FINHAM RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
73rd Annual General Meeting
7.00pm Monday 28th March 2011
Finham Primary School, Sports Hall
(Please attend or at least inform us of your feelings prior to the meeting so that they can be also considered.)
AGENDA
1. Welcome & Introduction
2. Reports for year 2010/11
(a) President’s Report
(b) Secretary’s Report
(c) Treasurer’s Report
(d) Rounds Organiser’s Report
3. Proposed changes which need to be considered at an AGM
(a) The Constitution currently stipulates that there should be six Executive Members (Chair, Deputy Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Rounds Manager and Website Manager) plus 14 ordinary Committee Members. It is proposed to create a 7th Executive Member (Without Portfolio) and 13 ordinary Committee Members.
(b) A vote on the motion that Finham should apply to be considered for Parish Council status.
4. Annual Appointments (All positions are up for election)
(a) Election of 20 Committee Members.
(b) Recruitment of Roundspersons.
(c) Appointment of two Auditors
(The changes and handovers will start to take place after this AGM.)
5. Mini Presentations
(a) Mr Gary Stephens (WDC Planning Officer) - The current position with regard to WDC’s Core Strategy replacement.
(b) Mr Pete Barclay – The FRA Website www.finham.org.uk
(c) Neighbourhood Police.
(d) The 15 and 801 bus services
(e) NHS Clinic facilities in Finham
6. Any Other Business with the AGM finishing by 9.30pm.
(Please give prior notification of matters to be raised to the Hon. Secretary, Mr GeoffreySewards 02476412747, email such that they may be accommodated before the end of the AGM).
All items raised will be discussed at the AGM. If there is a need for a long debate, the item will be moved to one of the monthly FRA meetings.
AGM Notes
On your behalf, I would like to express our thanks for all those who have gone out of their way to help the FRA to reach it’s current position and supported our campaign over King’s Hill. However we need even more people to take a larger role if we are to remain effective. (Training will be given – you can do it!). You do not have to undertake just the roles listed below to be useful.
We have learnt to understand that residents have busy timetables and limited spare time. The problem is that we may suddenly need to get a group together at an odd time and find ourselves short of available volunteers. One way out could be to have more members on our list of email addresses of willing persons who could be easily contacted and then they might find themselves in a position where they could help on that occasion.
Please fill in and return the Feedback form on sides 5 & 6 at the AGM or to the Hon. Secretary or to a Committee member. (Any information given will not be released without your prior consent).
Committee Members elected at last year’s AGM were as follows:-
*Bob Fryer - President/Chairman
*Colin Salt - Vice- President
*Geoffrey Sewards – Hon. Secretary
*Anthony Dalton – Treasurer
*Alan Elliott – Subscription Secretary
*Pete Barclay – Website Manager (* = Executive Committee)
Ann Bush
Dawn Keylock
Elaine Appleby
Graham Reynolds
Joyce Reynolds
Kathy Boulton
Malcolm Clement
Peter Burns
Richard Keylock
Sam Hyndman
Santokh Khera
Stephen Trinder
Roundspersons
Auditors Rod Pickering & Mike Mather
Our Wainbody Ward Councillors, Tim Sawdon, Gary Crookes & John Blundell
A Message from the President
Dear Resident
The central aim of the Finham Residents Association (FRA) has always been to foster a supportive community spirit and to acknowledge and to protect the pleasant environment in which we live. In spite of the isolating nature of the A45 and our limited road system and infra-structure, we actively work with other neighbourhood groups across Coventry.
Although retaining the name FRA, we have to realise that the area is no longer simply stocked solely with ‘Owner-Occupier’ residents and point out that there is a standing invitation to tenants, landlords and shops/businesses in the area to participate in our common aim. You are all members of our Finham Community.
