NOTES FROM RTPI EAST OF ENGLAND REGIONAL ACTIVITIES COMMITTEE MEETING HELD ON 26 JANUARY 2009

1. The number of apologies received was a record! Until Nigel Gibbs arrived at 10:30, the meeting was not quorate.
2. Tina Jessup reported on the increasing number of occasions payments for RTPI East of England invoices are sent to RTPI Conferences (Hawksmere) in London. Tina and the Treasurer to discuss a solution with RTPI Finance Department.
3. Richard reported that he had received no further correspondence from the 2007 or 2008 President regarding the RTPI Annual Report.
4. Robert Hobbs is hoping to be elected to Corporate Membership in April 2009, at which time it was agreed he should be co-opted as Regional Senior Vice Chair.
5. We still have vacancies for a Regional Chair and Junior Vice Chair for 2009. During discussion, Richard confirmed that the structure of a Chair, Senior and Junior Vice Chairs are in the Regional Rules. However, it is up to the Committee to decide the remit for each of the posts. The current post of Chair does involve a lot of commitment and time and, despite best intentions, it is very difficult for many members of the Committee to agree to take up the role. In 2008, it had been agreed that the Regional Chair would no longer be expected to chair and attend each of the Regional Conferences, resulting my less time commitment for the Chair. Members were of the agreement that, if possible, the three posts should be shared and Richard was requested to produce a short paper as soon as possible giving the possible ways forward. This will be discussed at the next RAC meeting in March, when a decision will be made on the best course of action.
6. Due to the current vacancies on the Regional Management Board, Jackie Ward and Robert Purton were co-opted on to the RMB as Ex-Officio members for 2009.
7. Jenny Massingham had filled the last remaining Student/Licentiate vacancy on the RAC. Only one vacancy remains, for a Technical member.
8. On the list of sub-groups emailed with the Agenda, it was noted that there was currently nobody listed for the Local Centres/CPD Network Sub-Group. Local CPD events are organised in Essex and Norfolk by Anglia Ruskin University, but there are currently no regular events held in the other Regional counties either externally or by the RTPI. It was suggested that any members of the RAC that are on County Officer Groups should be asked to report regularly on events being held in their area, with their names added to the CPD Network Sub-Group list. Peter Warner will liaise on events taking place in Norfolk and Philip Isbell agreed to liaise on events being held in Suffolk. John Young agreed to find out what was happening in Herts. Shaun Scrutton may be able to report on events being held in Essex. Anybody on the RAC that is aware of events taking place in Cambs and Beds, please let Tina know!
9. Two events have been organised to discuss the Environment Agency’s River Basin Management Plan consultation: an EA workshop in Peterborough on 18 February and an ICE joint event in Cambridge on 5 March. It was stressed how important this consultation was.
10. Steve and Tina had received draft final accounts for 2008 from the RTPI but there appeared to be some discrepancies. The final accounts will be available at the next RAC meeting in March.
11. Richard had circulated a detailed note received from this year’s President, Martin Willey, on his ideas for Regional Visits during 2009. Unfortunately, the dates previously suggested of 18 and 19 March were inconvenient due to the timing of an Executive Board meeting. The Committee agreed that dates should now be agreed for June or July for this 2 or 3 day visit and ideas and suggestions had already been put forward by some RAC members on places to visit. It is hoped that the results of the 2008 Regional Planning Achievement Award will shortly be available to enable a visit to be organised to the Award winners.
12. Report on Conferences/Events for 2009:
13. The January conference had been postponed as the necessary information had not been forthcoming from the organizer (Dan Murkin of AMEC) in time.
14. Richard Woolley and Tina were still waiting to receive ideas from RAC members on the proposed event in February on Permitted Development. Tina stressed that ideas need to be forthcoming now if the event is to take place and she had received several enquiries from interested members about the event. After discussion, John Dagg, Peter Warner and Philip Isbell agreed to act as workshop facilitators. Tina asked them to put together a draft flyer, giving a brief introduction to the event. A new date was agreed for the event of Thursday 12 March and Tina agreed to find a suitable venue. Eiluned offered to make some enquiries with her contacts to find another facilitator. Since this meeting, the SmartLife Centre in Cambridge has been booked for 12 March.
