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Hannah chaired the meeting in Gareth's absence.
Officers from Manchester City Council Leisure department attended:-
Chaz Fargaly, Acting head of Parks
Ken Wilson, in charge of parks in our area
Mary Reslick, Park warden for Greenbank
Katy from BTCV also attended.
Update
Julie from Friends of Greenbank explained that the group has been going for 8 years but was now very depleted so the group is going to wind up and join with GBRA. Julie has a lot of expertise in making funding applications.
On Saturday 1st March several of us joined Mary and Ken from Parks in planting 250 hawthorn whips along the Manor Road boundary of Greenbank . They are going to order more plants to complete that side of the field.
Mark said that the local rugby team who meet in the Bluebell want to contribute to our activities on the field, either tree planting or any other activity they can get involved in.
Friends of Levenshulme have organised an Easter Egg Hunt for Easter Sunday and will make Greenbank Fields a stopping off point. They have produced a postcard showing 6 places in Levenshulme that need improving, including Greenbank. This will be a good opportunity for us to consult people on the future of Greenbank. Hannah and Liz will cover the event. FoL are responsible for the organisation of the whole event.
Future vision for Greenbank
Chaz Farghaly has taken over recently as acting Head of Parks. He said it is important that we work together to come up with a vision for the fields in the next few weeks. At the same time the formal parks, i.e. Chapel Street and Manor Road, need bringing up to a better standard. There is other section 106 money available as well as the money from Dappa Homes.
Ken Wilson and his manager Steve Downey want to work closely with us to agree a vision. The department can help with drawings, measurements, costing. Sport England want improvements to the MUGA and the facilities on Manor Road park as well as East Levenshulme Cricket Club and Hough End changing rooms, although this has not been agreed yet. There is also about £35k other money available for Greenbank Field.
Alan asked about Knutsford Vale becoming a nature reserve. Leisure have no budget to take this on at present, but Chaz emphasised the need to look at all the green spaces in the area and how they link together.
Hannah asked if this means the Council will undertake not to carry out development in future without proper consultation. Chaz said he doesn't believe in developing without the residents being involved and happy with it as it doesn't work. GBRA have had quite a lot of conflict with the Council in the last year but he now hopes we will have a positive relationship. Fundamental things need doing first, e.g. paths repairing, boundary securing.
Ken spoke about his role and said he is pleased to be able to work with such an active group. He will provide a warden for Eater Sunday and will help with things like CAS:H grant applications. The next round of grants starts in April. In the last round Chapel Street Park got kissing gates. A decision on tree planting will wait till after we have consulted people on Easter Sunday.
Katy from British trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV) spoke about her work which takes groups of volunteers from the city centre to a green space to carry out tasks, e.g. coppicing, picnic areas, footpaths. They also work with schools. They have done some work at Highfield Country park. BTCV gets some funding and volunteers through the Corporate Responsibility Fund from businesses in the Arndale Centre.
Katy would like to work with GBRA on the field and can help with funding applications or help to spend money we already have. BTCV charge £250 a day which includes public liability insurance, equipment, a van, supervisors.
Consultation
Liz and Hannah will put together a questionnaire for this, make posters for the Bluebell, library, Village Stores, noticeborads. Also have copies of photos, ideas, plans, etc for Eater Sunday and include activity for children.
Future Meetings
We all agreed that we only want councillors to attend our meetings when we invite them. The local councillors and the Labour party candidate all claimed responsibility for saving the field from development as if our hard work as a residents group counted for little. It was agreed that Gareth will write to the councillors and Gerald Kaufman to thank them for their support and to tell them about future attendance at our meetings.
Next meeting
This will be on Tuesday 1st April and will include discussion about Knutsford vale group, Friends of Greenbank and Cromwell Grove Residents Association, all of whom wish to merge with GBRA.