Hazelhurst CSA Committee 2009-11-11

Hazelhurst CSA > Co-operative Committee > Committeee Meeting 11th November 2009

This was the first meeting of the Committee following on from the disillusion of the Heeley-Meersbrook CSA Steering Group, the members of the Committee were agreed at the public meeting held on the 2nd November 2009, see the notes: File:CSA public meeting 2 20091102.doc.

Mark Simmonds from Co-operatives^UK produced a mind map following this meeting.

The notes from the meeting were posted to the list by Alison, following is a wiki version of the meeting notes.

Notes

• In attendance (Directors): Alison, Chris, Gareth, Heather, Kerri, Marion, Ronin, Yvonne
• In attendance (invited): Craig (facilitator), Mark Simmonds (Cooperatives UK)
• Apologies: None

1. Introductory Business

Mark requested and was given a list of attendees and their postcodes, to substantiate his work in supporting the group.

2. Catch-Up

A Reflection on Each Person’s Perspective of the Recent Public Meeting and Decisions facing the Group

Each member of the Group provided some feedback on their own perspective of the public meeting held on 2 November 2009, where some differences of opinion on the ways in which the CSA could be taken forward were expressed.

The following is a brief summary of the comments made.

Chris

• consensus decision making process needs to be better understood
• Seeds For Change could be invited to run training session in this area
• working groups could be more inclusive, e.g. David G. offer appeared to be rejected at the meeting.

Gareth

• gave a narrative of some of the context to the proposals made at the public meeting, following the last steering group meeting on 28 October 2009
• this included conference on business planning, the meeting of the Alternative Food Group, Transition events, etc.

Heather

• highlighted the importance of an inclusive and consensus-based decision-making process, as the whole group needs to be on board – how things are done is important as well as what gets done
• expressed caution about rushing into things
• on reflection, the public meeting should have focused on the key questions rather than answers.

Ronin

• expressed the view that the decisions made at the public meeting were based on consensus
• also indicated that David's offer for water/solar working group was not rejected, rather that a different focus based on the wider permaculture approach was proposed.

Kerri

• relationships are central to working effectively
• we should be tackling the issues that exist and also taking care of each other
• working with a group that is so committed and enthusiastic is a positive thing.

Yvonne

• to the ‘casual observer’, the public meeting appeared to be very productive
• echoing Kerri’s point that relationships are key to success
• it’s important to nurture that.

Marion

• has a more practical focus
• is prepared to wait for the outcome of discussions.

Alison

• clarified that the last steering group meeting on 28 October 2009 had discussed the Sheffield Food Co-operative proposal, and had agreed to put it forward as a recommendation to the public meeting on 2 November 2009
• on reflection, knowing that the public meeting followed the steering group meeting so rapidly may have led to a sort of conveyor-belt decision-making, where a decision on a recommendation was rushed because it felt inevitable that one was required.

3. Next Steps

It was agreed that the following issues were the key matters to consider and resolve:

• a review of the aims and objectives, the name of the organisation, and (fundamentally) clarification of what we’re Directors of
• processes for group working
• how decision-making might be facilitated (Seeds of Change training was proposed)
• team building.

It was agreed that the next meeting would focus particularly on the aims and objectives, the name, the role of the organisation, and the process for decision-making.

Following those discussions at the Group’s next meeting, it was recognised that a further public meeting would be required, to ensure the community has a further opportunity to express its views on the way forward for the CSA.

ACTIONS

• Gareth to provide a first draft outlining the possible structure, etc. to use as a starting point for discussion at the meeting
• All others to consider their positions on the issues raised, and to share their thoughts prior to the meeting
• Chris to circulate the various versions of aims and objectives
• Chris to set up a new email circulation list, to ensure our discussions are visible.

Mark agreed to send through some of his thoughts on the ways forward, on the basis of what he had heard in the meeting.

4. Date of Next Meeting

• Sunday 22 November 2009, 2000 – 2200
• At Gareth’s house
• Kerri to facilitate

Next meeting: Hazelhurst CSA Committee 2009-11-22