Red Rope – AGM Minutes

24/11/01

Chairs – Jan Lancaster/Colin Knowles Minute Takers – Angela Benham/Ian Muir

Present 38 Adults No apologies received

Minutes of 2000 AGM read & accepted by Titch Kavanagh(Bradford),Jenny Patient(Sheffield).

Officers Reports

National Secretary Post vacant – no report

Treasurer’s report(Admin) – John Whitfield(London)

One addition - £69 from SW.

• Expenditure as in previous years
• Income vouchers at present mislaid – no reason to believe different
• Not known if Foot & Mouth made difference to trips
• Club has this money - £8,000 Admin fund, £8,000 Hut fund, £4,000 Action fund
• John’s response to Malcolm’s query re. auditing was that he had not yet been able to get final picture due to split in Trips & Admin fund

REFER TO NATIONAL COMMITTEE

Accepted Adrian O’Connor/John Whitfield

Treasurer’s report(Trips) – Humphrey Southall(London)

5 National Trips - fewer due to F&M

Report showed what spent on Nat. trips & what came back. Overall situation healthy.

• Some discussion re. query should trips which make surpluses subsidise those which run at loss. Andy Bateman said whole club issue if money lost.
• Colin Knowles said we may need to make approach to prized destination of Lundy more financially flexible.
• Adrian O’Connor had earlier explained main reasons for spectacular loss at Lundy were ferry costs & only 9 of 14 places filled.
• Charlie Fisher had mentioned earlier that a week turn around in getting travel details back would be helpful.
• Humphrey had already spoken of need for more back up/support for Nat. Trip organisers & need to discuss arrangements – partik travel.
• Humphrey & Arthur Howarth’s goal to have plenty of Nat. Trips so no losses if poss.
• REQUEST – Can we take money from Admin Fund?

John Whitfield’s reply

• Issue not simple - 4/5years ago dozens of trips made average loss of £100. John concluded that kind of loss not feasible

BUT – no feeling this should limit where club goes – that is not club principle

• John’s recall – knew Lundy would make a loss and happy to bear it.

Club as whole ought to bear that loss.

Accepted Colin Knowles/John Whitfield

Contacts – Titch Kavanagh(Bradford)

• Increasing number thru Internet
• Nothing much thru P.O.Box which is checked every 2/3 weeks
• Tried to establish system of contacting people in few weeks

Accepted Andy Bateman/Humphrey Southall

Membership Secretary – Liz Pickles

• General downward trend – partly due to F&M

Accepted David Jeffries/Malcolm Donne

THANKS WERE EXPRESSED TO LIZ FOR ALL HER WORK

THANKS FOR THE DATABASE

THANKS TO EVERYBODY FOR GIVING REPORTS

Bulletin Editor – Jake Jackson(Nottingham) Not present

Malcolm Donne wanted to pass on congratulations to Jake for the bulletin’s new format & look.

• David Jeffries mentioned new website set up – Membership Secretary e-mail needs to appear in the bulletin
• Li Pickles said need to keep the bulletin information updated. Updated information needs to be passed on to Linda Gosse. (Hope this makes sense)

MIS Editor – Linda Gosse

Linda said there’d been a dearth of news for months due to F&M – pleased things now improving

• Humphrey Southall said e-mail list needed to keep people informed
• Colin Knowles said e-mail lists can be excluding – try & involve all – paper contacts
• Dave Jeffries(Sheffield) – 50% have e-mail, these folk telephone on those without

*Has made software package which he is willing to pass on

Accepted Malcolm Donne/Jenny Patient

BMC Contact – Position vacant

Chris Cant spoke – had been attending Lakes Area Committee & happy to continue & put up information re: CrOW(whole Forest of Bowland to be open).

