Please find below the minutes of the WPRA AGM for 2019 before we hold this year’s AGM by videoconference on 9th July 2020. See latest WP News for full details.
WESTMINSTER PARK RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Held at Westminster Park Community Centre on Tuesday 16th April 2019
MINUTES
Present: Pauline Brown, Jennifer Crew, Penny White, Sandra Magilton, Moir Cocker, Susan Eva, Gill Guyton, David Guyton, Jill Baynham-Hughes, Eliot Baynham-Hughes, Olwen Bellis, Richard Short, Brian Westcott, Christine Westcott, Betty McLoughlin, John Birks, Gloria Birks, Razia Daniels, Neil Sullivan, Nick Ryan, Keith Vernon plus one illegible signature. 22 in total.
Apologies: Sue Griffiths, Mary Pole, Sue Britton, Bob and Sue Speed, David Craggs, Peter Cocker.
2. Minutes of last year’s meeting: Agreed as a true record by those who attended.
3. Matters arising: A litter bin was placed by the bus stop outside the Nuffield Hospital very quickly and has made a great difference to the area.
4. Chairman’s Report
Thank you for attending this evening. I opened the previous AGM’s with the comment that the year had flown by and once again this is true.
We have experienced a busy year and our Community continue to thrive with, once again, lots of activities to report on:
Wrexham Road Housing Development has been approved and building work has commenced. We remain vigilant with planning permission now granted for Decoy Farm. The Sub-Committee will continue to monitor the situation and will report back through the newsletter, email and the website any significant news.
A meeting with the Heath Authorities is taking place regarding the local NHS provision on 15 May 2019 and Jennifer Crew and Brian Westcott will be attending. They will report back to the Committee following their meeting.
A development of 35 houses, Kings View (now Sherbourne Avenue) has been built and are all occupied.
Our local Councillors Neil Sullivan, Razia Daniels keep in regular touch as does our MP Chris Matheson and our Local PSCO is now Lauren Davies who we welcome back.
Our Annual Christmas event was again was a great success, well supported and much appreciated by the Community. Again, a big thank you to the Councillors for their continued financial support and to all the Committee Members who pull out the stops each year to organise the event. Our local businesses support the event with their generous donations of food and keeping their shops open and it is always a great pleasure to take the opportunity to meet them and introduce them to our visiting Dignitary opening the event. Our local primary school do an excellent job with Christmas carols and Father Christmas had a helper this this – an elf! I am not sure how we will top this in 2019 but am sure we will give it a good go. We have installed new lights in our trees and I am sure you agree that they look great through the festive season.
Our regular quiz evenings are always a sell out and are great way for us to fundraise for the Association and meet new people in the Community. Our next quiz night is 25 May 2019 so please get your tickets as soon as possible.
Evergreen and the Gardening Club continue to put on excellent, well supported events for the local community and once again, tribute to the organisers who come up with lively and interesting programmes.
Our Newsletter goes from strength to strength with the Editor, Jennifer Crew, doing a sterling job of keeping the content both interesting and relevant. Our volunteers hand deliver to each household and we couldn’t do it with their help.
On a sad note, we lost Kevin Eva, much loved husband of Susan Evan who is a long-standing Committee Meeting. Kevin was a great supporter at our events and helped with the delivery of the newsletter. He will be sadly missed.
Following pressure on the Council, we saw some trees trimmed at the end of Rowcliffe Avenue and the first grass cut happened yesterday.
I will not be standing for re-election as Chair this year. I have served in the role for 4 years and due to a busy work schedule would like to stand down but remain on the Committee if elected to do so.
A personal thank you, once again, to the Committee for their hard work serving the Community we live in. We are lucky to have dedicated people who are willing to help others.
Many thanks, once again for attending this evening and I am sure I will see you all again at one of our events.
Pauline Brown, Chairman
5. Treasurer’s report.
I would like to thank Nick Ryan for his continued support. As you know Nick was the Residents’ Association treasurer for many years and now has agreed to give his time as our Independent Examiner of the Annual Report for 2017/18. Thank you, Nick.
