COMMITTEE HOWWOOD WILDLIFE AND WOODLAND MANAGEMENT
(Registered Charity Society-Number SCO 33831)
27 NOVEMBER 2012
PRESENT: Agnes Crawford, Craig Crawford, Christine Scarsbrook, Robert Scarsbrook, Bill David,
Margaret Shaw and Willie Shaw
APOLOGISES: Norma David, Rosee Macdonald and Jean Peddie
WELCOME TO NEW MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBERS: On behalf of the Management
Committee the Chair welcomed Margaret and Willie Shaw. A copy of the HWW Constitution was
given to Margaret & Willie to ensure that they have all relevant information on HWW. All members
present were issued with a copy of the Constitution as a refresher. Copy extract of the Constitution is
attached for information to those not present.
PREVIOUS MINUTES: 18 September 2012 -Proposed- Christine Scarsbrook, Seconded-Robert
Scarsbrook. AGM Minutes of 9 October 2012 were agreed in principle pending formal adoption at
the next AGM. Proposed- Christine Scarsbrook, Seconded-Robert Scarsbrook.
ELECTION OF OFFICE BEARERS: The Office Bearers were confirmed as Craig Crawford Chair,
Christine Scarsbrook, Secretary and Rosee Macdonald as Treasurer. CS will advise the Trustees of
the late Anne Douglas Stirling or Houstoun of the current office bearers as per licence agreement.
MATTERS ARISING:
 Maps Reprint: Update from BD;-Costs are £30 for artwork plus either £345 for 1000 maps or
£585 for 5000 maps. Agreements to order 5000 pending grant funding. Proof to be
reviewed, when available. CS to apply for grant from NAB which may not be considered by
NAB until next quarterly cut off date possibly Feb 2013.
 Adopt a Station: Scot Rail is so far funding this initiative. It was noted that from 9 Dec 2012
the rail service is to be increased to ½ hourly to Glasgow with one hourly to both Ayr & Irvine.
 SRANI: CC gave update from SRANI meeting; lotto funding for the Semple Trail Heritage
Project (STHP) and improvements around Castle Semple Estate. Lochwinnoch Station has
been adopted by a group in Lochwinnoch. Proposal to advertise the new Trail in both
Lochwinnoch and Howwood Stations.
TREASURERS REPORT AND FUND RAISING
 Treasurers Report: Bank Balance as at 27 November 2012 is £1004.36 after reconciliation
but excluding Liz Parson’s bill.
 Bird Food Sales: £30 cash in hand. £92.48 worth of stock purchased. Cheque issued to RS
for this amount and invoice passed to RMacd. All to promote sales.
 Howwood Inn Christmas Fair 8 December 2012: CS has prepared the bird food for sale,
the cash float and the various signs and donation box. AC, CS & RS can man the event. MS
will try to make it. RMacd and JP to be asked. Event starts at noon and will be outdoors.
 Car Boot/Table Top Sale: discussed various ideas. Suggestion to hold event in Church of
Scotland or Christ the King as Village Hall is too expensive. Defer to January meeting.
 Grants/Action Earth 2012 +Nab: Action Earth grant has passed cut off. CS is to apply for
NAB grant for maps. Maximum grant is £500.
 LAC & LAG Grants : Possible application to be made in 2013. RS will keep group updated.
RS & BD to start the application for LAC and or LAG for possibly submission in January 2013.
 Bus tour: a fund raising bus tour was suggested for 2013. Defer until January.
 Midton Bowling Club: suggestion for a fund raising quiz / race night or disco. Defer until
January.
BEAUTIFUL HOWWOOD: Planters to be refreshed as required. AC was thanked for looking after the
planters.
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GAP SITE PROJECTS
 Rhombus:
o Tree Plaques for trees will be ready later this week. Cost is £45 excluding staking
required. On advice from Billy Caldwell the replacement of the Brownies’ silver bitch
tree should be deferred until spring or when the weather improves whichever comes
first. It was decided to defer installing the plaques until spring 2013. RS, BD & CC to
consider how to prepare the plaques for installation. CS to contact Brown Owl for
views. Review position in January 2013.
o TCV Green Gym: CS will contact TCV with wish list for 2013.
o Community Service: CS to enquire about using Community Service resources.
o Billy Caldwell: All agreed that Billy did great job in the Rhombus. CS will pass on
our thanks. Cost of the work including a discount as a community project was £200.
