TRESA Directors meeting 7.30pm 21st October 2020, via Zoom
1 – Opening
a. Apologies
Present: Geoff Allan (Chair), Suzanne Audrey, Anne Silber, Jenny Ford, Nick Walters, Simon Hobeck, Carolyn Jones
Apologies: Michelle Clare-Hudson
b. Previous minutes
Previous minutes were agreed.
2. Directors reports (3 mins each)
a. Treasurer (inc Breakdown Table)
Current balance at bank= £13,533.00. However this includes an expected sum of £3000 that was credited to the account from an unknown source. It may be a bank error. SH to investigate.
Update: This was caused by an error at the Cooperative banks. A cheque for £3.00 was paid in but was processed as £3000.00. Issue now rectified.
b. Company secretary
TRESA annual accounts have been filed.
c. Membership secretary
95 paid members, 11 friends.
d. Web Editor
Nothing to report. All working well.
e. Talk of Totterdown / eToT
Print copy of next issue should be ready by early March.
3. Projects
a. Totterdown Sprouting
Discussion on creating wildlife corridors. Anne is on the steering committee of BS4 Wildlife Group who aim to promote the idea of ‘hedgehog streets’ this spring. Those are hedgehog- friendly wildlife corridors. Zoe Banks Gross in Knowle West is a good contact. People will be invited and given support to monitor hedgehogs in their garden.
The broader aspect of the wildlife corridor initiative is to make city gardens more wildlife friendly. This could be achieved by linking corridors with green spaces e.g. School Road Park and Victoria Park.
It was noted that the initiative could also be a good way of involving local people e.g. by creating
materials to highlight existing wildlife and the potential for improving local biodiversity. It might be
possible to use such materials as part of a wildlife survey project.
b. Stanley Hill rat-run
Suzanne had proposed a ‘plan’ for a liveable neighbourhood in in the area between Bath Road, Wells Road and Clyde Road. It would mean that motor vehicles could have access into and out of the area but there would be no ‘through routes’ and hence no rat running.
Bristol City Council are keen to support Liveable Neighbourhoods. Suzanne proposed that we start planning this now with residents, as some may find it inconvenient to start with i.e. either only being able to enter and exit from the Wells Road side or the Bath Road side.
We would need to create a leaflet, for delivery to the whole area affected, explaining the concept and making some proposals as to where the ‘point closures’ would be – to ensure that entering and exiting the area is as convenient as possible for those who live in or visit the affected streets.
The initial step would be a survey to ask people what would be the implications for them if access from Bath Rd and Wells Rd were restricted. The fact that the council’s new clean air zone is likely to lead to more commuter parking in the area will also be a factor.
This could also be promoted as part of a wider concept: making the area a more liveable, nature-friendly area. As to the next step, it was decided:
- to look at setting up a channel on the Slack messaging website and inviting residents to join Slack in order to post comments and ideas. Jenny to set up a Slack channel JF
- to invite Linn Waite to be involved since she has worked on the issue already. GA will send her a copy of the minutes.
c. Zone N
Simon reported on the improvements in hand. Whilst they are welcome, it is disappointing that the
city council has diverged from the plans originally agreed with TRESA, and that ad hoc changes seem
to have taken place as work has progressed.
Discussion of electric car charging points and whether TRESA could help facilitate the switch to
electric cars by promoting opportunities for dedicated charging spaces. Noting that priority should
also be given to facilities for non-motorists e.g. bike hangers. This could be a possible subject for
future ToT article.
Possible siters could be outside Totterdown Gym and adjacent to Zone A. There is a charging space
near Three Lamps Garage. Jenny will enquire as to what arrangements were made for this to be
installed. JF
CJ will raise the issue of car charging spaces with Mark Leach
4. Planning
No planning items were raised.
5. AOB
a. Online Meetings platform
The 40 minute limit on Zoom meetings does not suit our needs for public meetings. Simon will set up a trial run for a meeting on Microsoft Team to see if it is workable for our March meeting.
b. Speaker for March public meeting
Anne will enquire into projects current in BS3 to see if a speaker can be recruited.
6. Close
a. Next Meeting
Wednesday 17th March 2021 at 7.30 pm – public meeting.
b. Close meeting
The meeting closed at 8.15pm