Patricia Gomez welcomed everyone to the meeting.  Wimbledon Park Residents' Association is one of the largest in the Borough of Merton.  The Council views it as a significant group that takes a broad view of civic duty.  The Association works to benefit the local community, and seeks to liase with the Council on community matters: either to support or oppose Council initiatives. 
The Association pursues its objectives in three ways: -
a) Routine Committee work.
b) Special public meetings called when necessary.
c) News dissemination through the Newsletter.

Routine Committee Work
Eleven monthly meetings have been held since the last AGM.
Representatives also attend meetings of the following bodies: -
i)   WURA.  Wimbledon Union of Residents' Associations.
ii) Selected Merton Council Public Meetings
iii) Wimbledon Civic Forum.
iv) Merton's Environment and Safety Forum.
v)  Heritage and Ecology Group.
vi) Wimbledon Park Heritage Group, to which £35 per annum is donated.

Common Issues
These are:-
i)   Business Regeneration.
ii)  Planning.
iii) Green issues.

iv) Crime.
v)   Transport.       
                                                                                                                                   

Planning
There have been no big issues for most of the year.  Safeway has recently re-submitted its application for a superstore in Plough Lane.  The site of a former garage (Colwoods') in Arthur Road has been cleared in readiness for development into residential and retail units.  There are applications pending relating to 9 Revelstoke Road (housing) and a Day Nursery at 206 Durnsford Road.  Concerns have been raised relating to traffic.

Green Issues
These include rubbish - there are concerns about the dumping of black sacks - and graffiti.

Crime
We have a good liaison with the Police, and a representative (currently PC Mark Roberts) attends Committee Meetings.  Their advice is publicised in the Newsletter, which also contains the current crime figures in our area. There are still a number of alleyways, which have not been closed off.

Transport
Part of our area is imminently to become a C.P.Z.
The role of the Committee has been to facilitate the spread of information to try to ensure that all householders are aware of the proposals, and can put forward their individual views.

Special Meetings 
Two were called this year.
i)  Extra Special to discuss Millennium Fortnight.  This will be covered further on in this report.
ii) Wimbledon Civic Forum.  This was hosted by the Association, and was fully reported in the last Newsletter - courtesy of Marcus Beale.
Roger Casale, MP. Chaired the meeting, which was organised as a workshop on the future of Wimbledon Park, with particular emphasis on business regeneration.
A panel was composed of Marcus Beale (Urban Design Team), representatives of the WPRA Committee and two LBM Council Officers.  A lively discussion ensued.