Core team meeting minutes: Transition Montpelier
AKA: ‘The last core team meeting’
21 April 2010
Radford mill farm shop

Attended:

• Ed
• Ciaran
• Caroline
• Shiona
• Ralph
• Jess
• Richard
• Dan
• Claire Milne (guest)

Apologies:

• Sally
• John
• Jane
• Bronwen

ACTIONS:

• CM get in touch with Simon Lewis and Steve Meek and Chris Chalkley about streets
• ClaireM send short update on Tesco campaign action to EM and Ralph
• EM: pubish Tesco update on site
• Ralph: print Tesco update on A3 for Art Trail
• CM and JL: finished work on constitution and print for specific ‘constitution-signing’ meeting
• CM and JL: co-ordinate ‘constituion-signing’ meeting
• CM: introduce Caroline to Jane Berrys (?) Bristol Credit Union manager
• Caroline: investigate bank accounts for CIC
• EM: write up a TT Mont organisation design with words and a picture
• DW: email SJ about using marquee for Art Trail
• EM: contact bert for projector, transition bristol for film, CM for peak oil display

HIGHLIGHTS:

1. Political question time on friday

CM part of Transition Bristol, FoE and other groups organising a political Q time in Watershed, 19:30, Friday. All invited.

2. Streets as safe spaces

• CM and Mark Simmons discussing a group for using streets as social spaces.
• Suggested they speak to Simon Lewis and Steve Meek who are both very into this too.
• Also to discuss with Chris Chalkley and the Stokes Croft Action Plan.

3. Heart and Soul?

Some discussion before, possibility of H&S group in Montpelier. Now one for Bristol from Transition Bristol. Also Claire Milne said YogaSara (Chris) is interested in working together on this in some way.

4.  Tescos – campaign update and proposed alternatives announcement (Claire Milne)

• Claire outlined the campaign’s excellent work (including Miss Bristol getting involved and Barbara Janke to send a letter to Tesco)
• Last chance to fight it comes this week as Tesco apply for planning permission for the shop front
• Campaign also about finding new alternatives to the Tesco – local, co-operative, bottom-up food model
• Dan suggested putting and update on the board at the art trail as it’s hard to hear what’s been going on
• Dan also proposed using the Banksy artwork kids session at Art Trail to use a tesco-esque picture
• Direct relationship with the Growing group – so here’s a brief growing group upate:

5. Growing group update (informal)

• a. group mapped montpelier and identified 3 key ‘growing hotspots’  (Picton Square, Rainbow Bridge, Station Road area)
• b. group now negotiating with land owners
• c. group seeking discussions  and collaborations between producers and sellers of food (Claire’s Tesco work is a good overlap)

6. Constitution, CIC and membership

• Following last month’s meeting and request for a ‘membership’ model, everyone has been thinking about it
• Good discussion about a change in the transition montpelier group model (currently – core and groups) to something with a lighter, facilitation, open access, hub-style approach, rather than installing a membership model with voting, AGMs, etc. etc.

Agreed:

• membership model offers the appearance of inclusivity, but imposes extra layers of bureaucracy and another layer of hierachy (which Transition is trying to avoid) which isn’t really neccesary
• membership does provide a sense of control though and reduces people’s anxieties about shadowy cabals, so need to ensure that all comms are open with clear outline of what is going on, a policy on changing directors, regular open meetings, etc. (which we’re pretty good at already)
• purpose of consitution is to get a bank account to raise funds for projects – not to have a committee who ‘decide’ things
• most of the key decision-making is at group level, not ‘core’ level, so ‘membership’ is best rooted in there
• move away from the idea of a ‘core’ team to an ‘admin’ group who keep an eye on the bank account, website, comms etc. and an ‘ideas’ group to facilitate intra-group sharing (e.g. growing – energy updating eachother)
• set up a ‘Community Interest Company’ (CIC) to handle a bank account with a few voluntary directors (5 agreed at meeting)
• bank account to be set with ‘zero overdraft’
• arrange a specific ‘constiution-signing’ meeting for the directors to sign the constitution
• preferred bank option: Bristol Credit Union – local and collaborating on the Bristol Pound

7. Art trail

• All looking good
• Everyone volunteered to man the TT Mont stand
• Important to remember that it is not a party, we’re not a disco, so behave accordingly!

8. Film:

• Date agreed: 03/06
• Film tbc
• Bert to be contacted
• Suggested donation £2
• Could use Peak Oil display from Create Centre- then maybe have it in the Radford Mill Shop (?)

• Shiona
• Caroline
• Ralph
• Dan
• Ciaran
• Sally
• Ed
• Richard
• (apols Simon, Jane, Bronwen)

Next meet: 21/4/10: Radford Mill Farm Shop, 19:00

Actions:

• EM put a google calendar together for year event plan and embed into website
• CM poke Transition Bristol for another networking event (EM, Caroline happy to help)
• CM investigate CIC/membership issues
• CM EM produce outline for membership model
• SM dig out community information for CM
• CM connect DW with Bert
• Ralph make cakes for Art Trail
• SJ connect DW with Kevin and Sylvie
• SJ contact Natalie and Sylvie and Nick Freeconomy for swap stall at Art Trail
• CM take TT books for Art Trail stall

Topics and points:

1. Year event plan

• EM/DW present year plan with these activity types:
• Big support events (a: projects-oriented, b: awareness, c: open space)
• Big celebration events (Bean Feast, Art Trail, Green doors, Winter Fayre)
• Core activities (balancing meets to help groups and general comms)
• Groups activities (most regular activity meets for groups, organised by groups)
• Significant others (e.g. Neighbourhood partnership meets, networking with other initiatives etc.)

