Present
Kasia Morris (Scribe) Chris Riley (Working Party) Carolyn Gillett Jerry Wickham (Wiltshire Constabulary) George Firsoff (Secretary) Roy Gillett (Acting Chair) Andy Pulham (Community Events Manager, Oxford) Paul Aitken Nora Morris (Local Hants resident) Brian viziondanz (Working Party) Nathan Harman (Working Party) Penny Wyrd (Disabled, Oxford)

People introduced themselves as above.

The Working Party

Roy said we wanted to start something that would be an ongoing gathering, organised by a separate group, and merely facilitated by the TRC.

George said this had broad implications, including gaining respect and recognition for "alternative" culture.

Chris focussed on the problem of how to get a legal venue for a free festival.

George said that the police Commander, Andy Tatam has assured us that, as soon as the Solstice was over, Wiltshire Constabulary would be willing to meet and talk with the managing group. That the gathering would happen close to Stonehenge in 2003 was probably not realistic.

Roy noted that police had been unco-operative towards the concept of the "park-up" in 2002, feeling that if it had been announced it would have increased the numbers coming, rather than solve problems. The authorities want to hear how the Working Party can help the situation.

Brian said the police had been sabotaging efforts to find land.

Jerry disagreed, there had been no effort to stop negotiations, but there was a warning on "Farmwatch" to close entrances to stop illegal occupations.

The National Farmers Union had apparently advised farmers not to co-operate with any approaches.

Roy said that therefore we needed to approach the NFU and explain our objectives.

Jerry noted that Hampshire police had been involved in these meetings, but Keith Cockburn had recently retired.

George said that he'd had a message to say, that a replacement from Hampshire would be willing to carry on this committment. But he'd had difficulty developing a communication with Avon and Somerset Constabulary.

Jerry commented that A&S instead of devolving to areas, ran everything from central HQ in Portishead.
He stressed that plans for a gathering need presenting early, it would be no good organising in the Spring, the logistics would make this impossible.
Jerry continued there needs to be a willingness for the Working Party to co- operate with the laws of the land, and a big diplomatic process is needed before local opinion can be satisfied. While self policing of the gathering is important it has to be within the guidelines of the "Purple Book".

We might get 30,000 at the Solstice next year, particularly as it falls on the weekend, and this year the carpark was almost full. This will be a huge problem, either finding an overflow park-up, or turning people away.

Brian asked how much land is needed to manage appropriate numbers?

Chris how many acres were in the existiong carpark?

Jerry said he will find out. Regulations will not allow tents and vehicles to share the same space. He advised that the Working Party would need an entertainments license. Local authorities will set stringent guidelines for health and safety. He warned that if a musical event happens without a liucense, the landowners can be prosecuted.

George noted that early Big Green Gatherings did not need a license. It was pointed out they had no amplified music.

Nora asked about the regulations concerning road access.

Brian noted that roads had been closed around Stonehenge.

Jerry said the road closure cost about £10,000.

Chris assured the meeting that every effort would be made to insure that a gathering was accessible and safe.

Jerry said he is not interested in negotiation with MOD hinself, as they are "a law unto themselves".

George suggested the chalk downs on the Dorset border might be a suitable area to search.

Paul mentioned we don't know the times of the open access at Stonehenge next year as yet.

Roy said we need to know the astronomical time of the Solstice.

Paul said the Big Green Gathering pays substantiially for policing of the event. But at alternative gatherings there should be a high degree of self policing. The police response should take this into account. Also it is hoped that the community would realise, that upsetting locals would mean they would be forced to move on.

Jerry had the view that working with a responsible alternative community was a new idea. Police are willing to adjust to realities. But human nature is not always good, however responsible the organisers may be.

George mentioned an incident at the Glastonbury Fringe Festival, where people complied with police instructions to leave at 4PM but were then arrested while leaving a few minutes after the deadline. This seemed deceitful and an inappropriate way to relate to a community.

Roy said it was important that clear communication is established.

Gerry insisted all gatherings of the public are treated the same.

George hoped that indeed we would be treated the same.

Roy reiterated that we need to break down the barriers with the NFU. Who were the people volunteering to form the Management Group?

Chris, Brian and Nathan were present, and Stephen Waterfire, Rick and Raj were also known to be involved.

George asked that this group set up communication with Wiltshire Constabulary, without further involvement from the TRC, as we will not be meeting until September.

Brian asked, are you weaning us? George said, Yes.

Brian wanted Jerry to come to London for a meeting.

Jerry seemed unwilling. He warned there would be great difficulties with the gathering, from conservatives with a small and large c.

Nora as a local resident was willing to share knowledge with the group.

George suggested Tim Abbott as another informed local person.
He said it was essential the group incorporated as a company limited by guarantee.

Roy said limited but non profit making company.

Penny suggested charitable status.

Roy said getting charity status was time consuming, we needed to act swiftly.

Andy said he would provide a copy of the BGG company rules.

Chris asked who are the organisers of the BGG, Andy said look at their website.

George outlined the steps needed, first form a company, then talk to the NFU, then start looking for land.

Jerry said he wasn't interesting in a further meeting unless there was a proposed site.

Chris said it might be useful to meet with local residents to allay fears.

