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The 58th Annual General Meeting of the Dulwich Society will be held at 8pm on Tuesday 14 September 2021 via Zoom.
https://zoom.us/j/97735121186
Meeting ID: 977 3512 1186
Passcode: 592469
Agenda
- Introduction and apologies for absence.
- Approve Minutes of the 57th Annual General Meeting held on 24th September 2020.
- Matters Arising.
- Chairman’s Report and Review of the Year.
- Approve accounts for the year ended 31st December 2020.
- Appoint Independent Examiner. Nominee: Sally-Anne Jeffries, Chartered Accountant
- Retirement of the President - Dr Colin Niven OBE
- Appointment of new President - Dr Kenneth Wolfe
- Elections for 2021-2022 - Officers and Members of the Executive Committee.
- Any Other Business/Questions - please raise with the Chairman (
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) at least 7 days in advance of the meeting, copied to the Secretary (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).
Note 1: Nomination forms for election as an Officer or Member of the Executive Committee can be obtained from the Secretary. Nominations must be submitted in writing to the Secretary by two Society members not later than fourteen days before the AGM (by 31st August 2021) and must be endorsed by the candidate in writing (Rule 9). Candidates must be members of the Society.
All meeting papers, including the Chairman’s and sub-committee Reports and Minutes of the 57th Annual General Meeting are available on the Society’s website
www.dulwichsociety.com
Susan Badman, Hon. Secretary, Dulwich Society,
Previously Issued Date: 1st June 2021 (with Summer Journal 2021)
The Society responded to the recent consultation over the redrawing of local parliamentary boundaries. In the draft plans the current Dulwich and West Norwood Constituency would disappear. While the Society accepts that some changes need to be made to make sure that all constituencies have roughly the same numbers of voters, it does not support the current radical plans to change the constituency boundaries of the current Dulwich and West Norwood constituency and put large areas of Dulwich into a Dulwich and Sydenham constituency. These are our reasons:
- The constituency has been called Dulwich and West Norwood since 1997. It was an amalgamation of the former Dulwich and Norwood Constituencies (both formed in 1885). The proposed changes would be a fundamental change to historical precedent.
- Dulwich and Sydenham are separated by a line of sports fields along the South Circular backed up by a large area of woodland (formerly part of the historic Great North Wood) extending from Lordship Lane though to Crystal Palace Parade. There is no road link between the two areas other than Sydenham Hill/Kirkdale and College Road (approximately a mile apart) and there is no direct rail connection between them. There are also no existing community connections between Dulwich and Sydenham, both see themselves as stand-alone centres.
- The proposed revised constituency cuts across existing community ties. Dulwich's community connections are with Norwood, Herne Hill and Brixton backed up by roads (and bus routes) and railways. Likewise for shopping, faith centres, G P Surgeries and the main cemetery. The Dulwich Society, the local amenity society in Dulwich works closely with the amenity groups in Herne Hill and Norwood.
- Parts of West Dulwich will be located within the new Streatham and Norwood constituencies and there are concerns that matters affecting West Dulwich will not receive the attention required.
- Herne Hill has developed a distinctive character within the current Dulwich and West Norwood constituency. The proposals mean it is now split between three constituencies which makes no sense, and which will cause problems when raising issues or concerns with MPs and authorities.
In summary, the plan to link Dulwich with Sydenham should be reconsidered and Herne Hill should remain with Dulwich; West Dulwich (Lambeth sections) should be in the same constituency as the rest of Dulwich.
The former SG Smith workshop site which was to be called ‘The Gilkes’ when it was owned by McCulloch Homes, is now to be called ‘Soane Place’. The new owners, Aquinna Homes, have renamed the site and have also applied to Southwark to remove the previously agreed affordable housing, offering a cash payment in lieu. A similar application by the previous owner was withdrawn after the Council indicated it would refuse. Southwark should say the same with this application (Ref: 21/AP/2458). The new owners also want design amendments which would impact on its appearance and the Society will also be objecting to those.
As part of the Great North Wood Living Landscape Project, the Society has recently funded LWT to build a replacement wooden bridge in Sydenham Hill Wood, linking it to Dulwich Wood. The Society has previously funded temporary fencing to reduce erosion, removal of invasive species and path consolidation. Lockdown has seen a huge rise in visitor numbers with further erosion of paths exacerbated by heavy rain.
The consultation closes on 11 July. It can be accessed here: https://tinyurl.com/42cwhx5c
Please make sure your voice is heard.
