Friends of Priory Park Warwick (FOPP) Open Meeting 21st July 2026

FRIENDS OF PRIORY PARK, WARWICK
OPEN MEETING 21^st JULY 2026

Attendees

Dave Skinner (Chair), Andy Stewart (Secretary), Trevor Day (Treasurer), Lesley Hall, Diane James, Amanda Hazelgrove, John Garrett, Jane Sault, Martin Rouse, Amy Hurst, Rob Eyre, Mary-Ann Baynes, Nic Ruch.

Welcomes
Dave welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending.

Apologies

Dulcie Mullis, Judith and Robin Christopherson, Johnathan Branson, John Holland, Lucie Cox, Jo Birbeck

Chair’s Report

Dave opened by saying that apart from the committee meeting held on the 12^th May, not a lot had happened since the AGM held on 24^th March. The main change is that Deb Merrick, our contact within the Warwick District Council (WDC) Green Spaces team, has gone on long term leave and we currently don’t know who Deb’s replacement will be. Dave mentioned that some of the long grass and the wild flower meadow have been cut. He also highlighted the rapid response by WDC in clearing the large branch that fell near the railway tunnel entrance to the park, with this having been cleared the first working day after notification.

(Chair’s addition post-meeting. The WDC Green Spaces team are looking to recruit someone for a year as a replacement for Deb Merrick. Until this replacement has been recruited, they are short in numbers in the team).

Treasurer’s Report

Trevor said that FOPP currently have just under £14,600 in our bank account with £170 having been paid recently for the group’s annual insurance. Trevor noted that the group was relatively cheap to run, with the only other annual outgoing being the funding to support the web site. Due to the amount that we have in the bank account, we haven’t used the remainder of the Town Council funding. Trevor mentioned the intention to move the bank account from Barclays to Virgin Money as this will allow us to have an interest generating deposit account. Virgin Money require sight of a signed copy of FOPPs constitution to progress this transfer.

FOPP Constitution Amendment

Although FOPP have a constitution which was created in 2021, a signed copy has never been created. Andy and Dave had previously reviewed the existing constitution and in the recent committee meeting had suggested the following amendments:

All references to ‘Management Committee’ changed to ‘Committee’.
In section 5, the requirement for a Vice-chairperson has been removed.
Section 6 has been amended to acknowledge that FOPP are intending moving to online banking.
Section 7 contained the phrase ‘The Committee shall be accountable for the members at all times’. This sounds impossible and so this phrase has been removed.
In section 8, the phrase ‘The quorum for Annual General Meeting shall be at least eight persons of which no more than three shall be committee members’ has been removed as it suggests that only three committee members would be allowed at an AGM.

The constitution, including these suggested amendments had been circulated to committee members prior to the committee meeting. This meeting agreed that the first four of these amendments should be accepted. After some discussion, it was also agreed that an amended version of the phrase in section 8 to read ‘The quorum for the AGM shall be at least eight persons, of whom a minimum of three shall be committee members’ should be used to replace the current wording concerning the required quorum.

The constitution requires that any amendments to it are ratified during an open meeting. Andy had provided copies of the amended constitution in case any members wished to review it. No-one did and the meeting approved the changes to the constitution. Dave, as Chair, signed the amended constitution. It was agreed that Andy would provide Trevor with a scanned copy of the signed version of the constitution so that he could progress the change in banking provider. (Secretary’s addition post-meeting. This last action was completed on the 22^nd July.)

Legacy Gift Update

At the AGM, members were asked for suggestions as to how the funds provided by this gift could be used beneficially. It was agreed that these suggestions would be discussed in more detail at the recent committee meeting. After the committee meeting, Johnathan had produced a matrix (included below) which summarized this discussion. Dave talked the meeting through the various suggestions and the FOPP committee’s response to each suggestion.

