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Minutes of

Sustainable Hackney’s 5th Annual General Meeting

7.00 pm Wednesday 28thSeptember 2016

Rhodes Estate Community Centre, London E8 3SY

Present:

Kathryn Johnson, James Diamond, Russell Miller (Chair), Katherine Pitt (Hackney & Tower Hamlets Friends of the Earth), Liz Moxon, Michael Calderbank, Mick Gosling (Hackney Trade Union Council), Tony Pryce, Clare Taylor, Tor Kristofferson, Mark Douglas, Phil Pearson,Gillian Symons, Myra Heller, Sandra McLeod, Jessica Dolan (Eco-Active),John Yeudall (East & West Bank Nature Reserve), Dave Lukes (Hackney Cycling Campaign), Merle White, Dean Ryan (Hackney Stand Up to Racism), Richard Payne, Cllr Clare Potter (Hackney Fair Trade), Gilbert Smyth and several others not listed on the attendance sheet.

Apologies–Hackney Migrant Centre, Lorraine Tillett (Abney Park User Group)

  1. Welcome and Agenda - Chair Russell Miller welcomed participants, introducing the agenda for this 2016 Annual General Meeting. Sustainable Hackney has now been supporting coordination and networking amongst Hackney people and organisations for five years as well as directly delivering a range of initiatives. The workstreams are guided by our Greenprint each of which is led by members of the Steering Group. We are now working on social justice, the focus of tonight’s discussion, and look forward to hearing ideas on the development of this new section of our Greenprint.
  1. New Members agreed - Membership applications were receivedfrom Sandra McLeod and Merle White and were agreed by those present by a show of hands.
  1. Minutes of 2015 AGM - Minutes of the 2015 Annual General Meeting were considered and agreed as a true record.
  1. 2015/16Annual Report and Accounts

The2015 Annual Report and Accounts was presented to the meeting. Thanks to Liz Moxon for co-ordinating, editing and producing it. Members of the Steering Group summarised key areas of work for the meeting and provided some pointers for future activity.

Russell Miller introduced the work on biodiversity. The Hackney Biodiversity Action Partnership continues to oversee the Plan and provide direction but the focus follows its location in the Parks Department and there is a need for broader application and a more strategic approach. Other work includes outreach and communication, talks, supporting work on the Clapton Park Estate and survey work to identify new species. Tree Musketeers continues its work planting, pruning and watering in public places with some 500 volunteers involved over the year. Partners TM and Hackney Marsh Users Group especially at Wick Woodland which is now so successful it is attracting ravers and a new access policy to safeguard the woodland is now needed. Abney Park Cemetery is a Site of Nature Conservation Importance and is subject to various threats but the Wilmer Place redevelopment was seen off thanks to Nick Perry of the Hackney Society and other barristers and Russell’s work on the value of the ecosystem at the site. This is a really good example of a diverse local campaign to safeguard local assets. The planning enquiry resulted in rejection of the coach park, which is now early successional habitat and to limited employment for Russell Miller and Annie Chipchase to identify and advise on safeguarding the site.

Kathryn Johnson reported that the key issue addressed on the built environment during the year was housing. SH supported the Hackney People’s Assembly large and lively meeting discussing and demanding affordable and democratically controlled housing.

Failure of the climate talks in Copenhagen and lack of effective action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over 27 years emphasised the importance of activities to put pressure on the 2015 Paris talks. Around 50 people came to the Sustainable Hackney event at Homerton Library when we showed the film ‘Disruption’ followed by discussion on how to create pressure and on the trade union work for a just transition. We also held a ‘Climate Green Drinks’, leafletted and postered for the two demonstrations in the year. We were really pleased to have banners on the demos from Hackney Friends of the Earth, Hackney People’s Assembly, Arcola Energy, Hackney Greens, the Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, Divest Hackney and for the first time, Hackney North Constituency Labour Party along with our own Sustainable Hackney banner.

Phil Pearson reported on energy. The big project was the development of solar power on the Bannister House council estate providing renewable energy and energy savings. Several members of the Steering Group (Phil, James and Tor) supported work on fundraising, planning, selection of kit, technicalities of installation and commissioning. The Government pulled the funding so now the team have experience of delivering renewables projects but no money. So Hackney Energy is ‘resting’ at present. The website and organisational structure is being maintained and we will look for opportunities under the new Mayors of London and Hackney. How do we generate and buy clean energy cheaper than from the Big Six? Russell congratulated those involved in Hackney Energy and Bannister House renewables as a superb benchmark project fully involving local residents and urged the team to grab future opportunities when they can.

