Next FOBRA Meeting

Thursday October 3rd, 2013   7:15 pm
Co-working Hub, Guildhall, Bath

The Guild:

The 3rd Oct meeting took place in The Guild, coworking hub, located in the Guildhall, as part of the experiment to find a satisfactory new venue for our Committee meetings. While there, we asked Tom Lewis, its Head, to tell us about it. It was opened in late July; one of 2000 coworking sites in the world, and is for creative people who would traditionally have worked alone. It offers the office facilities they need, in several innovative ways and prices, but also company and interaction. The Council provided the site and a budget to get it started, and it's going well, 125 people having crossed its doors in the first 6 weeks.

Seagulls:

The Council is to hold a Seagull conference on 27th Nov: Henry Brown will be asking for a change to the law. The seagull infestation will be on FoBRA's next agenda on 25th Nov.

Transport:

Mott MacDonald are now working on a draft Transport Strategy, for delivery by the end of the year and a Council consultation in April. FoBRA's Transport Sub-Committee is to be revived.

Beggars and Buskers:

This arose out of "News from Associations". The noise made by buskers seems to be increasing, with little being done to control it; and some beggars are posing as buskers. Beggars are being moved out of the city centre and can now be found around Laura Place, controlled by a gangmaster; "earning" good money; and sharing dogs. FoBRA is tasked to take this up with the Council.

Next Chairmanship:

Henry Brown stands down as Chairman in April and the hustings are starting already! Robin Kerr put his hat in the ring by asking for a volunteer to relieve him as FoBRA Secretary.

Website:

As part of FoBRA's upgraded Communications Strategy, the website has been revised, with a "welcome" video from the Chairman; plenty of news; and FoBRA's latest Tweets on the home page. In future these summaries and the agendas for the next meetings will be there too.

Neighbourhoods:

Mark O'Sullivan provides a summary of the Neighbourhood opportunities possible under the Localism Act, with several examples of where this is happening around the country.

Meeting Venues:

As well as this visit to trial The Guild, we shall test Widcombe Junior School in January, and the Masonic Hall in March.

Planning:

The following are covered: Placemaking Plan and the Core Strategy, Supermarkets, The Rec, Newbridge P&R, Saw Close casino, Bath Quays Waterside, student housing, and the ex-MoD sites.

Winter Reception:

This will be at the Victoria Art Gallery on Tuesday 14th Jan, will cost £10 each, as usual, and Bath "leaders" will be invited, including Councillors for members' Wards.

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