A Society Dedicated to Preserving and enhancing the environment of the Stour and Orwell AONB
In attendance were some 23 members including:
Chairman Tom Hill
Honorary Treasurer Stephen Clark
Honorary Secretary Rodney Chadburn
Trazar Astley-Reid, Suffolk Estuaries Officer of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB was present by invitation.
Tom Hill welcomed the supporters for taking the trouble to attend the Stour and Orwell Society’s third Annual General Meeting.
Apologies were received from Elizabeth Aldous, Dave Wood, Charlotte Stewart, Patience Shone, Jamie and Cary Norman, Simon Marchant, Geoff Sinclair and Jono Agar.
Tom Hill seconded by Rodney Chadburn proposed that the minutes of the 2007 AGM be signed as a true and correct record. This proposal was passed unanimously and the minutes duly signed.
There were no matters arising from the minutes of the 2008 AGM.
Tom Hill thanked the officers and members of the committee for their efforts during the year. He also thanked the staff of Churchmanor Estates who had provided valuable back-up services throughout the past year.
He reported that the Committee had met regularly to address issues of current interest to SOS. There had been a well-attended Christmas party and art exhibition held at Ipswich High School and the success of this was thanks to the organisers - Susanna Bishop, Charlotte Stewart and Rosemary Raddon.
SOS had engaged with several environmental issues during the year and had encouraged SOS members to make known their views regarding the recent Boundary Committee Report on proposals for re-organising local government in Suffolk. To date the Society has been largely reactive over such matters but there is every intention to be proactive in the future.
Stephen Clark Reported that subscriptions form members ranged from the ‘minimum’ £8 for an individual up to £200 donations made by some generous members.
Ticket sales for the Christmas party were excellent with some 120 persons attending and several new members were recruited as a result. The costs had been held down thanks to the minimal hiring charges levied by the High School and to the very reasonably priced canapés provided by the Suffolk Food Hall.
At the November committee meeting it was decided to make a donation of £500 to the Stop Stansted Expansion Group that is doing excellent work to try to contain the environmental impacts of the growth of air traffic over East Anglia.
The Society retains funds of £2977.07.
There were nominations for all officers and committee members. All existing officers and committee members were prepared to stand for re-election and there were two new nominations – Simon Hewitt and Geoff Sinclair. Details are shown below:
Post |
Nomination |
Proposed by |
Seconded by |
Chairman |
Tom Hill |
Michael Barlow |
Oliver Paul |
Honorary Treasurer |
Stephen Clark |
Jamie Norman |
Patty Shone |
Honorary Secretary |
Rodney Chadburn |
Peter Ward |
Richard Hoare |
Committee Member |
Rosemary Raddon |
Susi Hines |
Doug Selway |
Committee Member |
Tony Roberts |
Wendy Sadler |
Anna Long |
Committee Member |
Susanna Bishop |
Jane Ingram |
Peter Ward |
Committee Member |
Jeremy Pertwee |
Henry Chancellor |
Henry Huxley |
Committee Member |
Simon Marchant |
Nick Angel |
Anne Angel |
Committee Member |
Oliver Paul |
Tom Hill |
Stephen Clark |
Committee Member |
Charlotte Stewart |
Rodney Chadburn |
Rosemary Raddon |
Committee Member |
Simon Hewitt |
Susanna Bishop |
Rodney Chadburn |
Committee Member |
Geoff Sinclair |
Rodney Chadburn |
Stephen Clark |
Tom Hill, seconded by Rodney Chadburn proposed that the officers and committee members be elected en bloc. The meeting approved the proposal unanimously.
The Chairman reported to the meeting on these matters:
Stansted:
NATS:
NATS had made proposals that seemed to improve situation with the prospect of less over flying of the Shotley Peninsula. SOS members had been kept informed and encouraged to make individual representations. Now, however, those proposals have been scrapped due to the strong responses from Newmarket and other sensitive areas. SOS will remind members of the issues as they affect us and will make advance representations in conjunction with the Dedham Vale Society.
The Boundary Committee has made two alternative proposals for the reorganisation of local government for Suffolk. The first is a single whole of Suffolk unitary authority. The alternative is two unitary authorities: North Haven, that comprises Ipswich, Felixstowe and the areas between them plus the Shotley Peninsula; and ‘The Rest of Rural Suffolk’ unitary authority. Members of SOS had attended several presentations of these proposals. As a result, the SOS committee concluded that a single ‘Whole of Suffolk’ unitary authority would best serve the interests of the Shotley Penisula. However, should the Boundary Committee recommend the two unitary authority model then SOS would urge that the boundaries should be redrawn so that the Shotley Peninsula should fall within ‘The Rest of Rural Suffolk’ authority or that Northhaven be expanded to take in more of the rural areas towards Hadleigh. A formal representation on behalf of SOS had been made to this effect and the members had been encouraged to make their own individual representations.
The Chairman observed that the consultation process had been rushed through leaving inadequate time for considered comment. Recently, however, it had been announced that the decision on reorganisation will be delayed until July and that the public have until the 14th of May to make further comments.
From the floor Tony Roberts observed that there was general acceptance that a reorganisation was needed but that there may well be legal challenges to the proposals further down the line. Peter Ward expressed concern that the Shotley Peninsula would be dominated within the proposed North Haven Unitary with its predominantly urban outlook and asked if the formal SOS response could be placed on the website.
Simon Hewitt expressed concern regarding the expansion of Felixstowe Docks and of the extension of Harwich dock into Bathside Bay. He is also concerned about the Ganges development and a growing litter problem.
The Chairman agreed with these concerns and assured the meeting that SOS will monitor these issues and become engaged as and when necessary.
Stephen Clark said that the Suffolk Wildlife Trust had reported a decline in the bird population along the Rivers Orwell and Stour but especially on the River Stour. The report was on the SOS website and members were urged to review Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s findings, notably the migratory species.
There being no other business the meeting was declared closed at 8.15 p.m.
After the formal proceedings Trazar Astley-Reid, Suffolk Estuaries Officer of the Suffolk Coast and Heaths AONB, gave a short talk. She described her duties and aims and concluded that co-operation with SOS would be beneficial to both parties.