Michael Calderbank reported on work on food. The Hackney Food Partnership was set up over two years ago and launched at a well-attended event with 100+ people. After an active start with several meetings and events, including on food access, food poverty and food in schools, the group has become quieter lately after several people moved on - but a new Chair has recently been elected and good links established with the national Sustainable Food Cities network. The partnership’s aims are summarised in the adopted Hackney Food Charter that covers environmental, cultural, economic and social issues. The local authority will be key to achieving many of the charter’s aims and the partnership will be reviewing the new Council portfolios and seeking support for local suppliers, to push healthy food and to work in schools.

Dave Lukes reported on transport issues. The London Fields Filter Scheme had involved lots of work but the scheme ultimately fell through. However it led to the formation of Fume Free Streets and the result was won but in the end the protests meant that only local residents’ views counted resulting in a 56% rejection of the scheme. Lessons learnt: talk to people before the scheme is proposed. The Narrow Way: the Council are taking forward pedestrianisation. Cycleways: the super quietway will go round the back ways of De Beauvoir and the Woodberry Wetlands to Walthamstow Wetlands cycleway is being installed. Minor cycle works: the Council is quietly talking about other schemes. Mark Douglas noted that Dunsmure Road is still very busy and barriers still exist so there is more work to do. Russell pointed out these are key quiet routes for pedestrians as well as wildlife and there are some conflicts to be dealt with. Rail: the very welcome Roger Blake walkway between Hackney Downs and Hackney Central stations was opened. Crossrail 2: this is being pushed through despite local opposition. Much will be dug up for just one station for Hackney. Bad news.

James Diamond reported on waste. The main project is Hackney Fixers – repair parties. Seven events were organised and the first Big Fix event took place in November 2015. As well as helping people repair their own gear and learn skills to do this, the purpose is to raise awareness of repair as an alternative to throwing stuff away. A map of repair shops is being prepared. This is all done with a grant of £1,000 from Hackney Council, lots of partners and a small team of volunteers: Dave Lukes, Friederike Hanish (FOE), Bridget Harveyso thanks to all. Project partners include: Hackney and Tower HamletsFriends of the Earth, the Restart Project, LBH Library Service, Traid, Fabrications, Hackney Bike Workshop, LBH Recycling Service, School of Stuff, Sugru. The next Restart Party is on 19 November in Homerton Library.

The North London Boroughs have consulted on the North London Waste Plan to earmark sites for future waste facilities and we submitted a well-argued response. The responses are being considered and the revised plan will be published next year when we will be able to see whether our representations were successful in reducing the number of proposed sites in Hackney.

Communications: 850 people are signed up to our successful website, which has been reorganised by work streams and interest areas to make access to information easier. Anyone signed up can blog, advertise events and jobs and start discussions. Everyone was encouraged to make use of the website. A newsletter is sent to around a thousand people, we now have about 3,000 Twitter followers. Thanks to Marcus Gordon and David Thompson who have contributed to this work but now moved on. We are especially pleased that Marcus contribution to the communications work has helped him to gain employment. We are looking for new people to join our Communications Team.

Divestment from fossil fuel investment: Tor Kristofferson reported that this group has been trying to get Hackney Council to divest the pension fund from fossil fuels and avoid stranded assets. The Council has been in dialogue with some positive responses. They carried out a review and agreed that it is a fiduciary responsibility said they would be watching further with a view to a decision later in 2016. However, Osborne has now initiated merger into one London pot and LBH are saying they need to see what happens about this. LB Waltham Forest did decide to divest last Thursday and would be in the same pension fund. This needs to be on the cards when the pension funds merge. Kathryn Johnson had raised divestment with West Hackney Parochial Charity and this was considered with their investment managers, who have recently established a mirror ‘climate’ fund for the charities investments they manage. WHPC decided it was prudent to move investments to the climate fund on the business case of both current problems with fossil fuels investments and returns and future risks related to climate.

Annual Accounts

Liz Moxon reported that the financial year runs from November to October, that £3,200 had been brought forward of which about £900 was restricted, largely Restart Party funding. Income is mostly from membership fees and donations, about £700. The main areas of expense are for project activities and events which have been described by Steering Group members.

Mick Gosling suggested that we ask Hackney Trades Unions Council to ask its affiliates to join Sustainable Hackney.

  1. Elections of Officers and Steering Group

As Russell was standing down, the election for chair was left until last.

VICE-CHAIR - Tor Kristoffersonwas nominated by Phil Pearson, seconded byLiz Moxonand elected unopposed.

SECRETARY - Kathryn Johnson was nominated by Phil Pearson, seconded by Liz Moxon and elected unopposed.

TREASURER - Liz Moxon was nominated by Kathryn Johnson, seconded by Phil Pearsonand elected unopposed. Liz has also offered to take over the responsibility for membership from Kathryn and this was agreed.

