If
the previous year was the period when the words 'urban design' finally entered
our vocabulary, this past year has seen the Urban Design Group emerging from its
discrete position to become more of a player in some areas of policy initiative.
The UDG was one of the parties advising the DoE on its Urban Design Campaign.
This initiative has used the idea of participation and collaboration between
residential and business communities, landowners and local authorities to help
unlock the opportunities for urban improvement. The UDG assisted on issues
related to the UDAT process, the nature of outputs and the process: and helped
the Secretary of State and his minister in evaluating the proposals.
This new found relationship with the DoE has been furthered by the prospect of a three year special educational research grant to carry out a number of conferences and seminars and UDATs around the country. The first tranche of this special grant of £30,000 for 1996/7 will enable the UDG to carry out two UDATs or similar exercises. in addition the UDG has now become a statutory consultee on issues related to urban design. I see this as an important move in our gradually expanding role in policy advice and one we need to nurture especially with the possibility of a change of Government.
As you may have read in the Quarterly, we applied for a grant from the Arts Council following an initiative from the outgoing Architectural Adviser, Rory Coonan. Unfortunately whilst we thought we had got a small grant from them, this appears not to be the case - mainly because of what appears to be internal Arts Council problems.
The results of our manifesto workshop last year have ended up as a draft agenda which was published in the Quarterly. We are looking forward to getting responses from you before finalising the agenda. So please comment.
We have also set in motion the idea of an urban design educational agenda. The results of our first thoughts will be with you later this year. This follows on from a very successful first exhibition of the works of students from various urban design courses. The exhibition raised all sorts of issues which were debated in the press. We are hoping to hold the next one in early 1977. The UDG would like to thank the various sponsors but in particular the Francis Tibbalds Trust for the prizes for commendations.
Whilst that was a successful event we have had a mixed series of other activities. I'm not sure whether there is much more competition around or that some of our members are just too busy to attend. Certainly the themed panel discussions have proved both intellectually stimulating and popular. It may be that such participative events could provide a greater opportunity to bring in more interesting and divergent views. However, I would like to say that we need things to make our events roll better:-
Perhaps some of the issues raised by our draft agenda could form the basis of a series of panel discussions.
We continue to make use of our expanding network of reciprocal organisations. Art and Architecture, The Institut Francais, Urban Villages Forum, The Landscape Institute and Living Over the Shop are organisations with which we now have mutual arrangements.
This, on top of other organisations such as BURA, and the Civic Trust, keep us in touch with people with similar interests. Our relationship with the RTPI is consolidating into what looks like an annual joint conference. This year's sponsorship by English Partnerships resulted in a publication which you have all seen. We need to replicate this with our other conferences. Our relationship with the RIBA has likewise improved. They have been in discussions with us regarding radical plans they have of sharing their building with other organisations.
This has been a year of breakthrough in terms of our relationship with the DoE. It has also been a year in which I feel that we seem to have missed out on the contributions of many of our members. I would like to see more involvement by members in the running of committees and the organisation of the different events, It does the UDG no good to rely on a continuing core of people. So if you are interested in participating then please let me or other members of the committee know.
| Chairman: Proposed: Seconded: |
Jon Rowland Alan Simpson Arnold Linden |
| Vice Chairman:
Proposed: Seconded: |
Roger Evans Arnold Linden Barry Sellars |
| Treasurer:
Proposed: Seconded: |
Simon Rendel Jon Rowland Arnold Linden |
| Secretary:
Proposed: Seconded: |
Susie Turnbull Jon Rowland Arnold Linden |
The Administration office of the UDG has now been in operation for four years with Susie Turnbull as Group Administrator and is now located at Blewbury.
We at present have 939 members, an increase of 84 since last year partly gained through a special circulation to students. The membership breaks down as follows:
|
Individual full members |
587 |
The 1995/96 accounts have been audited in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Commission and a copy sent to them.
The Group relies almost entirely on subscriptions for the main costs which are the production of the Quarterly and administration. Generally it is estimated that with a more or less self- funding events programme we are now running at break even. By comparison the real surplus for 94/95 was estimated at £3,400. We are not proposing any rise in personal subscriptions this year - the fourth year running.
A summary of income and expenditure over two years is given below.
94/95 95/96
£36,114 £32,263*
*omitting approximately £9,200 for Spanish Tour
Broadly this splits as follows:
Subscriptions 70%
Publications 20%
(mostly from Practice Index)
Events 10%
£31,850 £38,201* *omitting Birmingham conference payment carried over from 94/95 Broadly this splits as follows: Admin 28% Publications 47% Events 12% Regions/Publicity/ Promotion 13% The decrease in income is mainly due to the fact that in 94/95 there were conference receipts in hand of £6,000. The increase in expenditure is mainly due to the office move (£2024) and Exhibition Boards (£4,626).
Total income 95/96 £41,526.55 Total expenditure £52,820.71 Deficit for year ending 29.2.96 £11,294,16 Balance at bank as at 28.2.95 £6,845.93 Deficit for year ending 29.2.96 £11,294.16 Cash deficit £4,448.23 Transfer from COIF £8,000.00 Cash at bank as at 29.2.96 £3,551.77 Remaining amount in Charities Fund 29.2.96 £14,306.00
Administration Subscriptions 21,478.00 COIF Interest 1,271.36 £22,749.36 Events Leeds Seminar 282.55 Spanish Tour 9,263.61 RTPI/UDG Seminar 365.00 Student Exhibition 1,225.00 RTPI Conference '94 420.00 Lecture Programme 593.07 £12,149.23 Publications Practice Profiles 1,040.00 Sale of UDQs 550.00 Adverts 320.00 Practice Index 4,717.50 £6,627.96 Overall Total £41,526.59
Administration
Administration
Salaries 4,304.00
Rent 500.00
BT. 656.80
Refunds 176.00
Bank Charges 377.37
New Office 2,360.21
£10,602.19
Events
Leeds Seminar 387.98
Spanish Tour 9,215.00
RTPI/UDG Seminar 300.00
Student Exhibition 1,149.28
Birmingham Conference 5,401.34
Lecture Programme 1,778.75
Manifesto Day 167.00
Manchester Conference 170.00
RTPI Conference 155.80
Annual Conference '96 82.50
BURA Exhibition 205.00
£19,012.65
Publications
UDQ 14,260.56
Design 3,513.25
EP Insert 65.00
Practice Index 126.00
£17,964.81
Publicity & Marketing
Printing 1,713.00
Design 2,912.63
General 407.16
£5,032.79
Regions
Expenses 208.27
£208.27
Overall Total £52,820.71