Minutes of Steering Group Meeting
4th May 2023

Present: Martin Calvert (Chair), Adrian Coltman, Steve Jones-Blackett, Adam & Carol Bull, Mervyn Clayton, Theresa Williams, David Lumb, Jeremy Kitto.

Apologies for Absence Minutes of the Meeting Held 13th April 2023 Matters Arising Trustees Update Dead Hedge Replacement Update

Action Mornings Heritage Lottery Fund Project Update Closing Gledhow Valley Road for an Event AOB Dates of Next Meetings

1. Apologies for Absence

Joan Clayton, David Miles, Trevor &amo; Diane Kitto, Geoff Holden.

2. Minutes of the Meeting Held 13th April 2023

Agreed as a true record.

3. Matters Arising

• Adrian has shown David L where the piece of land is that is being marked out on the Ordnance Survey map to complete the formal application to the Land Registry.
• The Japanese knotweed is on private land and at a house on Gledhow Lane. It is on the council list but Martin is going to notify the rangers to see if it can be treated.
• A member of the community has contacted the Group to report skunk cabbage on one of the fields.

4. Trustees Update

The FGVW AGM will be on 22nd June 2023 at 6pm. Adrian will issue the invite and the Trustees Annual Report at least 21 days prior to this date. There is one Trustee position up for re-election.

5. Dead Hedge Replacement Update

The "dead hedge" near the lake has been destroyed in a fire. Part of the agreement for Phase 1 of the lake project included a requirement for a barrier in this area. Mervyn has been in contact with the Council and they have agreed to replace the "dead hedge" with a fence. The top soil will also be replaced.

The Group would like to add a living hedge in between the barriers and Martin suggested a few substantial plants rather than using whips. The Group also decided to cover the top with chicken wire to prevent leaves gathering. At the last action morning some boards were put in place to level off the land ready for planting.

6. Action Mornings

• Sunday 23 April
  4 tons of stone were used on the footpath opposite Beck Pasture. There were also 1,000 plugs planted in the wet areas of Beck Pasture.
• Sunday 14 May
  The Group asked Ian to do some work on the path at the top above the sledging slope to level it off and create a flat path that the Group could work on. The logs have now gone and the terra firma matting is badly worn. Once the work was completed the Group planned to do the edging but this has had to be delayed and can no longer be finished as planned at the Action Morning. Instead, it was suggested that the steps could be mended near the "Lord Mayor's Walk". "Dorothy's Steps" also need some attention. Pathways also need clearing. Volunteers to meet at the bottom end of the lake.

7. Heritage Lottery Fund Project Update

David e-mailed an update to the Chair.

Vicky Nunns and Groundwork are working to a deadline of week commencing the 5th June to provide Veolia with detailed plans and information on the tendering process. Veolia expects that by the end of the week commencing 12th June we will have a finance agreement and instructions for the FGVW 3rd party contribution. Assuming the FGVW contribution is paid by the week commencing 19th June we will be given authorisation to get the contract. The working assumption is that work on site will start late August or early September. A Trustee will be involved in the tendering process. David also shared a copy of the draft plans.

Steve confirmed that the FGVW contribution would be available by the deadline. The Treasurer needs to contact the bank so that the daily withdrawal limit can be raised to allow the funding to be paid out.

David L is meeting with Cllr Lisa Martin and other local councillors on 11th May 2pm at the lake to discuss the application for £5K from the Community Committee. Martin agreed to be the Trustee who would attend this meeting.

The Group should hear back from the Post Code Local Trust about the funding application later this week.

The crayfish rescue from Meanwood beck has been delayed due to a pump failure. Only a very small number of crayfish were rescued. The Environment Agency are considering options and will get back to the Group shortly when they have formulated a plan. One possible option is to recover crayfish from Pudsey Beck where signal crayfish are gradually encroaching on the native crayfish.

8. Closing Gledhow Valley Road for an Event

The Group has applied for a Climate Emergency grant that will allow the Group to fund for Gledhow Valley Road to be closed to traffic to hold an event.

9. AOB

• Adrian asked the Group if it would support the Village Green application going in for an area near Gledhow Flats. The Group agreed.
• Jeremy raised the issue of the un-adopted path on the other side of Gledhow Valley Road and asked if we could take an action to make it into a path again. The Group discussed several options and Martin took an action to speak to the Council to see if they would consider building a cycle path. David L suggested contacting the Inner North East Community Committee where ward councillors make decisions and priorities for the local area. They are currently looking into walking and cycling initiatives in the area.

10. Dates of Next Meetings

• Action Morning - Sun14 May 2023
• Steering Group Meeting - Thu 1 Jun 2023
• Action Morning - Sun 11 Jun 2023
• FGVW AGM - Thu 22 June 2023