asked if all those leading on training events might play a larger part in helping organise and confirm details with him and DL for publicity.
Draft training dates:
February: January’s first training event, ‘Role of the TW’ now deferred till a suitable date found in February, subject to Tony Norman and James Bisset being available.
March: LG’s Winter tree ID session confirmed as March 5th 10.30 – 4 pm with Wyevale wood and Drovers wood suggested as appropriate venue. LG also asked if there was payment for Trainers, or if not, at least funds to cover travel etc expenses? Committee agreed all trainers should be paid for their expenses, but unfortunately, at this initial time in the development of the network, there were not the funds available to cover payment for time. It was possible this would change in the longer term as funds became consolidated as more PCs support the network. LG to investigate venue and plan session.
April: Digital Tree Mapping – GM to liaise with David Lovelace (DL).
May: MH to liaise with JB for an evening training session on TPOs, Conservation areas, Felling regulations etc. with Juliet Wheatley.
June: GM to liaise with DL re Veteran Tree Management at Moccas Park.
July: Possible repeat of ‘Role of Tree Wardens’ with either Tony Norman or MH.
August/September: Jon Stokes on Tree Diseases – RC to liaise with JS & MD / ALL
RC
LG
GM
MH
GM
MH
RC/MD
6 / Website and Media:
MH reported DL had confirmed it was not possible to develop a shared management w/s system on HTF website web-page easily so it was back to an HTWN standalone website approach, but linking to web page on HTF site as currently the case. He suggested Word Press as easiest to set up and manage. RC and GM also offered to help, but any other help from wider Committee would be welcome.
AJ offered to draft an article for the HT promoting TWs and network. / MH
RC
GM
AJ
7 / AOB:
GM suggested badges with the HTWN logo were made for its TWs. Committee agreed a good idea. GM and RC to explore the manufacture costs. Tree Shirts in due course. / GM
RC
8 / NEXT MEETING: Thursday 14th April, 11am.
At Tesco’s Community room as today. / RC