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DraftNotes25Jul1988

Page history last edited by R H Johnston 15 years, 5 months ago

[Original file, reformatted]

DRAFT FOR COMMENTS _ by 12 August 1988, please

                            Yateley Society

       Notes of Extraordinary Executive Committee Meeting 25.7.88

                    Future Priorities and Programme

Present: Richard Johnston, Tony Hocking, Charles Craven, Debra Reading, Geoff Hoare, Michael Holroyd, Malcolm Pope, Irene Draper, Valerie Kerslake(part), Jill Howell (visitor). Apologies: Margaret Taylor, Diana Healey.

These notes draw from the discussion but are not limited to it.

                         The Present Situation

    There was general agreement that, particularly in view of our charitable status, we  should be not be political, nor stray from the objectives in our Constitution:

     1) To educate the public in the geography, history, natural history and architecture of the area;

     2) To secure the preservation, protection, development & improvement of features of historic or public interest;

     3) To promote high standards of planning & architecture in the area.

    The present activities of the Society could all be justified in terms of the Constitutional objectives.  Apart from holding meetings, the work of the Society broadly divides into three main aspects, which have differing levels of effectiveness:

     a) Gathering information on Yateley Natural History/ History/ Conservation, using outside assistance if necessary.  This side of the Society's work was reasonably well supported, and was valuable in supporting (b) below, but could be more valuable if it led to publications.

     b) Liaison with the Local Authorities about conservation and planning matters, commons, footpaths etc.  There was some concern that at least some of this work was not particularly fruitful.  This might be inherent to the activity, but might also be due to insufficient follow up of the right kind.

     c) Active involvement in Conservation work, and pressure group activity to obtain new amenities.  This area has always languished for lack of manpower.

    The objectives specified in the Constitution are difficult to apply to a suburban area such as ours.  The Society does not have a single coherent clearcut identity or singleness of purpose: our interests are divided because there is no clear town centre or other focus, the built environment appears mostly modern, and the Common is unusually important.  The Common poses almost unique legal problems, quite apart from the unpalatable fact that maintenance of a heathland habitat requires a sustained input of hard work.

     It is difficult to do so many different things well, and to mobilise members into doing any single activity.  The reasons why people join the Society and their interests are very varied.  There are relatively few activists in any particular area of activity, perhaps because activists are likely to prefer to join a Society with narrower and more specific aims.   Membership is falling.  A very large proportion of the membership never attend Society meetings, but appear to be members simply on the basis that they think the Society is "a good thing".

    The lack of a coherent purpose also makes it difficult for the Society to project a clear image of itself either to members or outsiders, and to distinguish itself from other local groups such as the Residents Association.  The Yateley Society has a rather narrow "intellectual" reputation with outsiders, which it does not appear able to transcend.

                           The Future Policy

    There was general agreement that change is needed.  Opinion apparently divided between those who wished to see the Society take a more definite campaigning role, and those who saw motivation of the existing membership as the main priority on the grounds that nothing more could be achieved without more committed manpower.  The clear need for additional active manpower, and the need to encourage an active membership committed to fulfilment of the Society's objectives suggest that the two approaches need to be taken together in a mutually supportive two-pronged attack.

Expansion of the active membership

    The active members of the Society are already fully committed.  Maintenance of our existing commitments, and any expansion of our activities requires more active manpower.  The educational side of the Society's activities is important for motivating existing members to action, and encouraging new members to join.  Any changes in the nature of the Society will have to be gradual. 

    Having our own premises is attractive because it could give a place to present ourselves and to put ourselves on the map, but might become an end in itself.  Financial constraints make this unlikely to be feasible at present.

Requirement for Campaigning

    The kind of people the Society attracts depends on the image it presents, and what it appears to be doing.  If it appears intellectual or to be for those who want to come and sit and learn, it will attract that sort of people.  But such people are unlikely to be activists.  Activists are more likely to be attracted by a Society which is seen to be taking action.

    Motivation for Campaigns, and the emergence of leaders, is more readily forthcoming if there is a well defined  threat.  The threats here are piecemeal and diffuse, and we do not rate the probability of success very high.

    Whatever new activists were attracted, in the short term the responsibility for leading the campaigns rests on the existing members of the Executive, since this sort of job is unsuitable for novices or newcomers.

    The main difficulty here is whether the present Executive members are sufficiently motivated and capable of mounting and maintaining a concerted campaign.  (It would be foolish to start if we cannot be reasonably certain of carrying it through.)  The doubt arises because if we were by nature  campaigners we would probably have already started.   If a Campaign is to be mounted, we will have to concentrate on something very definite with strong and unequivocal popular support.

(NB  It is likely that we will tend to lose to other spheres the most activist of our members.  This is because there are other arenas in which activists are likely to see greater return for their efforts (eg Local Councils etc)  (This seems the most likely reason for the decline of the Resident's Association - their activists became Councillors and were inevitably lost from "active service" - Yateley Society has had the same problem with Edward Dawson and Ted Brooks.))

       Possible actions to improve the activity of the membership

1)      Membership drive.

     Try and obtain members with specific professional skills

     Better communications between Executive and members in newsletter. 

     Encourage members to do one-off activities.

     Question existing members on their inactivity.

     Produce leaflet outlining our activities.

2)     Possible monthly meeting, perhaps at Yateley Centre bar, to talk about anything concerning Yateley, so people have the opportunity to talk about what they would like to see improved or done in Yateley.

3)     The Society does  not have a sufficiently high profile.

     Need more visible, popular friendly image. 

     More publicity in the local Press and elsewhere for the Society's activities, both to encourage those within the Society and to impact the outside world. 

     Possibly make a general presentation of our activities for members and outsiders. 

4)     Produce a annual booklet with historical or natural history etc material about Yateley.

     We need to publish booklets using the material already researched.  (These will generate publicity as well.  If we have the image of being "intellectual", we should exploit it, and get more help in that area.)

5)     In conjunction with our usual group meetings, invite the right people to speak who will encourage enthusiasm.

                      Possible Campaigning Actions

1)      Councils, etc  may take more notice of us:

     a)  in areas where we are perceived to have expert knowledge;

     b)  if we appear to be representing in a coherent way a constituency they perceive to be important.

     Need more active involvement with Council Officers and Councillors.

2)     We should be a "think-tank" to generate new ideas and new ways of tackling the problems. 

3)     In spite of the difficulties the watchdog role should not be abandoned, but we should perhaps be more selective.  It should be formalised, perhaps with district inspectors

4)     Possible Campaigns. Take 1 or 2 main areas likely to get strong public support and really press for action on them:

     Go-Kart Track,

     Blackbushe airport, land exchange etc

     Centre for Natural History.

     Footpaths to Sandhurst

     Amenities and other facilities not yet available in Yateley

     Blackwater Valley Improvements

5)      To run campaigns, we need first to form a subcommittee on the specific topic (eg the Common) using those people known to be knowledgeable and committed in these areas, possibly even including non-members.

     The subcommittee will consider the feasibility of the Campaign, and if it appears suitable, a open public meeting would be held in order to gauge the level of popular support before the Society finally committed itself.

6)     Relations with Residents Association need to be defined.  Although there is an overlap, the Residents' Association has different, and rather more definitely political aims, more contact with Councillors,, and is less concerned with aesthetics.

 

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