Well, that surprised us all, the meeting on 26/1/2017 was a huge success and the meeting place was packed with people who want to see a change in their local community. Once the introductions (including the court reps who have volunteered to help get the information flowing both ways) and the general association business had been taken care of, we heard of the first small step the committee made in getting something changed. Our Chairperson has addressed the Council to get the Galley Hill noticeboard moved to a more prominent position for better access and visibility to all. It may sound trivial, but this was Nyomie’s first time representing the Residents of Galley Hill, so it was decided to start with something small to get her feet wet in the pool of local Council meetings, and she has got her first result as the sign is being moved. Well done Nyomie!
The floor was then opened up to everybody to find out what the people of Galley Hill wish to see changed. It seems as if there are some common problems in the area which are affecting everybody, such as the overgrown bushes and grass which obstruct the pathways. Litter was also high on the list for quite a few of the people we heard from. Leaves on the paths making them slippery are another issue we added to the list of local concerns. We also heard about drains with plants growing out of them and parking problems in the courts.
But it wasn’t all about complaints, as the GHRA committee also wanted to know if there was any appetite for social events in the area, and ways to bring the community together as a whole. With the 50th anniversary of Milton Keynes and the historical importance of Galley Hill to the foundation of the New Town it seems only fitting that we try to bring together the people of the area to commemorate the half century.
With that in mind there are the seeds of a plan to organise something for Galley Hill Residents, and we even got somebody to volunteer for the role of organising this and future events, and another kind soul who has offered to pitch in and help with the 50th anniversary celebrations.
To sum it up, the Galley Hill Residents Association has gone from the seeds of an idea to actually starting work on issues and community building. Now we really need your support and help to continue onwards and upwards to making ours a better area to live in. With that in mind please can we ask you to fill in a feedback form and sign up for the Newsletter before you leave the site?
I was surprised at the amount of people who attended. So many people had the same concerns as my self. So hopefully if we all pull together we can change things for the better.
Thanks for your feedback Debbie, it is great to see that people are interested in making Galley Hill better and working together to do it.
We hope to see even more for the next public meeting, and we will announce it here and in the court letters to be delivered.
Yes, quite in agreement quite a good turnout.