Steering Group 3rd March 2007 at Levenshulme Library

1. Plans for Saturday 10th March

(a) Media release text will be finalised and Tracy (BGRA) and Nicola (DNG) will co-ordinate distribution. Tracy is willing to be a contact for the concerns of residents, and Charlotte will cover threat to social facilities. We need to take our own photographs of the event and make them available to press if their own photographers are not present (Ian, BGRA).

(b) Jamie (DNG) will lead on preparing main banner ‘Who’s Looking After Levenshulme’, but we also need the residents associations to prepare individual signs/banners. We will also design and have printed stickers with the ‘Who’s Looking After Levenshulme’ slogan (Ian, BGRA)

(c) On Saturday it was suggested that we need contact people to handle briefing and ‘hosting’ MP and councillors (Tracy: to be confirmed) and media (Tracy and Charlotte).

(d) On Saturday we will have a flipchart and paper and encourage local people to add their suggestions for campaign priorities (David, BGRA). We will also have more flyers for the 14th March meeting (David and Charlotte), and will continue the petitioning.

(e) On Saturday members of FARA will bring their food tins with slogans, and anything else they can rustle up for the protest.

2. 14th March consultation meeting at St Peter’s Church

(a) David (BGRA) will speak to Les Ireland, Levenshulme Community Association, about how the meeting will be chaired and the expectations of the City Council people in terms of any presentations they plan to make.

(b) Charlotte will co-ordinate a contact sheet for people present, to make sure that we have details of people who want to know more about future activities and campaigning.

3. Future activity

(a) We need to make a formal submission by the April deadline about the South Manchester Strategic Regeneration Framework. It was agreed to meet again on Saturday 17th March at 2pm at the Library, both to give first thought to the formal submission, and to review the outcomes of the 10th and 14th March. Malcolm (BGRA) will identify relevant dates for City Council meetings or other regeneration meetings in coming months.

(b) We will set a date for completing the petition and securing a target number of signatures. The petition will be another opportunity to gain media coverage, with people going to the Town Hall to present the petition.

(c) There was a discussion of funding for the campaign. So far we have received some support from the traders for printing of leaflets, and some costs have been met by DNG. It was agreed that whilst funding will need to be discussed in future we should not make a collection on 10th March. Some individuals are prepared to make small donations to meet immediate costs.