Kingston upon Thames Society Committee: January 2013

Diary clashes kept me away from Committee Meetings for a couple of months so I made a determined effort to be there in January.

This was only two days before our AGM (which I will have to miss) so we took a fair amount of our time discussing order of speakers, arrangements for the buffet, collecting membership fees and other such administrative matters that are important but not very entertaining so I'll say nothing more about them.

The interesting part of the AGM that we spent some time on was the Chairman's report. As Jennifer promised at the time, this included a summary of our "What is the Society for?" meeting, and that brought up the subject of Seething Wells for the first time. In this case it was as an example of how the Executive Committee relates to the wider Membership and that is something that we are looking to improve. This blog is one small example of that.

Thames Panorama

There was a Thames Panorama on display at Richmond Museum last year. Somebody who has one, possibly that one, is interested in producing a modern equivalent and has invited the Society to get involved. Some Committee members are following this up.

Fifty Years of the Society

The booklet giving the story of the first fifty years on the Society was now ready and I readily paid £5 for my copy. It will be on sale to members at the AGM and then at outlets like the Museum and Tourist Information Centre.

Surbiton Filter Beds

The next major stage in this saga is the Development Control meeting on Tuesday 22 January which will consider the current application. George will speak in favour on behalf of the Society. He is also being interviewed for an article in the Independent.

Hertitage Open Days (HODs)

One of the positives from the last Monthly Meeting was that a small group of members had volunteered to take on the planning and organisation of the HODs. One meeting had been held already.

The first priority was to get the grant application in to RBK by the deadline of 29 January. This is not as easy as it seems as I do not recall ever seeing such a pointlessly complex form, and I worked in Local Government for 12 years.

Planning applications

The Kingston Vale student accommodation was refused by RBK. There some opposition to all such applications, there are a lot at the moment, but more accommodation designed for students is needed to protect the stock of family houses.

The Barge Dock development in Canbury Gardens was approved.

Meeting on 30 January at Tiffin Girls' School to discuss the proposed planning brief for the Latchmere site. The documents and a form to submit responses are on the RBK website.

AOB

We are considering another Summer event. I fancy a walk and have submitted details of one. Or we could go to RIBA.


We have not yet got the Gift Aid back from HMRC. Not too surprised by this.

Network Rail meeting tomorrow at Canbury Arms re the extension of the platforms over Richmond Road. It sounds bonkers but they might know what they are doing.