Meeting 8th September 2020

1. Minutes of the meeting on 7 July 2020 were accepted as a correct record.

2. Treasurer’s Report –Balance  £4728.42, this includes £975.00 from SMBC for the picnic bench. £60.00 received from stallholders  for the Fun Day has been reimbursed to Joanne McCarthy. £51.96 has been repaid to Tracey Adams for the purchase of a FoRP T shirt and sweatshirt for John Young.

3. Matters arising from the minutes

• Notice Board – Richard Booker will arrange for a sign at the Compstall Road entrance. Tracey will send him the artwork. RB/TA

• The plan to create an area of wild flower meadowhas been postponed to 2021 and will be discussed further with Anthony Crook. AC/PB

• 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 replacement Plane tree appears to have died. A thank-you message was sent to Jill Lince for the donation of a Magnolia Stellata. One of the group of three Amelanchier near the Carlton Road entrance which appeared dead has thrown out new shoots. Its trunk has been shortened and the regrowth will be monitored. PB/TH

• The cleaning of the floor paintings in the play area has been completed.

• The picnic table will be installed soon. RB/TA

• The Equality and Diversity, and Safeguarding policies were sent to SMBC. They will be published on the web-site when a response has been received. TA/PB

• The availability of green space funding arising from the construction of the Adlington properties on Compstall Road is still to be investigated. PB

• The Teddy Bear Trail on 18 July was successful despite the rain and brought a steady flow of people into the park. 

4. COVID-19 impact on park and Recovery Plan

▪ A new risk assessment and application for task days were completed and submitted to  SMBC in good time for the gardening day at the end of August and covered all the four Saturdays until the end of the year. Since the last meeting, the FoRP have done eight more sessions in the park. The amount of work done to all areas of the park has been very impressive and the park has now had at least as much work done as in a normal year and looks fantastic. 

▪ The grass is now being cut more regularly again. The areas round trees and tubs has not been strimmed. A letter requesting this will be sent to the Senior Neighbourhood Officer. PB

5. Action Plan

• Wet beds – Terry and his team have done a magnificent job of digging over the wet bed.The Iris have been taken out temporarily andwill be replanted after the rest of the nettles and couch grass has been removed. Glenys’ bed will continue to need weeding from time to time.

• Carlton Avenue – the new beds and planting have improved the entrance area, which has been weeded and tidied but will need to be weeded again before the end of the year.

• Edging – further work is needed to complete the removal of weeds. Where it has been done there is a noticeable improvement in the appearance of the central bed and Plane avenue.

• Central bed – the bed has filled out now and there is a stunning late summer display. The dahlias will need removing at the end of October and there will always be weeding to do.

• Compstall Road – Hypericums from Gill Swallow will be planted in the gaps. The next general maintenance session will be in the new year.

• Optician’s bed – thanks to Alan for tidying up the bed and straightening the edges.

• School bed – the maintenance and suggestions for new planting will be discussed at the next meeting. 

• Tubs – thanks to Jean for looking after all the tubs. New plants have been promised. Soil to top them up will be purchased from Bredbury recycling centre. PB

6. Gardening – Saturdays 26 September, 31 October and 28 November will be published on the web-site.

7. AOB – The Romiley Village Voice, a new local paper has agreed to include an article about the park in its next edition. Alan agreed to speak to them. AS

8. The next meeting will be on 3 November 2020 at 10.00 at The Life Centre.