South East Essex
Friends of the Earth

SEEFoE Meeting, 10th January 2006

South East Essex Friends of the Earth Group (SEEFoE)

The next meeting will be held on Tuesday, 7 February 2006 at 7.30 p.m.
at the Balmoral Community Centre, Salisbury Avenue, Southend

Agenda

  1. Apologies for absence
  2. Minutes of previous meeting
  3. Matters arising (not otherwise included in this agenda)
  4. Reports on last meeting’s action items
  5. Finances
  6. Preparation for future events and activities
  7. AOB

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 January 2006 at the Balmoral Community Centre
Present: Kim (Coordinator), Bruno, Denis, Maike, Mavis, Michael, Peter, Roger, Steve, Sue.

  1. Apologies for absence: none
  2. Minutes of previous meeting: ?
  3. Matters arising: As some of the members attend for the first time, Kim gives them a warm welcome and they report on their previous activities as environmental campaigners. Bruno gives an account of how he helped to implement a substantial reduction of Ozone in his capacity as a business representative for the paint industry. Michael, Peter, and Steve were members of the old Southend FoE group and give an account of past activities. They included the preservation of the Priory Park area from traffic development and the Southend Airport development. The same members also present a sheet which opposes Nuclear Fuel as an alternative to Fossil Fuel. Discussion arises on the use of ‘tax for the aviation industry’ or ‘compensation of the public for the pollution created by the industry’. Members can support the issue via the Website www.option10.org.uk. Subsidised road transport and the false transport market are also discussed.
  4. Reports: Kim has received all the documents that register us officially as a group. The accounts should now be running. FoE supplied us with a startup donation of £ 100. It is decided to collect a membership fee of £ 10 per head which should be sent as a cheque made payable to Southeast Essex Friends of the Earth to Roger Thompson, 142 Salisbury Ave., Westcliff SS0 7BB.
  5. Discussion

    Peak Oil as key issue is being discussed as to how it can influence our campaigning. Members agree that the price of oil is bound to rise. Predictions about the time frame for oil supplies cannot be made accurately.

    Mavis inquires about waste disposal in Southend. Kim elicits on Castle Point’s policy. Maike presents Chelmsford Borough Council waste disposal issues. Roger changes focus to positive campaigning issues like renewable fuel. There is a Wind Farm at Kentish Flat/Whitstable and two proposed ones at the Isle of Grain and Bradwell. The latter is being opposed by two groups called BATTLE and SIEGE.

    Drought is singled out as being a major climate change issue for SEE at the moment. Peter elicits on Hanningfield Reservoir and new dam being built in North Essex to pump water south. 2005 was the second driest year on record with rainfall below 400 mm.

    Suitability of FoE’s Big Ask campaign is discussed. Peter thinks all MPs in the area except for Southend/East Rochford have already signed up for it. Members think it is a good campaign to start with.

    Necessity of regular press releases is discussed. Yellow advertiser seems to be sympathetic to environmental issues. postcard scheme. He also stresses the importance of a major launch event.

  6. Action items

    Denis will see if Seefoe.org.uk is available and create website. Denis and Peter will inquire about terms and conditions for Big Ask in Shopping Precinct. Roger will establish name with bank. Bruno will draft a press release. Kim will contact David Babbs about press boundaries, i.e. other group’s publicity fields (especially Brentwood, Chelmsford). Major event on Drought in Essex is planned for the future that should also find resonance with gardeners. Maike will send Kim name of insurance that could possibly provide a speaker.

  7. Any other business

    None