Minutes of 23rd AGM of Fishpool Street Residents’Association held at 8.00pm on Thursday 17th May 2007 at St.Michael’s Parish Centre Present: James Evans, Simon Gleadall, Eric Roberts, Elsa and Donald Buttress, Roger Sansom, Penny Hutchin, Anthony Oliver, Madeleine Sansom, Alison Collett, Kate Taylor, Dennis Owen, Alun Kelvin-Davies, Cherie Demain, John and Jenny Berryman 1. Apologies for absence: Jette Evans, Wendy Watson-Simpson, Marion and Alan Smith, Sue Thomas, Jim Fry, Kevin Yelland, Margaret Owen, Anthony Eilers, Rosie Cinicolo 2. Minutes of 22nd AGM held on 25th May 2006 Copies were circulated and approved. 3. Chairman’s Report The Chairman thanked members for their attendance. He hoped that members felt well-informed via the regular Newsletters, the last being in March 2007. He hoped members would not hesitate to raise any matters of concern to them either with him or other Committee Members. He then gave an up-date on a number of current matters: a) Licensing – Pubs FSRA’s policy is to oppose late hours in this densely populated urban area, because, even if there is no misbehaviour, there is the likelihood of noise and disturbance as customers leave to the detriment of the sleep of the neighbourhood. Therefore in the past year we opposed the Black Lion extension of hours. I regret to say that the SADC Licensing Committee granted the extension applied for in full. As I have commented in the Newsletter, it appears to be SADC policy, to take scant account of residents’ interests. Another application has been made, this time by the Blue Anchor (opposite the Black Lion) and we are opposing the extended hours applied for on much the same grounds as we opposed the Black Lion. There is a hearing of the application on Tuesday 29th May 2007 at 10.00am. If you have concerns, do attend. It is at the Civic Centre in Committee Room 2. The Chairman said he would be present, representing the FSRA. b) Planning Applications We continue to monitor applications affecting the Street, and in the past year there has been nothing of any great significance, until recently. Currently there is an application in to demolish No.87 Fishpool Street and to build a considerably larger house. It also involves demolition of one of the garages at the entrance – the other belongs to No.89, to create an entrance to a new two storey garage planned to be built in the garden. A number of residents particularly the owners of neighbouring houses have or will be writing in to oppose these applications, as will the FSRA. If these matters interest you I can give you the reference numbers of the applications and the plans can be viewed on the Council’s Website. Again I can give you the Website’s address. There is no date set for any hearing yet. c) Traffic in the Street i) School Coaches – I know we would all like to see the end of such large vehicles in the area, but, in spite of further representations from the FSRA, the School is not minded to try out alternative drop-off and pick-up points, which would avoid or reduce the reasons for use of the Street. Their argument is that health and safety as well as convenience requires them to drop and collect the boys to and from the School itself. Meanwhile we are pressing them to organise better the use of the coachbays created by the Council on Romeland Hill, and to ensure that the coaches do not run their engines while stationary etc. etc. – and generally behave with greater consideration for residents. ii) 20mph speed limit Following the introduction of such a limit on the High Street, we have requested an extension into Fishpool Street – (and St.Michael’s Street as the Society of St.Michael’s and Kingsbury is also in favour). Speed limits are a matter for Herts Highways (part of HCC) not SADC and what they are saying is that it would be expensive to do that, because Government guide lines require such limits to be ‘self-policing’. In particular, this means the creation of speed bumps or tables at regular intervals in the Street, to discourage drivers from driving fast. The FSRA in the past has not been in favour of speed-bumps as they are axle breaking monstrosities but the speed tables might, I believe, be acceptable. See for example such a table in the Verulam Road, just to the left (as you go up) of George Street – where you can cross to Christopher Place. d) Refuse Collection The Council have recently confirmed to me that Fishpool Street will definitely not be having wheeled bins, as they look horrible and few people have got anywhere to put them except to leave them in the Street – where they are an eyesore, obstruction and an invitation to vandalism. It will therefore be a black bag collection. However, it is not yet clear whether there will still be a weekly collection of household waste i.e. smelly rubbish. We very much want a weekly collection to continue and our position has been made known to the Council. e) Summer Party – Sunday 17th June 2007 at 3.00pm at 59 Fishpool Street The Chairman reminded members about the above and hoped there would be a good attendance. There would be a puppet-show (Tippety-Twig). f)i) Police There was a new Ward Constable, P.C.Snook. Jill Brown remained the Police Community Support Officer ii) Neighbourhood Watch The Chairman urged residents to join the OWL system, whereby they could receive alerts direct. The Chairman then invited questions/discussion. The main points made concerned: A) The planning application re No.87. Worries were expressed about the size of the replacement house, its effect on neighbours, and possible loss and damage to trees. The Chairman said he would be writing to the Council about these matters. B) The possible 20mph speed limit. There were mixed opinions about this possibility and the speed tables/bumps that would be needed in order for it to be self-policing. As it was clear that Herts Highways did not hold out any prospect of progressing this possibility at any early date no final view emerged at the meeting. 4) Treasurer’s Report Madeleine Sansom presented the accounts attached hereto as an Appendix. She pointed out that we had a small surplus for the year of £9.63 and a total ‘reserve’ at Lloyds Bank and the Portman Building Society of £3143.90. It was noted that the Portman was likely to merge with the Nationwide and that it was expected that the FSRA would receive a bonus of £200.00 (less tax). The Chairman thanked Madeleine for her work as Treasurer and in many other ways. 5) Election of Officers The following were elected for 2007/8: Chairman: James Evans Secretary: Anthony Eilers Treasurer: Madeleine Sansom 6) Election of Committee The following were elected for 2007/8: Anne Valentine David Scott Anthony Oliver Eric Roberts Kate Taylor Simon Gleadall Ann Stearn Jenny Berryman The Chairman said that this meant that the Association had the maximum number of elected Committee Members permitted by the FSRA Constitution. However, it was possible to co-opt additional members and he hoped that anyone interested in furthering the work of the FSRA would let him know, as bodies such as the FSRA needed ‘renewal’ from time to time. 7) Election of Honorary President Betty Davies was re-elected. 8) Any Other Business None. Appendix Fishpool Street Resident’s Association Income and Expenditure Account 2.1.06 to 2.1.07 Income Ploughman’s Lunch £195 Memberships £74.10 Garden Party £225 Monies given by film company as donation to FSRA £250 TOTAL £744.10 Expenditure Ploughman’s Lunch £143.57 AGM £50.46 Garden Party £195.91 Planning list £52.00 Newsletters – March 2006 £61.03 September 2006 £92.95 December 2006 £138.55 TOTAL £734.47 Financial Situation at 2.1.06 2.1.07 Lloyds Bank £933.40 £443.05 Portman Building Society £2,141.60 £2,700.85 TOTAL £3,075.00 £3,143.90 Excess Income over expenditure: £9.63