• need to check maps quickly as only got until 11^th February 2002 – first mapping lasts 10 years – involvement with Ramblers Association & BMC Area committees would help
• few landowners at Kirby Lonsdale disputing areas so worthwhile confirming areas mapped as you would expect (response to Charlie F’s query). Charlie later added (re. John Whitfield’s query) Barrie Dobson a source of information re. how to campaign on these issues
• Dave Jeffreis suggested we could send congratulations to ministers for what achieved

Accepted Colin K/Andy Bateman

National Trips – Arthur Howarth

• Not easy to get information – all trips except Torridon undersubscribed

QUERY – Should book part of hut?

• Difficulty getting suitable organisers – cancelled Alec MacIntyre as no organiser

Feshiebridge in February in danger of cancellation

• No response from people about what they want to do – waiting to be pressed to book more
• Intention to follow plan proposed in bulletin – programme up to June

Camping in Arran proposed for September

*FEEDBACK REQUESTED re. timing of trips – Arthur personally would avoid Bank & School Hols.

WHAT DO PEOPLE WANT?

• Jill Platt mentioned had had trouble filling huts
• Pat Durrant informed advantages of National over Regional trips – usually longer, mountaineering – certain trips difficult to organise – sometimes not sufficient nos.

Accepted Jenny Patient/John Whitfield

Training – Elizabeth Ewing No Contact/Not Present

Ramblers’ Contact – Barrie Dobson

Barrie provided a written report which Jan Lancaster read out.

• 3 months to object to mapping errors
• Colin Knowles mentioned important – National Committee could offer direct support/lobbying force re. prevent constitutional change

Accepted Chris Cant/John Whitfield

Access & Conservation – Charlie Fisher

Has attempted to keep subject in limelight by submitting articles to bulletin/letters to relevant bodies

• Access bills + equivalent north of the border due out later – pastureland improved slightly – could be claimed as non-access
• English/Welsh legislation – documents on web in House of Commons English - Scottish approach has produced access code in understandable English
• Some opposition to draft bill now raised –implications crazy –hope draft legislation doesn’t survive
• Nick Kemp – 3 bad sections to bill –clause criminalizing trespass, extra powers to authorities to close land in bad weather & one other
• WORTHWHILE TO LOBBY MSP TO THROW THESE CLAUSES OUT

Accepted Colin Knowles/Chris Smart

Publicity – No report/Post Vacant

3 boxes of leaflets available - AVAILABLE NOW FROM Angela Benham

Archivists – Colin Knowles/Chris Smart

The box of archive materials is now fuller

• Following Jo(Yorkshire)’s query what was in box Colin clarified it consists of every bulletin etc
• Liz(Coventry) – suggested list of contents could be put on Internet

Accepted Humphrey S/Andy Bateman

Gear Co-ordinator – Ian Muir

Information re. equipment available from Ian.

Had an offer of extra equipment and one request for equipment

Accepted - Dave Jeffries/Sue Walsby

IT – Lucy Thomas No report

Humphrey Southall expressed appreciation of what Lucy had done.

THERE WAS AN OFFICIAL VOTE OF THANKS TO MALCOLM DONNE FOR HIS WORK AS NATIONAL SECRETARY

Election of Officers

Positions where individuals were happy to stand again were put on block to the floor.

These were: Treasurers (Admin) and (Trips), Contact/Information, Membership Secretary, Bulletin Editor, MIS Editor, National Trips, Ramblers’ Contact, Access & Conservation, Archivists, Gear Co-ordinator, IT,, Training Officer

Humphrey S’s proposal that the training officer post was open was rejected.

In favour of list excluding Training Officer – all in favour

National Secretary Post

Andy Bullivant proposed Adrian O’Connor,Andy Bateman & Angela Benham for this post.

Adrian said : 3 people can do job more efficiently & longer than one as shared

All would be working for good of club

Looking for a mandate for finding for a hut

Various queries followed re; how a jobshare of 3 would work.

Humphrey S.– Would all 3 attend meetings? Adrian asked floor to recognise we would want the ability to switch leading roles.

