Hazelhurst CSA Committee 2010-04-20

Hazelhurst CSA > Co-operative Committee > Committee Meeting 20th April 2010

Time and Venue
7.45pm for 8.00pm, venue to be confirmed.

Apologies
Heather and Yvonne.

Agenda

 * Public meeting arrangements
 * Publicity, agenda, facilitation etc for the meeting to be held on 10th May 2010.


 * Query from Donna
 * See this email.

1.	Actions from the Last Meeting
The Committee reviewed the actions from the last meeting (30 March 2010) and members reported as follows:


 * Chris to liaise with Liz Roberts regarding the Events Group picking up the risk assessments for each event – still to do
 * Marion to draft land management review for further review – this is still being drafted, she is aiming to complete a time line of requirements and will be able to take this further after the meeting of the Conservation, Biodiversity and Land Development Working Group (hereafter known in these minutes as the Land Development Group) on 26 April 2010
 * Chris to check with Liz Roberts regarding whether she wants to link her Events Working Group work with the Communications Working Group – still to do
 * Heather to draft article for Norton Parish News – no report, presumed still to be done as no article has yet been shared
 * All to review draft principles – agenda item at this meeting
 * Chris to investigate room bookings for public meetings - this is complete, Grapevine centre is available for all dates.  Only outstanding items are to confirm times - see later agenda item
 * Chris to produce map with the field boundaries marked on it – this is in hand
 * Kerri to pursue postal address for a field - this is progressing, still waiting to hear from the Council.

2.	Planning for the Public Meeting on 10 May 2010
The Committee discussed the structure and timing of the forthcoming public meeting to be held on 10 May 2010. The Committee considered that the meeting should be viewed mainly as an information-giving and endorsement session on outstanding business matters. There should also be the opportunity to hear about how the land development is progressing.

The following basic approach was agreed, with the presentation of certain sections still to be formally agreed with Heather and Yvonne, who were not able to attend this Committee meeting.


 * 1) Gather from 7.00pm, inviting people to bring cakes and having tea available
 * 2) Formal meeting to start at 7.30pm:
 * 3) *Introduction (Yvonne as facilitator – to be agreed)
 * 4) *Formal presentation of the following, requesting endorsement from the public meeting:
 * 5) **name (Heather (to be agreed) - 5 minutes presentation, 10 minutes discussion)
 * 6) **principles and purpose (Heather (to be agreed) - 5 minutes presentation, 10 minutes discussion)
 * 7) **rules, including the legal structure (Chris - 10 minutes presentation, 20 minutes discussion)
 * 8) *Proposed timeline of actions leading to the Annual General Meeting on 20 September 2010 (Yvonne (to be agreed) - 10 minutes, to include update on the work of the Business Plan Working Group)
 * 9) *Reports from Working Groups:
 * 10) **Oral history (Heather - 5 minutes)
 * 11) **Events and communications (? - 5 minutes)
 * 12) **Land development (Marion, Ronin, Huw, Darrell - 30 minutes)
 * 13) *Any other business, including opportunity to contribute to work on a Masters’ dissertation.
 * 14) Close of business at approximately 9.30pm.

ACTIONS:


 * Alison - draw up agenda, develop a view of the timeline for use at the meeting (to be agreed with Heather and Yvonne)
 * Alison - ask Yvonne if she would be prepared to act as overall facilitator for the meeting
 * Chris - produce basic flyer for the meeting, to be distributed electronically, together with Principles and Purpose, aims and the Somerset Rules
 * Chris - bring laptop and screen
 * Chris - ask Gareth/Liz if the Committee can borrow their projector for the meeting
 * Chris - create a wiki page for each Working Group, in readiness for the meeting, which will publicise the work of those Groups.
 * All - bring tea and/or a cake to the meeting
 * All - bring one copy of the documents attached to the electronic invitation (meaning there will be around 6 copies available for review if people prefer to look at things on paper).

