Minutes of the Conservation meeting of
2018-07-24 at 19:00 in “The Stocks”

[These minutes were last modified on 2018-07-24, and were distributed by email and printed out for the meeting of 2018-25.]

A. CHAIR: Mr. Roger Tordoff (RT) chaired this meeting.

B. ATTENDANCE: KM, JP, SP, YR, JK attended the meeting.

C. APOLOGIES: BS, LS, AR, MM sent apologies.

1. LOGGING: The possibility of our monitoring increases and decreases in the number of trees in Ecclesfield, traffic counts, and air pollution were discussed. However, following articles in “The Star” about the processing of Fracking waste at Starnhill Close, reports to our group by KM, our receipt of a copy of some of the environmental permits for the site, and our attendance at the Inquiry for exploratory drilling at Marsh Lane, the greatest concerns expressed were those about possible radioactive contamination in Blackburn Brook.

DECISION: To take a baseline measurement of the radiation in the adjacent Blackburn and Whitley Brooks. RT volunteered to witness the measurements when the weather was a little cooler. It was agreed that in the meantime, we should contact FCC Environmental the firm doing the work. [If anybody wants to help, just let me know. Some of the things which it occurs to me might help are i) Permissions to access more points along the stream ii) A way of checking the calibration of my Geiger counter iii) Solution to problems of differences in flow, iv) timing of any discharge etc. v) Someone to take fish (or shrimps?) from the stream, so that we can check for any concentration of radioactive materials that might be occurring. ]

2. GALA: YR, JP, KM, and RT agreed to help erect our gazebo at the Ecclesfield Gala on 2^nd September. Members were interested in promoting YR’s genealogy research on Ecclesfield’s World War 1 dead, planning and green belt problems, and our industrial heritage leaflets. JP agreed to design and print some leaflets, and bring along his Geiger counter and air pollution monitor.

X. PLANNING: We received an email from AR just before the meeting describing developments that may affect the Green Belt between Whitely Lane and Chapeltown Road. From the email, which was read out in the meeting, it seemed that Sheffield City Council are about to release a new “draft local plan”, which may increase the stock of housing land. At the same time, AR reported that an estate agent had visited the area to assess it for housing. [See also the subsequent front-page article in Sheffield Telegraph July 26th]

DECISION: Since we have no August meeting scheduled, we decided that if any new “local plan”, appeared to need quick action, then we could call an exceptional meeting. If a new planning application appeared for the land between Whitely Lane and Chapeltown Road, and required quick action, we could either call an exceptional meeting or register our opposition and organise in the usual way.

Y. COMMUNICATIONS RECEIVED:

KM Kindly agreed to look further into the email we received about the bracelet engraved with a Chapeltown Address, and possibly lost in Holland during WW2.