Suggested Areas	Local Authority Responsibility	Legacy Gift Funded	FOPP Member Time	Alternative Funding (future ambition)	Notes FOPPC = Friends of Priory Park Committee)
A donation to Priory Pools Community Centre fund			✔		FOPPC agreed that greater value could be achieved for Priory Pools Community Centre through partnership working and collaboration, rather than through a small standalone donation.
Cycle bollards	✔				FOPPC agreed that this option would be more appropriately delivered through the local authority’s existing responsibilities and remit.
A new large waste bin	✔				FOPPC agreed that this option would be more appropriately delivered through the local authority’s existing responsibilities and remit.
A new bench				✔	FOPPC agreed that there are currently no appropriate locations identified for a new bench. The committee also agreed it would be important to establish whether this reflected a specific wish of the benefactor by consulting the other parties referenced within the will.
One or more new trees				✔	FOPPC agreed that there are currently no suitable locations for additional trees. However, this could be revisited in future should sites become available through the removal of ageing or diseased trees.
Further historical investigations				✔	This was considered a popular option. However, FOPPC unanimously agreed that any future historical investigations should align with wider developments and initiatives, such as future anniversaries linked to the priory or the redevelopment of the Records Office.
Enhanced signage / map(s)	✔		✔		FOPPC is currently exploring potential content for new signage and intends to present proposals to WDC for feedback and consideration.
Improving drainage	✔				FOPPC agreed that this option would be more appropriately delivered through the local authority’s existing responsibilities and remit.
An audit of the varying types of wildlife at different times of the year in the park			✔		FOPPC discussed the potential to work collaboratively with local universities and colleges through student-led research or project opportunities.
Heritage restoration				✔	FOPPC discussed what heritage restoration might mean in practical terms. At present, there is no identified priority for landscape restoration works within the park, and further research and preparatory work would be required.
Updating the Priory Park leaflet / map			✔		FOPPC agreed to review and update the existing park leaflet/map with refreshed content and explore opportunities to increase its profile through Shakespeare’s England via WDC’s Arts Section.
Holding some of the funds in FOPP’s bank account for future ongoing charges					FOPPC agreed that there is no immediate urgency to allocate the legacy donation, and that interest accrued over time could potentially support smaller-scale future commissions or enhancements (such as tree carvings or similar features).

It was agreed that Dave will organise a future committee meeting where the committee will discuss how to progress those suggestions that will have input from FOPP members. This meeting will also discuss how to find a way, if possible, to progress some of the other suggestions.

There was some discussion about improvements to the entrances to the park from Priory Road and Priory Pools Path. Although such improvements have previously been discussed with Deb Merrick, as Deb is not currently available, Dave was unable to provide an update on these improvements. Nic suggested that previous requests to improve the entrances made several years ago may have stalled within the council.

Jane queried whether any of the legacy money could be used to improve the lower path in the park. However funding required for this work is well in excess of what FOPP would be able to provide. Amanda said that there aren’t any benches in this area of the park, but it was noted that this area is part of the heritage site so changing it would probably require permission from English Heritage. Diane said that any improvement work in the park that involved disturbance of the ground may require archaeological investigations during the work which would increase the cost of any such work.

Ewan asked why, although FOPP make sensible maintenance suggestions to the Green Spaces team, that this team don’t always act on these suggestions. Dave answered that the team use their technical and professional opinions on whether to proceed and that as usual, available funding is a key element in whether or not they can proceed. Also, the lack of a current contact in the Green Spaces team makes it difficult for FOPP to progress any suggestions for improvement

Amanda asked whether there was any intention for WDC to improve the lighting in the park, possibly with the sort of lighting in the small nature reserve at the edge of Tesco’s on the Emscote Road. Dave wondered whether enhanced lighting would be appropriate in the park and Lesley queried whether we should be encouraging people to use the park in the dark as this may lead to an increase in anti-social behaviour. Amada said that it was intended to have external lighting installed when the Priory Pools Community Centre is built. Dave mentioned that Priory Pools Path already had lighting and that it was possible that the path leading to the allotments may be improved when the Community Centre is built and if that were the case then lighting would probably be included with this improvement.

