Present:
Chairman: Peter Colley (Ambleside)
Vice Chairwoman: Kathy Fishwick (Rossendale)
Secretary: Iain Gerrard (Littleborough)
Treasurer: Brian Gilbert (Rossendale)
Peter Bembridge (National Civic Trust*), W. Booker (Blackpool*), Marion Cochran (Blackpool*), Barbara Colley (Ambleside*), Marion Coupe (Lytham St Annes*), Adrian Dunning (Worsley), Terry Edgar (Wallasey), Graeme Fellowes (Lytham St Annes*), Roger Frankland (Lancaster), Kate Cartmell (Lytham St Annes), Stephen Langtree (Chester), Lynn Millard (Burnley*), C. J. Norton (Blackpool*), Jean Mildren (Blackpool*), Paul Thornhill (Didsbury*), Cynthia Radford (Hoylake), Christine Robinson (Chester*), Steve Roman (Saddleworth & Victorian Society*), Alan Shillaker (Timperley*), Gordon Sidery (Macclesfield), Elaine Smith (Blackpool), Susan Spibey (Merseyside), Aidan Turner-Bishop (South Preston*), Millie Tyson (South Preston*), & Tom Webster (Didsbury).
Note: visitors marked with an asterisk.

The Chairman welcomed everyone and introduced Peter Bembridge, the Managing Director of the National Civic Trust, who would speak on the Civic Trust later. He said that Philip Kolvin had had to send his apologies as the rail connection to the north of England was expected to be poor due to line works; Peter said this was disappointing although understandable.

Apologies for absence: John Bedson (Nantwich), John Clancy (Pendle), Philip Kolvin (National Civic Trust) & Paul Johnson (Kendal),

Minutes of the 2007 AGM: Already circulated, these were proposed and seconded as a true record and agreed unanimously.

Matters Arising: None.

Chairman's Report. This had been previously circulated to all those present but Peter nevertheless spoke briefly to it saying that although this was the sixth annual report he felt the Association was still finding its feet.
He said good relations had now been established with other official and voluntary bodies and gave as an example the input we had had, through the North West Environmental Link, to the Regional Spatial Strategy and which had resulted in significant changes being made to the proposals.
He referred to the very successful Autumn Gathering in the Wirral and said the 2008 Gathering was progressing well and that bookings were being taken by the Treasurer, Brian Gilbert.
He said that there was a real need to raise the profile of the Civic Trust nationally, promoting it more vigorously in the public eye. He finished by saying that communications within and without the Trust needed considerable improvement.

Treasurer's Report. This was circulated and a copy is shown at the end of these minutes. The Treasurer went over the report, initially explaining the difference between the restricted and unrestricted funding, which was that the restricted funding referred to the grant money obtained to create a leaflet on Conservation Areas for distribution to all local authorities. He said that although the £1500 from the Civic Trust was less than the annual amount of £2000 this was simply because the fourth quarterly payment had arrived outside the period covered by the accounts. Similarly the apparent cost of the Preston event appeared large because the income had been shown on last year's accounts.
Christine Robinson asked why the restricted funds had not yet been spent. Stephen said that this had been a problem which was now substantially resolved.
It was proposed by Gordon Sidery that the accounts be accepted and seconded by Stephen and agreed unanimously.

Election of the Co-ordinating Committee. The Chairman asked the Secretary to read out the nominations received. These were for: Kate Cartmell (Lytham St Annes), Peter Colley (Ambleside), Adrian Dunning (Worsley), Terry Edgar (Wirral), Kathy Fishwick (Rossendale), Roger Frankland (Lancaster), Iain Gerrard (Littleborough), Brian Gilbert (Rossendale), Stephen Langtree (Chester), Cynthia Radford (Hoylake), Gordon Sidery (Macclesfield), Elaine Smith (Blackpool), Susan Spibey (Merseyside & Tom Webster (Didsbury).
Thirteen of these were existing members of the committee with one new nomination for Kate Cartmell. No nominations had been received from John Bedson, Paul Johnson or Rosalind Bell and all three had advised the Chairman that they did not wish to stand again for the present.
Of those received there had been four in total who had asked to be considered for the positions of Chairman, Vice Chairwoman, Secretary & Treasurer, one in each case.
The Chairman said that there was no opposition in four of the five areas and therefore these would be re–elected unopposed. There were five nominations in the case of Lancashire and he wanted agreement for two of them to be co–opted onto the Committee.
Aidan Turner–Bishop asked why there could not be a ballot nevertheless. This was agreed and the Secretary pointed out that there should be one vote only from each of the societies present who came from the Lancashire area. The ballot resulted in the election of the three existing committee members: Kathy Fishwick, Brian Gilbert & Elaine Smith. It was then agreed that those nominated for the committee be elected unanimously with both Kate Cartmell and Roger Frankland being co–opted for the coming year.
The Chairman confirmed that the officers for the coming year would be as follows:
Chairman: Peter Colley
Vice Chairwoman: Kathy Fishwick
Treasurer: Brian Gilbert
Secretary: Iain Gerrard

The Chairman said that the second vice–chairman would be decided at the next ordinary meeting in October.

Any Other Business.
Graham Fellowes referred to the Regional Spatial Strategy which had virtually no significant references within it to the 'Northern Way' which proposal had intended to put a lot of money into the area covered (Liverpool to Hull) for regeneration; he felt very disappointed over this and he felt there needed to be greater input from the Civic Trust to bring this back into the Strategy. Peter pointed out that the time for public consultation was long past and although a partial review was still under way it was limited; when this was completed it would result in minor alterations only and, after going through an examination process, would be accepted. He went on to say that the government had removed any 'ceiling' on new housing numbers for individual areas which was likely to result in some 'cherry picking' by developers eager to build in favoured areas, creating a more unequal situation for areas of investment.

