Bletchley Park Area Residents’ Association
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
Held in the Ballroom of the Mansion, Bletchley Park
At 7.30 pm on Thursday, 19 April 2012
Present: Angie Ravn-Aagaard, Hon. Chairman; Derek Storey, Hon. Treasurer; Chris Simpson, Hon. Secretary, and forty other members of the Association.
1. Apologies for Absence
Apologies were received from Ken Goodwin, Wilf Griffin, Mary Hobbs, Peter and Sue Jarvis, Megan Johnson, Karen and Martin Lamb, Angela Miller, Judi Moore, David and Ruth Murray, John Simpson and Colin Wood.
2. Minutes of the Meeting held on Thursday 12 May 2011
The Minutes of the meeting held on Monday 12 April 2011 were approved. Proposed: Sinclair Holm, Seconded: Stan Wickham
3. Matters Arising
All matters arising were covered elsewhere on the Agenda.
4. a) Hon. Chairman’s Report
The Hon. Chairman reported:
i) Salden Chase Development: Changes in planning law may enable developers to resubmit plans for this development.
ii) Consortium of Bletchley Residents’ Associations: The organisation of the group needs improvement. No meetings have been held for some time.
iii) Bletchley Transport Working Group: Officers and Committee members have attended this group. Works to construct a pedestrian crossing near to Milton Keynes College in Sherwood Drive and a replacement roundabout at the junction of Buckingham Road and Sherwood Drive are both delayed.
iv) Traffic Calming and West Bletchley Traffic Review: Traffic calming measures in the Church Green Road Area appear to be successful. It was suggested that a table should be installed on the Rickley Lane approach to the mini-roundabout to slow traffic approaching it. Waiting time restrictions and residents’ permits have helped to ease parking problems in the area. The Old Bletchley NAG and MK College had approached London Midland to discuss the possibility of students using surplus parking at the railway station. The company responded by removing half the car parking structure.
v) BPARA: Four newsletters have been distributed this year. The full Committee has met twice, and a membership sub-group once. We are grateful to Sinclair Holm and Clive Pepper for volunteering to help with a membership drive.
4. b) Hon. Secretary’s Report
i) Buildings in Progress: Work is progressing on the block of flats at the Sherwood Drive end of Turing Gate, and the Redrow houses behind Wilton Avenue.
ii) Canteen Building, Wilton Avenue: This is still in the Appeal Process, which has been put on hold as a purchaser prepared to adapt the canteen buildings for use has come forward.
iii) South East Corner of Bletchley Park: No application has been submitted as yet. The developer has to advertise the site for commercial use for twelve months before an application for housing can be made.
iv) Bungalow for handicapped children adjacent to Parkside Surgery: The site has been cleared but building has not been started.
v) Site of White Hart Public House: Milton Keynes Council has approved an application to build a care home /rehabilitation centre for 32 males with mental health problems, despite objections from West Bletchley Council and hundreds of local residents.
vi) SERCO Depot: The SERCO depot should be transferred to Wolverton at the end of May. The MKC estates division will then decide on future use of the site.
vii) The Leys: Plans for landscaping the Leys with S106 money are still not complete. Display boards showing a choice of equipment for the play area at the Sherwood Drive end of the field had been brought by Claire Hutley of MKC.
Chris Simpson is on the Committee to select a piece of public art for West Bletchley, also funded by S106 money.
4. c) Hon. Treasurer’s Report
The Hon. Treasurer presented the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2012, showing a balance of £401.47.
Adoption of all three officers’ reports was approved. Proposed: Bill Malins; Seconded: John West.
5. Election of Officers
No nominations had been received for any of the officer posts. Angie Ravn-Aagaard and Derek Storey were willing to remain Chairman and Treasurer respectively. Although wishing to stand down, as there were no offers to replace her as secretary, Chris Simpson agreed to continue for one final year
Re-election of officers was approved. Proposed: Debbie Castell; Seconded: Edna Bodill.
Committee Members and Representatives
The Chairman thanked committee members and representatives for their help during the year. She also thanked Clive Pepper and Sinclair Holm for helping with the membership drive, and Pete Ager for printing the Newsletters. She reported the death of Dr James Hobbs, a committee member since 1990, who will be sadly missed by the Association. She sent best wishes to Colin Wood, who is very ill, and thanked Megan Johnson for taking over his deliveries.
6. Any Other Business
i) Concern was expressed about parking in Whalley Drive and in the cemetery. The Secretary reported that double yellow lines had now been removed outside the cemetery.
ii) There was concern that the traffic calming measures in Rickley Lane were not working as intended. Officers will raise these issues with MKC.
iii) The Chairman reported that the NAG AGM, a public meeting, will be held on Wednesday 23 May, 2012.
There being no other business, the meeting closed at 8.12 pm.
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The business meeting was followed by refreshments. Iain Standen, the recently appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Bletchley Park Trust, then gave an update on the situation at the Park, which has been experiencing increases in visitor numbers. He outlined proposals for the future, which include refurbishment of C Block and some huts to improve facilities for visitors, and to create a more authentic wartime atmosphere around the historic site.
20120419 – Bletchley Park Residents Association Meeting 19 Apr 12