3.	Principles of the Group
The Committee reviewed the most recent copy of the Principles, based on Marion’s slight reworking of Heather’s proposal. The following two items were particularly discussed:


 * the phrase ‘This community will be fully inclusive. People from all backgrounds, abilities, income groups and experiences are welcome to join. This applies to employees, volunteers and members‘ will be amended to read: ‘This community will be fully inclusive. People from all backgrounds, abilities, income groups and experiences are welcome to join.’
 * Chris’ proposal to include the following clause was accepted: ‘To pioneer a new economic model based on mutual benefit and shared risk and ensure that the farmers have a decent livelihood.’

With these two amendments, the Principles were formally endorsed by the Committee, to be presented to the public meeting with a recommendation that they be accepted.

(1)Terms of Reference
The Committee discussed the usefulness of Terms of Reference (ToR) for the various working groups. Following clarification of their use as defining the purpose of the Group and also its limits of responsibility, the Committee agreed that ToR were useful and should be drafted for each Working Group.

The ToR for the Oral History group have been formally agreed.

The ToR for the Land Development group were discussed and it was agreed that they required some amendment. The Committee agreed that the section on volunteer activity should be amended to read: ‘To keep Huw informed about projects involving work on the land’. It was also agreed that Huw should be referred to as the current landowner and Darrell as the consultant (to clarify their roles in case readers of the ToR are unaware).

The Business Planning Group has not drafted a set of ToR, as it has not yet been able to meet.

ACTION: Alison to draft ToR for discussion with Chris and further discussion when the Group is able to meet (hopefully week commencing 3 May 2010).

(2)Group Work since Last Meeting
The Land Development Working Group reported that it had a planning meeting on Monday 26 April 2010, together with John Rose, the previous landowner.

It was further reported that a Permaculture course has been confirmed for weekend of 15 and 16 May 2010. There will be further courses; however this is the first, which will look at the basics of design. The various accommodation and administration needs were discussed. Ronin confirmed that Jennie is a qualified first aider. The following actions were agreed.

ACTIONS:
 * Alison to investigate cost and possible purchase of toilet seat and tent from e.g. CCC (Go Outdoors)
 * Ronin to look into hire of intermediate bulk container (IBC) for water, and discuss with John Rose regarding transport of water to the IBC
 * Ronin to investigate hire of tents and first aid kit from Gareth.

The Working Group also reported on considerations about building on the land. The Group will look into the various types of polytunnel, consult with Darrell about the best one, and consider whether this might be something that Huw could subsidise in the short term (adding this cost to the eventual cost of purchasing the land from him).

5.	Volunteers
Marion highlighted the importance of doing soil sampling on the big field, on a 20-metre grid. Volunteers will be needed for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays between 10.00am and 4.00pm, Volunteers will need to bring their own spades and mattocks (if available).

ACTION: Marion to request volunteers via the Heeley-Meersbrook food list, with a request that they inform her if they intend to come.

(1) Green Estate and Use of the Horse
Marion reported that Green Estate has a harrow, roller and horse for hire, should we wish to use these things for the planned first stages of development of the land (the planting of green manure seed).

A conversation with Darrell is required to see if the equipment is correct for what we want to achieve. Also, the costs of this approach (circa £250 per day) versus other options (e.g. asking John Rose to assist) need to be considered.

It was agreed that the Land Development Working Group would consider this at its meeting on 26 April 2010.

(2) Funding
Following the various discussions earlier in the meeting, the Committee recognised that some sort of Working Group to consider funding (paying for things now, looking into raising funds to buy the land, bidding for small grants, etc.) might be useful. Further consideration is required.

7.	Date of Next Meeting
Tuesday 4 May 2010, 7.45pm for 8.00pm Directors’ meeting Venue to be confirmed

Next meeting: Hazelhurst CSA Committee 2010-05-04

Previous meeting: Hazelhurst CSA Committee 2010-03-30