Menai (chairwoman) opened the meeting at 10.00 am. There were 22 members present.

1. Our next Outing. Suggestions were requested for our next coach outing. These varied from Weston-S-Mare to St Fagan's, Bridgenorth, Ironbridge and others. After much discussion it was agreed that all the suggestions should be listed and members could tick those which interested them.
This will be done.

2. Garden Party. Proposed by Harry Williams, seconded by Jim
McConnell, that a garden party be held in Southgate Court gardens,
starting at 1.00 pm on 14 Sep 2002. All vegetables, bread etc will be
provided and fires will be lit to cook whatever meat dishes residents wish to bring. A vote was called for and the result was a vast majority in favour.

3. Common Room Improvements. There was much discussion over the future use of our Common Room, it's facilities, possibilities, and the ways that we may improve it for ourselves. Secretary is submitting a bid for a grant from South Wye and proposed that a vote be taken to ensure that this was what a majority of tenants wished to happen. Secretary said he would provide all tenants with a copy of the bid so that they understood what we were asking for. He proposed that the bid go forward, it was seconded by Bill Owen. A vote was taken and it was unanimously in favour of the improvements.

4. Our funds. Chairwoman pointed out that we have not had our grant from the Council for setting up the group initially, and that we were overdue for our first year's top-up grant. Secretary hoped that these minutes would serve to jog the Council's memory.

Maggie told us that we have £742 in funds in the bank and in cash. She said that Christmas would be a big expense to meet, but not a problem.
Bill Owen suggested that the odd few pounds each week from our fund-raising could be well-spent on a few lucky dip lottery tickets. Harry Williams pointed out the dangers of doing lucky dips. He said that we should have the same numbers each week, so that anyone could have the fun of checking our winnings, and whoever held the tickets could not be accused of fraud if their own numbers came up winners. It became clear that we must draw up a set of rules agreed by all before we can start this, especially as regards to any winnings. Proposed by Jim McConnell and seconded by Harry Williams, that five pounds a week be spent from our lottery funds to purchase five lines on the main lotto, using the same numbers each week. The vote was unanimously in favour of the proposition. (Note: We shall discuss the exact terms to be agreed on Tue 27 Aug at 10.00 am in the Common Room.)

5. Friday Meeting costs. Secretary pointed out that our cakes at the Friday afternoon meetings had been provided by the Warden at her own expense. All agreed that this must stop and that our funds must cover these expenses. It was noted by all that these meetings were a successful part of our social life.

6. The Greenhouse. Eileen told us the story so far on the greenhouse. It seemed best to most people if we took no action on the matter until later in the year when the new company is in power and things might have changed.

7. The issue of the garden at Belmont Square seems to have been solved.

8. Lotto. There was a question of whether members wanted to change their weekly lotto numbers after six months, or a year, or two years. There seemed no interest from anyone in changing numbers at all.

9. There being no further business, the meeting closed at 11.30 am.
(Menai Roberts) Chairwoman

Distribution:
Head of Special Services - Garrick House
Mrs N. Gough - Garrick House
Eddie Clark - Garrick House
Richard Hancock - Mortimer House - May cheque for start-up and top-up Grants be made payable to Southgate Court Residents' Fund.

Chair of Herefordshire Tenants Federation