The past two years have been extremely time consuming and difficult for a dedicated group of FRA residents striving to prevent the proposal to build 3,500 new dwellings on the Green Belt land around King’s Hill as part of Coventry City Council’s published Core Strategy. Although this proposal may appear to have gone away, we cannot become complacent. Planners and developers do not give up easily and will continue to work towards achieving their personal aims. The proposed King’s Hill site (A46/ Green Lane/ Coventry to Kenilworth railway line/ Stoneleigh Road) falls outside Coventry’s present boundary and is administered by Warwick District Council (WDC) and it is WDC’s responsibility to determine planning applications on this Green Belt land. FRA is in regular contact with WDC.
The Core Strategies in the West Midlands were associated with an overestimated requirement for new dwellings and an acceptance to destroy established Green Belt land to put them on.
For the developer, it is cheaper to build on Green Belt land than on Brownfield sites and it is easier to sell dwellings built on Green Belt land than those built on Brownfield sites.
Coventry thought that by establishing a bigger population, it would regain the prosperity it had enjoyed when it had highly skilled and well paid employment manufacturing opportunities. Coventry took the view that building houses would bring employment. Experience shows that the reverse is true, i.e. employment opportunities have to be there first and only then, housing follows.
As a result of the Core Strategies, we have been working with other resident groups (Keresley, Longford, Ash Green, Cromwell Lane, Stoneleigh, Kenilworth, Warwick, etc.) to try to make these planning intentions known and understood to the general public both within and outside Coventry. As part of this co-operation between groups we have had public ‘Save Our Greenbelt’ walks in the City Centre and in Kerseley, Longford, etc. FRA had its Blue Bell walk (Sunday 16th May 2010). FRA joined in with other groups to man a stand in the Kenilworth Show, Sat 5th June at Stoneleigh and at the Coventry Green Fair (Sat 21st August) in the Coventry War Memorial Park.
Whilst saving the Green Belt was a major concern, other issues included:-
*The excessive number of dwellings suggested
*The inappropriate locations identified
*The lack of informed consultation with the general public
We are extremely grateful to our MP, Jim Cunningham who has supported us over the Core Strategy and arranged meetings with ministers in both the previous Labour Government and again in the present Government Alliance. Our thanks also go to Councillor Jim O’Boyle for co-ordinating the meetings with Jim.
We are also impressed by the new CCC Leader John Mutton in his support for saving the Green Belt land within the Coventry boundary and for not being prepared to sell the CCC owned Green Belt land outside its boundary but in the King’s Hill proposal for development.
We are also grateful to those who have made donations towards a fighting fund for anticipated legal costs and those who have given their time, resources and effort as part of our campaign.
We also appreciate the tireless work of Lesley Pritchard and her colleagues on the historic hedges and trees in the King’s Hill area. The organised Bluebell Walk was a great success, made possible by the generosity of Mrs Youell in allowing access to Wainbody Wood (East).
Many of you put up our A4 yellow ‘No Building on Kings Hill’ posters in your windows. Well done, a lot are still on display. As part of this AGM newsletter, we have deliberately included another poster so that you have one ready for when a planning application is made. Remember you have a maximum of 21 days to object to a planning application. Ideally, you should all write an individual letter of objection but petitions and shared letters also voice our concern.
Although a lot of hard work, time and resources were required to fight the CCS proposals, the FRA and other local resident groups have emerged as stronger and more effective organisations.
The FRA has come a long way in the last two years and there is a greater community spirit within Finham. FRA now has ‘Associate Members’ outside of its normal boundary. Thanks to Pete Barclay we have a brilliant website www.finham.org.uk and it even attracts support from residents in the United States of America. We have introduced emailing as a rapid way of passing information to members but need more members to forward their email address so as to increase the coverage.
As a result of the Coventry Core Strategy, FRA now works with more effectiveness and determination to get the service and support that residents elsewhere in Coventry enjoy.
I have listed other current areas of concern / involvement with brief notes. You will find further information on our website www.finham.org.uk
1. We were all saddened by the death of our previous Vice-President, Mrs Joyce Dickinson, who worked tirelessly for the FRA.
