CIRENCESTER CIVIC SOCIETY
Registered Charity number 251381 (affiliated to the Civic Trust)
Annual Report for the year to 31 December 2009
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The Executive Committee
The Society’s affairs continue to be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of four officers and up to twelve other members, all elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting.
The principal officers are currently:
Chairman Martin Portus Vice President Derek Waring
Vice Chairman Geoffrey Adams Hon.Treasurer Martin Hockey Hon.Secretary Vacant
Others members of the Executive Committee are:
Derek Barnard, Florence Beetlestone (Social Programme to end of 2010) Colin Burden, David Fowles, Andy Lichnowski, Mary Turner, Martin Read, William Cooper (Town walks organiser) Jenny Witt, Mark Harris (membership secretary)
Architectural advisers : Nicholas Arbuthnott, Philip Dinkel, Roy Turner;
Legal Adviser: John Bosworth
Civic Voice
Civic Voice is the new national organisation for Civic Societies. Their role will be to advise and support local groups to conserve and interpret the quality, beauty and character of their town. (In February, they have met several Shadow Ministers and are regularly in touch with key ministers lobbying on behalf of the civic movement). Civic Voice will only succeed if enough civic and amenity societies decide to join
The subscription rate has been set at £1.50 per member although this may of course rise in the future. The Executive Committee voted at the February meeting to join this year i.e. paying 2010’s subscription out of current funds.
Membership Subscriptions
I propose that rates for 2011 increase to cover this cost by £3.00 per head, which would accommodate any future rise and help with this year’s subscription. Additionally, to solve the absence of a secretary, the Executive Committee has debated whether we need to pay someone. It is a vital role which involves taking and writing minutes and assisting with reports such as this one. A further £2.00 per head would generate approximately £450 to cover most of the additional cost. I am proposing therefore a rise in rates of £5.00 for 2012 bringing the annual subscription up to £13.00 per head
Social Programme
Another very good programme thanks to Florence Beetlestone with support from Colin Burden. Florence now plans to concentrate on Heritage Open Days but will assist a new volunteer to organise the 2011 social programme of lectures and visits. Please do consider whether you might be able to make this commitment. To discuss further, please contact Florence on 644354.
Planning Matters
A quieter year than for several years previously. CDC Planning and English Heritage were consulted regarding the possible listing of Stratton Place (Le Spa) with a façade designed by V.A. Lawson. Unfortunately our efforts were not successful. Geoffrey Adams and David Fowles continue to act as an important conduit with CDC and Derek Barnard monitors planning applications. Andy Lichnowski continues to drive the Community Plan. ‘Our Future Cirencester’ along with William Cooper and one of our new members Dr Andrea Pellagram. I am helping another new Civic Society member, Jacqui Stearn, who is chairing the Green Strategy group. This group is looking at the condition and future role of some of the important green open space and the river corridors in the town
Heritage Open Days Florence Beetlestone is responsible for co-ordinating the working group. More volunteers are welcome, either at the planning stage or on the open days themselves, if HOD is to continue to be a success. It takes place on Thursday 9th - Sunday 12th September .
Town Walks
These continue successfully with a team of up to eight people, who are now organised by William Cooper. There are more walks being organised by other groups and William is helping to organise the programming of these to work in a co-operative way rather than in direct competition.
The Cirencester Civic Society is a registered charity currently unaffiliated.
For and on behalf of the Executive Committee
Martin Portus (Chairman)
Address for correspondence:
Martin Portus
Cirencester Civic Society
58 Ashcroft Road
Cirencester GL7 1QX
or send an email to:
chairman@cirencestercivicsociety.org.uk
Registered Charity number 251381 (affiliated to the Civic Trust)
SOCIAL PROGRAMME
Most speakers bring their talks as a digital file and as a result we have now bought a digital projector. As many of you will know, getting the software and hardware to match can become a little fraught (!). However, it is very reliable once set up and we continue to enjoy an excellent programme thanks to Florence Beetlestone who has taken over as the programme secretary, following the resignation of Colin Burden.
COMMUNITY PLAN. OUR FUTURE CIRENCESTER
Andy Lichnowski has put a huge amount of energy and drive into this project. He has transformed the dozen people initially interested into over 50 people willing to join the four working groups. Civic Society members have continued to play a key role in the planning.