Ian Muir – Would we get 3 votes? Response – any vote on hut will be taken by members

Andy Bateman – the three would have a vote each as members

Jenny Patient – Practical point – needs to be clear who is going to be contacted – Response – 3 contacts better than one, Malcolm Donne mentioned later he had received only 3 phone calls directly to him.

David Jeffries – felt discomfort – elected to a role

Andy Bateman – said looking for a mandate – don’t vote for us if not happy to

Jerzy Wieczorek – Would we publish broad areas of responsibility?

Would we stand if not looking for mandate for a hut? Response – first priority to look after the club.

Lizzie – Have we plans to use money? Asked for assurance of dates for meeting together.

Angela Benham – Said all 3 had already had meetings together, committed to the club

Adrian –NC gave budget before when looking into hut – less than half spent & it was from hut fund. John Whitfield said modest travelling expenses were incurred – not a problem

Andy Bateman – pointed out that the three individuals proposed as NS were individuals with their own opinions

Richard Chessum – Concerned there was a confusion between administrative post & political one & were setting a precedent - democratic position

Malcolm Donne – pointed out already mandated for a hut – queried how a hut would be voted on.

Colin Knowles – point of information was review meeting guidelines would have to be surfaced

Jan Lancaster (Chair) – referred to Constitution 13A Special General Meeting

Andy Bateman – says joint administrative/political post

Three individuals would all say what they think

Proposed – Andy Bullivant / Seconded – Chris Smart Opposed – 2 Abstention – 6

Rest all in favour – Andy Bateman, Angela Benham, Adrain O’Connor – National Secretary

BMC Contact

Andy Bullivant – Proposed Jenny Patient / Seconded Lizzie A. Carried

Publicity – Post remains vacant

Humphrey Southall said there was a surplus in Administration budget – publicity needs someone able to put time into the post.

Jan Lancaster(Chair) – suggested an article could be written for the bulletin

10 minute break taken

Chair – Colin Knowles Ian Muir - Minutes

Remitted items from last AGM

3 motions – 2000 AGM accept that motions cover the 3 remitted items

Motion 1

NC adjust threshold – 1 against/2 abstentions PASSED

Motion 2

Easier trip costing – rounding – 1 against/0 abstentions PASSED

Motion 3

Identify weekly, monthly incomes – 0 against,0 abstentions PASSED

OPEN FORUM followed

Jenny Patient/Sheffield - reminded people of Langsett Rally on sat. 1/12/01

Jerzy/Bristol SW – queried could drop to 4 bands

Jan Lancaster – thought not a good idea, altho’ Liz Pickles thought it’d cut bureaucracy

Humphrey suggested money saved could go on advertising

Jenny P. – cheaper to participate in activities

Janet Saunders – advertising done by Ramblers

Adrian – numbers not dwindling now – do more dealing with follow up on enquiries

Jan Lancaster – 3 boxes of leaflets available – leaflets could be carried by people to distribute

Liz Pickles – what happens in first year of membership is vital

Andy Bateman – £1,000 to publicity

Humphrey – concerned re. ageing membership

Andy Bateman – bungalow access for ageing pop.

Jerzy – LOCAL NEWSLETTER used in Bristol SW giving programme to direct new members to day walks available.

Regions need active membership & joint trips

Colin Knowles – BMC new clubs increase -mailshots - Climbing Festival Birmingham ‘01 – opportunity for publicising club

Liz need to pre-plan regions follow up before push on publicity happens – so material available

Andy – 100 members left – why? Follow up to find out reasons – idea 2 special trips per year for new members

Unison contact had good response – but need for Titch K. to be forewarned if big advertising push so prepared

Janet – web page has plenty of information for new members. She uses MIS welcome letters.

Colin Knowles – need to plan & contact regions & do joint trips through personal contact.

The meeting was drawn to a close.

These type written minutes have been prepared from the full AGM handwritten minutes

by Angela Benham in all good faith.

3/12/01