RIVERSIDE AREA RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

Annual General Meeting

March 29th 2012

AGENDA

• Welcome & Introductions

• Minutes of 2011 AGM

• Chair’s report

• Treasurer’s report

• Committee elections

• Discussion: priority issues/AOB

• Plan for coming year

Chair’s report

Planning issues: ‘Eastern Gate’Development briefLocal ‘vision’ became a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) in Oct 2011 after 27 months of review and consultation

• Guidelines on height, tree planting etc will be ‘material’ factors in future decisions

• Traffic goals- replace Elizabeth Way roundabout with lights- improve Coldham’s Lane junction - use additional lane for buses or cycles

Residential apartments

5 storey block of 75 flats consented in November 2010. Planning Committee permitted a ‘step forward’ to CRT building, precluding tree planting to Abbey Street (despite SPD guideline)

Premier Inn hotel (Intercell House site)Application submitted in March 2011 for a 6 storey hotel with 121 bedrooms (formerly 128). Decision deferred due to flaws in traffic analysis which assumed future improvements from new ‘intelligent’ lights – which are already in place.

RARA, PACT and BruNK have lodged a formal complaint with County about poor traffic analysis. City have appointed independent consultant to review data from new modelling work (just completed). Travelodge consent will be reviewed.

Planning issues: ‘Eastern Gate’

Moorings, railings, traffic & parkingMoorings

• City Council confirmed as freehold owner of riverbank. County owns wall and fence.

• Consultation will take place in June-July on moorings. Work underway to cost and assess viable options.

• City looking at planning position.

Railings (see separate report)

• Money secured to repaint additional length of railings

• In situ process may allow whole length to be repainted

• Consultation on colour

Traffic and parking

• Concerns raised at East Area committee re: parking problems east of cycle bridge

• County looking at residents parking, yellow lines, pay & display options on Riverside and Stanley Road

Other activities since last AGM

• Streetscape • Tesco agreed to bins and litter collection on access path, war memorial square and shrubbery.

• Rubbish removed from Riverside and from outside Engineer’s House

• Community Event • Abbey Action Community event held in May. RARA refreshment stall raised over £120.

• Local Plan 2014 • Participated in first Local Plan workshop, Feb 2012• Consulted with c400 residents re: Mercer’s Row

• Alley gates • Grant received to install 5 security gates in Beche Rd, Saxon Rd, River Lane; secures 66 properties

• Looking into similar Stanley Road gates

• Abbey Road/Riverside improvement works

• Successfully lobbied for cycle and pedestrian routes to be separated, better signage and lower hedges around Abbey car park

Other activities (continued)• Brunswick site • Three RAs talking to City Council about £443,259

in S106 money (Market ward site, but close to Abbey & Petersfield boundaries)

• Request that Brunswick site development does not have a ‘Riverside’ postal address.

• Local consultations • Responded to Conservation Area consultation and Suburbs & Approaches consultation (July 2011)

• Jubilee hostel • Met with Cyrenians re: change in hostel tenancy policy (ex-offenders)

• East Road • Watching brief on Atrium gym site (links Newmarket & East Roads) - BruNK leads

Treasurer’s report

Accounts for year ending 31 March 2012

2010/2011 2011/2012

Opening Balance 883.89 258.67

Donations 356.00 425.00

Other Income 0 127.39

Total Income 356.00 552.39

Operating Expenses 435.21 111.85

Allowance for grant under-spend

546.01 (356.40)

Total Expenses 981.22 (244.55)

Closing Balance 258.67 1055.61

Security Gate Fund - 4854.00

• Income increased from both direct donations and Community Day event

• 2011/12 operating expenses lower than 2010/11 partly due to stationery bought in 2010/11

• Expense also offset by rebate on previously accounted costs

• Repayment of surplus funds from one-off Council grant agreed at lower level than allowance made in last years accounts

• Grant for security gates received from council as stand-alone fund

Proposed budget for 2012/13

Item Expenses Income Comment

Communications £280.77 • 4 newsletters per year• Website hosting

External engagement

£100.00 • Printing and travel costs to respond to planning or other council/external issues

Room hire £65.00 • Hire costs for AGM• No costs for committee meetings

Refreshments £50.00 • Refreshment costs for AGM

Donations £425.00 • Donations in line with last year

Total £501.77 £425.00 • Small deficit to be funded from reserves• Budget enables us to keep a cash buffer to

meet any unforeseen needs

2011 Committee elections

• Lynette Gilbert• Tim Ensor• Suzi Shimwell (standing down as

Secretary, willing to maintain website)

• See next slide

• Jubilee hostel liaison (Sheila von Rimscha); railings (David Catto); moorings (subgroup)

RARA committee 2011-12

• Chair• Treasurer• Secretary

& Webmaster

• Street/blockreps

• Other roles

RARA area reps 2011-12• Abbey Road• Beche Road• Beche Court• Garlic Row• Godesdone Road• Oyster row/Regatta Court• Priory Road• River Lane• Riverside west of cycle bridge• Riverside east/Waterview• Riverside House• Riverside Place (Senses)• Saxon Road• Stanley Road• St Bartholomew’s Court

• VACANT• Philippa Danks, Caroline Wardle• Sarah Hundleby• Graham Garrett• Harry Goode & Huguette Chatterton• Phil Pollington• Alison Davies• Cathy Eaton plus one (VACANT)• Sheila von Rimscha• Tony Eva• Suzi Shimwell• Gordon Davies, David Catto• Rosie Ensor• Jim Hair plus one (VACANT)• Richard Fawcett

2012 Priorities

Priorities for 2012?

16

COMMUNITY• MORE NEWSLETTERS!• Community event? If yes, need organiser(s) and volunteers • Alley gates – Stanley Road grant application (if residents wish)• Boats and railings – work with City on consultation options and beyond

PLANNING/TRAFFIC• Lodge protest on residential block step forward that prevents tree planting? • Seek views on parking on Stanley Road and Riverside east• Stay involved on new Local Plan – next workshop in June• Review new traffic data on 3 Eastern Gate applications, progress complaint• Monitor Highways re: Coldham’s Lane junction and Newmarket Road widening

OTHER• Penny Ferry – support effort to retain building? (part of our conservation area)• Flooding/Cam2? Emergency coordination in power cuts? Graffiti?