PLANNING MATTERS
We have continued to monitor applications and developments and have spoken directly with Cotswold District Council and developers regarding proposals at Kingshill North, Brewery Court and The Corn Hall amongst others. With reference to the Corn Hall, Augusta Wreay from Wildmoor organised a tour of the site for several members of the Executive to see work in progress. Although there is still much work to do, those areas which are now open to the public have met with the general approval of our members.
Throughout the year, the Society has continued to promote the Market Place Initiative. In association with Action Cirencester, efforts are bearing fruit with the adoption within the Town Centre Supplementary Planning Document of a comprehensive re-ordering of the Market Place. The Society has applied for a grant to the Gannett Foundation to enable a model to be produced showing options for various schemes. The model would be used to aid public consultation. Although our application was not successful first time around, we intend to re-apply.
CELEBRATION OF HANDS
The sculpture by Rory Young was unveiled at the New Brewery Arts to much acclaim. It is now beginning to weather and looks very fine indeed and we have a supply of postcards of the sculpture available to members at 25 pence each. They are also on sale to the public at Brewery Arts for 50p.
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS (HOD)
Florence Beetlestone, our new programme secretary, is also responsible for co-ordinating the HOD working group. More volunteers need to be involved next year if we are to build on the success of previous years and manage to offer access to yet more buildings not generally open to the public.
New members continue to join on a regular basis although several have also moved away over the year. We currently have over 300 members.
NORMAN ARCH
The Vivat Trust have now appointed a project officer, part of whose job is to raise the funds to cover the cost of the refurbishment. This project is progressing and the Vivat Trust hope to begin refurbishment work in the near future.
TOWN WALKS
These continue successfully with a team of up to eight people acting as guides, who are organised by Jenny Witt. They provide an important service to the town and help raise revenue for the Society.
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Society’s affairs continue to be managed by an Executive Committee who meet monthly throughout the year. The committee consists of four officers and up to twelve other members, all elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting. Mark Harris is our new membership secretary and has joined the Executive Committee together with Florence Beetlestone who has taken over as programme secretary. Our thanks go to Colin Burden who has worked so hard over the years producing our popular programme of talks and guided tours. After nearly three years as secretary, Lyn Longridge has decided to vacate the post. We are all very grateful for the time, effort and good counsel Lyn has provided.
The principal officers are currently:
Chairman Martin Portus Vice President Derek Waring
Vice Chairman Geoffrey Adams Hon.Treasurer Martin Hockey Hon.SecretaryVacant
Others members of the Executive Committee are:
Derek Barnard, Colin Burden, David Fowles, Andy Lichnowski, Mary Turner, Martin Read, Jenny Witt (Town walks organiser) Mark Harris (membership secretary) Florence Beetlestone ( programme secretary)
Architectural advisers: Nicholas Arbuthnott, Philip Dinkel,
Legal Adviser: John Bosworth
The Cirencester Civic Society is a registered charity affiliated to The Civic Trust of the United Kingdom.
For and on behalf of the Executive Committee
Martin Portus (Chairman)
Address for correspondence:
Martin Portus, Chairman., Cirencester Civic Society
58 Ashcroft Road, Cirencester, GL7 1QX
or send an email to: chairman@cirencestercivicsociety.org.uk
There are more of us! Membership has grown over recent months and there are now over 300 paid up subscribers. This is very good news and we hope you will encourage your friends and neighbours to join too. The more of us there are, the more we can positively influence the local district and town council on matters of planning that affect the nature and character of our town.
Thanks once again to the efforts of Colin Burden for the Society’s programme of events, lectures and visits which was very well supported throughout the year. The Croome Lecture last February, given by Keith Barley on The Stained Glass of St Mary’s, Fairford was particularly well attended and much enjoyed.
The artwork by Rory Young that the Society commissioned for the refurbished Brewery Arts building took form throughout the year and it is fair to say that it should look stunning when installed this month. It will be on display for the official opening ceremony of Brewery Arts on 3rd April when Grayson Perry will be present.