County Record Office (CRO) Update

Amy updated the meeting concerning the requirement for an increase in the archive storage for the CRO. This is required as it is expected that the current storage facilities will be full by 2029 and WCC are legally required to provide funding for long term storage for a variety of documents. The current proposal is for the CRO to remain at its current location, with a second storey being built over much of the current building. In association with the increase in storage it is also proposed to redevelop and revitalize the current site with it being branded as ‘Warwickshire’s Ark in the Park’. This redevelopment would involve linking the main CRO building to the Priory bungalow, with the bungalow being opened for public access as a gallery and possibly a café. However this re-development phase of the proposal will only be able to proceed if supported by funding from the National Lottery. The application to the National Lottery has been made and the response was neither ‘Yes’ nor ‘No’, as funding may be available but that the work proposed under the original application was considered too complex for one application. Their request was that a new application should be considered as a phase 1 and should consider only increases to the on-site archive storage. Funding for further enhancements to the CRO site would then be considered under a separate second phase. It may be that due to funding constraints, that this second phase would see the main CRO atrium and the bungalow linked by a floating walkway rather than an actual building. This walkway could run over the ruins of Priory House and the chapel. As ever, with any such changes to the park, agreement would need to be obtained from English Heritage.

Amy noted that if National Lottery funding isn’t available for the proposed enhancements to the current on-site storage, WCC haven’t agreed to fund these on-site enhancements, as providing an increase in available storage would likely be cheaper if this were at an off-site location.

There was some discussion concerning the proposed move to Warwickshire being governed by two Unitarian Councils but it was noted that the county borders would still remain as the split into two councils was purely for administration of the areas covered by each council.

Dave then mentioned the original AMIKARO plaque and wondered whether the CRO would be interested in it. Dave recently met someone called Tony Hemmings who is in possession of the original plaque. Tony queried whether FOPP would like this plaque and if so we were welcome to it. Lesley mentioned that three of the original AMIKARO trees had died and although the trees that were subsequently planted to replace these had the same botanical initial as those they were replacing, not all of them were the same species as those they were replacing, so the original plaque will be slightly out of date. This original plaque was replaced with one which also references the 1979 Jamboree, but this newer plaque doesn’t list the AMIKARO trees.

In the committee meeting, Johnathan suggested that if the plaque was in a suitable condition, then it could possibly be used in some way to commemorate in 2028 the sixtieth anniversary of the original Jamboree. As the original plaque appears to be made from either bronze or brass, Johnathan also raised concern for its safety if it were to be located in the park. Dave agreed to contact Tony to see if he knew which of these materials the plaque was made from. It was mentioned that maybe FOPP could fund a new plaque which references the original plaque, both Jamborees as well as the AMIKARO trees that are currently planted. This topic will be discussed further in the next committee meeting.

Q. & A.

Amanda asked Dave whether FOPP currently had any events planned in the park. Dave said no, but that he was aware that the Priory Pools Community Centre committee were intending holding a fund-raising bat walk.

Lesley said that she would like to organise a working party to rake and remove the rest of the cut material from the wildflower meadow. Dave queried how soon this needs to be done and Lesley answered that if would be best if it was removed before any rain came along, but that she was away for the next week. Lesley suggested early August for this working party and that she would see if she could borrow any rakes from Hinton’s Nursery. A date and time of Saturday 8^th August at 10:00am was agreed for this and Dave, Lesley and Jane said they would be happy to volunteer for this.

Lesley also commented that the wild flower meadow was a little disappointing this year, but that was probably down to the very wet start to the year and the excessive heat that we have been experiencing recently.

Nic mentioned that the murals near the railway tunnel were getting obscured by brambles. Tim from Brink Contemporary Arts, who created the murals, had previously said that some greenery around the murals can enhance them, but it is thought the current growth is excessive and possibly dangerous. Dave said that he would attempt to resolve this issue. Ewan said that ARC CIC may be able to assist with this work.

A.O.B

The time and date of the next Open Meeting was agreed as 7pm on Tuesday 20^th October 2026 with the location being as usual the Wild Boar, Lakin Road. This date is subject to confirmation from The Wild Boar.

Dave again thanked everyone for their attendance and then closed the meeting.