Meeting Minutes (July)

SWARLAND AND NEWTON ACTION ON CLIMATE
http://www.snac.online

Notes of meeting on Tuesday 19th July 2022 at 7.00pm
Swarland Club, Coast View, Swarland

1. Present: Carolyn, David, Suzanne, Jan and Kathryn.

2. Apologies/ Welcome to new members:

Apologies from Elizabeth, Greg, Louise, Liz Clark, Mick and Rob & Val.

3. Actions from the previous meeting (17th May 2022):

– NCC Climate Change grant – Liz’s application was successful and SNAC  have received funds for display boards and a banner. Boards ordered. Liz is looking at the design of the banner.
– Woodland Trust application – Application was successful. Trees will be delivered in November. Planting locations have been identified.

4. Bus Survey:

Carolyn has been in contact with Neil Easton at NCC. He will be invited to come to an open meeting with parish residents in September, following an exploratory Zoom meeting with Carolyn and any other SNAC members who would like to be involved. Carolyn will draft a briefing note for Neil. Difficult to find suitable location for the open meeting. Carolyn

Jan to ask Club for possible dates. Bus service was cut in 2010. PC had correspondence with NCC and Arriva at that time – Jan to see if information available – what were the reasons given for stopping the service? Jan

NEED bus is still running. Users have to phone up and then are collected on Wednesdays late mornings and taken to Alnwick, then returned a couple of hours later. Carolyn will produce basic details on accessing the service for The Column. Carolyn

Bus shelter Leamington Lane – what is SNACS position on this? Current position is Felton PC is offering to do repairs needed and then hand over the bus shelter to Newton on the Moor & Swarland PC.  It was felt that it was not a good idea – in the middle of a campaign for a bus service – to demolish the shelter. Following discussion it became clear that the PC will in any case delay any decision until ownership has been established, given the historical circumstances around the funding and building of the shelter. SNACS position was that it would be good to put off the decision on the bus stop until the provision of a bus service has been explored with NCC.

5. Recycling Update:

Kathryn and Jan had looked at what could be recycled locally, and this has been put on the SNAC website. It was felt that SNAC needs to put pressure on NCC to improve the range of materials/articles that could be recycled.

Kathryn had looked at the possibility of putting an additional recycling bin in the School car park, but the difficulty was in emptying regularly.

NCC to be asked what their plans are for increasing the range of recyclables. Jan?

List of things that can be recycled to be produced for the August Column. Kathryn/Jan

The results of the ‘Big Plastic Survey’ had been issued. It was agreed that the highlights of the results should be included in Liz’s general report for The Column. Liz

6. Footpath Group next steps:

David said that he, Marlene and Bryan had met with Tony Derbyshire, Footpaths Officer with NCC. It was a very positive meeting. Tony was very pleased with the work done by the footpaths group and was keen to work withthegroup. It was suggested that the volunteers do the work and NCC provide the materials needed. Some new finger posts have already been put up. David suggested that we have set people to keep an eye on particular footpaths. Didn’t have time at the meeting to look at the creation of crcular footpaths but its still a possibility. Carolyn is meeting with Alex from the Forestry Commission to look at their footpaths and replacement bridges in Swarland Woods. It was agreed that David would ask Marlene to compile a list of people who would be willing to look after particular footpaths. Dave F

7. Swarland Show planning:

Use display boards and banner at the show. Three topics: Buses, footpaths and tree planting. Postcards to be printed about recycling plastics locally. Decided on guessing number of plastic bottle tops in a jar. Jan

Also need a leaflet explaining SNAC. Carolyn will talk to Liz about the information needed. Carolyn

Suzanne offered to design the postcards. Suzanne

Extra copies Climate Change toolkit to be requested from NCC. Swarland has a very high carbon footprint – get this message across at the Show. Jan

Kathryn was keen to have items to sell on the stand. Prizes for the competition to be environmentally sound. Could also give away packets of seeds.  Kathryn and Suzanne to research prizes/seeds. Bamboo toothbrushes were a popular suggestion! Kathryn and Suzanne

Suzanne suggested asking people to do something positive for the environment like No Mow May.

PC to be asked for funding to cover costs – £50. May be funds left over from NCC grant.

8. Meeting with Felton and Rothbury groups:

David and Liz had gone to Rothbury and met with reps from the Felton Climate Change group but no one turned up from Rothbury. There was a good exchange of information. Felton members had done some individual projects which we could copy, so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We could possibly have a joint meeting with Felton.

9. Articles for August edition of The Column:

Insert – Using the recycling information on the SNAC website. Jan

General update by Liz with information on NEED provided by Carolyn and dates of SNAC meetings. Liz

Gardens – Suzanne                                 

10. For information

11. Any other business

For next meeting – Creation of a SNAC Facebook account so regular posts could be made on the Swarland Facebook page with the SNAC branding. Will need to advise Louise (at the Club) of this. Jan

SNAC Identity – SNAC has been running since the beginning of 2022 but residents not aware yet of the group or what it is trying to do. It was suggested that something be posted every week on Facebook. Give people links to the SNAC site. Photos of activities on Facebook page. It was commented that Adelle Grimley was doing a great job on publicising the Swarland Show, and that we should ask her to join/advise SNAC. Carolyn said she’d be happy to post items if people would sent her information. Jan

11. Date of Next Meeting – Tuesday, 16th August 2022 at 7.00 pm, Swarland Club.

Email: janandersonpc@gmail.com  Phone: 07775060430