Present Adrian, Andy Bateman, Angela, Charlie, Dave Jefferies, Jo Mills, Richard

Chessum, Gill Cox, Gill Platt.

Apologies Barrie Dobson, Arthur Howarth, Ian Muir, Jan Lancaster, Colin Knowles,

Chris Smart, Sally Brown, Titch Kavanagh, Andy Bullivant

Job description fine. AGM minutes produced. Started looking for suitable venue for 2003 AGM. Participation in e-mail discussions.

Still waiting for a volunteer to take on the treasuring role. Dave said we would need to ensure treasuring ties in with membership secretary’s job.

ACTION Dave happy to look at IT solutions – integrating the database with treasuring. Need for information re: what bills paid to put into the database. Liaison with Angela to see how this integration might be possible.

Trip charges need to be under review.

Job description fine. Gill visited Liz on takeover.

ACTION 1) Reminders need to be sent out

2) Check list going to Ian Muir to follow up members not renewing

Job description fine. Timetable agreed - NEXT BULLETIN - February 2003 DEADLINE JAN 10^th

After discussion of merits of zip drive & CD burner decision was:

1. Check what Microsoft Publisher requires – Dave can convert CD hardware/Desktop Publishing/PDF
2. Investigate Printer in Leicester
3. Dave Jefferies – will contact Sally + check out printers, ask for quote e.g. Sheaf Graphics
4. Investigate lighter paper possible to save postage

Job description fine. Discussion followed concerning a change in MIS layout to make it clearer. For example date order & colour coding sections but colour printing thought too expensive. Different fonts or symbol cheaper. Jo suggested headings could be bigger.

ACTION 1) Linda, Charlie, Gill, Jan & Adrian to investigate possibilities below.

Changes hopefully to be effected by May 2003

Once a quarter produce all info re. contacts on e.g. 2000 sheets so Titch has stock for new members etc.

Further discussion followed considering printing 1000 sheets one side/ Up-dates on second side.

Suggestion – 2 sided MIS with insert showing contacts/membership form/trip charges.

Not present

Job description – to give up-dates on situation regarding trips. Looked at Arthur’s report.

Need for calendar of events with National Trips included.

Need for organisers – if no organiser, no trip. Trip organiser does influence people’s confidence.

1) Need to publicise trip and invite organiser to volunteer – if no organiser 6 weeks before the trip it would be cancelled.

"Trip must be cancelled no later than 6 weeks before the trip date if no organiser available"

Dave sends e-mails to remind people – quick,easy,cheap.

2. Deadlines published in MIS/Bulletin if trip is going to be cancelled

Dave provided a print out of his job description – aim to be systematic & useful

1. To manage RR e-mail facilities – consistency of addresses

2) Regional contacts e.g. sheffield@

3) Proposal – whole club structure needs going into – how it is going to be

handled

ACTION NC – proposes Regional Reps contact members re their views so that in

3 months some feedback re structure we are aiming for – can be rolled

out in stages.

ACTION Need to know names/contact for all regional reps

ACTION Dave will write article on IT and Red Rope - feedback on specific items

should go to Dave.

He will report back to NC on March 1^st.

Sub-committee for new MIS format – e-mail misreview@redrope.org.uk

QUESTION Do we want discussion list open to non-members? Let AGM decide.

Red Rope statement of appropriate behaviour could be sent out periodically to encourage people to exchange strong views in a restrained and acceptable manner.

Complaints could go to regional committee. Dave will look at UNISON code of conduct.

Read Jan’s report looking at publicity via the internet in particular.

ACTION Budget for poster £100 if need more Jan to ask.

Discussed whether poster could be put on website so people could download it.

Disadvantage of putting MIS on web could be some individuals taking advantage of it without joining the club.

INVESTIGATE MIS could be distributed by e-mail - saving postage.

