Notes of RAC Meeting held on 18 January 2008 in Shire Hall, Bury St Edmunds

• As the RTPI East of England is starting the year without a Regional Chair, Senior or Junior Vice Chairs, a chair was elected for the meeting.
• Formal congratulations were passed on to Ann Skippers, a previous Branch Chair, for her election as RTPI Junior Vice President.
• Richard Whittaker from the Environment Agency was welcomed to his first meeting of the Committee.
• Barton Willmore’s continued sponsorship of the Orient Express was discussed. It was agreed that the strapline on the front of the newsletter be increased in size to accommodate a larger logo and a full page advert would be allowed on the back page.
• The Region will help advertise the National Planning Aid Conference, which is taking place in Cambridge on 14 and 15 April.
• The Regional Planning Achievement Award Judging Panel had now judged all entries received for the 2007 Award and the winners and runners-up would be contacted shortly. The Awards would be presented at the Regional AGM.
• It was agreed that Conference folders should be produced for conference delegate papers. Tina had received quotes, which varied depending on the number required. Robert Purton offered the services of his design team at David Lock Associates to produce a suitable design. (Since the meeting, David Lock Associates have very kindly sponsored the design and printing of these folders, which will be ready for the first conference of 2008!).
• Nominations were invited for the exhibition of Regional Good Practice at the 2008 Planning Convention. It was suggested that the winners of the 2006 and 2007 Regional Planning Achievement Awards be nominated.
• The RTPI is looking at the possibility of setting up an Association for Planning Administrators. It is hoping to identify people from each Region who may be interested. The Committee suggested that details are included in the next Regional e-bulletin.
• Rob Hobbs, the Regional Young Planners Liaison officer, reported that the next Young Planners event will take place on 21 February in Norwich. Other events are being organised.
• The Regional Treasurer was pleased to report that the budgeted income from conferences for 2007 had been exceeded. All conference organisers and helpers were thanked for their hard work in making the conference programme a success. Tina was also thanked for her tireless work in making the events happen.
• The cost of replacing the Regional laptop, used at conferences, should be looked into.
• With three vacancies on the Regional Management Board (Chair, Senior Vice Chair and Junior Vice Chair), it was agreed that Jackie Ward and Robert Purton be co-opted on to the RMB until the vacancies had been filled.
• The Committee discussed the proposed 2008 Conference Programme in detail. Richard Woolley, as convenor of the Conference Programme Sub-Group, agreed to make contact with proposed organisers to enable further progress to take place.
• The RTPI President’s visit to the Region was discussed.

Tina Jessup

Author:

Tina Jessup

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

24-Nov-08

Categories:

Nations & Regions 

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