THE CITY OF WINCHESTER TRUST LIMITED
REPORT OF THE COUNCIL AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED
31 MARCH 2003
Chairman's Report
One feature of this Report is that we have broken down the various concerns of the Trust into two categories: Projects and Activities. lt would be tempting to give a list of what we have done in the last twelve months in respect of each category and individual item. This would then relate to the period between April 2002 and March 2003. However as this Report's main purpose is to disclose the state of our finances as at 31.3.03 and the financial report and figures will not be read until October, l prefer to range over what we have done up to the present date.
The very nature of a voluntary body means that some of the things that we do will be in abeyance for some time and some will be current. One of the Activities to which we have returned this year is the Design Awards scheme. Following the retirement of Gill Collymore from the Council after a long period of very valuable work for the Trust, one of our members Alun Parry-Jones has agreed to organise the process of inviting applications from the designers of buildings in Winchester and the setting up of a panel of judges to select those worthy of an award or commendation. lt may be that winners will not have been announced by next year because the process will be careful and deliberate. Many of the past winners have regarded the accolade from the Trust as valuable and a recognition of their skills and care in design.
Some of the Projects are long term, such as the Winchester District Local Plan. The work done here is not high profile but of great importance. The Trust has examined in detail all the proposals for the new Plan and three of our Council members, Pat Edwards, Antony Skinner and Harvey Cole, have spent many hours listening to proposals and commenting in writing on what they have seen and heard.
Many of the Projects have not been activated for some considerable time, such as the hosting of Southern Comfort (the informal annual meeting of similar societies in the South). Others have been vigorously pursued during the year, such as trying to find a home for Roger Brown's model. At least the Trust cannot be accused of emulating Rip Van Winkle.
The last year has seen the Trust prominent in taking a stand on PPG3. In July we published a paper on the effect of PPG3 on Winchester. I have commented on it in the September edition of TrustNews. Its impact has been important and has resulted in the Trust being invited to participate in two seminars on the implementation of PPG3. l would like to thank specifically Ray Attfield, Michael Carden, and Antony Proudman for their hard work in producing this document. lt is the best example in the past year of a Project which has come to fulfilment. One other item in this category is the publication of a pamphlet about West Hill Cemetery written by Robin Merton. This is a fascinating piece of local history about an important part of the Winchester landscape. Copies will be on sale at the AGM.
ln May we held an open meeting for new members in the Heritage Centre. This was well attended and it is something which we hope to repeat next year because it gives new members an opportunity to see what we do and us an opportunity to ask new members if they can help in any of our activities. We are always looking for new volunteers.
This year lan Grant has retired as Treasurer but will make the report on last year’s accounts. He left office on March 31st but we shall be making further use of his skills. He has made a very substantial contribution to the financial control of the Trust and has been responsible, with our Secretary Rolly Thomas, for tidying up our membership records. l am very conscious of not having mentioned other Council members by name or their involvement in particular contributions to the Trust, but othem/ise this Chaim1an’s report would be too long. They have all been of influence and support during the last year. Those Council members who are standing for re-election are all of great value to the Trust and I urge you to vote for their continuing membership of the Trust Council.
Our speaker at the AGM this year is the eminent conservation architect Donald lnsall, who became a Vice-President of the Trust at the last AGM. He attended our meeting on the Trust's response to the City's Friarsgate Draft Brief in April and put forward some very helpful suggestions. Lord Ashburton K.G. has accepted our invitation to become a Vice President of the Trust. His unrivalled experience of finance and commerce could be of great value to us.
Finally l know; that some of our members take the view that we should be more pro-active and partisan over specific issues which are controversial such as a particular application which affects their neighbourhood. This is a view with which we can all sympathise. However the Trust considers that it is essential that the planning comments which it makes are unbiased and confined to the built character of Winchester as a whole. This does not prevent comment relating to the impact of a scheme or even of a specific building on its immediate environment, something which is frequently done. Our website does give our recent comments on new applications within the wards of Winchester. lt can be found at www.cityofvvinchestertrustco.uk. However we believe firmly that specific local issues are best addressed to local ward Councillors who have the political authority to air the views of their constituents within the City Council. It must be remembered that the Trust has no such authority and can only present arguments and offer advice.
On behalf of the Council
signed Roger Backhouse
Chairman
September 2003