Hello
This week’s edition risks being a little repetitive as the focus is yet again ……. and I know you’re way ahead of me…… the forthcoming AGM.
I make no apology: it’s one thing for you to catch up with events from the various ramblings found in these digests. But this is different. The Steering Group derives its authority from you, our members and friends, at annual meetings. It is important we formally report back to you on our activities over the last 12 months and account for the funds we have received and spent. This meeting is the most important event in our calendar. We hope you will take the time to come along to support our work and renew the ‘contract’ between members and the Steering Group.
1. Annual General Meeting: Sunday February 10 at 3pm at The Village Hotel
- The date, time & location of the meeting has been published several times over the last month or so. Our constitution states we give 28 days’ notice for the AGM, so we have gone a tad OTT this year to make sure you are aware.
- This week we have produced the agenda for the meeting. This link takes you to the AGM papers (agenda + last year’s minutes). We’ll send out the financial accounts next week.
- It will be very helpful if you can print out and bring along these papers on the 10th We will have a limited number of copies available on the day but not enough for everyone.
- If you have ‘Any Other Business’ or questions you’d like to raise at the meeting, please let me have details beforehand so we can properly prepare a response on the day. We will invite questions from the floor at the end of the meeting but advance notice is always helpful.
2. ITV News at 6
- You may have caught the ITV News at 6 on Thursday. If so, you will have seen our chairman, Richard, being interviewed regarding the HS2 meeting taking place in Westminster that day. The aim of the London meeting – attended by Midlands and Northern civic and business leaders – was to persuade the government to confirm its commitment to HS2 phase 2b – which includes the eastern leg from Birmingham to Leeds.
- ITV News phoned Richard the day before requesting an interview and spent around an hour with him overlooking the Sidings hearing our views on HS2. Richard made clear that we too are looking for certainty that HS2 is coming to Toton.
- This is so the Forum can properly formulate plans to ensure the community benefits from East Midlands hub station as well agreeing with HS2 Ltd how to mitigate the adverse impacts we will experience during construction.
- It was disappointing to see Richard’s interview cut short and related only to his comments on HS2 commute times. But given the focus of the report was about the ‘certainty’ of the overall HS2 2b package, I suppose this was not too surprising.
- However, it is good to see the Forum being acknowledged as the ‘go to’ community group when the media wants to hear local views. It’s even more important, therefore, you keep letting us know your views & opinions relating to the future development of our Area.
3. Application for further funding
- We submitted an application last week to the BIG Lottery programme ‘Awards for All’. We are starting to plan our activities for April/May – in particular publishing our Neighbourhood Plan and formally consulting residents and stakeholders.
- We have requested a grant of £5,600, the vast majority of which is to cover publishing costs. We want to produce a summary version of our Plan for each household in the Area – approx. 6,000 copies – to make sure every resident has the chance to review the Plan and provide comments.
- We should hear if we have been successful with our application towards the end of March. Fingers crossed
4. And finally…..
- More volunteers needed. Firstly, many thanks to those who have stepped forward to help us deliver leaflets for the AGM – it is very much appreciated. But we can always do with more. So, if you can spare an hour or two next weekend to help deliver some leaflets around your neighbourhood, please email me: graham.cttcnf@gmail.com
- AGM Flyer. If you can’t wait for your AGM flyer to tumble through the letterbox, here’s a link to a flyer stored online.
A longer than usual preamble to this week’s edition so another quick ending is in order.
Kind regards
Graham
Broxtowe Lotto: tickets available from our CTTC Forum page where you’ll also find details of the scheme.