Peace & Riot, the new restaurant/café in West Dulwich is open. https://www.peaceandriot.co/
Megan’s Deli in the old S G Smith showroom site should open later this summer. https://megans.co.uk/
The two empty units next to Megan’s are now let, one is to be a wine specialist who is planning a sister site to Peckham Cellars. It will be a wine bar, deli, & coffee shop specialising in British produce & wine. The other a coffee shop called Redemption Roasters, a social enterprise founded by Alleyn’s old boy Ted Rosner, which runs a roastery inside a prison and trains young prisoners to become baristas. https://www.redemptionroasters.com/
Despite letters from Helen Hayes MP and Ellie Reeves, Lewisham West MP and the recommendation of Lewisham’s own Design & Review Panel for a reduction in height, Lewisham Strategic Planning Committee voted on 29 June to approve the Corporation of London’s application for 110 units of social housing on the Mais House site in Sydenham Hill.
McCulloch Homes has sold the site on; the new owner is Aquinna Homes. Gilkes Place remains closed to traffic from Dulwich Village.
The former King’s College sports ground has been leased by a new charity that focuses on inclusive sport. The Lambeth Tigers Football Club draws from communities where young people are denied access to facilities, and Dulwich Cricket Club’s women’s and girls’ teams will share the ground.
Following the end of the meeting, the Zoom reports on participants and voting were downloaded. These were cross-referenced with the membership list and the votes were then counted and validated. The results were as follows:
Motion 1: That the process for appointment of members of the Society’s sub-committees and all minutes of their meetings must be published on the Society’s website, including declarations of interest.
The motion was carried by 90 votes to 53, with 4 abstentions
The Society's Executive Committee had already agreed to this motion and, following the next Executive Committee meeting on 12th July, a more detailed statement about the process for the appointment of members of the Society’s sub-committees will be prepared and published on the Society's website, along with minutes of the future sub-committee meetings, including declarations of interest.
Motion 2: The Society must undertake a formal, independent and impartial survey of its Membership about the remit the Membership wishes the Society to adopt with regard to the Society’s long term policy position on Travel and Environment. The findings of this consultation with Members to be published in full on the Society’s website and available on request to all members.
The motion was rejected by 79 votes to 67, with 3 abstentions
Zoom Guidance Notes for the Dulwich Society Special General Meeting on Zoom at 8pm on 28th June 2021
Please join the meeting between 7.30pm and 8pm for registration. The meeting will start promptly at 8pm.
The meeting is not a public meeting and is for Society members only. Only Society Members can vote and only one vote is permitted per household.
These notes are also available to download as a PDF
1) Why is the SGM being held on Zoom?
The Society Executive Committee has called an SGM to consider two motions from a group of members. As the Covid 19 regulations continue to prohibit large meetings indoors, we have decided to hold a virtual SGM. The Charity Commission has advised that virtual AGMs or SGMs are acceptable in the current circumstances. Our AGM will be held near the anniversary date of the AGM 2020 in September when it is hoped we can meet in person at the Crown & Greyhound.
2) Do I need a Zoom account to join the meeting?
No, a Zoom account is not required to join the SGM Meeting as a participant.
3) How do I join the Zoom meeting?
You can join the meeting by clicking on the meeting link:
https://zoom.us/j/94617810285 and adding the Passcode: 925544 when requested
or going to https://zoom.us/join and entering the meeting ID and Passcode when requested.
Meeting ID: 946 1781 0285 Passcode: 925544
You will enter a waiting room and will be admitted after a short pause. Please ensure you have typed in your full name. You will not be admitted to the meeting unless you show your full name. This will then appear on your screen and will be checked by an administrator to confirm your eligibility to attend and vote.
4) What devices can I access Zoom on?
You can use your computer, laptop, phone or mobile phone to access the SGM on Zoom. If accessing by phone we can provide numbers you can call (voice only and you would not be able to vote at the meeting) or you could participate fully via a browser or the Zoom app on a ‘smart’ mobile phone.
5) Household participation in the SGM?
Two or more participants in the same household can attend the Zoom SGM either using the same device or separate devices. You may get some interference if using a computer/laptop and a mobile phone in the same room. Each household only has one vote in line with the Society Rules (Rule 3)
6) Who will manage the meeting?
The meeting will be managed by the Chair who will progress the business of the meeting and a Host, who will admit participants, mute and unmute them, control screen sharing of documents and oversee the votes.
7) What time should I join the meeting?
We would like members to join the meeting from 7.30pm. Please do not leave it to the last minute as the meeting will start promptly at 8pm. You will be held in a virtual Waiting Room until your name has been checked and the Host is ready to admit you to the meeting.
