Sixteen people came to a meeting of the steering group, which was held on Thursday 23^rd April 2009 in the Town Hall and lasted just over two hours.  

It was agreed that it was impractical to put a draft agenda on the website forum but that the forum page was a useful location for open discussion.

The company has been incorporated and the application for charitable status begun.   Directors and members will be needed.

A possible candidate for the role of treasurer will be approached.

The legal requirements for official letterheading was discussed.

There still isn’t enough activity on the website and all members were urged to get involved.   The possibility of a monthly email newsletter was discussed but no decision made.   Associated groups will be encouraged to use the calendar.  

A presentation was given by the Town Hall Redevelopment Project Manager.

Two members of the group will attend a DA21 organised TT training day in Dorchester on 2-3^rd May.

A team of volunteers came forward to take on the task of organising an open logo competition.   This will be done as quickly as possible so the result can be announced at the end of awareness week.   The library has been approached regarding exhibition space.

It was agreed to move the start time of the Green Drink to 8.00pm.

Plans are progressing for the Green Wheels day.   Advertising of the event has started.   It was agreed to register it as an event in ‘Bike Week’ as this provides free public liability insurance and access to promotional items.

Plans are ongoing for ‘awareness week’.

A funding application has been made for £1000 for display boards and posters.  

Tickets for Vin Garbutt are selling well.   Volunteers came forward to act as stewards and the possibility of a raffle was discussed but nobody volunteered to organise it.

The proposed submission to the Sustainable Communities Act received a positive response following circulation of the details to the steering group between meetings.   It was agreed to ask the Town Council to endorse the proposal.

Other subjects discussed at the meeting included the process of transition, a recent talk by Rob Hopkins, ideas of projects for the future, the empty Woolworths site and the plastic bag project.

It was discussed whether the steering group should have an official opinion on the proposed Lidl.   It was agreed that TTB should not make public statements on such highly charged issues as it could alienate the project from a large chunk of the local population.   It was agreed to be more important for TTB to encourage people to buy local produce from local suppliers.

The display board design team have planned a photo shoot day at the next Farmer’s Market on 9^th May in the Arts Centre and volunteers were requested to help on the day.

The steering group plan to meet again on 28^th May 2009.