Roy said to be very careful, as there's usually a character locally that gets very excited about these matters

Andy suggested that amplified music could be powered by wind, solar and pedal power, and the renewable sources had the advantage of producing a milder sound level.

It was 11AM and Jerry had to leavce, to supervise a visit of Royal princes to Wiltshire.

Feedback on Solstice

Penny mentioned that only people on wheelchairs and crutches were allowed through a convenient gate. She had to walk through the tunnel and ended up severely exhausted. So could the stewards please allow all disabled people through this gate?

Brian expressed doubt that David Griffiths was acting as a representative of the Home Office, rather he was acting as an individual.

George said that he worked with faith communities and community groups, and this is why he was helping us. Although he doesn't get a lot of support from his superiors, they also haven't told him to stop. It was useful having such a contact rather than no contact.

Nora mentioned police were not taking action to prevent people walking on crops.

Paul expressed concern that when climbing on the stones began, there was no visible intervention from Peace Stewards.

George wondered why there had been so little intervention from official stewards, particularly as Clews said that the climbing was the factor that had caused most concern. This was both because of the potential damage to the stones, and health and safety, but it also came across most quickly as a public perception that was unhelpful. However some people do not perceive climbing as a problem. He mentioned Brian and also Jenny Blain of the Sacred Sites Project.

Andy described an incident in which he was dealing with a lost child who had been placed near the stones, while drunken enthusiasts were carousing above. This was potentially very dangerous. He expressed concern that trained rock climbers were also seeing the stones as a challenge, especially after "having a few".

Chris asked was it possible to use a ladder and megaphone to bring people down? It was stated that a ladder had been used.

Roy said we should rethink the whole way that the space within the stones was used. Possibilities were discussed of, more braziers closer to the stones, informal organisation of musicians, a fire juggling arena, a specific drumming circle outside the stones, a pagan focus area.

Nora said we should ban sitting down and drumming within the stones.

Roy said we face a challenge of educating people.

Penny said we should discourage blankets inside the stones and create an easy flow in and out.

Andy mentioned that the front cover headline and the tone of the editorial in the "Festival Eye" had encouraged a go-for-it attitude, that the access was a "festival".

Roy said people were blinded on the way from the carpark, by the lights. He will raise this at the Round Table. The lights had however been turned off before the dawn, as soon as people had begun complaining.

Nora complained about lack of lighting at the toilets, it was hard to tell if they were engaged or not. There was no light at the disabled toilets. There was a lack of toilet paper. Brian suggested there should be toilets in all four corners of the field. He thought this might discourage public urination and defecation.

George said it was necessary to have regular maintenance of toilets.

Brian mentioned an inceident when Duncan refused to discuss the ban on blankets for young children.

Roy mentioned this has been preceded by another incident in which one of the Magic stewards had been drunk and creating problems for security, Arthur had intervened.

It appeared staggering drunks who approached the gate were stopped. If they waited calmly they were eventually let in, if they mouthed off they were refused entry to the triangle.

There appeared to be a failure of briefing, to the security, about the role of both Magical and Peace Stewards, this caused problems particularly at the closure.

Brian wanted us to veto the appointment of security personnel.

Penny asked could we write a questionnaire used in selecting security personnel.

Roy said the appointment was in the hands of English Heritage, but the Round Table would try to ensure they were properly briefed.

George said he had stayed till the end for the first time, it had the air of a ritual re-enactment when the yellow jackets had advanced to move people out of the stones.

Andy mentioned how somebody deliberately hit his head and then approached him, about starting fraudulent litigation.

Kasia mentioned that two young women claiming to be travelling women, and mouthing off from the top of a stone, and sexually taunting security, were in fact Market Research workers from Bristol who had put beer and ash on their clothes to look crusty.

Roy mentioned that security did get impatient particularly at the close, and were manhandling people unneccesarily. Some of them said they were keen to watch the football match starting at 7:30AM.

Brian brought up the lack of communication on the night. It was impossible to get through to Clews and LIn. Roy wondered if we could have three radios and could they all be moving round the site. Brian said mobile phones were not working effectively in the stones area. Roy said we should test our signals early on. Brian said the problem was many people in the crowd were attempting to use their phones at once.

Andy said there was a lack of information exchange between official stewards when they changed duty, for example some did not know where the lock-up was, and as a result, people were misled, in one case, walking for miles.

Brian we need to be sensitive to the issue of children. Could parents be allowed to run their own rest centre?

George suggested they might form a Stonehenge Parents Association, otherwise English Heritage would feel responsible and insist on staffing the creche with paid and vetted child minders.

Brian wanted people from the community to get concessions for food. George suggested they apply. Andy mentioned that the Goodness Gracious foods are not associated with a Christian organisation with a similar name, as he had at first supposed.

Brian asked if we were locked intio a twelve hour access. Various possibilities for daytime access were suggested. According to Roy there's a suggestion at the Round Table for 12 Midnight to 12 Noon. Another suggestion is to start before the dawn and include the following day. Penny suggested having daylight access the day before. There was an assumption that the astronomical Solstice is around 8PM. Nora and Kasia thought it might vary from year to year.

Brian wanted a larger group of Peace Stewards and a longer training camp. George said we were unfunded volunteers and there was a limit to what was possible.

Roy said all these suggestions would be compiled in an advance report and taken to the Round Table on 24th July.

.