Dr Andrea Pellegram has recently taken on the task of writing a report for ‘Our Future Cirencester’ that will be produced in April 2008. Members of the Society’s Executive Committee are in close touch with her and with Action Cirencester and the Market and Coastal Towns’ Initiative project, all of whom have been involved in the production of a plan for improving facilities in Cirencester, whilst at the same time retaining its historic character. Andy Lichnowski from our Executive Committee is very involved with this Market and Coastal Towns’ Initiative and I am hoping to join the Steering Group this month too.
We continued to maintain a close watch on matters affecting the built environment in and around Cirencester. Not only have we made representations to the District Council but we have also engaged directly with developers and their architects to try to influence schemes positively at an early, pre-planning stage. The town treescape is of particular interest to me, as a landscape architect, and I am involved in looking at ways of improving the City Bank area of the town as well as new tree planting in other areas. Two Civic Society members are assisting me with this.
The Society’s affairs continue to be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of four officers and up to twelve other members, all elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting. In addition there is provision for a President and Vice President, also elected.
The principal officers are currently:
Chairman Martin Portus Vice Chairman Geoffrey Adams
Hon.Treasurer Martin Hockey Hon.Secretary Lyn Longridge
Others members of the Executive Committee are:
Derek Barnard (Planning applications), Colin Burden, David Fowles (Councillor), Andy Lichnowski (Councillor), Peter Stringfellow (representing Cirencester Chamber of Commerce) Jim Thompson, Mary Turner, Derek Waring (Vice President), Jenny Witt (Town walks organiser)
Architectural advisers : Nicholas Arbuthnott, Philip Dinkel, Roy Turner;
Legal Adviser: John Bosworth
For and on behalf of the Executive Committee
Martin Portus (Chairman)
Address for correspondence:
Lyn Longridge, Secretary
9 Albion Street , Stratton
Email: secretary@cirencestercivicsociety.co.uk
Annual Report for the year to 31 December 2006
In 2006 the Society continued to maintain its close watch on matters affecting the built environment in and around Cirencester.
As in previous years the activities of the Society are largely financed from the membership subscriptions. The number of members is beginning to rise again, largely due to tighter control of membership systems but also because of better publicity for the programme of events, which is attracting larger audiences.
The Society’s programme of events, lectures and visits has again been very well supported throughout the year. Of particular note was the Croome Lecture which was delivered by Sir Simon Jenkins. A collection was taken at this event and it raised £1,303.80 for Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust.
In the new year the Society commissioned - for a fee of £1,000 - a survey of the Norman Arch, the only building remaining from the Augustinian Abbey, dissolved in 1539. The building is currently in the ownership of Cirencester Town Council and the Society has been very active in the search for a long-term solution to its retention for the benefit of the people of Cirencester.
Throughout the year, the Society has continued to take an active part in Action Cirencester, which has prepared a proposal for a simple re-ordering of the Market Place to make it more pedestrian-friendly. This has attracted significant interest from all three local councils, as well as other stakeholders.
The Society continues to monitor all planning applications submitted to Cotswold District Council and to comment where appropriate. The Society is particularly concerned about changes in design effected during the course of construction and whether such changes are sufficiently controlled.
The Society’s affairs continue to be managed by an Executive Committee consisting of four officers and up to twelve other members, all elected or re-elected at the Annual General Meeting. In addition there is provision for a President and Vice President, also elected.
The principal officers are currently:
Chairman Martin Read Vice Chairman Geoffrey Adams
Hon.Treasurer Martin Hockey Hon.Secretary Lyn Longridge
Others members of the Executive Committee are:
Derek Barnard, Colin Burden, David Fowles (Councillor), Tom Kolb, Andy Lichnowski, Martin Portus, Peter Stringfellow (representing Cirencester Chamber of Commerce) Jim Thompson, Mary Turner, Derek Waring (Vice President), Jenny Witt (Town walks organiser)
Architectural advisers : Nicholas Arbuthnott, Philip Dinkel, Roy Turner;
Legal Adviser: John Bosworth
The Cirencester Civic Society is a registered charity affiliated to The Civic Trust of the United Kingdom.
For and on behalf of the Executive Committee
Martin Read (Chairman)
Address for correspondence: Lyn Longridge, Secretary
9 Albion Street, Stratton