SEEFoE Meeting, 11th January 2011

Agenda

  1. Housekeeping
    • Apologies for absence
    • Minutes of last meeting
    • Next meeting
  2. Mid-term review
  3. Campaign Updates
    • Get Serious
    • SAEN
    • Marinet
    • Camp Bling
    • Wonder of Wind
  4. SBC Consultation: LTP3
  5. Natural Environment White Paper
  6. Forthcoming Events
  7. AOB

Minutes

  1. Housekeeping:
    • Apologies for absence:
      Gabrielle Yeadell
      Present:
      Denis Walker (DW), Peter Walker (PW), Michael Downer (MD), Michael Woollcott (MWo) & Jon Fuller (JF).
    • Minutes of last meeting:
      Agreed.
    • Next meeting:
      1st February, 7:30pm
  2. Mid-term review:
    The group spent considerable time on the mid-term review material received from FoE HQ. The key issues for FoE to concentrate upon were agreed with comments recorded on each issue which would be relayed back to HQ.
  3. Campaign Updates:
    • Get Serious:
      DW met Chris Livemore at SBC, presenting him with the local authority briefing material. DW felt this was a constructive meeting despite the fact SBC is merely focussing upon its own emissions and not on those from within the borough as a whole. DW was hopeful Chris would take on board many of the points made during the meeting and progress the issue as far as he could. He would offer the 10:10 initiative to Councillor Holdcroft.
      The council’s budget has been cut by 20%, which will inevitably lead to cuts in environmental work. On the other hand the council will be looking to reduce emissions because it suffers a £300K annual levy on its own carbon emissions. It was hoped this incentive might outweigh other factors.
      DW will maintain contact with Chris offering him further FoE material.
    • SAEN:
      DW reported that the campaign was waiting on news relating to the judicial review but funding is secure.
    • Marinet:
      DW delivered a particularly impressive ‘lightning talk’ which he expects to deliver to the FoE regional gathering on 29 January.
    • Camp Bling:
      DW reported on recent tree felling, which was not announced on the council’s website. Shaun Quershi had confirmed he had checked the planned felling and was content this did not breach the agreement with SBC.
    • Wonder of Wind:
      DW reported that Ridgewind would appeal against the council’s decision to refuse permission. This was expected on 8 March 2011.
      The two ‘WOW’ campaigners could not be contacted so it was feared this group may have collapsed.
  4. SBC Consultation: LTP3:
    JF noted the imminent deadline for comments on the local transport plan. He agreed to forward his own response to DW to assist with comments from SEEFoE.
  5. Natural Environment White Paper:
    DW reported on the consultation which had so far attracted 15,000 responses. He hoped to run a grassroots workshop as part of the consultation process.
  6. Forthcoming Events:
  7. 17/01 8pm – Growing for Self-Sufficiency in a Changing Climate (SEEOG)
    
Growing Together Gardens, 47 Fairfax Dr, Southend, SS0 9AG
  8. 20/01 7:15pm – Get Involved: Understanding Parliament (SEEWEN)
    
Southend Central Library, Victoria Avenue, Southend, SS2 6EX
  9. 27/01 7pm – Transition Drink, Transition Chat (SiT)

    The Cricketers, Westcliff, SS0 7JG
  10. 29/01 10:30am – FoE Greater South East Regional Gathering

    Bonhill House, 1-3 Bonhill St, London, EC2A 4BX
  11. AOB:
    MD reported on his meeting with James Duddridge MP and the ensuing correspondence. The responses from Duddridge were somewhat lacking, failing to tackle the points raised but MD had issued a comprehensive response. MD successfully exposed the misunderstandings and inaccuracies in the MP’s position on a range of issues (bio-fuels, etc.).
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