SACC AGM 2015

Chairs report

The chair reflected on the work undertaken during the year including the Fete stand, the tea and cake afternoon and the visit by Natalie Bennett of the Green Party. The chair thanked everyone for their efforts during the year despite the inexplicable drop in priority that has occurred in the last 6 months from Westminster.

Looking forward, the chair made clear that the need to decarbonise was ever more pressing and commended people to the task. The chair talked of an important few months ahead organising a public showing of the film “This Changes Everything” and organising of coaches to the London demonstration ahead of the Paris climate change negotiations in December.

Grant applications to the SACC community grant fund

This year SACC have received 7 grant applications totalling £19, 209.32

Application 1: Sports Club carbon reduction initiatives(granted £809.32)

The range of measures given in the application were considered appropriate to receive match funding and SACC supports the use of compostable cups over single-use plastic cups wherever possible.

Application 2:Decarbonising Bellbrook Farm (granted £1,500.00)

SACC believes that micro generation is one of the key solutions to more sustainable energy.

Application 3: Snitterfield Stores LED Lighting (granted £300)

SACC were pleased to receive an application from the village stores and believe that, over the longer term, there is significantly more that can be done to reduce the energy consumed by the Store by working together.

Application 4: Dual Flush Toilets (Village Hall)(granted £0)

SACC recognise the need to reduce water consumption but felt it was not appropriate to approve a grant covering the toilet in its entirety when the dual flush function is manifested in the cistern. In due course SACC would be delighted in assisting with the dual flush cistern part of the project.

Application 5: Porch on village hall (granted £1000)

The SACC committee considered the addition of a porch to the front of the village hall to be a 80 or this reason the grant offering is greater than that requested. If must be understood, however, that the porch must be designed in such a way that an ‘air lock’ is created between the existing front door and the door to the porch. SACC would be delighted to appoint a member to be seconded on to the team tasked with delivering the porch project.

Application 6: Safe Routes To School (granted £300)

The committee recognises the importance of encouraging children getting to school with using a car and that not using the car has been shown to foster positive habits on car use in later life. There was concern, however, that the link between this application and SACC’s terms-of-reference was a little tenuous, hence the conclusion to match fund rather than fully fund this application.

Application 7: Forest School Extension (Snitterfield village School) (granted £500)

The committee considered that the issue of climate change is more actively addressed once we have understood our position as just one of many millions of different animal species that share this planet. Forest School is an ideal approach to enable our children to have this context and understanding.