AGM – Minutes of AGM 2024

Date: Thursday 25th April 2024

Venue: Nellie Raven Room, St Thomas Church, Charlton

Present (15): Christine (Chair), Steve (Secretary), Natalie (Treasurer), Catherine, Gulle, Mickey, Jason, John (all committee), Hazel, Alan, Evelyn, Vanessa, Emma, Gary, Cllr Jo van den Broek

Apologies (5): Ed, Jane, Jim, Andrew, Cllr Gary Dillon

1. Welcome: Christine welcomed a good attendance, including Jo van den Broek, one of the two councillors for the Charlton Village and Riverside ward in which Maryon, Maryon Wilson and Barrier parks are all situated.

2. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising: The new booking system for the tennis courts in Maryon Park, either online or by QR code at the entrance to the courts, is now up and running.

3. Chair’s annual report: (previous post)

4. Community Garden annual report :(previous post)

5. Treasurer’s report : Income was £66.35 (three table sales);Outgoings £85 (hire of hall for AGM twice as this year’s was paid early, and table at Christmas Fayre). Current balance £491.68; assets at cost price (tools) £54.44.

6. Parks news: (unless covered in Chair’s report):

a) The day before the AGM we received a proposal from a telecoms company in Leeds about the proposed installation of a 20-metre mast and associated cabinets on the pavement opposite the Cemetery Road entrance to MWP. They invited our feedback and said “Without base stations, the mobile phones and other devices we rely on simply won’t work.” The feeling of the meeting was that although coverage is particularly bad in Charlton Village and these masts have to go somewhere, the site right outside a school was less than ideal, as was the clutter of cabinets on the pavement there. For anyone unsure what this would look like, there is a similar installation in Barrier Park on Eastmoor Street.

b) We have received an invite to join the Friends of Charlton Park to meet the local Safer Neighbourhood team at the Old Cottage Café in Charlton Park on Sat May 11 (5pm). We will explore whether this could lead to closer links with the Charlton Park group.

c) Tarpaulin has been placed on the roof of the derelict toilets in MWP, apparently as a result of our walkabout, although we didn’t specifically request it. We have heard no more from the new member who came to us with very ambitious plans for refurbishment. Our view remains that we should have new toilets, or as a first step, just a shelter.

d) Our website has been updated, thanks to Jason – http://www.friends ofmaryonparks.org

Our Facebook page is Friends of Maryon and Maryon Wilson Parks.

e) Although no longer technically a Parks issue, the long empty former stockman’s house at 20 Thorntree Road has now received planning permission and for a five bedroom eco-friendly house, and work is due to begin at last in July.

7. Election of officers and committee: The officers were re-elected for another year and the five other committee members will also remain. Ed Hadfield has asked if his invitation to join the committee be postponed while he is still heavily involved working with other Friends groups.

8. Any other business:

a) It was made clear that there is a Safer Neighbourhood team for each ward in the borough and that Maryon Wilson, Maryon Park and Barrier Park (also in our remit) are all in the Charlton Village and Riverside ward. The SNT there have made MWP a priority for the next three months after a number of incidents locally including flashing and dangerous dogs. They hope to have mobile cameras available.

b) A new certificate is due for the Green Flag award in Maryon Park.

9. Diary dates:

Saturday May 4th (10am) Clear Up and Litter Pick.

Thursday May 9th (7.30pm) Parks Forum meeting at Woolwich Centre (tbc).

Saturday May 11th (5pm) Joint meeting with Charlton Park Friends and SNT in Old Cottage Café, Charlton Park.

Saturday June 1st (10am-2pm) Sheep shearing in MWP.

Thursday June 13th (7.30pm) Friends meeting at Kinveachy Gardens.

Sunday June 30th (1pm-6) Picnic in the (Maryon) Park.

Steve Tongue

Secretary