FRIENDS OF ROMILEY PARK

Minutes of Meeting held on 03 March 2020 at 10.00am at The Life Centre. Romiley.

Present: - Tracey Adams (Chair), Philippa Bonorino, Beryl and Alan Smith, Pam Reed, Peter Birchenhough, Terry Holmes and Jean Bartlett 

Apologies: Glenys Backhouse, Abdulnaser Alshurbaji.  

1. Minutes of the meeting on 5 November 2019 were accepted as a correct record.
2. Treasurer’s Report –Balance  £3661.00. A pending invoice from SMBC for £641.60 for hire of tree spade and purchase of trees was approved for payment. Cheque to FoRP for £20.00 to be queried with Fun Day Committee. The bank has confirmed that on-line banking is not possible because the FoRP account has more than one signatory.
3. Action Plan for 2020
▪ Notice Board – Possibility of having an ’Our Park Your Park’ sign at the Compstall Road entrance rather than a notice board to be investigated. RB/TA
▪ Laurel hedge – the removal of the laurel and bramble roots has not happened.  We still want totrial an area of wild flower meadow. Matters to be raised with new Senior Neighbourhood Officer, Adam Cunningham. PB
▪ The proposal for a group of trees near the gym equipment to be put forward for inclusion in the next Tree Plan. PB
▪ Tree Plan Winter 2019 – 20 – the Dawn Redwood and the small Cypress have been moved; the latter needs a stake; the replacement Plane tree has been planted; the Holly is being planted on 6 March; the Liquidambars and Hawthorns are due for planting in the next couple of weeks; ornamental pears will be planted once the insurance claim is settled. That would complete the plan for this year. A query about planting a tree in celebration of a christening was discussed and the SMBC policy of not planting memorial trees and keeping to the Tree Plan was quoted.The FoRP accept donations towards the purchase of trees and other plants, but all tree planting has to be approved by SMBC. AC/AS
▪ The floor paintings in the play area need attention. They will be cleaned first and then their appearance reassessed. RB/TA
▪ The Compstall Road and Carlton Avenue beds will be worked on regularly to keep on top of weeds and brambles and maintain the improved appearance. Tree stumps to be taken down to ground level. TH/AS
▪ Surplus plants from the central bed, such as a few Cornus, could be replanted in the Carlton Avenue bed with Rudbeckias to be donated by PR.
▪ The display of bulbs in the park is very good, including many of the bulbs which were planted in November. Thanks to SMBC
▪ An application is being made to the Werneth Area Committee for funding for another picnic table. TA/PB
4. Community Fun Day
▪ The Fun Day has been approved for 20 June 2020.
▪ The creation of a link to the main FoRP website for the Fun Day was approved. TA
▪ A cheque for the repair of the gazebo to be collected from Romiley PS. AS
5. Other business 
• Draft Equality and Diversity, and Safeguarding Policies were approved. They will be published in the Constitution section of the website after they have been to SMBC for comment. PB
• Some racist and offensive graffiti on fences at the Carlton Avenue entrance was reported by many people and quickly painted over. Thanks to SMBC
• The availability of green space funding arising from the construction of the Adlington properties on Compstall Road to be investigated. PB
6. The next meeting will be on 5 May 2020 at 10.00 at The Life Centre.

TA expressed thanks to Life Centre for hosting our meetings.  

Gardening: 10, 28 March and 25 April     10.00 – 12.00

All welcome.      Volunteers required.