CHADWELL COMMUNITY FORUM
MINUTES OF AGM HELD ON THE
13TH APRIL 2010 AT EMMANUEL CHURCH AT 7.30PM
Chair
Treasurer/Vice Chair
Secretary
Committee
ATTENDANCE
Peter Saunders
Councillors
Richard Price
Carol Saunders
Dr.P. Ambikapathy
Norman Cooper
Reg Goldsmith
Thurrock Council
Ian Grant
Maurice Packer
Brenda Packer
Essex Police
John Southgate
Sam Walker
Residents
Apologies
Guests
Residents
See below
Marion Canavon
Gerrard Rice
Bill Sargent
John Gray
Malcolm White
Jim McConnell
Del & Chris Ager
Cllr. T Fish
Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes for 12th January 2010 were agreed and signed by the Chair.
Matters Arising
The Pocahontas boat trip was now fully booked with a total of 85 Residents going.
The Budget for next year stays the same as last year in the sum of £8800.00
Chairman Report for the Year
These are some of the issues that have come before the Forum in the last twelvemonth.
Orsett Heath
Thanks to the efforts of Sgt John Gray and his team, and to the new kissing-gates that have been
installed on the Heath the motor-bike nuisance has abated, to have been partly replaced by illegal
horse-riding! Last year Thurrock Council designated the North Field a bio-diversity site; this
concept was new to residents and aroused some hostility. However, by negotiation the Council
were able to accommodate residents’ wishes and the Forum’s fourth annual fun-day. Thanks are
due to everyone who helped to organise that event, especially Carol who bears the brunt of the
work involved
Playbuilder Scheme grant
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After further consultation conducted by Council officers the new equipment was sited on Aluric
Field, and installation was completed earlier this year. Subject to funding, it is hoped to expand
upon this elsewhere in Chadwell in the future.
Brentwood Road
I am pleased that Thurrock Council has put in new kerbing along both sides of the Brentwood
Road, from Nevil Road/Defoe Parade to just beyond Alexandra Close. This has improved the
appearance of that stretch of road considerably.
Methodist Church, Riverview
Carol, Hon Secretary, and I are both trustee-directors of One Community Development Trust;
this has been declared to previous Forum meetings. OCDT has tendered to buy the former
church building, to make it into a community hub, with facilities for all ages and groups. As of
the time of making this report a response from the estate agents is still awaited.
Chadwell Library & Information Centre
A working-group has been established by TTGDC; the local representatives are:
Norman Cooper, CCF and churchwarden Emmanuel church;
Rev Nic Deane, rector of St Mary’s & Emmanuel churches;
Richard Price, Vice-Chair & Hon Treasurer CCF and member of the Community Grants Panel
TTGDC;
Carol Saunders, Hon Secretary CCF & director OCDT;
Peter Saunders, Chair CCF and director OCDT;
Gerry Taylor, churchwarden St Mary’s church;
Alan Warren, local resident & former Ward Councillor.
After detailed discussions, and input from a steering group consisting of senior officers from SW
Essex PCT, Essex Police and Thurrock Council agreement on a plan to be put out to public
consultation has been reached. A new building could be built on the site of the library and the
Council Offices bungalow, providing GP surgeries, a library, and communal areas with vendingmachines for non-alcoholic beverages, offices and meeting space.
Incorporation of the Forum
This was sanctioned by the November 2009 Forum meeting and the forms are currently with
Companies House. Once the cert. of incorporation has been issued a new bank account will be
opened, subject to resolutions to be passed tonight, and the company will be registered with the
Charity Commission. Additional directors of the company will be most welcome.
Forum Committee and People
Sadly Tom Orton has had to resign owing to ill-health. Chris Pearson has left the area following
the birth of Laura and his first child. I am indebted to all the committee-members, present and
absent, for their help and support over the years. I should also like to thank Marion Canavon for
her support to the Forum and to Chadwell St Mary as a whole during her term of office. John
Gray and his team make an invaluable contribution to the community of Chadwell, and Bill
Sargent and his team – Jim and Claire – do sterling work in Chadwell for Thurrock Council.
Thanks also to Vicki Reid, Rev Nic Deane, Pat Lambert and sue Burgess for allowing us to use
their facilities for meetings at different times. The Forum will continue to meet as it has done
before, notwithstanding its changing status, and the important people are the residents, businesspeople and VCF folk for whom this Forum exists to try to serve as best it can.
Peter Saunders, Chair.
Treasurer’s report
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The balance outstanding of the Forum account is £13484.12p.
From this balance £9666.34 is pre designated.
£2500 is still outstanding from the Kissing Gates yet to be re-allocated
The rest is made up of Interest and Admin Monies.
The Treasurer asked the Chair if it was possible to draw down the whole of our budget from the
Council in one go as we will soon be a Ltd Company. The chair said he would ask the council to see
if this was possible.
