WYCOMBE FOR FAIRTRADE
Minutes of meeting: 26th February 2013
Micklefield Library, Micklefield Road
Those present:
Amy Ellingham Bob Smith
Mike King Sheila Stevenson
Sheena King Tony Thornby
Matt Knight
Sarah Moroz
MK – pointed out that it had taken until mid-Feb to get a reply from the council re: the petition.
SM – gave account of the meeting at the Environment Centre on February 13th (SK/BS/MS/SM attended). Emma from the Wycombe Food Co-op was there, as well as people from the Transition Town group and Vidya from Local Roots. A film was shown about the Transition Town movement. It was useful for helping us to build connections.
MKn – has said to council that all we want to do is present our case to them. Now an opportunity has arisen to put a question to full council on Thursday (28th Feb). We can then put a follow-up question which council will not see beforehand.
MKn – has also tabled another question on the same evening
re: petitions in general. High Wycombe Town Committee should be having a meeting at the end of next week but it has been cancelled. Matt and Trevor Snaith are trying to get it re-instated. However, Matt has been told that we will definitely be on the agenda for their next meeting.
MKn – a precedent has been set in the last year for the Town Committee to have recommended an issue, Cabinet refuse it, then for it to pass to the Improvement and Review Committee, then it being appealed and got through council.
Steve Cohen is very in favour of having a Town Council for Wycombe.
We need to decide on our follow-up question to council.
MKn – suggests we hold up our folder and say ‘could we have the opportunity to put our case to council?’.
MK – read out the first question, which has been tabled. On Thursday, council may summarise the answer that Hugh McCarthy has already given or even just say that it has already been published.
MKn – need to point out that we haven’t been listened to.
SM – Hugh McCarthy refers to the previous Town Committee decision in Jan 2009. This committee no longer exists and we have waited the required time (2 years) before approaching council again.
AE – we could say that we are concerned that a decision has not been made on the basis of an understanding of the issues involved and that we would like the opportunity to make our case.
MKn – suggests we send e-mails to our local councillors prior to Thursday.
AE – suggests sending info to the Bucks Free Press, giving a time-line of events for our group and she could provide info on what has been happening re: Fairtrade nationally and internationally during this time, which contrasts with the stance of the council – showing that we are behind the times in Wycombe.
MK – we need to make the point that it is an apolitical issue.
There was a discussion about what should happen next with the steering group.
SS – need to wait until after Thursday
SM – feels it is still important to promote Fairtrade in Wycombe, whatever the council decide. Could also invite someone from the Witney group to a future meeting.
MK – or we could go to one of their meetings.
AE – suggests that we hold an event to coincide with World Fair Trade Day (Saturday May 11th 2013). Perhaps a debate at the University?
Next meeting: Tuesday March 12th, Micklefield Library