How St Augustine's Community Together Residents' Association (ACT) began

On 16 October 2003 a public meeting was held in
St Augustine's Church Hall, Norwich. It had been organised by two local residents, Sally-Ann Reynolds and Donna Williams, with the help of Norwich City Councillor, Diana Lowe, and the Rev'd Nicholas Vesey, vicar of
St Augustine's and St Luke's, in order to begin a conversation about tackling anti-social behaviour in the area and improving community amenities,
particularly for families.

In January 2004 St Augustine's Community Together Residents' Association (ACT) was formerly constituted in order to give people living and working in the St Augustine's area* of Norwich a public forum where they could express their concerns about issues affecting their daily lives, homes, families, work and businesses. Very soon after this the group began campaigning to make St Augustine's a great place to live, work and play.

Local issues and ACT campaigns

Some of the issues ACT has addressed include:

• Tackling crime and anti-social behaviour by working with Norfolk Constabulary's Safer Neighbourhood team (Norwich East SNT) and Norwich City Council Abate and Parking officers.
• The provision of good quality social amenities, such as improved green spaces and child-play facilities. 
• Improving the dilapidated appearance of some of the older buildings in St Augustine's by working closely with Norwich City Council and other stakeholders such as  English Heritage, the Churches Conservation Trust and the Norwich Society.
• The economic and cultural regeneration of the area. (ACT was represented on the Northern City Centre Area Action Plan Stakeholders' Forum and Implementation Panel.)
• Environmental problems, including the provision of refuse management and recycling facilities in the area, litter, graffiti, fly-tipping and dog fouling in public areas, broken or defaced signage and broken or inadequate street and security lighting, as well as reducing traffic congestion and noise, introducing new zebra crossings, improving air quality and making our streets safer, including tackling dangerous cycling on local footways.
• Scrutiny of Local Planning Applications that may impact on our community and making local residents and traders aware of plans so that they have an opportunity to comment if they wish.
• The redevelopment of Anglia Square.

To read about recent community issues click here.

ACT Community Meetings

ACT has campaigned successfully on all the above issues and seen significant improvements to ther area but there is still plenty to do. If you would like to get more involved come along to our next community meeting and let us know your views, concerns, problems and ideas.

ACT holds public meetings in St Augustine's Hall every couple of months or so throughout the year, usually between four and five times a year. These are open to anyone who lives or works in the St Augustine's area. The meetings are regularly attended by the area's three City councillors and County councillor, Norwich City Council's Community Engagment officer for the area, Council officers and Norfolk Constabulary Norwich East SNT police officers.

Click on News and Events for details of our next meeting.

ACT - a properly constituted body

St Augustine's Community Together Residents' Association (also known as ACT & SACTRA) is an unincorporated association governed by constitution and managed by an annualy elected committee. Elections to the committee are held at an annual general meeting (AGM), which is normally held in the first quarter of the year. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic lock-down it was not possible to hold an AGM in 2020 and so the 2019 committee kindly agreed to continue in place pro tem. Subsequently, the Vice-chair, Mr Simeon Jackson, stood down. The current committee is therefore:

Chair: Mr Andrew Eeles.
Secretary & Treasurer: Mr Stuart McLaren.

 
Membership of ACT is free and open to everyone over the age of 16 who lives, works or is a member of a faith group in the St Augustine's area of Norwich.* Persons under the age of 16 may be admitted to junior membership at the discretion of the committee.

The area we cover

*For the purposes of ACT, our area of interest is the "St Augustine's" area is regarded as including but not exclusively limited to the following: Anglia Square, Bakers Road, Barnes Yard (off Leonards St.), Botolph Street, Catherine Wheel Opening, Chatham Street, Dalimond Court, Damien Elton Court, Dog Yard, Ebenezer Place, Edward Street, Esdelle Street, The Gildencroft, Green Hills Road, Hindes Yard, Howard Terrace, Key and Castle Yard, The Lathes, Leonards Street, Magpie Road (south side only from St Augustine's Gate to the Edward Street junction), Malzy Court, New Botolph Street, Nichols Yard, Nunns Yard, Oak Street (north on Inner Ring Road) , Quakers Lane, Quintain Mews, Pitt Street, Rose Yard, Royal Oak Yard, St Augustine's Church Hall, St Augustine's Street, St Martin-at-Oak Wall Lane, St Martins Road, Stonemasons Court, Sussex Street, Talbot Square, Talbot Yard, Winecoopers Arms Yard, Wingfield Road.

To see where St Augustine's is located click here.

To contact us email: redsteepler@paston.co.uk