Minutes of the Ninth Annual General Meeting held on 10th January 2017 @7.00pm at The Life Centre, Romiley.

Present: - Tracey Adams*, Alan & Beryl Smith*, John Ackers*, Jean Bartlett*, Pam Reed*, Peter Birchenhough* & Terry Holmes* *Residents.

Apologies – Debbie Barraclough*

1. The Chair (Tracey Adams) welcomed all present and read out the Notice of the Meeting.

2. Minutes of the Meeting held on 12th January 2015 were approved as a correct record.

3. Treasurers Report: - John Ackers presented the accounts for the year ending 31 December 2015. Income totalled £2100.00, expenditure £191.26 leaving a balance of £2427.59. The income comprised £250.00 from Forever Manchester (Leaflet & Gloves) and £1850 grant from Big Lottery Fund for a Community Funday The items of expenditure were for the website hosting renewal £90 and £101.26 for plants and trees from David Ross. There were no questions.

4. Chairperson’s Annual Report

AGM January 2017. Chairpersons Annual Report

The Friends objective for 2016 was to concentrate primarily on gardening.

To review existing planting and to remove, prune, replace or add new stock, thus providing the residents and visitors with an attractive and interesting place to visit.

With funding and donations from the Friends, Stockport Council and residents, new planting to the park has included:-

New Cherry Trees, Grasses, Hydrangeas, Bee and wildlife attracting bulbs.

The pruning and restructuring of shrubs and plants, has ensured new growth and healthy specimens, as well as improving the aesthetics of the park.

Work has now been completed on the play area, with all old equipment being replaced and new fit for purpose equipment and surfacing being installed.

Through successful grant applications, the Friends are now in the process of having ‘Promotional leaflets” printed. With £250 received from Forever Manchester, local resident Catherine Nuttall designed the leaflet and worked with the Group to complete the contents.

The leaflet has been created to provide information about the work the Friends Group has done over the past decade in the park. It also lets people know how to get regular updates and how they can help and support the work being done.

£1850 from the Big Lottery has also been granted. This funding will provide financial resources, to enable a Community Fun Day event to take place in the park in 2017. The Friends are in the process of bringing together a ‘Community Working Party’, to plan and execute this function.

£2000 has been agreed by Ian Walmsley (Head of Parks), to install a new notice board at the main entrance of the park, to replace the signage at the Compstall Road entrance and to install signage at the Carlton Avenue end of the park.

Thanks

There are a number of individuals and organisations that have contributed to making Romiley Park an Outstanding Greenspace. These include:

Friends who have turned out to gardening days in all weathers, good, bad & very bad.
Ian Walmsley and his staff Sharon Duke, Jackie Budd, Richard Booker from Stockport MBC and SK Solutions, for helping improve and maintain the park.
Romiley Life Centre, for the use of this room and facilities tonight and for our meetings throughout the year.
Catherine Nuttall for the work on the promotional leaflet.
John Ackers for his treasurer duties.
Jean Bartlett for her social secretary duties.
Jill Lance for her work throughout the year on the planters.
Last but by no means least our Secretary Alan Smith, who has produced minutes of our meetings, completed many successful grant applications throughout the years and along with Beryl is a driving force within this Group.

5. Election of Officers

Chair – Tracey Adams was proposed, seconded and elected unanimously.

Treasurer – John Ackers was proposed, seconded and elected unanimously.

Secretary – Alan Smith was proposed, seconded and elected unanimously.

6. There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 19.40.

Alan Smith 16/01/2017.