30th July 2017

Dear Grove Fields Residents Association (GFRA) member.

Please find below the first update from the GFRA Committee. The headlines are provided first and if you would like more detail then scroll down to the appropriate section.

  1. The application for a fence around the Grove Fields was rejected on the 19thApril
  2. A Committee was elected at the first GFRA meeting on the 11thMay
  3. The Committee approved the Constitution for GFRA on the 24thMay
  4. A Facebook page, website and email address have been set up for GFRA
  5. A membership process and register has been established
  6. A bank account with Metro Bank has been set up
  7. One thousand leaflets have been delivered to all the houses in scope of GFRA
  8. We have raised a Freedom of Information complaint with the Commissioner
  9. GFRA are a formal consultation body for the single plan development in the Autumn
  10. What NEXT - contacting politicians, fund raising and growing the membership.

 

  1. The application for a fence around the Grove Fields was rejected on the 19thApril

The planning application by RELX to construct a 2.5 metre fence on the boundary of Grove Fields was rejected by Tring Town and Dacorum Councils. It should be noted that RELX can construct a 2 metre fence on the boundary, under permitted development, at any time. We believe the fence application by RELX was an attempt to test the level of local resistance in preparation for housing development.

     2. A Committee was elected at the first GFRA meeting on the 11th May

Over 40 residents attended the first meeting of GFRA to agree how they would like to proceed with fighting to preserve the Grove Fields as green belt land. It was agreed at this meeting that a Constitution should be developed to outline the objectives of GFRA, click on the link for further detail: www.grovefieldsresidents.com/CONSTITUTION.php.

A Committee was elected at this meeting, click on the link for further detail: www.grovefieldsresidents.com/The-Grove-Fields-Residents-Association-Committee.php .

     3. The Committee approved the Constitution for GFRA on the 24th May

The six members of the Committee met on the 24th May to finalise the Constitution. The elected Treasurer, Chairman and Secretary have all signed the Constitution in order to approve it.

     4.  A Facebook page, website and email address have been set up for GFRA

In order to keep members informed, and to ensure members can raise questions to the Committee a Facebook group (only for members): www.facebook.com/groups/1422643161152802/ , a website: www.grovefieldsresidents.com/ and email address: grovefields@virginmedia.com have been set up. Hopefully, one of these methods for keeping in touch will work for you?

      5.  A membership process and register has been established

If you are receiving this email then you have successfully registered as a member of GFRA. As of the 30th July, 2017 we had registered 226 members. As a Committee we have set a target of 1,000 members. The more members we have the bigger our voice will be when we put our case to Council officers and politicians.

      6.  A bank account with Metro Bank has been set up

In order to prepare the GFRA for the fight to preserve the Grove Field as green belt the Committee decided we should open a bank account. The bank account will enable GFRA to raise funds in a way that ensures the memberships funds are managed and protected in a professional manner.

      7.  One thousand leaflets have been delivered to all the houses in scope of GFRA

To grow the membership we have produced another 1,000 leaflets that have been delivered to all the houses within scope of the GFRA . We have invested a significant amount of time delivering these leaflets already but with your help we would like to grow the membership. Please view the leaflet and/or print a copy of the leaflet to share with neighbours and friends (attached).

     8.  We have raised a Freedom of Information complaint with the Commissioner

We believe RELX has been provided information i.e. the findings of the green belt review, before it has be made publicly available. We believe this disadvantages GFRA and we have raised a complaint with Dacorum Borough Council which has now passed on to the Central Government Information Commissioners Office to be resolved.

      9.  GFRA are a formal consultation body for the single plan development in the Autumn

In the autumn, Dacorum will publish an "Issues and Options" paper that will identify how many new houses Tring must develop in the next 20 years and which parcels of land are being considered. The reason we have established a formal residents association with a constitution and an elected Committee is because this ensures we are a consultation body with a voice.

     10.  What NEXT - contacting politicians, fund raising and growing the membership.

We are contacting local councillors and our MP with the GFRA case as to why Tring cannot accommodate more housing and why Grove Field is not the right option should housing development have to happen. We would like any and all of your ideas to strengthen our case, so please get in touch.

As previously mentioned we have set up a bank account and will be looking to deliver fund raising activities in the autumn. The Committee thinks we may need funds to secure professional advice regarding planning, the green belt, soil surveys and wildlife surveys. Please get in touch if you would like to make a donation or have any ideas for fund raising.

To reach our target membership of 1,000 members we need YOUR help. Please share the grovefields@virginmedia.com email address with your neighbours and friends in Tring. All they need to do is email this address to register!

Thank you for caring

The GFRA Committee.

30th July, 2017.

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