Kennington Association

Annual General Meeting

to be held at The Little Apple PH

at 6.30pm for 7pm on

Monday, 27^th October 2008

Agenda

1. Welcome:....................................................................... Anna

2. Apologies: Angus Aagaard, Kevin Rimmington

3. Minutes of the AGM held on Monday 3^rd December 2007

4. Report from the Chair................................................ Anna

5. Treasurer’s Report..................................................... Gareth

6. Proposed amendments to the Constitution

7. Committee

8. AOB

a. Welcome Pack................................................... Angela

b. Tree of Hope lights.................................................. Jeffe

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Kennington Association

Minutes from Annual General Meeting

7pm, Monday, 3^rd December 2007, The Dog House PH

Present: KA Committee: Angus Aagard, Gareth Adamson, Diane Kavanagh, Veronica Ledwith, Cathy Preece, Anna Tapsell, Jean McCarthy, Kevin Rimmington, Elizabeth Scott. Members: Rod Brown, John Downie, Michael Housy & Elizabeth Filkin, Sylvia Goodman, Judith Pattman, Laura Swaffield, Octavia Wiseman, Nigel Field. Guest: Andrew Sawdon

Apologies: Charles and Sarah Kennedy, Kingsley Abrams, Betty Severn, Catey Hillier, Jeffe Jeffers, John Roberts

Minutes: Minutes from the previous AGM on 19 August 2006 were accepted without amendment.

Report from the Chair: Angus Aagaard welcomed everyone and observed that the Kennington Association is a very loosely structured group and anyone with ideas and a willingness to put them into action will be welcome as a member on the rather fluid committee.

Summarizing the past year, Angus noted that the KA has served as a watch dog for the area’s residents and has achieved a very good reputation for listening and responding to community needs in a common-sense way. By setting up an emergency fund, the group is able to support local families in crisis. In the long term, the KA has aided care in the community by working with Toucan, the agency that helps people with learning disabilities get work. It has also supported the Kennington and Vauxhall Parents’ and Carers’ Network (the follow-on organisation of Sure Start) in this year’s Secret Santa Project. Support for neighbourhood fitness programmes has included the Tai Chi classes, the Thursday class funded by Capital Community Foundation and the Saturday class in cooperation with Surrey County Cricket Club (SCCC), and volleyball at the old Lilian Baylis School. In addition, a planning subcommittee, chaired by Elizabeth Scott, has played a key role in the community by tracking Lambeth Council on local construction projects and disposal of council property and green sites in the area. KA also helped organise the Kennington Fete that raised money for a local project.

In progress is work on Welcome Packs with local information to be given to all new-comers in the community and plans for flower boxes and hanging baskets in the neighbourhood. In addition, another art auction is to be held next year at the City and Guilds School of Art to provide funds for more community support schemes.

Question raised: why is there so little minority representation considering the diverse makeup of the area? It was agreed that we need a dedicated membership secretary to increase membership from the entire spectrum of the community.

Treasurer’s Report: Gareth Adamson presented both the annual accounts from last year and the mid-year accounts for the current financial year. In general, the KA is in good financial shape. Subscriptions and general donations cover day-to-day running expenses so that all money from fundraising can be spent on projects.

The accounts were agreed as presented.

Question raised: how close are we to disposing of the £13k KA is holding for the Kennington Fete Team. This money appears on the KA books although it does not belong to KA. The money, raised at the village fetes is earmarked for the Tree of Hope, a tree and lights display at Kennington Cross that is supposed to remain in some form year round as a focal point for the community. The lights, originally planned for Christmas 2006, have still not materialized and it seems too late now for them to be up by Christmas 2007. Another possible date for the launch could be the People’s Expo, a council sponsored event, to be held at the Lilian Baylis School at the end of January 2008.

Note: The meeting resolved to further encourage the organisers of Kennington Fete to offer concrete proposals for the lighting of the tree by the end of January 2008. It was felt that, if by this time, progress has not been made the KA committee would look to either take up the Tree of Hope project or allocate the funds raised for the project elsewhere.