The Annual General Meeting closed at 3.05 pm.

There followed a brief summary by Peter Bembridge on what issues the National Civic Trust were presently involved with. He referred to at least two Green Flag Awards which had been granted to areas outside the United Kingdom and felt the idea was becoming international. He was presently doing the work, previously done by Alberta Stevens who had now left the organisation, until her replacement was found. He referred to the recent success in getting Grif Rhys–Jones to be the new president of the Civic Trust and felt that he was an enthusiast for the ideals of the Civic Trust and that he would be an asset because of this and also because of his high profile in the public eye; he added that he was presently involved in a new series for television on cities: Paris, London and New York.
In the United States of America they had a programme called 'Main Street, USA' which dealt with the problems and solutions for inner city areas which had become rundown and semi–derelict due to the movement of the populations to the suburbs and elsewhere; the Civic Trust was initiating a new programme along similar lines which would be designed to reintroduce new development to these areas. A pilot scheme had already been attempted in Great Malvern with considerable success and further schemes where planned for High Wycombe and Princes Risborough.
He said that Philip Kolvin wanted to set up Civic Societies as a movement to tackle government. This desire clearly needed funding and it was the new President's intention to start a fund later in the year.
He pointed out that had it not been for the Green Flag programme many parks would have failed completely by now, the Heritage Open Days programme was opening up again after an unsteady period and the Civic Trust Awards programme was going from strength to strength.

The meeting was then thrown open for Peter to answer questions and concerns.

Kathy Fishwick opened with a serious concern, which she felt was not solely her own, that many Local Authorities did not recognise local Civic Trusts.
Peter agreed but pointed to Great Malvern where both sides had been at loggerheads and the Civic Trust had got the two of them together.
Kathy said that this, to some extent, proved her point in that success had been gained only when there had been input from outside. She also queried what the effort had cost and who had paid for it.
Peter answered that the costs of the Civic Trust had been covered by grants totalling £30000. Kathy felt that this was unusual as there was a constant difficulty in obtaining grants. The Chairman asked if the work had been done under the Civic Trust banner.
Peter said that it had been done without publicity and the Civic Trust had kept in the background.
There appeared to be a general feeling that this was not a good idea as publicity was precisely what the Civic Trust needed. Peter pointed out that many local societies were fiercely independent and would resent overt interference from the national body.
Barbara Colley said that a case in point was the Heritage Open Days programme which pulled people together but was not linked by name to the Civic Trust, other than as one association among a few, and despite the original idea coming from the Civic Trust.
Concern was then expressed at the new Civic Societies website which had appeared on the scene virtually without warning. Peter said that it had been designed by four of the Trustees and accepted by the National Committee, but it was then pointed out that there had been no feedback at all prior to its launch.
Brian Gilbert pointed out that while it was a sound idea there were a considerable number of people in the (silver surfers) bracket who didn't have a computer at all. Peter said there were plans afoot to introduce help for those people.
Tom Webster said he felt that Kathy's original point had not been addressed. The public image, or lack of it, of the Civic Trust was poor and he pointed to the almost non–existent references on the television and radio or in the newspapers.
The Chairman agreed and pointed to the Heritage Lottery Fund which made no mention of the Trust in regard to the Young Roots programme.
Peter said that an organisation such as the C. P. R. E. for instance was much better funded and this was why Philip Kolvin was so keen to raise money.
Brian Gilbert said that the C. P. R. E. had access to government which we hadn't. Peter said that the Civic Trust already had several good links with government departments.
Susan said she felt the C. P. R. E. didn't have an identity crisis in that all its local branches were called the same name, whereas the Civic Trust was composed of many societies which did not have the words 'civic' or 'trust' in their names. She suggested that a logo improvement would be desirable and which would stamp the 'idea' of the Civic Trust on the public's mind.
Roger Frankland felt that, because the Ministry of Justice was now referring to 'the Civic Society' when they meant the civil society, this was very confusing. Civic Societies are about the built environment and not about rehousing discharged prisoners and such careless use of language might lead to the name itself being a discouragement in many peoples' minds.
Adrian Dunning stressed Kathy's original point that there was a need to be working in partnership with the Local Authorities and not fighting with them. He also proposed there be a quarterly newsletter of A4 size which could be easily printed off the computer. Both Susan and Barbara added that any such publication should involve not just news but feedback from the societies.
Graeme Fellowes, returning to the issue of publicity, claimed that the Civic Trust did things in the background and that its work should be in the foreground.
Peter said that the Heritage Open Days logo was owned by the Civic Trust but English Heritage provided the money.
There was comment that there was a need for Policy Officers but that these cost money; the C. P. R. E. had thirteen such officers. Stephen felt that précis were needed of the Civic Trust's responses to government for public consumption.
Tom Webster spoke on the Awards scheme, claiming that all had gone 'cold' about two years ago and that the procedures were vague and needed to be much clearer.
Peter said that the process had recently changed fundamentally and that Local Authorities were no longer engaged in the administration process, although a planner from the Local Authority of the area concerned still would be, as well as a local architect.
As the 'brainstorming session' came to a close, Peter said he didn't want to leave until some agreement had been reached on a Civic Trust initiative on publicity.
Iain Gerrard asked if there was any possibility of changing the logo, pointing out that the Civic Trust's looked like a brick while the C. P. R. E.'s was quite attractive and well known because of that.
Peter said he wanted an actual agreement with the Civic Trust and local societies which clearly stated the responsibility of each to the other. He said he was agreeable to a meeting with a smaller group from the NWActs to discuss further the issues of communications and publicity, bearing in mind the sensitivity of local organisations.
Tom proposed a vote of thanks to Peter for his attendance. This was agreed unanimously.

The meeting closed at 4.08 pm.