FRIENDS OF ROMILEY PARK
Minutes of Meeting held on 07 July 2020 at 10.00am on Zoom.
Present: - Tracey Adams (Chair), Philippa Bonorino, Beryl and Alan Smith, Terry Holmes and Jean Bartlett.
Apologies: Abdulnaser Alshurbaji, Pam Reed, Debbie Barraclough, John Young
1. Minutes of the meeting on 3 March 2020 were accepted as a correct record.
▪ Treasurer’s Report –Balance £4840.38, this includes £975.00 from SMBC for the picnic bench. Three amounts of £20.00 received from stallholders for the Fun Day have been repaid by Joanne McCarthy so she needs to be be reimbursed. A cheque for the repair of the gazebo was collected from Romiley PS.
2. 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. Action delayed because of COVID-19 restrictions. RB/TA
▪ Laurel hedge – the removal of the laurel and bramble roots has been done.
The plan to create an area of wild flower meadow has been postponed to 2021 after consultation with Anthony Crook.
▪ The proposal for a group of trees near the gym equipment is to be put forward for inclusion in the next Tree Plan. PB
▪ Tree Plan Winter 2019 – 20 – the Dawn Redwood and the small Cypress were moved but the Cypress did not survive the dry weather in the Spring as we could not water it enough. The replacement Plane tree and the Holly are both still alive. The Liquidambars and Hawthorns were planted before the restrictions and look healthy. The ornamental pears have not been planted yet. There is unlikely to be more planting this year. The FoRP agreed to write to thank Jill Lince for the donation of a Magnolia Stellata. One of the group of three Amelanchier near the Carlton Road entrance has died and needs removing AC/PB
▪ The cleaning of the floor paintings in the play area was postponed because the play area was closed during the COVID-19 restrictions. RB/TA
▪ The Compstall Road and Carlton Avenue beds have been worked on as part of the recovery work, which has already improved their appearance. The tree stumps were taken down to ground level.
▪ The application to the Werneth Area Committee for funding for another picnic table was approved.
3. COVID-19 impact on park and Recovery Plan
▪ No work took place in the park from 23 March – 10 June 2020 because of the COVID-19 restrictions and the Fun Day had to be cancelled.
▪ The FoRP meeting on 5 May was cancelled.
▪ Since work restarted, the FoRP have done eight sessions in the park. A revised Risk Assessment was drawn up for the safety of the gardeners and the public. The amount of work done has been very impressive and the park once again looks well-tended and attractive. Weeding and cutting back of brambles and nettles has been done in many parts of the park, including the damp beds, which has made a massive impact and still left wild areas to attract more wild-life into the park. Congratulations and thanks to all the members who have worked so hard. Various planting proposals were made for the bed nearest to Sandy Lane, the rest of the school bed and the central bed and removing weeds from the outside walls of the park and these will be discussed in the park on 10 July. TA/PB
▪ The grass was not cut during the COVID-19 restrictions and seems to have only been cut in some places since then. Ian Walmesley to be asked if there is a new policy. PB
4. Other business
▪ The Risk Assessment, the Equality and Diversity, and Safeguarding policies will be published in the Constitution section of the website.
Copies to be sent to Ian Walmesley for comment. TA/PB
▪ The availability of green space funding arising from the construction of the Adlington properties on Compstall Road to be investigated. PB
▪ Pupils from the school have been running on the flowerbeds when they leave the school. A letter is to be sent to the headteacher asking her to speak to them about it. TA
▪ A request had been received for the FoRP to join in with a planned Teddy Bear Trail on 18 July. This was agreed. PB
▪ Thanks to a local neighbour for the donation of Hostas were recorded.
5. The next meeting will be on 8 September 2020 at 10.00 at The Life Centre.
Gardening: 10, 18 July 10.00 – 12.00
All welcome. Volunteers required.