15. Tina had booked Downing College in Cambridge for the 19 March event on “Delivering Growth in Difficult Times” and was waiting to receive details of the final programme of speakers from Phil Grant. John Dagg may be able to chair the event, but would confirm his availability.
16. Richard C reported that he was waiting to hear back from potential speakers for the “Energy” event on 28 April, taking place in Bury St Edmunds. It is being held in association with the Centre for Sustainable Energy.
17. Peter Geraghty had already booked two speakers (Linda Russell and Bob Moon) for the 19 May event on Enforcement. John Young had booked the Council Chamber at St Albans DC Offices and also offered to make a presentation. Since this meeting, Tina has been in contact with the RTPI Network Manager and the East of England rep from NAPE has agreed to participate in this event. Due to the possible interest in this event, Tina asked John to check on the maximum number of delegates at the venue.
18. No further information had been received from Robert Hobbs regarding the proposed conference in June on “Conservation and Urban Design”.
19. No further information had been received from Andrew Meddle regarding the July conference on “The RSS and LDF’s”.
20. Richard Whittaker and Eiluned had been in contact regarding the September conference on “Coastal Flooding” and had identified many potential speakers. A draft programme has been drawn up. A venue in Ipswich needs to be identified and booked as soon as a date is confirmed.
21. Richard Woolley is contacting a few LA’s in the region in the hope to find a suitable (free?) venue for the Councillors conference in October. Several speakers have been identified.
22. The Planning Law conference will again take place in Cambridge in November. The main RTPI Conference on the same subject is taking place on 5 November so this date will be avoided for our Regional conference! John Dagg agreed to organize and speak.
23. It was agreed that this year’s AGM should be held immediately following the RAC meeting on 14 May, from 12.30pm to 1.00pm. Richard will confirm the arrangements. It is hoped that sandwiches will be available.
24. It was agreed that the presentation of the Regional Planning Achievement Award should be held at the same time as the Regional Quiz, but without the AGM! It should be more of a social event. Tina had found details of a riverboat which organized 4-hour cruises from Cambridge. This idea met with enthusiasm and Tina agreed to find out more details. Since this meeting, Tina had found that the cost of chartering the riverboat would be too expensive, so alternative venues/locations are now being looked at.
25. Tina reported that she sometimes receives enquiries from organizations asking if a block booking discount was available. In particular, GO-East had recently emailed a request. It was agreed that some sort of blocking system should be trialed and Tina agreed to put together a draft booking form.
26. Marion Bailey, as Regional Manager of East of England Planning Aid Service, reported that she had been in post for two months but was still unclear about her relationship with the RAC. There remains vacancies for two full-time posts with EEPAS, although it is hoped these will be filled shortly. Christine Flittner, the part-time Caseworker, is the only planner employed by EEPAS at the present time, but Terry Gilbert is currently working on a 3-month contract to cover some of the Community Planning work. There are several volunteers waiting for an induction and it is hoped that induction sessions will be organized shortly. Marion was grateful to Jackie for agreeing to help at these sessions and she hopes that other RAC members will be able to show their presence. Peter Warner suggested that perhaps all RAC members should commit to take on one Planning Aid case per year, which would obviously count towards their CPD! However, members should make it clear exactly what sort of commitment they could make.
27. Robert Hobbs was unable to make the meeting but had reported that 2 Young Planners events are in the pipeline. The East of England Young Planners Group are looking at the possibility of hosting the 2009 Young Planners conference.
28. Nigel Gibbs reported on a recent meeting of the Sustainable Construction Working Group, now called Built Environment East. Nigel thought the Chair of the Group, Alex Plant, should be invited to an RAC meeting to discuss joint working. Nigel had received two very helpful publications which he felt all RTPI members should know about – a Sustainable Construction booklet (aimed at the small builder but with lots of useful information) and GO-East’s “Sustainable East Strategic Plan”. It seemed that few members were aware of these documents and Nigel agreed to send details to Peter Hakes in order that information can be included in the next Orient Express.

Tina Jessup

Author:

Tina Jessup

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

21-May-09

Categories:

Nations & Regions 

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