Billy recommends carrying out a maintenance session 3 or 4 times a year including
dealing with the JKW. RS will negotiate a price with Billy and advise. BD to ask Cllr
Stephen McGee re JKW treatment offered at the AGM.
 Isthmus: No work required at this time.
 Triangle: This area is looking good thanks to AC.
TCV GREEN GYM 2013/14 TASKS – Next visit TBA
WALKS 2012/13 AND 2013/14
 Next Walk: Christmas Morning festive fancy dress dog walk. Dogs optional. Meet at the
Triangle at 10am – note change of time. Prizes for best dressed doggy and human. Weather
permitting the walk will last around 1 hour. Route to be decided on the day.
 Future Walk: Wed 2nd January 2013. Meet at Triangle at 1pm weather permitting. Route to
be decided on the day.
 Walks 2013/14: CS will contact Derek Shannon of the Forestry to confirm whether or not they
wish to include some of their guided walks on our posters. CS to draft a list of walks based
on previous dates and routes for the new season and will seek approval at January 2013
meeting. Forestry has been invited to attend next meeting.
 Maintenance: WS is a keen dog walker and agreed to report back any path / signage
defects needing attention. RS will source way markers for the walking routes.
HOWWOOD COMMUNITY COUNCIL – UPDATE
 Planning; CS reported that there was a planning application for a house behind the Linister
(brown houses) where there is currently a boundary of trees blocking the houses from the
greenbelt. Due to tight time constrains on planning objections it was agreed with the majority
of Management Committee members - CC, CS, RS, BD & ND prior to the meeting to lodge an
objection on behalf of HWW. This was lodged on 27 November 2012. A copy will be
distributed to the Management Committee for information.
 Community Plan: CS advised that there is a new Renfrewshire Community Plan out for
consultation with Community Councils and other interested parties. CS collated the response
for HCC and also included comments on behalf of HWW. The response is currently in draft
and will be distributed to HWW Management Committee membership for comment.
AOB
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Plants: CC advised that Liz Parsons is working with Howwood Primary School ecogroup and
approached us for permission to plant in the Rhombus Garden. HWW agreed that they could
plant wild flower seeds. The group will also on the advice of CC plant bulbs in the grassed
area on the corner of Main Street / Station Road near the Triangle.
Visitors: CC advised that Alexander Wilson who wrote ‘Birds of America’ has a 200th
anniversary shortly and as he was a Paisley buddy there is expectation that a large numbers
of USA visitors will flood into the area in 2013.
Garthland Bridge: CC is to write a letter to Renfrewshire Council re the lack of a walkway
over the Garthland Bridge. This has been on HCC’s wish list of many years. CC will write as
an individual and not on behalf of HWW.
NEXT MEETING: Tuesday 22 January 2013. Meet at 7:30 in the Railway Inn. Venue for future
meetings to be decided.
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Extract constitution.
HOWWOOD WILDLIFE AND WOODLANDS
CONSTITUTION
1. NAME
The Group will be known as “Howwood Wildlife and Woodlands,” hereinafter referred to as “The Group;” previously known as
“Howwood Community Woodland Group.”
2. OBJECTS
The objects of the Group are:to conserve, preserve and protect the woodland area of Howwood for the benefit of the public and in particular
for the inhabitants of Howwood;
to conserve, preserve and protect the wildlife, flora and fauna of woodland and other natural habitats in the locality for the benefit of the
aforesaid persons;
to advance the education of the aforesaid persons about woodland and other natural habitats in the vicinity, their wildlife, flora and fauna,
and the conservation, preservation and protection thereof;
to provide, in the interests of social welfare, facilities for recreational or other leisure-time occupation with a view to improving the
aforesaid persons' conditions of life.
In furtherance thereof but not otherwise, the Group shall seek:
to take on the ownership or management of natural habitats as community resources for the benefit of the people of Howwood;
to manage these habitats, according to sound conservation principles, in order to maximise their potential for educational and recreational
use, and their value to wildlife;
to facilitate community involvement and community education, in nature conservation issues.
3. ACTIVITIES & POWERS
At its foundation, Howwood Wildlife and Woodlands will be a formally constituted community group but its formal and/or legal status may
be altered by consensus decision of the Management Committee as deemed appropriate to achieving the Group’s objects.
In furthering the Group’s objects, but not otherwise, the Group may:
own land and/or seek to negotiate management agreements with land-owners;
raise money from land-owners, funding bodies, other organisations and the general public;
work in liaison with Howwood Community Council, Renfrewshire Council, the Scottish Executive and other statutory bodies, voluntary
organisations, and other organisations and individuals;
do any other lawful things that help in the attainment of the objects.
