Minutes of The A.G.M. of the Blackdown Hills Transition Group held at Yarcombe Community Inn on March 24th 2010 at 8pm
Present: Tracey Bell, Jim Rogan, Lesley Rogan, Sandra Aldworth, Selena Mitford, Alison Tottenham, Emet Stern, Chassidah Stern, Val Grainger, Jodie Hoare, Jennifer Ash, Moira Wood.
Apologies: Susan Harley
1]Election of Chair and committee
As follows: Chair- Selena Mitford
Vice-chair- Val Grainger
Treasurer- Sandra Aldworth
Committee members- Tracey Bell, Jim Rogan, Lesley Rogan, Alison Tottenham, Emet Stern, Chassidah Stern, Jodie Hoare, Jennifer Ash, Moira Wood.
2]Accounts
Total income for the year was £150 Co-operative bank funding, and total outgoings were £73.98 for website hosting and domain name for two years. Current signatories – Tracey Bell and Susan Harley to be amended to include treasurer plus one committee member (total of four to be named).
3]Report by Chair
Susan Harley, previous Chair, has now left the area and did not supply a report. SM recorded thanks to Susan for her work during the past year.
4]Overview of coming year
Purpose, aims and objectives for agreement : SM introduced a sharing of views on purpose / aims/objectives of the BHT within the Transition movement leading to general agreement that:
-BHT to function as a hub/source of resources and skills giving support to parishes in the Blackdowns - allowing communities/households to achieve a reduced carbon footprint. Aim to draw where relevant on the experience of other transition groups so as to avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’ . It will provide a web between stakeholders and particularly work with BHAONB as a ‘sister’ group with some common aims.
-It’s now ‘the beginning’. There’s a need to get a full picture of the current situation on which to build eg through data collection/feasibility studies. JH was willing to undertake research re funded carbon assessment for parishes. TB said that some initiatives were being considered/implemented. DCC was funding a post to map the status of parish plans within the 52 parishes. Key members of BHT should meet with Lisa Turner and DCC to coordinate actions.
-The Constitution of the BHT [which had been e-mailed to all interested parties] was accepted by the committee.
Training/Funding: SM to apply to Churchinford Parish Council to fund her training. Other members to investigate funding for training from their own DCC or SCC Councillor from their Locality Fund.
Website: TB said she had developed and registered a web site, [www.blackdownhillstransition.org] with several pages in order to get a presence on the internet - but hoped that this could be transferred to ‘joomla’, making it amendable by all members. ES agreed to have a look and hoped to find time to do this. Aim for future would be to support a map of the Blackdowns with ‘clickable’ parishes. It’s possible that parishes would pay for their page.
Events: TB reported Lisa Turner had invited BHT to provide a ‘transition focus’ for the Community Conference in September 2010. All agreed that this would be an excellent opportunity for awareness raising and looked forward to ‘the great unleashing’.
5]Structure of group and accounts
SA outlined the possible options which included having a loosely constituted group with insurance but no legal structure, or a range of legal options- eg. limited company, charity, association, trust, community interest company. After some discussion it was decided that, since we shall be seeking funding, the preferred structure would be a community interest company, which would have an asset lock. This to be set up by SA.
6]Next meeting
Members to be notified of date/venue by e-mail
Actions: *ES/TB to review/develop website
*SA to establish BHT as a Community Interest Company
*TB to contact DCC and BHAONB re liasing. [JH to contact AONB office herself if she is interested in applying for their currently available post undertaking research on parish plans]
*SM to continue blog
