Present: Peter Fry, David Meade, Malcolm Still, Justin Bettey, Rick Bayne

Apologies: Ian Hammerton, Doug Hawkes, Peter Onley.

The group decided that due to lack of interest and enthusiasm over the last few months for various reasons that this meeting should be used as fresh start. The main aim was to have a brainstorming session and hopefully come out with some actions including where the group is going, its aims and objectives and how it should achieve this.

Allotment project:

MS & PF presented their idea of turning part of the allotment site at Tredegar Road into a nature reserve. The idea would be that it would be used as an education site as well. The group thought that this was an excellent idea and RB said that the North West Kent Countryside Project was involved with similar projects and that an allotment in Aylesford was undertaking a similar project. Within this project surveying & cataloguing the allotment site would be undertaken with regards to Biodiversity

Action: MS & PF to detail the project aim and send to JB for inclusion in a Borough News article.

Historic Data:

MS mentioned that he had discovered a detailed document with regards to BD in the Borough. He thought this maybe of use to the group at some stage. RB also added to this that the NWKCP has documents on roadside/kerbside BD.

Biodiversity Group Name:

The group agreed that to many parts of the community the word "Biodiversity" is not understood and that it may not be the best phrase to use when trying to get people involved.

Therefore a more user friendly type of name might be considered e.g "The Nature & Wildlife group". It was agreed not to completely drop the BD name

Action: ALL to consider different names for the BD group when trying to promote it within the community

Borough News article:

To try and re-launch the group it was agreed that the allotment/nature reserve project should be promoted in the Borough News. Along with this other related items should be included such as explanation of what BD is, why it is important, what people can do at home, encourage them to come to the next meeting & the aims of the group

Action: MS & PF: To supply article on the nature reserve project to JB.

ALL: To think of other articles that could go in the Borough News and supply to JB prior to next meeting

JB: To put the article together once the information has been collated from the group.

Group Aims & Objectives:

It was agreed that the aims & objectives of the group need to be re-assessed and maybe made less formal/technical.

Action: DM to bring the aims & objectives of the BD group to the next meeting for the group to consider amending

Invitees to the next meeting:

To try and get a more diverse interest in the group various individuals/groups need to be approached. One method will be via the Borough News article.

Action: JB To recover the invitee list from the original group and discuss at next meeting

ALL To send to JB any names of groups/individuals who should be invited

Group Chair:

To be agreed at the next meeting

AOB:

None

Next Meeting:

29th November 7:00

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