AGREED: hold off core (and most unplanned) activity July/August
AGREED: general plan and event types sounds good

2. Constitution

CM and JL did some background work and recommend adopting BM’s constitution with some amends. Following a CIC model. Seemed like the best path. Did not recommend a membership structure as this requires management. EM agrees on not having membership but rest of group thought it best way to help people feel part of initiative.

CIC implications:

• lightweight plan – easy to manage
• enables bank account
• can pay people if desirable
• no trustees or charity commission resolutions required
• need to keep books and send a (slimmed down) version of books to charities house but not full audit
• ‘asset ties’ means that any assets a group has have to be re-distributed to other community projects on closure (ie no personal gain)
• easier to get funding as a CIC

Long discussion about membership:

• majority of core group felt it would remove notion of exclusivity so was a good thing
• minority felt it would entail extra work and wasn’t neccessary

membership outlines discussed:

• doesn’t have to be heavy – just enough participation to enable re-balancing if required
• give 14 days advance notice for meetings
• board make all decisions during year between AGMs
• quorum required: % of members required at AGM – need to get this balance right
• 21 days notice for EGMs – electing members etc. changing constitution, electing directors, AGM voting
• Email announcements for important meetings
• Board can find new members without objections (ie if no-one objects having been informed, that’s good)
• email list would be sufficient for announcements – DW – would it?
• an individual should be responsible for handling membership (?)

ISSUES:

• CIC model might not work with membership

AGREED:

• CM investigate CIC and membership model
• EM and CM produce proposed membership outline. Then another take membership model forward

3. AGM

Beanfeast formalised in absence of TT Montpelier’s structure – so the events team are one step ahead of TT Montpelier! Need to balance these out and align. Therefore, TT Montpelier needs a constitution and bank account if Beanfeast wants to move to TT Montpelier structure.

• Beanfeast needs AGM in order to resolve how it is going forward in light of TT Montpelier’s structure – although TT Montpelier doesn’t need to know *exactly* what it will be in full detail – Beanfeast AGM can agree to moving in the meantime if that is what they want
• TT Montpelier needed to resolve TT Montpelier’s structure so we all know what’s going on
• CM and EM’s constitution work within 2 weeks will give Beanfeast a clearer idea of what TT Montpelier is up to in order to bring to any Beanfeast AGM
• Possibility of holding TT Montpelier ‘AGM’ at film showing in May

4. Website feedback

• DW asks group for any feedback about website to be sent via email

5. Art Trail: 24/25 April

• DW set up relationships with Fairfield school but does not want to run it all
• SM, SJ, JL and others happy to help
• Ideas included: reconstruction of a Banksy, art and seedling exchange, Dan and Roz djing on Sunday
• TT Mont to have a stall

6. Green Doors day: 11/9

• DW behind a city-wide open doors day for Green re-fits, renovations, ideas etc.
• partnering with multiple stakeholders, on same day as general open doors day
• DW building team around project at the moment – looking for funding is vital – it’s a big gig!
• Party at Hamiliton House afterwards

7. Heart and Soul group launching from Transition Bristol

• discussion on Heart and Soul

8. Beanfeast gets £2,000 from council

• much excitement and good work all!

Minutes:  3-March-2010 (Jess’ house, 127 York Rd.)

Present: Ed, Shiona, Dan, Jess, Caroline, Jane, Sally Ciaran, Bron, Richard, Jon Gulson (Simon quick visit at beginning with apols)

REPORTS:

TransMont. Open Meeting (Dan) – very good , positive responses from many people.  The “sub-group” plan seemed to work well.

Energy group (Dan) – next meeting Wednesday ??10-March??.  Loads of newcomers from all over Bristol.

Green Spaces and Food Groups (Shiona and Sally): both went well with committed, enthusiastic residents.  Significant overlap between groups means they have joined forces, and held first meeting on 25th Feb. Next meeting 25 March at Fairfield School (Dan to confirm) to discuss outcome from Mapping Day on Sunday 21 March. Montpelier Park Group AGM on night of Open Meeting went smoothly, achieved elections and approved constitution.”
The community support officer (Sustainability officer at Bristol City Council) for groups like ours, is Mark Leach.

PAST EVENTS – accounts reconciliation:

Winter Fayre (Sally) – We made a profit of £303 (acc’t from Simon).

Bean Feast (September) (Sally) – We made a profit of +/- £455, if all income is received.   There is about £40 wine still in Sally’s house.

• ACTION: Sally to chase Thali for £75.
• ACTION: Sally to chase Simon to chase Mella for £35.
• ACTION: Sally and Shiona to chase £100 invoice to Bristol City Council.
• ACTION: Dan to chase Jameel+Herberts for £120.

The marquee dilemma (Sally) – a full report was made about all the different viewpoints, Sally presenting Simon’s opinions. On voting, all but Jane agreed to accept Simon’s compromise proposal, as stated by Sally, which was to purchase the marquee from Richard, providing the hire fee of £80 was waived. Jane felt a reduced price was needed. The group agreed to buy the marquee at full cost of £400, which is serviceable for future community events.

• ACTION:  Sally and Simon to write a cheque to “Radford Mill” for the cost of the marquee (£406?), as soon as possible.  Richard will waive the marquee hire charge.
• ACTION: Sally and Simon to write a cheque to Simon for (£190?) for Christmas Fayre expenses.

MISCELLANEOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS AND ACTIONS:

• ACTION: ??Ed “Fallen Fruit” – point to the food group??
• ACTION: Ed will arrange dates for the next video evening.  “Yes Men” is looking likely
• ACTION: Dan will introduce “Chris” (the new bookkeeper) to Richard.
• ACTION: Ciaran will draw up a “mission statement” for the Constitution.
• ACTION: Ciaran and Bron and Jess are now a sub-committee to work on the constitution.
• ACTION: Sally will email Bean Feast constitution to Ciaran.
• ACTION: Sally will circulate “Power of Communities”.
• ACTION: Sally will contribute to the Montpelier Arts Trail (24-25-April), and do an “Art-swap” and a “Seedling-swap” stall.
• ACTION:  Richard will assist in setting up “Transition” display boards and taking them down.
• ACTION: Richard to produce template for events bookkeeping, and a suggested scheme for simple annual accounts.

DECISIONS:
“Other” campaigns – may be aired on our website if three core group members agree, and there are at least two “yes” votes more than “no” votes. But we will not use the mailing list to campaign for others as it goes into people’s inboxes and is intrusive. But we will include them in newsletters.

• ACTION: Ed will change the admin of the mailing list, and will inform others.  Non-urgent issues can be presented via a blog post.
• ACTION: Richard will write a statement about why Trans.Mont. should support the anti-Tesco campaign.

Neighbourhood Partnerships (NP) – the first meeting was a bit of a shambles: poor venue, poor acoustics, inadequate supply of agenda notes, inadequate preparation of information, poor or no criteria for taking decisions, etc.  But this was their first event, the organiser was unwell and all suspected that she was fully aware of the predicament. This is worth sticking with, and provides all with an opportunity to influence some local spending, and to present ideas for future agendas.  The next meeting is 30-June.
NEXT MEETING: core group – 17-March, Sally’s house 7pm to eat, 8->10pm for talk.

• Next meeting agenda:  discuss suggestions for NP agenda items.
• Next meeting agenda: we will fix a date for our AGM (needs 21 days’ notice).
• Next meeting agenda:  Ed and Dan to devise a “Year-plan”.

The aim is to identify:

• existing green space (however small)
• potential hard space for planters or digging out
• potential green roof space
• untended gardens to approach to offer assistance and/or gardenshare

Action points from the meeting are here; our next meeting will be Thursday 25 March at 8pm in the Old Fairfield School to discuss the results of the Mapping Day.  We will aim to focus our energies on a few ‘quick win’ areas of Montpelier to demonstrate what’s possible over the next few months, with the goal of creating a Trail across the whole area over the next few years.

Miguel’s talk kicked off a lot of excellent thinking and discussion about energy within a group of about 35 people which included locals wanting to start an energy group for Montpelier, representatives from a range of Transition initiatives from around Bristol, and people wanting to improve their homes and / or learn about the feed in tariffs and solar PV. Following introductions, 35 people split into four groups and discussed

• Home Energy Efficiency
• Solar PV and the feed-in tariff
• How communities can work on energy
• If we wanted a wind turbine for “our” community, what would we do?

Click on here for a combined report with actions in PDF form for all these groups .

There was an excellent atmosphere for which we have received some really positive feedback. Resulting from the meeting, we now have at least 12 people wanting to be part of the Transition Montpelier Energy group, five of whom are training to be home energy auditors in March. This is an excellent start. We will be meeting soon and looking at the action points suggested and making plans together for how we bring this forward in our neighbourhood. Click here if you want to contact this group directly.

The meeting opened with Miguel Mendonca’s talk following intros and welcomes from two Dans. Miguel presented some key points from his work which has contributed to the incoming feed-in tariffs. Miguel has worked for many years on ways of developing the green economy and has presented his findings to many places around the world and can now add Montpelier to the list that includes Brussels and Capitol Hill in Washington DC!

Basically the feed in tariff will encourage the take up of Solar PV (photo-voltaic) panels which produce electricity that when not used in the home, feeds into the national grid for which the owner will be paid a premium rate. As such, with a healthy take up it provides an excellent way for individuals and community groups to influence government economic policy to be more sustainably oriented. A feed-in tariff for solar thermal (hot water) will come in next year.

Click here for a link to a spreadsheet provided by Montpelier’s solar company, 1World Solar run by Jon Walker which calculates the return you can make on solar PV. (If you can book up a system before April you are possibly still eligible to a £2000+ grant.)

Project group sand notices were next and following a short summary of Monday’s Tescos meeting, brief presentations were then made by individuals keen to get projects going on Food (Sally), Open Spaces (Shiona) and Energy (Dan). The meeting then broke up into smaller groups to start work on the projects.

Details of all these can be seen if you scroll down or click on each group below for a direct link.

Energy

Food

Open Spaces

The March 6^th painting of the Resource Centre room has been postponed. Thanks to all who have said they would help do this. We will keep you informed.

The speaker Miguel Mendonca at our meeting next Wednesday has played an significant role in a new government scheme that cash rewards will be available for small scale low carbon electricity production via a feed-in tariff to be introduced on April 1st. This means if you installed a solar photo-voltaic system you can use the elctricity as it is produced and get paid for what is excess.

The meeting is consequently evolving into an exciting event as we anticipate a variety of local residents, businesses, faith and community buildings accross the neighbourhood attending and considering become part of this exciting development and taking up the grant offers currently available for installation or considering how we as a community can benefit.

The agenda and format for the open meeting is as follows:

• 7.30 Welcome chat / Park Group AGM in other room
• 7.45 Introduction to the evening
• 7.55 Miguel Mendonca
• 8.15 Project introductory pitches (energy, food, open spaces, steets) plus 1 minute notices on other matters
• 8.40 Tescos update
• 8.45 Project discussions work
• 9.45 Feedback end

It would be great if people could bring a cake or food to share and their own mug. We will be setting up from 5.00 and help arranging seating etc will be most appreciated.

