The Future - Trust Annual Report 1985
Our membership increases and our stature grows thanks to that membership. There is at present much to concern us in the M3 extension and the Winchester Area Local Plan, to name but two major projects. We must not, however, allow these important issues to cloud our ability to respond to future needs in whatever form they may appear. In my personal view, the most exciting and potentially most dangerous matter of the Immediate future is what is to become of the Peninsular Barracks site. We have already been in touch with both County and City expressing our interest and we will watch developments with care on your behalf.
Good lines of communication are critically important, both internally and externally. The Council often feel that perhaps many members do not fully understand the policies that we are called upon to express on your behalf. To assist with this understanding, a series of Discussion Papers is to be published. The first document, on Offices, is already available, and another on the subject of Tourism should be ready shortly. I hope that this project will become a regular part of our work. External communications with the County and City authorities and with other like-minded groups as ourselves are particularly important. I hope that we will continue to examine every opportunity in this area and perhaps consideration might be given to the appointment of liaison officers. Immediately before the Annual General Meeting, members of Council will be meeting with representatives of the City Planning Department. There is much for us to discuss and I would like to think of this meeting as the first of a regular attempt to meet with the Authorities to consider our mutual concerns and hopes. As I have already said, the Trust's voice is strong and respected. It is our reasonable duty to represent our members' views faithfully in a bal¬anced and constructive manner. This does not mean, however, that we should stand back from being controversial if circumstances demand.