1.   Apologies.

2.   Review of the minutes of the meeting on 28.04.25. These were accepted as accurate.

3.   Matters arising from the minutes of 28.04.25. It was confirmed that following this meeting an email was sent to Walk Leaders regarding walk start times as objections had been raised about 0930 starts. Walk Leaders were advised that the preferred start time was 10.00 but the actual start time was ultimately at the Walk Leaders discretion. During this meeting concern was raised by some that 9.30 starts were becoming very common on a Tuesday and Stuart Twell advised that up to 16 Tuesday walkers objected to 9.30 starts and he intended to put on an alternative walk on Tuesday 29.07.25. No objections were raised to this suggestion as it gives members a choice of walk start time and walk difficulty.

4.   Financial report. Given by David Horne. David reported that the balance in the bank was £1843.83 which includes £980 for the 2025 coach trip which will be debited from the account in September. Other transactions as follows.

David advised he has submitted a 2025/2026 budget to Area and also that he intended to accept the next round of funding from Area to be certain we had enough funds to meet our commitments.

5.   Walks programme.

6.   Membership. Presented by Peter Rowsell, see report attached to these minutes. Current membership is 254 an increase of three from the last meeting. Peter confirmed he is up to date with sending the welcome letter to new members. As previous meetings the large majority of new members walk on a Thursday. From the database we have had 7 members resign since the last meeting. Review of the data shows that people who joined 12 months previously, and have not walked with us, cancel their membership for the following year.

7.   Publicity. Prepared by Peter Rowsell. Report presented at the end of the minutes. David Gadd added he thought it was still worth Doncaster Ramblers maintaining our presence at the Get Doncaster Moving meetings held by Doncaster City Council even though we gain little from them. Subsequent to the meeting photos and the walk report for The Bert Ward Memorial Walk on Tuesday 22.07.25 was reported online in the Doncaster Freepress.

8.   Rights of Way Maintenance. Report presented by Stuart Twell and Peter Smith. Following the meeting on 28.04.25 it was agreed we should purchase the tools, previously discussed, for the team. These were purchased by Peter Smith and he has been reimbursed. These tools have proved very useful especially the breaking bars, as the ground has been very hard during the recent dry weather. A work session recently took place on 16.07.25 replacing way markers around Hatfield. The work session in August has been cancelled because of holidays but a session has been added around Tickhill for Wednesday 30.07.25. Stuart Twell advised that we are reasonably up to date with the work that Doncaster Ramblers is allowed to carry out however the remaining work is in areas which are remote from vehicle access so these are physically more difficult and time consuming. Faults identified by square walkers, as long as they identified early in the year, should be rectified during that year. All members are updated on the maintenance work carried out using the group email system, this allows square checkers to see the faults they record are actioned.

9.   Rights of Way Monitoring. Presented by Dianne Scolari. An email was sent out to all the square walkers on 18.07.25 the contents of which are summarized below.

Of the 29 squares in the city of Doncaster, 10 have now been walked and reported. So, a big thank you to all of those wardens for getting them done so timely and giving the maintenance team time to make the repairs in the summer months.

Five squares have been partly walked and reported, again a big thank you to those wardens. So, if you have checked some of the paths in your square but not completed them, please report what you have done, that’s a big help to the maintenance team to be able to finish an area in one visit.

And finally a gentle reminder. The end of October is our target date to complete the squares, both walking and reporting. Time is moving on. Any repairs reported at the end of the year will not be looked at till next spring. That’s another year’s growth on overgrown areas and another winters weather on broken stiles.

If you think you may have a problem completing your square this year, please let me know as soon as possible.

I would encourage all wardens, where ever possible, to get paths walked and reported as soon as the weather allows in spring. It doesn’t matter if that’s over a few days or weeks but please report them as they are done.

Dianne also advised that she is looking for a square warden to take over the footpaths checked by Gareth Cade.

10.   Any Other Business.