The chair also proposed that as we would soon be a Ltd Company and our current bankers (the
Nationwide Building Society) do not accept Ltd or Charity accounts that we transfer our monies to
the Co-operative Bank who do not charge charity accounts.
Proposed John Southgate Seconded Sam Walker All in favour
The chair also asked for permission to explore costings for an auditor as it will be a requirement
to have our accounts audited for Companies House.
Proposed Lynn Gregory Seconded Tom Orton All in favour
Election of Officers
The Chair asked if anyone was interest in coming onto the committee as we currently have two
vacancies. No one volunteered and the chair asked that if anyone wanted more information to
contact him. The elections were as follows.
POSITION
Chair
Vice Chair
Treasurer
Secretary
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
Committee
NAME
Peter Saunders
Richard Price
Richard Price
Carol Saunders
Norman Cooper
Reg Goldsmith
Ian Grant
Maurice Packer
Brenda Packer
Jim McConnell
John Southgate
Sam Walker
Dr. P Ambikapathy
Malcolm White
PROPOSED
Sam Walker
Sam Walker
Sam Walker
Richard Price
Peter Saunders
Brenda Packer
Peter Saunders
Carol Saunders
Richard Price
Norman Cooper
Richard Price
Richard Price
Charlotte Smith
Peter Saunders
SECONDED
Nina Allen
Maurice Packer
Maurice Packer
Lynn Gregory
Sam Walker
Peter Saunders
Sam Walker
Nina Allen
Norman Cooper
Brenda Packer
Norman Cooper
Brenda Packer
Nina Allen
Sam Walker
Forum Meetings
The committee wanted to structure the Forum meetings so that residents knew when they were. It
was agreed that Forum meetings would be every other month on the second Tuesday of the month
e.g. February April June August October December. The venue for Forum meetings will either be
Herringham School or Emmanuel Church and will be advertised on our notice boards, website,
doctors and various shops.
Committee meeting would be held every second Tuesday of odd months e.g. Jan March etc. Venues
for committee meetings will be advised to committee members before they are due to take place.
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Any other Business
Bio-Diversity
Tom Orton spoke about Bio-Diversity on the Heath and in Chadwell generally. He said that last
year the Heath was filthy and that poisonous weeds were being allowed to grow. How about having
Bio-Diversity in Orsett instead of Orsett in Bloom.
The chair responded that the Councillors sorted out what Bio-Diversity areas there should be in
Chadwell and that he and the Secretary had a meeting with Mike Bering and Andrew Murphy
(council officials) at the end of last year re the Fun Day as we did not want to go ahead without
knowing that the area would be cut. Mr Andrew Murphy agreed to have the fun day area cut and
that a decision on the rest of the Heath would be taken early in 2010. We received notification that
the Bio-Diversity on the Heath would continue in a scaled down version.
Ray Miller responded that the Heath looks like a rubbish tip and that dust and rubbish is created
when cut. There is dogs mess every where and a field that was used all year can not now be fully
used.
John Southgate responded, don’t blame the dogs it is the owners who at fault.
Ray Miller: Yes that is all very well but once the dogs have entered the Bio-Diversity area any mess
is lost in the long grass.
Cllr G Rice said that a compromise was made last year and was told that the same would happen this
year.
Tom Orton suggests that we invite the council officer who is in charge of the environment to come
to our next meeting.
Richard Price said they should not tell us what we want as we are the residents who pay their wages.
Fun Day
The committee are moving slowly on the fun day but we need some ideas for entertainment. The
chair contacted Mike Bering regarding having horse/pony riding but he said that horses were not
allowed on the Heath they have to keep to the Bridle Path. The chair said that he had seen horses
riding on the Heath but Mike Bering said that if this was the case they were riding illegally.
Tom Orton said that this could not be right as there were notices on the Heath telling which way the
horses were to ride. Chair to take this up again with Mike Bering.
Cross Keys Traffic Lights
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Ray Miller mentioned that the above traffic Lights should be phased differently as there are
problems with vehicles jumping lights and causing near accidents. Carol Saunders seconded this
and suggested a filter light. Sgt. John Gray to take this matter up.
Ray also suggested that the lights on the by-pass could be turned off during the night to save money.
Richard Price thanked the Chair and Secretary for their work.
The chair thanked the following organisations for giving their time to come and display their
information. The chair invited guests to have refreshments and to take a look at the various stands.
Local Police
Local Estates Manager
Thurrock Neighbourhood Watch
Thurrock LINK
Essex Fire and Rescue
Sunshine Centre
Special needs Activity Club
Thurrock Play Network
Family Voice Thurrock
Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Trust
Second Generation
Relatives and Residents Support
Thurrock Community Empowerment Network
Age Concern
Next meeting 8th June 2010 Venue to be advised
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