We look forward to seeing you.

ENTRANCE IS OPPOSITE 26 FAIRFIELD ROAD

Welcome to 2010.  Over the past few weeks with the disappointment of Copenhagen (grrr), the importance of a grass roots response to climate change and peak oil is even clearer. If you couple the very cold winter (brrr), which highlighted both vulnerabilities in national food supply as well as uninsulated lofts on our streets (faster melting snow on the roofs is the clue), you can see why we feel so strongly about what we are doing.

This newsletter has a highlights of 2009; you can download the whole thing here.

It includes details of our next meeting, some thoughtful stuff and requests for specific help that is needed. Here’s poster for our next meeting on Wednesday February 10th – click on it to download it and stick in your window:

Click on image to download poster

So what now?

First a brief reflection as 2009 was our birthing year and what a year it was!

Organising the Montpelier Spring Clean; our room and exhibition at the Montpelier Art Trail; the website; two very well attended open meetings; the Bean Feast; a sold out showing of The Age of Stupid; supporting the 20mph successful speed limit campaign; supporting home improvement workshops; the Good Energy link up; the Winter Fair. Yippee!

What will 2010 be like for Transition Montpelier?

We have had one core group meeting already (see the website for minutes) and we are very keen to translate the momentum we have built through the one-off events last year into themed projects this year relating to Energy, Food, Green spaces and Streets. All of these are summarised very briefly below or (if appropriate) give them a click for further detail. And remember if there is an idea that you have, let us know and come and present it.

Next meeting:

Feb 10th – 7.30 Fairfield Resource Centre opp’ 26 Fairfield Rd

The aim of our next open meeting is to share and develop workable ideas around the themes and create groups who will be able to carry out some responses. Some ideas are already being progressed others are in their infancy. We will use the space available to enable project groups to develop ideas.

Energy – Lower our homes emissions and start working towards a community renewable energy project

Green Spaces – Improve the parks, abandoned land and verges, planting fruit orchard in containers etc

Food – Sharing suggestions for sourcing our food more sustainably, including the presentation of an innovative ‘growing streets’ idea.

Streets – Building on from Thali cafe bike stands and Picton Square feedback

Guest Speaker – We are thrilled that the meeting will open with a talk by Miguel Mendonca who is a Research Manager for the World Future Council. His background is in horticulture, geography, history, journalism, social science and environmental ethics and has recently published a book on renewable energy policy entitled “Powering the Green Economy: The Feed-in Tariff Handbook”. For more info on Miguel and WFC see here.

It should be another stimulating night. We will be putting posters up, can you put one in your window? It really helps. (download poster here)

Success

Getting these projects moving throughout the neighbourhood is reliant on people coming forward and contributing in the same brilliant way they did for the Bean Feast and Winter Fayre. Just over a longer period of time! We hope that in highlighting these projects now, you work out how you can play your part over the next year or so. One of the great things about Transition is working with others who share the same concerns as you. We know there will be time constraints but we assume you are interested in what Transition Montpelier is doing because you believe that it can make a difference here, as it is over hundreds of other areas around Britain and increasingly the world! So if there’s a theme that interests you there are bound to be a variety of ways in which you could undertake to contribute to its progress. Please come along and find out. Just a few hours of your time could make a big difference.

Cake

As ever refreshments will be provided but if you are coming could you bring something to share too? Bake a cake, bring some fruit whatever. We all like a bit of fuel to keep us going.

Constitution and Situations Vacant

Following the two major public events and the expanding influence of the council’s Neighbourhood Partnership scheme, we are extremely aware of the importance of formalising our existence as a group. Thanks to Bronwen we have a constitution underway, and to realise our aims of keeping everyone aware of our financial situation we will need a now treasurer as well as bookkeepers for the big events. Could you do this for us? If it interests you get in touch.

Painters. We get to use the Resource Centre for nothing. It is fantastic and they are very supportive. They have asked us to paint one room which is currently black and though great for films, not the best colour for a pupil referral unit! We have agreed to do it over 4 sessions on the weekend March 6th with Sat a.m as a prepping session with three coats of paint to get rid of the black. With music, tea and biscuits, it will be fun and straight forward. Who would be up for this? The FNCG will also help.

The Winter Fayre

The Fayre was great. Held on Saturday 19th December it ran throughout the day and early evening. We hoped it would bring many, many Montpelier people out and appreciate the strengths of our neighbourhood. The feedback has suggested that it did. For pics and a write up click here

Montpelier Park Group

Will be holding a very brief AGM in the Resource Centre before our meeting on Feb 10^th at 7.30pm sharp!

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting or receiving your comments via the website.

Bronwen, Ciaran, Dan, Ed, Jane, Jess, Ralph, Richard, Sally, Shiona, Simon, Steve, Tim – The Transition Montpelier core team

It’s not like that at all – we are open, welcoming, keen and happy for people to help us out co-ordinating Transition Montpelier.

In fact there are lots of things that need doing so drop us a line if you’re interested. And maybe think of it as an ‘initiating’ group, or a ‘co-ordination’ group. We’re thinking along those lines.

Click on this link to download the minutes directly

And for you in the meeting – you know who you are – these minutes are full of action points for all of us, so get busy!

Here’s a photo of us:

Transition Montpelier 'core' team

(Richard, Janie, Sally, Dan, Ciaran – Ed taking photo, Simon, Ralph and Bronwen not there)

The Agenda:

TT Montpelier core team agenda 16/12/09

The minutes from the meeting:

Transition Montpelier
Core team meeting
16/12, 20:30 – 23:00
Dan’s kitchen

Attendees:

• Dan (DW)
• Simon (SL)
• Sally (SJ)
• Ralph (Ralph)
• Janie (JD)
• Ciaran (CM)
• Ed (EM)

(apols: Bronwen)

1. Winter Fayre:

• TT Mont to host stall at Winter Fayre from 12 – 6/7 with soup, wish tree, chestnuts, host
• Wish tree to represent TT Mont and the project groups that are emerging
• Host will explain TT Montpelier, encourage people to make baubles and add them to the tree
• Will need some protection for bbq for chestnuts

Rota:

• 11:30 DW set up
• 14:00 CM
• 16:00 EM
• Others: Bronwen, Jess, John…?

Actions:

• DW: build wish tree for stall
• CM: make soup: incl. pots, cups et.c
• JD: produce nuts, protective gloves etc.
• DW: produce barbeque
• EM: produce two ring cooker for soup
• EM: contact Bron, Jess, John about hosting stall
• SL: produce bbq protection (sheets of ply)
• SL: pass Scrapstore card to DW!
• DW: get some scrapstore stuff for bauble making

2. Bean Feast

• Marquee needs repair following Bean Feast
• Organising was a significant job – also for Winter Fayre – need buddies to help with events – burn out risk
• Bean Feast needs separate de-brief
• ‘Events’ team need a meet to share on events work, agree budgetsGood to publish all budgets/accounts for transparency and ‘transferability’ to other initiatives
• ‘Events’ team to organise open meet in January – 1. BF de-brief, 2, General

Actions:

• SJ: working on marquee repair
• SJ/SL: organise events meetup in January

3. Group dynamics

• Core/initiating group meets now officially regular – every 3rd Wednesday
• Open meetings need to be regular and in a cycle of 1. projects work, 2. open space, 3. awareness raising
• TT Mont isn’t quite at ‘constitution’ stage but we see it as future goal
• Could we think of the current ‘core’ group as an ‘initiating’ group?
• Need to think about group dynamics: decision-making, ‘core’ and working groups
• TT Mont provides: connections, advice, knowledge, support, events, awareness, web, lists
• TT Mont has value set and philosophy in line with TT movement
• TT Mont does not look for ownership of local activism – more the social glue for groups
• Need a short clear purpose and position statement to work outward from (toward constitution)
• Role and relationship between ‘core/initiating’ and working groups needs more clarity
• Need to avoid burnout with buddying up with partners, clarifying roles and responsibilities, bringing activists in
• TT training discussed – group facilitation, TT training
• TT theory and training in general – need more discussion on what is TT

Actions:

• ALL: think about the ‘constitution’ track – our purpose, structure and dynamics for next meet discussion
• EM: organise ‘what is TT and its training’ meetup: January – interest: SJ, SL for starters
• ALL: regular core/initiating groups: every 3rd Wednesday.

4. Energy:

• Clearly identifiable and action-able stuff can be done around energy – it’s good for money, ethics, education
• Range of energy projects from adding insulation to rented house to co-owing a wind turbine
• Set up energy group proper – start small – start brainstorming
• Other neighbourhoods doing similar stuff – need connections
• Idea: Energy action team – voluntary group help out house dweller with insulation, heating tips etc. focus on one street – like a pilot
• Idea: we have deal with good energy, what can eco-tricity do?

Actions:

• DW, RRM, Ralph: clear leaders for energy group – get heads around how to proceed
• RRM, Ralph: email/share with DW thoughts on group
• DW: collate and form in preparation for communications
• EM: find Bath TT group reps and connect with Mont energy group
• CM: contact Bristol City Council sustainability team to open conversation

5. Announcements:

• Park Project: underway – AGM coming up – Fences going up soon – constitution underway
• Food project idea: food growing everywhere – like distributed allotment share – raised beds around hood
• Road Feature group idea following Thali Cafe corner success: council looking for connections
• Richard knows where to get railway sleepers cheap
• Bristol City Museum research project for TT groups: RRM, Bron going in
• Bristol Free shop on Stokes Croft: offer space for reps

Actions:

• EM: connect RRM, Bron with Museum people
• SJ: likely to be championing the food workings

6. ‘Widening’ TT Montpelier

• How to reach out and make TT Mont more ‘diverse’ (class, ethnicity, climate change deniers)?
• Projects provide approachable front to do stuff
• Film was very inclusive
• Good meetings are vital – use of Open Space – people want to ‘be heard’
• Knocking on doors and introducing selves is direct
• Target one street with (e.g.) energy project and go help out as a pilot
• Action tracking: displaying what you’ve done – online or at events – map of activity
• For those who don’t own houses: list of things you can do to keep costs down
• Keep looking for contacts in religious groups

Actions:

• DW: connect EM with web guy in Easton
• EM: researching mapping tools – noise map, other activist maps
• ALL: every meeting: clear purpose and big call out

7. Next open meeting:

• Purpose – action, workgroups, projects – encourage all to get onboard with some project work
• Key question – from ‘how is TT Mont supporting me’ to ‘how can I support TT Mont?’
• Also to have some introductions – and a talk from another initiative? Easton offered a while back?
• Flyers needed
• Meeting owner needed: DW with support – EM? Can we call for another?
• Group leaders needed: DW/RRM: energy, SJ: food…
• Meeting summary needed
• Date: either 03/02 or 10/02
• Also discussed setting regular patterns for open meets: 1: projects and action, 2: Open Space, 3: Awareness raising

Actions:

• ALL: do doodle on Open meet date
• ?: Write newsletter update week commencing 03/01 – 2009 summary, call for volunteers, open meeting date

8. Close and what can we do better next time?

• Meeting design and facilitation good
• Next meet 8 – 10
• Food at first is good
• Venue different – Ed’s house

• Introduction
• Announcements
• Academy of Urbanism – best neighbourhood award 2010
• A Montpelier Community Energy Efficiency Programme
• The Streets/Picton Square Group
• Are Green Space plan – Ashley, Easton, Lawrence Hill (affecting Montpelier)
• Montpelier Park update
• Green Spaces group
• Film club action
• Advice from Sustainable Redland
• Home Improvement workshops

Download the .pdf version of the newsletter here

Introduction

Hello everyone
We had our second open meeting last week, July 15th at The Fairfield Resource Centre.

(A bit of ’speed networking’ usually goes down very well)

Despite the opening of the new Harry Potter film, Bristol City playing Ajax at the Gate, various school plays and the Ashley Vale Allotments Association AGM we still had an excellent turn out. Thanks to all who came and contributed.
The theme of the meeting was Moving Things On, as in continuing the excellent start we feel we made last month. As the graphic below shows, this is exactly what we are doing with a number of clear interest groups now setting up and working independently of the core team including two new ones, Films for Awareness and Energy.
Take a look through the following summary for more information on all of these, contact the named person if you want to get involved and let’s work on Montpelier’s Transition, together.
All the best and see you in the neighbourhood ☺

Diagram illustrating Transition Montpelier structure

Announcements:
1. The next Bean Feast meeting will be on Tues 21st July, 7pm at 89 St Andrews Rd.
2. We are delighted by the Health Centre’s interest in Transition Montpelier and the subsequent support offered  in the last two weeks with placing a Montpelier Park consultation display in the waiting room and participating in the Academy of Urbanism tour. We look forward to developing this furthur.
3. Lost property. The following items were unclaimed at the end of the last meeting. 2 mugs, 1 tent!
4. Next meeting: More action! Late September / October

Academy of Urbanism – Best Neighbourhood Award 2010
St Pauls and Montpelier were assessed this Wednesday by The Academy of Urbanism for the Best Neighbourhood award 2010.
Various top architects dropped into the area to see what the two areas (but one nomination / neighbourhood) was all about. We think we did a pretty good job.

Dan did the Montpelier part of the presentation supported in person by Albany Residents (Pete and Jane), Montpelier Conservation group (Tony), Sally J and FNCG (Julie). Montpelier Park (Shiona) and Montpelier Art Trail (Sharon) provided written support, Sidz and Mark Simmons sent in photos of the Street Parties. On the tour we met Sid Sharma (Thali), Richard (Farm shop) who provided coffee and biscuits, and Cherie from the Health Centre. It was a great team effort. Well done all.
Presentations were also made by Chris Chalkley (PRSC) and Penny Germon St Pauls Unlimited.

There’s no prize money, but it was a really interesting morning. Cllr Bev Knott (Lib Dem – Care and Neighbourhoods) mentioned the increased devolvement of budget to neighbourhood level that the council are proposing so learning about what other groups in the ward are doing, and building links with them felt particularly important.

A Montpelier Community Energy Efficiency Programme
Dan Weisselberg
I am doing an MSc in Architecture, Environment and Energy and just finished an assignment What could encourage Community Energy Efficiency Programmes (CEEPs) in Bristol? I found and strongly believe that community groups have a major role in improving domestic energy efficiency. With a “strong bottom” and 3rd party support, the Top-down Bottom-up approach can really work and build community. Transition Montpelier is really well set up to do this. Let’s go for it! (Dan)

Energy Efficiency facts

• Residential buildings = 26% of CO2 emissions
• 50% heat loss in a typical home – walls and loft
• Action = More efficient homes, behaviour change,

CEEPS

• Different types: Voluntary, Sponsored or community owned
• HES is really exciting model, have a look. We can do this in Montpelier
• Really can lower energy consumption (30 -40%) and CO2 emissions
• Alleviate fuel poverty, save people money by informing neighbours  of grants

TOP DOWN

• Government want all Britain’s homes insulated by 2020.
• Millions of £ from Energy Co’s insulation to low-income and elderly householders
• BCC has different grants for homeowners

MIDDLE / 3rd PARTY SUPPORT IN BRISTOL IS EXCELLENT

• Through Centre for Sustainable Energy specialist communities training and some funding is available. Checkout Green Communities. Some employees even live in Montpelier!
• BCC can possibly supply Energy domestic monitors to a group like ours. These really help.

PROVEN SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE INCLUDES

• Support from local energy advice agency – (CSE)
• A clear, shared strategy – (TRANS MONT ENERGY)
• Advice from trained community members – (Green Communities / Energy Saving Trust)
• Visible indicators of energy use – (metering) – BCC?
• Funding – Referrals possible from Good Energy and CERT energy company schemes

BOTTOM UP – (THE VISION ADAPTED FROM DISCUSSIONS AT THE MEETING)

• We form an Energy team (let me know if you are interested), we will meet soon
• Design a programme for rented and homeowners emphasis on lower income streets
• Make a link with energy provider, (as ethical as possible)
• Set up training from CSE / Green Communities
• Run the programme this autumn
• We visit neighbours and encourage local uptake of grants` across Mont’ and into St Pauls etc
• Publicise at Bean Feast, Albany Green etc
• Trans Mont get funds from referrals. Where these funds can go will be an incentive.
• This reduce energy use and CO2  emissions, build community and its resilience to PO and CC
• More insulated, warmer homes throughout Montpelier

IF WE CAN BUILD A TEAM, THIS CAN WORK, BE REWARDING AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Picton Square/The Streets group
Steve Meek
Richard Radford Mill
The ‘Streets/Picton Square’ Group was very well attended. Discussion was almost entirely about ‘Streets’ and all attenders voiced their views on the problems they see as important. Montpelier Beat Officer Simon Humphrey and PCSOs Clare and Kim attended the first session and made very useful comments.

