Present were:- Helen Phillips (minutes); Nick Kidwell; Pat Harrad; Ian Worthington; Pauline Allen; Pete Westby; Suzannah Buxton.
The launderette on the corner of Portland Street and Cotham Road South has seen some activity, with rubble appearing in the back of the building and the old washing and drying machines being removed. We wait to see what is happening.
KCG Membership Review. Our bank, Santander has given us some trouble by rejecting many Standing Orders. However this has given us a chance to go through the membership list and bring it up to date. But it also means that some of our members will have to fill out a new membership form. This task was distributed among the committee with the greater share falling to PA. It has been a lot of work. Once this is settled we should try to recruit new members.
AGM. Ideally we would like this to happen on either the first week in May, after the Bank Holiday, or the first week in June. HP will see if St Matthews Hall is available once we have a speaker. Various subjects were discussed but it was decided that SB will ask her neighbour Mary Colwell who is an excellent speaker on birds – and especially Curlews – but who is also knowledgeable about Swifts which we see in Kingsdown and where there are many households trying to attract these amazing migrant birds.
The speaker has now been confirmed as Mary Colwell. Date still to be decided.
Western Harbour Consultation. PW made comments to the council on these proposals on our behalf. There is little to recommend it.
NK has been asked about the KCG’s funds and how we plan to make good use of them. It was suggested that Montague Green could benefit from some expenditure. Maybe another bench – as the existing one looking down Marlborough Hill is well used – and another small blossoming tree to replace one that was vandalised in the past. HP is trying to make contact with the Parks Department or a Tree Officer about tree pruning but they are very elusive. Maybe our councillor Guy Poultney could help?
Planning Applications: Eugene Street ( ex-Scaddings Timber Yard ) 25/10901/F. Construction of a mixed use Development. Again a very tall tower is proposed for part of this site. Should we contact our Green Councillors about the unsustainability of this kind of proposal as well as it’s visual eyesore. NK to write a letter and comment.
Nothing has been heard about the proposed Maggie Centre at the bottom of Alfred Hill
Rubbish bins. To ease the problem of unsightly rubbish especially outside student houses – though sometimes just flats -should we ask Bristol Waste for information leaflets which we can distribute in a targeted way.
St Matthews’ Road’s sink hole seems to have been mended.