2. We wish Canon Peter Watkins (St. Martin’s Church) well in his retirement and thank him for the help and support that he extended towards the FRA.
3. 377 Green Lane - Munchies hot food take away, planning application in for extended operating hours. Residents have objected to this application.
4. Wainbody Ward Forums (every 3 months) open to all residents.
5. Wainbody Ward Safer Neighbourhood Group (every month) – representatives but other residents by arrangement.
6. Coventry Transport Users’ Forum – approximately every 2 months, open to all residents.
7. Rebuilding of Peugeot Garage –application to rebuild the Robins & Day unit on the corner of A45 & Leamington Road. Objection on the grounds that this opportunity should be taken to improve road safety in this area (cf BP garage).
8. Providing your contact details – especially your email address.
9. Fighting Fund for Kings Hill collection methods. – We tried hiring a Post Office Box for members to make donations but it has not been well used and will cease shortly. A donation can be made to the FRA via any Member of the Committee, who will then forward it to our Rounds Manager who will receipt and acknowledge it. We like to be fully accountable with such donations.
FRA Resident Feedback Form, Side 1
Name: Phone
Address
I am prepared to be a roundsperson please tick
I am prepared to serve on the committee please tick
Your concerns / comments (continue overleaf as required)
10. Subscriptions – In the current economic climate, we have decided not to propose altering the FRA subscription this year, which remains at £2 for a household with one or more wage earners in it and £1 for households where no-one is a wage earner.
11. Roundspersons – We desperately need more people to help to cover the 20 rounds in Finham but when we get a planning application for King’s Hill, we will need even more as we have supporters outside our normal boundary. Please make yourself known to the Committee.
12. Pupil participation – Pupils at Finham Primary School have been studying their local environment and have identified several areas of concern and put forward suggestions for possible improvements. The pupils are well aware of the value of the existing Green Belt. Another of their main concerns is the amount of dog-dirt left by irresponsible owners.
13. Dog fouling and the disposal of faeces – Unremoved dog faeces is causing an obvious problem in Finham. Concern has been relayed to the City Council enforcement team who have the power to impose fines. There is a second problem in that City Council have decided suitably wrapped ‘donations’ can be put into any litter bin. However, these bins overflow at times and with this material in a bin, it becomes unhygienic for children putting their sweet wrappers in, etc. There is a special Dog Litter Bin and perhaps this might have to be the only one put on the streets?
Resident Feedback Form, continued (Side 2)
14. HS2 Another imposed decision with no prior public consultation. It is not only expensive, noisy, currently planned to go through Green Belt and agricultural areas and does nothing positive for Coventry and neither for most other places along the line. In fact, current conventional rail services between Coventry and London are planned to be reduced to one third of the present level as part of the HS2 plan. The current route proposal goes through Stoneleigh Park and just south of Stoneleigh Road, i.e. between Coventry and Kenilworth but probably will be heard by all. We are monitoring the situation.
15. TV Reception We are due to receive full strength digital signals later this year. Only then will the broadcasting authorities take concerns seriously.
16. Coventry Airport – Follow a change of ownership, no information has been received as to the full implications but we are keeping a weather eye open.
17. Alvis Sports Club – Residents are reminded that the Club will welcome residents from Finham to become members. You do not have to be connected to the Alvis firm.
18. Community Support – We are aware that many of our residents would be happier with some sort of help in their life. We are developing our links with the support agencies in an attempt to make sure that residents are aware of what is available. Each household is to be asked by NHS representatives as to their difficulties so that services can be optimised.
19. Secretarial – Kathy Boulton has been undertaking some of the secretarial duties and herself has been supported by Ann Bush and Graham Reynolds. Thank You.
Hope to see you at our AGM -
7pm Monday 28th March at Finham Primary School.
Best regards,
Bob Fryer (President).
Poster here