WEBSITE OFFICER - James Diamond was nominated by Kathryn Johnson, seconded by Liz Moxon and elected unopposed. James urged anyone who is interested in being an Assistant Website Officer or Communications Officer, especially with skills in social media, to get in touch with him.

STEERING GROUP MEMBERS–existing Steering Group members were re-elected: Michael Calderbank, Dave Lukes, Richard Payne, Phil Pearson, Gilbert Smyth and Clare Taylor. Sandra McLeod was nominated by Kathryn Johnson, seconded by Liz Moxon agreed. All members were encouraged to get involved and Russell reminded everyone that meetings are open and all will be very welcome to attend.

CHAIR –Russell Miller stood down. Phil Pearson was nominated by Kathryn Johnson, seconded by Liz Moxonand elected unopposed.

Kathryn led the vote of thanks to Russell, who is moving on to chair the Ancient Tree Forum. Russell has chaired Sustainable Hackney for the five years since our establishment in 2011 and before that chaired one of our founding organisations, Hackney Environment Network. Russell supported the merger process and led us through to a clear direction supported by our Greenprint. At the same time Russell has undertaken an extensive range of work on biodiversity, working in the Hackney Biodiversity Partnership, running Tree Musketeers. And Russell’s research on the unique biodiversity and ecosystem of Abney Park and presentation of this material made a major contribution to the defeat of the overdevelopment at Wilmer Place. Similar work at Hackney Marshes contributed to the planning inquiry releasing the coach park back to open space. Kathryn presented Russell with a copy of John Bellamy Foster’s ‘Marx’s Ecology’, an important contribution to understanding the neoliberal political economy wreaking havoc on the environment and to developing theory which fully integrates environmental with political and economic analysis. Marx did this from the start, founding his work on research into agriculture, loss of soil nutrients and fundamentally recognising the coevolution of humans and the environment but this has got lost along the way with the separation of scientific and social sciences that has dominated western thought. The book addresses that problem and adjusts the widely held but false picture of Marx as not considering ecology and the environment in his political analysis.

Russell responded that yes he is a Marxist, and probably an anarchist and maybe fitted a few other terms of abuse reserved for those with a critique of capitalism! The process of studying and understanding is the process by which we get involved but also how we sustain our involvement. But Russell said he is not an ideologue. Marxism is far more about understanding how power works, especially that of the state. Russell had started his career and worked for 20 years as a human rights lawyer challenging the abuse of power before moving on to environmental work to do the same, while continuing work on human rights and challenging state infiltration of organisations and Spycops. Only by exposing ourselves to what’s really out there and coming up with ideas to deal with the ugly reality will we change things. Sustainable Hackney has done really good work locally but change is needed on a big scale to turn around the continuing wholescale degradation of the environment – so good luck for the future!

There was a warm round of applause with thanks to Russell.

Phil Pearson took over the chair for the discussion.

  1. Discussion on Social Justice

Phil explained that a Greenprint on social justice had been drafted and we were looking to the future and seeking ideas and practical actions to integrate this with our environmental work.

Richard argued that a ‘social justice green print’ should not be just a peripheral concern but needed to be absolutely central for the fulfilment of our environmental agenda arguing that:

  • The forces that threaten the survival of our natural environment are also those that threaten of our social environment, in particular the poorest and the most marginalised.
  • While the damage to the natural environment has been accelerating in recent decades with a dramatic increase in climate change, species extinction, environmental pollution etc. so had poverty and social inequality, employment insecurity, divides in physical and mental health, life expectancy, housing and homelessness.
  • These twin processes are rooted in neo-liberalism, the modern phase of capitalism, an unsustainable system because it is based on unchecked growth that respects none of the planetary boundaries.
  • Underlying most social injustice is widening inequality which is corrosive and feeds the pursuit of sustainability.
  • In short, the goal of sustainability cannot be separated from social justice; they are inextricably linked and the one cannot be achieved without the other.
  • Inequality drives many to emulate the lavish elite lifestyles, encourages resource-intensive patterns of wasteful consumption which pose an enormous burden on limited and finite resources and is contributing to runaway climate change.
  • Inequality, too, creates divisions that can be cynically misdirected into racism and xenophobia. Such divisions are unjust in themselves but also undermine the solidarity needed for collective actions to resist assaults on the environment and living standards.
  • The term ‘sacrifice zone,’ illustrates these environmental and social linksas these zones are where due to environmental damage or economic disinvestment people and the environment have been sacrificed for short term profit.
  • But these zones are found not only in remote corners of the world but can be seen in our own city where people are trapped in cycles of poverty, powerlessness and ignored.
  • To sum up, for the goal of environmental sustainability to be achievable; social justice should be a priority.

The Green Print contains 6 ‘fronts’ and Richard focussed on the first: