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”.

Click on this link to download the minutes:
Transition Montpelier core meeting Minutes 20-1-10

Agenda:

Transition Montpelier core team agenda January 2010

Actions and Agreements:

1. Actions from last meeting
   1. Ciaran only one still to complete.
2. Report back from Events meeting
   1. Clearer roles, project manager, realistic ambition, community fund all needed at future events
   2. Sally to compile a lessons learnt document, summarising this.
   3. Simon to go and ask Peter Watts for support with project management of events
   4. Sally, Richard and Ed to go through budget spreadsheets
   5. Book keepers for every event
   6. Both Bean Feast and Winter Fayre to be repeated in 2010.
   7. Sally only willing to be major player in Bean Feast and Simon happy to help
   8. By June to have group together for Bean F; Winter F by October
3. Accounts
   1. Richard to look at clear and standardised accounting structure, possible treasurer and ask council for advice
   2. Bron. to find out the person in the council who supports community events
   3. All to find out who from the community can help with accounts (at Open Meeting/with newsletter)
   4. All -Money needs raising for group fund
   5. Dan and Bron to look at community fund from council and finalising constitution so TM can have bank account
   6. Shona to look at accounting software (like her school)
   7. Sally to send all articles mentioning TM’s events to Ed who will put on web
4. Announcements
   1. Open Meeting 10^th February
   2. Dan to advertise for more people for energy training
   3. Dan to organise Climate Change investment slot at Open Meeting
   4. Dan to organise printing TM-related subjects at one of events & Ed to find out more
   5. Bron to find out how to support Severn Beach Railway
   6. Shona (&others?)-24^th February Neighbourhoods Partnership Meeting at Police station-funding from Ashley Ward and another route for working with Council
   7. Dan to organise F Resource Centre painting on 6/7 March
   8. Montpelier Art Trail 24/25^th April
   9. Bron had news of Bristol University to support community energy project research. Dan and Jess to look at help from Totnes who got funding for similar project
5. Open Meeting 10^th Feb
   1. To focus on proper discussion, commitment, action points and real action
   2. Doors 7.15, ‘start 7.30’, Park AGM 7.30, start 8pm
   3. Dan to look at energy
   4. Sally to look at food
   5. Simon to look at livable streetscapes
   6. Shona and Jane to put Park Group and Albany Green in touch
   7. Ciaran organising Miquel to do keynote speech on grants for domestic PV in SW
6. Group Dynamics
   1. Meeting at Ed’s house, 92 Richmond Rd,7pm, 25^th Jan
7. AOB
   1. Jess to put together notes from Low Carbon Communities Conference
   2. ? to link with Facebook Bristol Energy Network- Paul Adams
   3. All-Organise more informal core group meetings
   4. TM to link/support Richard’s (wind?) energy co-op at Radford Mill