Comments from attendees are summarised:

• parking both sides of the road in parts of Richmond Rd should be stopped – road too narrow for emergency vehicles (twice)
• Coburg Rd would be better without a pavement as it is so narrow.
• Bins are permanently on the pavement in Coburg Rd and Lower Cheltenham Place causing obstruction.
• Large Van/ live in vehicles parking in St Andrews Rd attracting offensive notes from residents: some of the owners in fact are residents. One person is parking multiple large vehicles in Falkland Rd and repairing them in the street. Appears to be running a business.
• Parts of Upper Chelt Place too narrow for vans to park. Church goes obstruct pavement below the park on sunday evening.
• Richmond Rd and lower part of York rd feeling effects of commuter parking increasingly this year.
• Residents parking Scheme suggested and ’show of hands’ showed majority support.
• Also in St Andrews Rd – parking on pavements obstructs buggy users.
• Simon Humphrey, Beat Officer said they enforce pavement parking on the basis that it must be possible to get a double buggy past on the pavement and emergency vehicles through the road. Action will be taken otherwise. They accept that if these conditions are met then having wheels on the pavement appears to be accepted by the community. There are areas in the uk that have a white line down the pavement which delineates how far onto the pavement is acceptable to park. The group did not discuss this further.

Agreed: we heard lots of problems, we need to meet and discuss solutions – which will be different in different roads.
Note from Living Streets Bristol: to report obstructive parking where double yellows not present – contact Simon Humphreys of the  police. To report parking on double yellows – official advice is to contact council parking services – don’t bother – they log the call but take no action if not a bus lane. If persistent problem, contact your councillor Jon Rogers.
To report bins blocking pavement contact Aled Williams

Area Green Space Plan – Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill (affecting Montpelier)
The aim of the Plan is to deliver the standards and policies set out in the Council’s Parks and Green Space Strategy while ensuring that the significant investment anticipated for local green spaces is directed with help of local stakeholders and communities.

The Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill Area Green Space Plan will set the foundations for green space provision for the next 20 years and decide where different types of facilities and space – such as children’s playgrounds, sports pitches, young people’s facilities, dogfree areas, toilets and park keepers – are to be located. It will also identify if any green space is no longer needed and can be used to fund improvements to other spaces.

The next sessions will focus upon the spaces in Montpelier, St Pauls and St Werburghs on Wednesday 5th August – 7pm – at St Werburghs Community Centre, Horley Road, St Werburghs, Bristol, BS2 9TJ

The aim of the sessions will be to discuss improvements to open spaces in each specific area. There are currently 147 people on the waiting list for an allotment at Ashley Vale and we must th8ink about future food provision within the city. This would be an ideal opportunity to state all pieces of land are kept for food growing. Shiona is going on behalf of Montpelier Park group and joining her would be a great opportunity for others to help establish the Green Spaces team.

Montpelier Park Update
Shiona MacPherson

Most excellently, Montpelier Park has been accepted as a candidate for funding from the Community Cashback scheme, so we need lots of votes from us all and our friends to keep up the pressure!
Please vote at: http://cashback.cjsonline.gov.uk/cc.asp?area=1&mode=vote

And pass it on!
Montpelier Park is a community resource, and apart from the children’s play area, is currently in a state of neglect with considerable drug and sex litter problems.  We want to encourage more people to use the Park, so it feels safer.  We believe the best way to do this is to improve the visibility of all areas, and provide activities for a wide variety of people.
Local residents have driven the project, and strive to ensure all have a voice in its outcome. Following an extensive consultation, a Community Proposal was drafted in August 2008 incorporating questionnaire results, creative discussions and strategic principles.  This was submitted to the Council in September 2008.

In February 2009, Bristol City Council agreed to initiate a formal project, and allocated an initial £47k from housing development funds.  A Parks Department public consultation on three alternative designs is underway, and a final consultation is due in September.  Work is due to start in March 2010, and we are currently investigating further funding opportunities to ensure the best possible design can be delivered.

Thank you to everyone who completed feedback forms on the Council’s three alternative designs for Montpelier Park; over 80 have been received so far, and the Parks Department have been very impressed with our community’s level of enthusiasm. Dan and Richard very kindly organised a display of Park plans in the Montpelier Health Centre; hopefully this has helped develop links between the Transition Montpelier group and this important community resource.

The final consultation phase on Montpelier Park will start at the Montpelier Bean Feast on 12 September, where the final draft design will be unveiled and project managers and landscape designers from the Parks Department will be available to discuss their ideas and our responses to them.  That consultation is likely to close in early October, when any amendments can be made and planning permission applications can hopefully start.

Green spaces group
Building on conversations at the last TM meeting, a Green Spaces group has been proposed to look at/after all Parks and green corners in Montpelier.  This could include both managing the redevelopment of Montpelier Park, pressurising the council to improve Albany Green, and identifying smaller patches of green space in the area that could be (re)claimed with suitable planting.  As a longer-term goal, perhaps we could pressurise the council to purchase more land to be converted to green space, as the current greenspace:people ratio for the area is very low.

