Notes from our November 2018 meeting (and AGM report 2018)

Held in the Presidents’ Lounge, Sutton United Football Club

Present: Ben, Charles, Colin, Dominic, John K, John P, Marcus, Michael, Neil, Shirley

Apologies: Gary, Maeve, Toby

In Gary’s absence, Charles chaired the meeting.

1 Thanks expressed to John P for again arranging the use of the Presidents’ Lounge.

2 Coordinator’s report from Charles.

a) Notable campaigning points this year (April 2017 to March 2018):

·         A small enclave of Cheam to benefit from 20mph speed limit

·         Beddington North TfL Major Scheme

·         Bute Road and the A232

·         Fiveways Croydon

·         Green Wrythe Lane

·         Mayoral Transport Strategy

·         No bid from Sutton for 2018 Liveable Neighbourhood funding

·         RideLondon FreeCycle 2017

·         Sutton’s proposed first Quietway

·         What steps has Sutton taken in the last four years to make cycling easier?

·         Why didn’t Sutton bid for Liveable Neighbourhood funding?

b) 5 meetings at 4 locations, with average attendance 10; produced 4 quarterly Newsletters for London Cyclist; 3 authors have published 30 articles on the group’s website; input to 5 Sutton Council Cycle Forum meetings.

c) ‘Air Pollution in Sutton’ video launched in October 2017. This short film was highly commended in the ‘Best Campaign Initiative’ category at the LCC Campaigner Awards in October 2018.

d) Our focus for 2018/19: Continue to build the team. Continue to engage with councillors. Ensure that any proposals for Quietways or Liveable Neighbourhood funding are of the highest quality.

3 Treasurer’s report from Ben. The group remains solvent and will be asking LCC for its annual grant based on local LCC membership numbers.

April 2017 – March 2018

Opening balance 01.04.2017:       £118.97

Income:                                           £225.80       Annual grant from LCC

Expenditure:                                   £137.83      ( £21.00 Dr. Bike pitch, £42.75 Hall hire, £74.08 Web site from 2014 to 2017)                                                 

Closing balance 31.03.2018:         £206.94

4 The following have agreed to fulfil these group functions:

Chair: Gary

Coordinator: Marcus

Coordinator: Charles, stepping back for a while and taking a supporting role

Treasurer: Ben

Secretary: John K

5 Following the AGM, there was a wide-ranging discussion of matters connected to cycling in Sutton. Topics discussed included:

Action after the last AGM: the group emailed individually each councillor (some of them new to the council) about Liveable Neighbourhood funding and inviting cooperation. Fair number of positive replies and some interest expressed in our offer to run a visit to Waltham Forest. Our subsequent failed attempt to organize such a trip has been passed to Cllr Abellan – but still nothing has happened, despite various reminders.

Current consultations: discussion of schemes and TMOs currently out for comment from Sutton Council. All members encouraged to participate further via Cyclescape (see below). Charles/ Marcus to submit group responses to Sutton Council.

Marcus shared his work on Trello (a shared message/information board open to all members) and Cyclescape – the latter a powerful tool for sharing Sutton Council’s plans as they concern cycling; once better known, it will allow members, interested local cyclists and others to contribute to our group responses.

Our Manifesto: a brief discussion of our Manifesto which was felt to be still appropriate (subject to a few amendments to bring references up to date).

Suggestion: we should ask a question (as a group) at the next LCC AGM in 2019.

Thanks: Charles said that he wanted to step back a little from his extensive commitment to the organisation of the group and campaigning for cycling in the borough. The group thanked him for his work in reviving the group and looked forward to enjoying his continued passionate vision for cycling in the outer suburbs.

6 Date of next meeting: TBC. Subsequently set for Wednesday, 30 January 2019. Details here on our next Meet-up page.