Subscriptions of £699 represents 349 members for 2017/18, this number is 47 lower than last year. A little disappointing as this represents just over 29% of the households in the Community. Donations were also down by £24.
The social events consisted of 2 quiz nights, both being very popular, which gave a surplus totalling £545. A big improvement on last year.
The ‘Best kept garden’ competition was again held with vouchers to the value of £70 being awarded. The Gardening Club continues with their annual bulb planting at a cost of £90. This was offset this year by a generous donation of £45.
The Christmas lights switch-on was well supported by our Residents, Councillors, School and local shops. The event was supported by a generous grant from our Councillors’ ‘Members Budget’ of £500.
‘Evergreen’ over-60 club continues to have a thriving programme of events and well attended by its 107 members. It is managed by an active team of hard-working committee members. A surplus of £465 is being carried forward for their future use.
Expenditure was slightly higher by £138 on last year, but increased advertising income has reduced this down from the previous year by £200.
Overall a surplus of £443 is carried forward with Bank and Cash balance standing at £2056
Sandra Magilton, Treasurer
6. Election of Officers and Committee Members: Jennifer Crew was proposed to stand as Chairman by Brian Westcott. This was seconded by Bob Tricklebank.
Pauline Brown has offered to replace her as Vice Chairman, the remainder of the Committee were happy to stay in place, ie Sandra Magilton (Treasurer), Penny White (Secretary), Jennifer Crew (Editor WP News), Dave Craggs (Website Co-ordinator), Brian Westcott, Olwen Bellis, Susan Eva, Richard Short, Sue Britton. The was proposed en bloc by Moir Cocker and seconded by Christine Westcott.
The comment was made that we need new committee members, younger and more males for balance.
7. AOB: The boundary of ‘Westminster Park’ needs to be redefined as in our Constitution it is given as ‘to the Herons Way Roundabout’ which will include the new houses. It was decided to review at some point after houses have been built and at a later point suggest residents form their own Residents’ Association.
Neil Sullivan suggested that the Residents’ Association and Councillors keep an eye on the development as there could be large sums of money available for the community. Boundaries will be changed on 2nd May and the new ward of Handbridge Park will include the new housing.
A number of Residents’ Associations in Chester are planning to form an affiliated group and we have been asked if we would like to be involved. Any affiliation would need an approval of a majority in a general meeting and probably an addition to our Constitution. The aim would be to improve communications to the Council on matters such as grass, homelessness, parking etc. It would also make us aware of other matters going on in the city. This was agreed that we would follow this up. More details will follow in the Newsletter and if necessary a General Meeting will be held.
Proposed by Brian Westcott, seconded by Colin Dollimore.
Eliot Baynham Hughes commented on what a shame new residents in Sherbourne Avenue are not present.
Christine Westcott mentioned the next Gardening Club meeting.
The Summer Fayre will be held on 22nd June. Tracey Casey is organising this. This is a Community Association activity.
Colin pointed out that the membership of the Residents’ Association is approx 30% of residents and suggested a structured campaign to increase membership such as knocking on people’s doors. 2019 numbers are increasing. Maybe set up a team to knock on doors, try something different, perhaps try to recruit at the Christmas event?
Keith Vernon asked for an update on Wrexham Road Development. It was explained that this is now approved and going ahead. The Atkins Traffic Study on traffic consequences is completed but the report appears to be held back as traffic has increased. The development will be built over 15 years. There will be changes to the Overleigh Roundabout and the M&S roundabout however the Grosvenor Bridge remains single lane. An upgrade is required at the sewage plant, Welsh Water has done a survey, developer accepted and work will be done. The developer will pay for the upgrade of the sewage works.
Olwen mentioned that Steve the chef was double booked for the night of the quiz, however Olwen and Sandra will be assisting.
The meeting ended at 9pm.