Committee: the committee was re-elected to their current positions with the exception of Cathy Preece who was elected to the new position of Administrative Assistant and resigned from her role as Membership Secretary. Cathy will continue to do all the coordinating, communicating, distributing and data base work that she has been doing. Kevin Rimmington agreed to take on the role of Membership Secretary in addition to his role as Sports Coordinator, but volunteers to work with Kevin will help increase our visibility.

Note: The committee remains short-handed and will welcome anyone who is willing to put in the work. In general, whenever a new project is started, the instigator is named project coordinator and a member of the committee. Volunteers, who can recognize community needs, develop programmes to meet the needs, and provide the leadership to see the projects through will be welcomed heartily!

All Other Business

Welcome Packs: In Mary van de Water’s absence, Cathy reported that questionnaires for the welcome packs went out with the last KA mailing and plans are underway for results to be coordinated and written up.

Note: more volunteers are needed urgently to complete this project.

Flower Baskets: Cathy reported that Toucan has withdrawn from the project, so we are looking for another group to work with Walworth Garden Farm and Roots and Shoots to put up and maintain hanging baskets and pavement planters in the neighbourhood. We may be able to enlist the help and support of Winkworth Estate Agents on this project.

Tai Chi and Volleyball: Kevin reported the Tai Chi is going well. The Thursday class, with a year’s funding from Capital Community Foundation, has moved from Kennington Park to the Kurdish Cultural Centre for the winter and usually attracts 10-20 people. The Saturday class, now meeting in Lambeth Hall at the Oval, has 15-20 people and could take more because the room is much larger than the one used at the Oval previously. At the end of December, SCCC will take over funding of this class again for the next year. Volleyball is also going as scheduled.

Kevin is working with SCCC to find new sources of funding for the Tai Chi so that SCCC money can be freed up for other sports activities, particularly for young people on the estates.

Question raised: how many boys from the local estates have been attracted by the Saturday classes as this was a key reason for starting them? The answer is that the classes attract a very wide spectrum of Kennington people, but we would like to get more young people involved. We may be able to work with the instructor, Michael Jacques, to do this as he has been working with Lambeth College boys on Tai Chi combat classes and hopes to integrate them into the classes funded by the KA and SCCC.

Planning Matters: Elizabeth reported that the major development package of four sites put forward by Lambeth Council in the Princes Ward Investment Strategy (PWIS) is not liked by or beneficial to local people. The KA was monitoring all major local developments, to try to ensure that they met local needs better than e.g. the Kerrin Point site where only about 10% of the units would be large enough for families. The PWIS project would also take over some green space that the area is so short of. The KA is going to work with the Kennington Oval & Vauxhall (KOV) Forum to hold a meeting in January and develop a counter proposal in opposition to the council on the PWIS plans.

Note: In discussion, it was agreed that a key objective of KA in 2008 will be to recruit people who understand planning and community architecture and work to develop a plan for the Kennington area that meets what the community sees as its needs for housing and open spaces. Volunteers will be needed.

There being no further business, the meeting closed at 8:30.

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REVISED DRAFT 30/9/08

Kennington Association

Constitution

Introduction: The Kennington Association (KA) is a charitable organisation created to facilitate co-operation, communication, recreation and a conduit for lending a helping hand in the neighbourhood. All work is done by volunteers, and all money raised is spent for the benefit of Kennington, with a minimum reserved for assets and expenses.

1. Name: The name of the Association shall be the Kennington Association.

2. Objectives:

I. To foster a sense of community within the diverse population of the Kennington area

II. To campaign in order to maintain and improve public services

III. To act as an advocate in matters of public planning and architectural proposals

IV. To work to protect Kennington’s historical heritage and improve its amenities and environment

V. To work to promote the general health and well-being of its people

VI. To work with other groups and authorities, as appropriate, to these ends.

3. Membership: Membership shall be open to all residents of the Kennington area, to representatives of local businesses and to representatives of other constituted local groups with similar purposes. Each such group shall have the right to two nominated delegates at a General Meeting. Members will pay a subscription which will be determined annually by the Executive Committee. Membership shall lapse if a subscription is unpaid six months after it is due. No member shall have the power to vote at any meeting of the Association if his/her subscription is in arrears at the time. Junior membership is available to those aged between 14 and 18 at the time of subscription. All members shall accept the aims and abide by the current constitution and rules of the Association.

