Apologies: Trish Wright, Judith Owen, Helen Gilbert, David Harris, Berenice and Ken Smith, Paul Waldmann, Jackie Pettit, Anne & Mike Dixon, Christine Bradley, Shirley Whitehouse, Harmke Kamminga, Mark Whitehouse
Committee members present: Daniel Gordon, Richard Allen, Valerie Neal (Chair), Dorothy Runnicles, Glenys Malyon
Also present: see attendance list
Val warmly welcomed all present and directed attention to the displays (on Rope Walk Lighting; and on the Mosaic Unveiling / PACT Summer Event) and to essentials such as toilets and attendance sheet.
Attention was also drawn to the papers on the seats (Agenda, PACT's highlights this year) and to refreshments.
Minutes were approved unanimously and accepted as an accurate record of last year's meeting.
Val held up the original Wish List from PACT's first AGM 6 years ago, to demonstrate PACT's efforts and successes.
Especial note was made of the progress on the Community Centre, and the work on St.Matthew's Piece; and Glenys' work to fight the siphoning of S106 monies.
Praise was also given to the PACT summer event and mosaic unveiling in the summer, and to the Over 50s club, which has just celebrated its second birthday.
ImPACT has stretched to 12 pages this year, which is another notable achievement, and was distributed to about 3000 homes - which would have been impossible without the fantastic work of the delivery team.
Special thanks were given to Glenys Malyon for all her work this year, and to Dorothy Runnicles for galvanising the Over 50s club etc.
Ben Bradnack referred to the green space at the corner of Petworth Street, which is apparently owned by City Homes (South) and is Open Space.
A request was made from the floor that Traffic and Parking issues be addressed in next year's PACT brief and AGM: and that PACT negotiate with the City Council employees who are employed to enforce parking regulations. (esp. in St.Matthew's Estate)
Suggestion approved by majority of people attending the AGM; and Ben Bradnack reported that he had spoken this very day with the City Council about these issues. Ben promised to liaise with Cyril.
Introduced by Glenys Malyon (on behalf of Trish Wright) - see attached report.
A formal record of thanks was made to Dennis Peck, who has been this year's independent examiner of accounts.
A query was raised from the floor about the monies assigned to the Over 50s club ie., whether this money is truly the club's & will therefore move with the club when the Over 50s breaks off from PACT's umbrella. This was confirmed.
The accounts were unanimously ratified and approved.
Dennis Peck is resigning as PACT's auditor after 4 years' service. Barbara Nacson was unanimously approved as PACT's independent examiner of accounts for the coming year.
The following people put their names forward to work on the management committee for the coming year.
All unanimously approved and elected (First Management Committee meeting on Tuesday 30th November at 7:30)
Subcomittees:
Planning and Environment
Young People's Issues
Older People's Issues
Community Centre Issues
Events
Fundraising
Newsletter
Dates for the various subcommittee meetings will be circulated at a later date.
Dorothy introduced the change of membership to FREE subscription +
voluntary donations. Cyril proposed that this change be made on a trial basis of a year - unanimously approved!No other business... except for surprise presentation to Val for her fantastic contribution to PACT and to Petersfield all these past years. From all in PACT and all those in Petersfield whose lives have been enriched by your work, Val, thank you.
Recreation and leisure opportunities for young people. Glenys made a brief introduction to the theme of the evening and to the speakers:
Paul Connelly (Area Manager for Youth Work in Cambridge)
Ben (Parkside scholar, Year 9) - uses Parkside Drama club
Nicola (Parkside scholar, Year 9) - attends Youth Club - gives her something to do
Liz Mantle (works with Children's Team / Youth Services: Community Development officer)
Tanya Prince (Petersfield Reccy Ranger)
Adrian Williams (Assistant Director for Youth Services at County Council): spoke about the prioritising tension between targetted rural areas and urban centres such as Cambridge, as well as the cooperation between the county youth services and other groups such as Connexions and CityLife
Glenys also welcomed others attending such as Cllr Joye Rosenstiel, Martin Clark of CityLife, and Mike Farrington of Prince's Trust.
The floor was opened to discussion.
HMC was built in the 1960s & is no longer appropriate for the needs of young people. They would like to develop the site for young people, for community, and for "incubator units" for young enterprises.
Martin Clark of CityLife spoke about enterprise, employment etc - working with Prince's Trust etc to help young people become independent and using business principles to solve community problems. Endeavouring to get schools (& the HMC) to become Youth and Enterprise centres.
Ie., not merely distraction activities, but solution seekers and practical applications: performance space, a café etc.The HMC issue will be addressed specifically and directly in a separate public meeting
Paul agreed that people are loyal to specific places rather than random projects. But there is a disgraceful scarcity of venues.
Dorothy mentioned that PACT has £200 earmarked for youth activities. The Youth Club members are to be asked on what they would like this money to be spent.
9:15 Glenys thanked the speakers and drew the public meeting to an official close, and encouraged those attending to stay on to discuss issues informally over refreshments.