ACTION Investigate putting adverts in walking magazines as well as the climbing magazines - High, On the Edge, Summit -where ads appear already

ACTION Go-ahead with maybe A5 (I think that was the size suggested though written A4 in minutes - need to check with others) size regional reps folder idea & bring what you can to March NC meeting

Wish list for it brain storm -

Constitution

Trip organiser's pack

Treasuring forms

Web publicity material as hard copy

Calendar of AGM NC meetings

Feedback forms

What changes desired

List of useful links

Red Rope T - shirt

Got sum e.g. £40 written

Question asked - Would we like a new Red Rope T-shirt?

ACTION Jan to investigate

Meeting very confident in Jan’s ability to get things moving -all for her to TAKE SOME CHANCES.

Main news Charlie and Chris Cant worked on mapping – very disappointed only 1 out of 30 points taken notice of although everyone will be told in time why points were rejected.

Feeling the legislation is a bureaucratic fiasco. Process disempowering and complexity designed to break activists. Club working with the Ramblers needs to do something.

Direct action is required e.g. a trespass next spring in e.g. Forest of Bowland.

NC agreed need to keep pushing on it/need to act.

ACTION March NC meeting might need to arrange a trespass route to protest.

ACTION NC agreed to allocate £500 from Action Fund for the access campaign relating to the current Access legislation and to encourage members to participate and contribute more. Ramblers/Red Rope issue

Job description fine.

Colin suggested an amendment to the Librarian’s job description.

At present Red Rope Constitution states members must vote in person with 10% of membership present at an AGM.

• Apparent a section of the membership want some postal voting.
• Bristol AGM – in favour of delegated voting system
• Proxy voting – mentioned at this year’s AGM

Need for some research/straw polls/discussion/research into these different approaches so that a proposal/motion can be brought to the 2003 AGM on which members can vote.

The AGM would vote on which model it felt best after each one had been presented.

Need to give members freedom/support in trying to change the system.

Co-ordinators for the different approaches are: Andrew Phillips - Proxy voting

Colin Knowles/Bristol – Delegated

Voting

Gill Cox/Sheffield – Postal Voting

People of like mind can pass on their views to appropriate co-ordinators if they wish.

Different groups/co-ordinators asked to report to next NC on 1^st March

ACTION Views of membership must be solicited regarding the different systems or combination of systems.

There will need to be 4 motions to be debated all at the same time.

ACTION NC will aim to support people in drafting their motions regarding changing the voting system.

No news from YHA and Thirlmere.

1. Gill Platt and John still keen. Looking for site with camping barn on end – desirable & accessible by car. Have contingency plan if leasing not supported by Red Rope.
2. Lake District – Club wants to lease out open bothy near Honister pass – free

access. To be investigated.

 

3. Bristol region – in favour of terraced house in Welsh mining village. To be

For various reasons not as successful as would have wished :

• Venue not first choice - fixed cost meant lost money - £468
• Not enough people involved
• Lessons learnt re: food
• Clash of dates
• Concern not attracting members from Scotland

ACTION Aim to get quorate meeting for 2003

Discussion followed regarding venue for 2003 AGM - Gill felt members wanted bunks rather than camping, University accommodation expensive. Will camping put people off.

Adrian and Angela to investigate possibility of hiring Edale Village Hall for AGM if suitable. (Separate room for children).

It is 450 metres from Fieldhead campsite with facilities, near 2 pubs, a Youth Hostel, bed and breakfast, good walking and climbing and activities of interest to children e.g. Castleton caves,

Peveril castle, Mam Tor. Next to Edale railway station with trains every hour from Manchester/Sheffield.

Adrian has pencilled queries in constitution – about 25.

ACTION – working parties to look at these

Finance & related bits Charlie, Dave & Gill Platt

Wordy bits Adrian, Andy Bateman, Angela

Discussion Merits of going by aeroplane – nowadays cheapish, some research suggests not as detrimental to environment as one might think.

ACTION Bulletin article written by ?

1. Expenses up to £10 allowed for refreshments when members stuffing the MIS/Bulletin.
2. Constitution says Annual Treasurers’ Meeting should be held.

ACTION Book venue – try Tan Y Garth, Coniston as Karabiner Club not available.

Next National Committee Meeting

At 11 a.m Saturday March 1^st 2003 at Angela’s house in LEICESTER.

Hope to see you there.