4. Organisation: An Executive Committee of up to twelve members, plus at least four officers, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The four officers shall be made up of a Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. These appointments shall be notified to the members. A quorum for the Committee shall be one-third of its members. The Committee shall have the power to co-opt members up to a maximum number of four and to declare members officers if it is seen to be necessary. Members who have missed three consecutive meetings may be asked to resign. The officers and members of the Committee shall normally be resident in Kennington, but the Committee shall have power to co-opt members from outside the area.

Each year one third of the Committee shall offer themselves for re-election. No committee member may serve continuously for more than six years. The Chair will normally retire after three years in office.

The Executive Committee may appoint other committees to undertake special tasks and report back to it. These committees may be either permanent or temporary. A member of the Executive Committee will normally chair any such committee and its existence and membership will be notified to the members. The Executive Committee will normally meet at least six times in any one year. Notice of at least one week will be given by the Secretary. In the event of a draw vote, the Chair shall have a casting vote.

5. Powers. The Association has the power to do anything lawful which is desirable or necessary to promote and achieve its objectives including the following:

I. To buy, take on lease, hire or otherwise acquire property, providing measures are taken to indemnify officers and members against liability or loss.

II. To establish or purchase a company limited by guarantee for the purpose of acquiring, purchasing or taking a lease of a property.

6. Meetings. An Annual General Meeting shall be held to receive the annual report and accounts and to elect officers and members of the Executive Committee. The Committee shall decide when to hold General Meetings of the Association and shall give at least 14 days notice of such meetings to all members.

Special General Meetings shall be held either at the request of the Executive Committee or at the written request of 25 members of the Association. Any 25 members personally present shall constitute a quorum of any General Meeting. Decisions made at General Meetings shall be carried by a simple majority of the members present.

7. Amendments. This Constitution may be amended by two-thirds majority of members present at a General Meeting of the Association, provided that 28 days’ notice of meeting and the amendment is given to all members.

8. Declaration of Interest. It shall be the duty of any member of the Executive Committee (or of any sub-committee) to declare any direct financial or other interest likely to be of concern to the Association, and also to declare any such interest at any General Meeting where it might affect any outcome.

9. Notice. Any notice required to be given by these rules shall be deemed to be duly given if left at, or sent by email or prepaid post to, the address which that member last notified to the Membership Secretary.

10. Dissolution: The Association may be dissolved by a two-thirds majority of the members present at an AGM or SGM of the Association confirmed by a simple majority of the members voting at a further SGM held not less than 14 days after the previous meeting. At dissolution the assets of the Association shall be distributed in a manner determined at the second SGM.

Owzat!: Front view showing the new sports pavilion in Lambeth, it will be home to Kennington United Cricket Cricket Club, but will also be available to other sporting groups.

Lambeth Life
www.lambeth.gov.uk
15 October 2008 • Page 20

Plans for new sports pavilion

SURREY County Cricket Club has unveiled plans for a new community sports pavilion in Lambeth – and this month residents will be able to get a closer look at the plans.
The club’s community team is helping local groups to raise the cash and push through plans for the pavilion, which will be used by the borough’s only league club – Kennington United Cricket Club. It will also be available community groups and local football teams and schools to use. The final plans could include a bar and kitchen facilities, a learning resource room that would provide
access to IT facilities, and a multi purpose function room.
The move is being backed by Lambeth Council and community groups the Kennington Association and Friends of Kennington Park.
Around 80 per cent of the £1 million needed for the pavilion could come from the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
George Foster, Corporate Responsibility and Fundraising Manager, at the Brit Oval said: “About six or seven years ago we realised that there was not a league cricket club in Lambeth so we helped the community set up Kennington United. They play in Kennington Park, but the changing rooms are not really up to it.
“A couple of years ago we realised there was this funding stream available from the ECB. Towards the end of this year we are hoping to put in a planning application with Lambeth Council and also apply for the funding.”
The aim is to have the pavilion available from summer 2010, but residents can get a closer look at the plans at a consultation day on 22 October at the Oval.
George said: “This project is at the heart of our community programme. We expect planning sign-off at some point next year but it’s important to involve the local people in a consultation process at this early stage.
“We want this pavilion to provide as much as possible for the community around Kennington Park, and that means it needs to be a lot more than just changing rooms and showers.”