4. MEMBERSHIP
The Group is a Community-based organisation open to and including as Honorary Members all residents in the Howwood Community
Council area (namely the area covered by Polling District WR01 on the Register of Electors, in force from 16 February 2001) and any
interested individuals resident in the surrounding area. A membership fee may be set by the Management Committee from time to time.
Honorary Members may become Full Members on payment of the fee. The membership year for Full Membership will run from 01
January. Both Full and Honorary Members may vote at General Meetings.
5. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be a Public Meeting held in the fourth quarter each year (namely October, November, December)
at a time and venue determined by the Management Committee. Public notice will be given of the meeting at least nine clear days before
the meeting; written notice will be sent to all Full Members. At each AGM, the business will include the consideration of the Management
Committee’s Annual Report of the Group’s work, the approval of independently reviewed accounts, the election of members to serve on the
Management Committee, motions submitted by the membership, and the transaction of such other matters as may from time to time be
appropriate.
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The Management Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time. The Secretary will convene an Extraordinary
General Meeting within 30 days on the written request of not less than 10 members of the Group. Nominations for members of the
Management Committee may be made by members of the Group in writing before the AGM or orally at the AGM. Members may nominate
themselves. Should nominations exceed vacancies, election will be by ballot at the AGM.
6. MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
The Management Committee will be chosen at the AGM and will consist of not less than 6 and not more than 18 members. Each member
has an equal right to stand for the Committee. The Committee’s responsibility is to manage the policy, affairs and activities of the Group.
Members of the Committee will be eligible for re-election every year.
The Management Committee will meet at least quarterly; meetings will be open to any member of the Group, but only Management
Committee members may vote at Committee meetings. The Management Committee may set up sub-committees, and may co-opt other
individuals onto such sub-committees, from time to time, for specific purposes, as deemed appropriate.
In the event of a vacancy arising on the Management Committee, the Committee has discretion to co-opt a member to serve until the
following AGM
7. OFFICE BEARERS
The Management Committee will elect Office Bearers from its number at its first meeting following each AGM. The Honorary Officers
will hold office from election until the first Management Committee meeting following the next AGM. Office Bearers will be eligible for
re-election with the proviso that no Honorary Officer may hold that office for more than five consecutive years. On the expiry of such a
period, two further years must elapse before any former Honorary Officer may be re-elected to their previous post. At a minimum there will
be three officers: Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. Other officers may be appointed from time to time as the Management Committee deems
appropriate. The Management Committee may remove any Office Bearer from office on a majority motion of no confidence.
8. RULES FOR PROCEDURE AT MEETINGS
Quorum. The quorum at all committee meetings will be one third of those eligible to be present. For an AGM, which is a Public Meeting,
the quorum is 15, and a majority of those attending must not be members of the Management Committee.
Voting. As far as possible, decisions will be reached by consensus. Should a vote be necessary, questions will be decided by simple
majority. If no decision is reached, the Chair of the Meeting will have a second, casting vote.
Minutes. The Management Committee will ensure minutes are kept of all meetings.
9. FINANCE
All funds raised by or on behalf of the Group will be used to further the Group’s objects. This may include the reimbursement of out of
pocket expenses incurred by members of any committee.
The Treasurer will keep proper accounts which will be reviewed by an appropriate independent person agreed by the Management
Committee at least once a year. The review may be an Independent Examination, formal Audit or other examination as required by law,
regulation or other requirement, or as deemed appropriate by the Management Committee The Group's financial year will run from 01
October.
A bank account will be opened in the name of the Group with such banks or building societies as the Management Committee may
from time to time decide. The Management Committee will authorise the Office Bearers to sign cheques or withdraw funds on behalf of the
Group. All release of funds will require the signatures of at least two of the authorised signatories. If two or more office bearers reside
together, only one may be a signatory.
The Management Committee may apply for Charitable Status for the Group, if eligible and deemed appropriate.
10. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION
A resolution to alter this Constitution must be notified to the Management Committee and decided by a General Meeting. To be passed, at
least two thirds of the votes cast by those present must be in favour of the resolution.
11. DISSOLUTION
If the Management Committee decides, by at least two thirds of the votes cast by those present, in favour of a resolution to dissolve the
Group, the Committee will notify the membership, settle any debts and liabilities, and transfer all remaining funds and assets, including
land, to such charitable conservation organisations as the meeting decides.
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