Introductions
Kasia Morris (Scribe)
Rollo Maughfling (Archdruid, Glastonbury Order)
Denny Price (Fairy Queen, Loyal Arthurian Warband)
Paul Aitken
Roy Gillett (Acting Chair)
Adrian Tibbits (Local Resident)
Clews Everard (English Heritage)
MIss Penny Wyrd
Jerry Wickham (Wiltshire Constabulary)
John Boland (Wiltshire Constabulary)
Rowena Stone
Michael Ashley Lopez (Archaeologist)
Rose Felstein
Brian Viziondanz
Andy Pulham (Community Events Manager)
Nora Morris (Local Resident, Pagan Federation)
Steve Snakes (Archdruid Avallonian Order)
Xia Lane (Local Resident, Priestess DAndelion Order)
Jolyon Jenkins (BBC)
George Firsoff (Secretary)

Apologies
Arthur Pendragon, Thomas Daffern, David Griffiths is holidaying in Teneriffe.

It was noted that reports of these meetings are published on the website.

Solstice 2002 & 2003 Clews said the access had been a huge success, but there are issues to be considered. Health and Safety is of prime importance. Unless EH are sure the access arrangements are safe it cannot go ahead.

Roy mentioned the group trying to organise another kind of gathering. Brian is the contact person. Jerry again stated the authorities willingness to work with this group, what had happened? Brian said there was no progress to report. Jerry said it was a big undertaking and a team needed to be put together. Approaching the police and other bodies in May or June is far too late.

Rollo was outraged that childrens' bedding and buggies were refused entry and he threatened legal action against English Heritage.

Clews mentioned public urination on the stones as a problem, also people accosting the public for money and for needles. This made the public feel unsafe. She and Jerry had been rammed by a perambulator with a baby still in it. Issues of responsible parenting were discussed.

Clews said the climbing on the stones presented a very visible and bad image to the world at large, as well as safety issues. While there was abusive behaviour from drunks, the vast majority of the crowd were well behaved.

George said that Duncan, English Heritage's security chief, had said at the Round Table that they were unable to prevent people climbing, and had lost control of this part of the crowd.

The centre of the stones seemed to be permanently occupied by a rowdy group, preventing spiritual observances from taking place.

Clews said that she would prefer there to be no commercial activity within the triangle, but the Purple Book (Health and Safety guide) did require food and water to be available, this had been outside the triangle but the community had indicated this was too far away.

Paul stated that problems historically created on a national scale now came home to roost. It's not enough to disapprove of the behaviour. It cannot be the sole responsibility of English Heritage to provide for unmet social needs, it has to be addressed nationally.

Nora suggested we should open the stones at 4:30PM on Solstice morning, there should be daytime access on a weekend day so families could come, and the yobs should have somewhere else else to go.

Rollo mentioned the Council of British Druid Orders has a special druidess with responsibility for women and children, can this person attend the Round Table? Clews said she was in correspondence.

Brian there should be more partnership between English Heritage and this group. Health and Safety should include a safe place for co-operative childcare.

Kasia said that in the festival days, there were problems on the festival site, but those who went to the stones did so with reverence.

Denny reiterated that we need to have the "Cauldron" which is the festival, where knowledge was passed on during social meetings.

Clews said there is a limit to the energy and resources that English Heritage can devote to this project.

Rollo pointed out that EH only has the land in the triangle, so cannot facilitate a larger gathering.

Brian indicated he'd appreciate EH meeting some of his printing costs. Clews said there was no provision for this.

Rowena said that trading should not be seen as a problem, as it can create wealth, peace and prosperity.

Adrian brought up issues to do with the visitors' centre, but the Chair said this was not on this part of the agenda. Clews said there was no secret plot and no final decision, EH works with the National Trust, The Highway Authority, and local councillors and there will be a Public Enquiry.

Andy said that in the festival days we had seen the druids dressed up in white being ushered into the stones by the police. Nowadays we had become "them", some young people want a rave, a party. There should be proactive management, instead of allowing chaos to happen.

Another site was needed for this kind of celebration.

Snakes said we need to form a separate group. Roy said the TRC had already facilitated one, Brian was the contact. A piece of paper was passed round for volunteers to register.

George said there's a younger generation who never went to free festivals but have inherited a story which they interpret as going to Stonehenge to behave badly. It's difficult to get into communication with them, or find a representative to come to meetings! He was disappointed that the Management Group could not report any progress.

Rollo spoke of a three pronged approach, Solstice Access, an English Eisteddfod about 4 miles away, and a free festival about 12 miles away. There should be negotiations with the National Trust.

Kasia said that for the Access to be less chaotic, there had to be alternative focus of energy within the triangle. A cordoned space for fire juggling was one such suggestion. A pagan Forum around one brazier was another.

Brian wanted the authorities to initiate an approach to the MOD. Xia said it was not their job to find a site for a festival. Jerry had come to a meeting on the 13th July to meet the Management Group and was disappointed this was not progressing. But co-operation with the police could only begin when a site was found.

Snakes said we can do our own risk assessment and present a plan.

Jerry said the group would be more credible if they had put in such effort, and warned that they could become personally liable for what happened at any event.

Brian persisted in asking English Heritage to take an organising role, and Clews said this was not on.

Roy now raised the question of the timing of the Access.

Paul wanted daytime access, and peoples' preconceptions were important, and some of the publicity might have been inappropriate.

Clews said that with access moved forwards into the daytime, there was a danger of people breaking in before the opening time. Local community will not tolerate two nights camping, as this sounds like a festival. One councillor who was present at the access was concerned that it was already looking like a festival, this report was going to be in The Salisbury Journal.

Roy spoke about the need for movement through the stones, facilitated by a labyrinth through which people would process, spending only a limited time within the stone circle on each occasion.

George said it was important that a move was made towards some more daylight access, or the situation might never change.

Penny still wanted sunset to sunrise access.

Clews said extending road closures was a problem for local people. Increasing the number of braziers would require more paid fire wardens, European directives limited the hours people worked (so two shifts might be required but this was difficult).

Snakes suggested Fire, Water, Earth and Air centres within the triangle.

At this stage Rollo and Denny had to leave, to go to another meeting.

There was discussion about whether people facilitating arrangements should be allowed to arrive early. Roy said the site could open to everybody, but it would still be possible to cope with that.

Jerry said he was not revisiting the idea of an alcohol ban, it was not feasible to enforce it, and more dangerous spirits could easily be concealed.

Nora had suggested to the PF that priests and priestesses should be recruited to hold ceremonies and create a sacred ambience within the stones.

George said if the PF took over the stones he might have to do something about it.

Snakes said that Peace Stewards should spend two days joint training with the official stewards. George asked who was going to pay for their time to do this? He wondered if Andy or somebody with experience might take over facilitating Peace Stwards so he could do sacred work instead.

Brian came back to the question of parents being allowed a shelter for children. Clews had left the meeting, but Roy said EH's position was they would have to pay for trained and vetted child minders. Snakes quoted relevant regulations. Nora said what about a mothers' and children Centre? Roy said the Swansea Drugs Project had to look after several young lost children. There were children playing around the site who were not in touch with their parents.

It was proposed to meet again at 2PM on Wednesday 9th October.

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