Rather than more blocks of soulless one-bed flats, couldn’t we have community gardens and orchards?  If you are interested in these ideas, or have others in the same vein, it would be great to get together at the next Transition Montpelier meeting.

Film club action:
Bronwen Morgan
A break-out group for ‘The Age of Stupid: a Film Club and Beyond?’ was held at the most recent Transition Montpelier. Inspired by the 100+ attendance at a showing of Franny Armstrong’s documentary ‘The Age of Stupid’ by Sustainable Bishopston recently, we discussed the idea of showing this film multiple times in the Montpelier/St Paul’s area during the autumn. The idea would be for the film to act as a catalyst for discussions of climate change and peak oil issues right across the community – noting that sometimes the Transition meetings tend to attract a relatively homogenous group of people that contrasts with the diversity of the neighbourhood we live in.

The discussion had three dimensions. First, we discussed targeting a really wide range of different audiences, working with different local groups to reach them, and showing the film in different spaces at a wide range of times and day and night, always with a slot for discussion at the end.

Secondly, the film tends to generate both anxiety and energy on the part of people who watch it, so we talked about ways to provide information and channels for that energy so the experience leaves people feeling positive and linked up with channels for ‘what to do next’.

Finally, we talked about what might flow from this in the future – some suggested more films, another suggestion was to explore the possibility of people in our communities making their own mini-films as a response to the issue. This would be especially valuable if the documentary turns out to alienate or sideline some of the different audiences who see it, and there might be possibilities here to link up with the work on the Bristol Ecoshow that Transition Bristol is supporting city-wide (http://www.transitionbristol.net/2009/07/17/latest-new-on-bristol-ecoshow/).

Anyone interested in brainstorming venues and link groups, giving contacts, helping to contact groups, lending resources (see https://indiescreenings.net.s3.amazonaws.com/howto.pdf) or getting involved in any way at all, please contact Bronwen Morgan..

Advice from Sustainable Redland
Hamish from Sustainable Redland kindly came to our open meeting and gave us a short outline of what they are up to, and some of this top tips.

Hamish from Sustainable Redland

Here are some of them:

• It’s difficult but rewarding
• Have to learn to work together – it’s new
• It’s very exciting to see your work unfold
• Main symbol for them is the farmer’s market
• Maintain public profile at at events: fairs, schools, talks
• Only a few of them are really active – but that’s all you need
• 140ish people on the mailing list – a rich resource of knowledge
• Keep selves informed – invite experts to talk at meetings

And on some of the benefits of being a Transition Initiative:

• Tap into Transition Bristol
• More in touch with other initiatives
• Share resources with other initiatives
• Visit other initiative meetings

Thanks Hamish!

Home Improvement workshops
Simon Lewis

Simon Lewis of The Naked Green Builders is running a range of free home maintenance workshops over the summer to help Montpelier folk get a grip on their houses. Please contact Simon to book yourself onto a workshop (Email Simon).

The workshops will be approximately 2 hours and can be tailored to those attending. A risk assessment will be undertaken and a disclaimer will need to be signed.

Workshop 0 – Wednesday 29th July 2009, 7pm
Aspirations for workshop

How to use…

• tool box… workshop rotation
• open toed sandals… heath and safety
• risk assessment and disclaimer…

How to fit…

• please bring a mug… for tea
• practical skills… time on tools
• engaging a contractor…

Building principles…

• reuse, reduce, refuse, recycle
• turn it off, turn it down, maintenance and improvement
• sweeping out the corners of the monastery

Workshop 1 – Saturday, 1st August 2009, 10am
Draught proofing

How to use…

• hammer & nails
• screwdriver & screws
• cross cut & mitre saws

How to fit…

• vinyl draught strip
• letter box and door brush
• expanding foam filler

Building principles…

• air infiltration
• thermal stratification
• cross ventilation

Workshop 2 – Wednesday, 12th August 2009, 7pm
Insulation

How to use…

• hammer & nails
• screwguns & drills
• ripping saw & jigsaw

How to fit…

• loft insulation, floor insulation and wall insulation
• pipe and cylinder lagging

Building principles…

• convection, conduction, radiation and condensation
• thermal mass & u-values
• vapor control

Workshop 3 – Saturday, 15th August, 2009, 10am
Water

How to use…

• Wrench
• Grips
• Seat cutter

How to fit…

• drop valve toilet & retro fit low flush syphon toilet
• change a tap washer
• fit a water butt

Building principles…

• Stop taps and service valves
• Potable, rain, grey and black water
• compost and the carbon cycle

Workshop 4 Wednesday, 26th August, 2009, 7pm
User control

How to use…

• inferred thermometer
• humidity meter
• common sense

How to fit…

• thermostatic valves
• locating and destroying filament light bulbs
• stand by, washing machines & fridges

Building principles…

• energy
• temperature differential
• turn it off. turn it down, maintenance and improvement

Workshop 5 Wednesday, 2nd September, 2009, 10am
Natural materials: Lime

How to use…

• Sourcing
• Mixing and applying
• Painting

How to fit…

• Lime mortar and render
• Lime wash
• Hemcrete

Building science principles…

• Breathability
• Hygroscopic
• Ventilation

Workshop 6, Saturday 5th September
Green roofs

How to use…

• Neighbours
• Planning permission
• Building control

How to fit…

• epdm rubber membrane to FLL greenroofing standards
• extensive & intensive planting
• rainwater harvesting

Building science principles…

• reducing rain water
• biodiversity & food
• evaportransportation & the urban heat island

Download the .pdf version of the newsletter here