8) How do I make sure I can hear others and be heard?
On most devices, you can join computer/device audio by clicking “Join Audio”, “Join with Computer Audio” or “Audio” to access the audio settings. There is a facility on Zoom to Test Audio so you can check how loud your microphone and speaker(s) are.
Most participants will be muted by the Host, unless speaking or asking a question, to minimise background distractions. You can unmute yourself if you have been called on to speak, by clicking the blue square on your screen that says “Unmute” or by toggling the Audio on/off icon button.
9) Do I need a webcam to join the Zoom meeting?
You are not required to have a webcam to join the Zoom meeting, but if you don’t have a camera or if you choose to switch video off, you will not be seen by other participants. Your name/photo will appear on your screen. You will be able to listen and speak during the meeting and view the webcam video of other participants.
10) Will I be able to see all the other participants?
Yes, unless they are not using video. For some of the meeting, the main part of your screen will be taken up with Powerpoint slides. If you click on “Gallery View” in the top right hand corner of the screen, you will see a small picture of everyone, as well as the slide. As all the participants will not fit on one screen, you will need to click on the up or down arrow to see all the participants. If you click on “Speaker View” you will have a large picture of the person speaking as well as the slide.
11) How will you check who has attended?
A list of attendees will be saved by the Host to assist the Minuting Secretary.
12) Will the meeting be recorded?
Yes, the SGM will be recorded (audio and video) to assist with minute-taking and record-keeping. If you prefer not to be visually recorded you should turn your video off. The recording will be stored securely and will only be available to Officers of the Society for the purposes of administering the SGM. The recording will be deleted when the Minutes have been transcribed and the vote validated. The recording will not be made available for viewing after the meeting.
13) Will there be questions?
Questions during the Agenda Questions sessions will require attendees to raise their hands or use the Zoom hand signal in the Participants List.
14) What if I need additional assistance before the meeting?
If you have any queries before the meeting, please email the Secretary at
A Special General Meeting of the Dulwich Society will be held at 8pm on 28th June 2021 via Zoom. The meeting has been called by the Executive Committee to discuss resolutions submitted to the Executive Committee of the Society.
1. Introduction - the Chairman.
2. Resolutions: The following resolutions have been proposed for consideration at the meeting. A vote will be taken after each resolution using the Zoom polling facility. The votes will be verified by the scrutineers after the meeting using Zoom facilities to ensure the votes comply with Society Rule 3, “Membership will normally be for a household i.e. all adults living at the same address. In the event of a vote being needed at an Annual General Meeting or a Special General Meeting only one vote is permitted per household.” The results will be placed on the Society’s website www.dulwichsociety.com as soon as possible.
The Rules of the Society are available at: https://www.dulwichsociety.com/about-the-dulwich-society
Your Executive Committee’s views on each resolution are set out further below.
Motion 1: Proposed by a group of Dulwich Society members
That the process for appointment of members of the Society’s sub-committees and all minutes of their meetings must be published on the Society’s website, including declarations of interest.
[Note: minutes, including declarations of interest, are already published for the Executive Committee]
Motion 2: Proposed by a group of Dulwich Society members
The Society must undertake a formal, independent and impartial survey of its Membership about the remit the Membership wishes the Society to adopt with regard to the Society’s long term policy position on Travel and Environment. The findings of this consultation with Members to be published in full on the Society’s website and available on request to all members.
[For clarity, the current remit of the Travel and Environment Sub-Committee is to foster safe and healthy streets in Dulwich by:
- Advocating clean air.
- Supporting improvements in public transport.
- Considering the requirements of those with protected characteristics* and vulnerable road users.
- Developing safe active travel networks and reducing vehicle traffic.
- Supporting low traffic neighbourhoods. **
*The Equality Act lists the characteristics that it protects as age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.
**Note: “supporting low traffic neighbourhoods” does NOT refer to or mean supporting the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods imposed by Southwark Council without prior consultation.]
3. Close of Meeting
The Zoom meeting will be open from 7.30pm to enable the Zoom host to verify attendees as they logon.
Meeting ID: 946 1781 0285
Passcode: 925544
Please ensure your full name (eg Joan Smith) is shown on your Zoom video screen.
Details of the Zoom link are set out above and will also be sent to members in the June eNewsletter (published at the end of May), and will also be available on the web site. If you do not receive the eNewsletter please send your email address to
Never used Zoom before? First-time Zoom users will find the following video useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh50kVaIdAY
For full details of the AGENDA, PROPOSERS' ARGUMENTS and RESPONSE from the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE please see this document [PDF]