DRAFT
Draft Minutes of the 42nd AGM Meeting
Monday 31st October 2011, 7.30 p.m. Groby Community Centre
Apologies
Pete Leake, Di Ford, Alison Hardy, Kevin Bradley
Attendees
Bob Hoskins, Chris Phillips, Irene Marriott, Roy Denny, Peter Anderson, Iain Tebbutt, Graham Watson, Glynn Smith, Pete Hornsby, Ian Sparks, Pat Conway, Ursula Williamson, Alistair Paterson, Ernie Williams, Simon Ford, Roger Phillips, Andy Portsmouth, Roger Edwards, Nigel Lydon, Howard Alcock, Steve Edgar, Roger Williamson, Wendy West, Alan West, John Marriott, Rachel Simonetti, Tracie Edwards and Laurie Fluck, Mark Hardy, Chris Bosley, Peter Chick, Simon Starkey, Paul Cox, Stuart Tyler
Declaration of membership numbers
165 members, 113 voting units. Therefore 10 members were required for AGM to be quorate and thus meeting was quorate.
Approval and signing of minutes of last annual general meeting
Small amendment made to a date and minutes were approved - Simon Ford and seconded by Roger Phillips
Matters arising from those minutes
None
Chairman's Report on past year
“I am very pleased to be able to report on another very successful year for the Club. As always I can only report on the highlights.”
Chairman pleased to report to AGM that LEI has become the national Club of the Year after two years as runner up. Many thanks, on behalf of the club, to Roger Edwards for his hard work in completing the very long application form. Congratulations to everyone in the club on this award, only won because of all the wide ranging effort put in by so many members over the last five years.
As a result of winning the British Orienteering Club of the Year Award, LEI went to the finals of the National Sports Club of the Year Award. LEI were one of the runners up.
LEI made a small surplus in the last financial year, although our event income shows a loss. The surplus is down to RE’s skill in garnering in money from grants etc.
LEI events programme has been many and varied. The summer league attracted larger than ever numbers of entrants and remains the centre of our programme.
A career move takes Mark Foxwell to the south of England. Chairman formally records the clubs thanks to Mark for all the hard work that he put in over the last six years as Minor Fixtures Co-ordinator. Steve Edgar has taken over the role.
Congratulations to Iain Tebbutt, winner of the 2011 Summer League.
Biggest event of the year - EMOA Championships at Cademan & Thringstone in April. Congrats to Ethan Tebbutt, Nicholas Wilson, Euan Tebbutt, Roger Phillips, Roger Edwards and Peter Leake on becoming East Midlands Champions in their age groups. Control vandalism reached new heights with the burning of a control stake and kite as well as the control feature.Chairman congratulates to our two Midlands Champions, Dominic Leake and Donald Moir.
The Club Championships - Spring Cottage in September. Chairman congratulates Angus Shedden and Alison Hardy, the Club Champions. The format of a closed event with food and presentations, was welcomed by members and will be repeated in 2012. Whether we can find, for the third successive year, a brand new area, remains to be seen. Chairman thanks Wendy West for her ‘baby sitting’ role!
Wistow Maize - A different event to our regular orienteering. A real treat! Whether the event is repeated next year depends on negotiations with land owner as access cost are very high.
Development work - Club night, well established in its second season. Attendance up on last year, averaging around 20 members each session. British Orienteering Community project paid for seven members to train as Level 1 coaches. Mark Hardy, Chris Bosley and Ben Windsor have gained a Level 2 qualification. LEI need more members to train as coaches and more of our Level 1’s to undertake Level 2 training.
Alongside Club Night, LEI are running, on Monday evenings, an Activity Night for newcomers and juniors. This will continue through the next few months. A grant has been received for this activity under the County Open Pot initiative.
LEI have continued to increase the numbers of Permanent Orienteering Courses with new courses at Castle Hill Country Park and Braunstone Park. The Highcross grant we received last year has been used to put courses along the Soar from West Bridge to the Hope and Anchor Pub, a 20Km route.
We now have over a thousand permanent control sites in our area.
Early in the year, discussions were held with the British Orienteering National Talent manager about setting up a Talent Squad. This is off the ground and the squad has held two meetings with Chris Bosley as lead coach.
LEI’s involvement with orienteering in schools continues, we are still receiving mapping contracts from schools. Our focus has been on independent schools. A number of school maps will be used in our next winter and summer leagues.
We have continued with the County Schools competition and staged the “Platoon Days” for Welbeck College.. An additional grant from Leicestershire Sports has enabled us to increase our SI kit for schools.
British Schools Score Championships - Euan Tebutt was 1st in Year 8 with Nicky Wilson in 3rd Place. Imogen Wilson and Finn Lydon gained 2nd Place in their respective classes.
Each year LEI submit names of our juniors to Leicestershire County Council for inclusion in the Chairman’s Award Presentation Evening. Chairman is pleased to report Ethan Tebbutt received a Most Improved Performer award and extends the clubs congratulations to Ethan on gaining his Championship Badge.
Congratulations to Finn Lydon on being awarded the Club’s Rising Star Trophy. The jury had a very difficult time making their decision, as we now have a significant number of very good juniors. LEI have been able to bring forward quality orienteers from our juniors ranks and two members of the current UK elite squad started their orienteering career in LEI.
The JK - combined Day 2 & 3 results produced success for the Shedden Family- Ruth coming first on W21S and Angus 3rd on M35S. Angus repeated this success with 2nd place at the British Championships. David Bray produced 1st place at the British in M55S.
John Cooke and Judith Holt moved to Derbyshire and John, after 18 years, has stood down as Newsletter Editor. Many thanks to John for his stint at the ‘editorial desk’. John continues to look after our web site. Judith is congratulated on her election to the Board of British Orienteering. LEI welcomes Alan and Wendy West to the Committee in the their joint role as Editor of the Newsletter.
Three other members of the Committee are standing down. Daniel Parson’s, is moving on to University and giving up as junior representative. Alison Hardy, club captain for three years is giving up the captaincy but will see her in other roles including our Club Mark co-ordinator. On behalf of the club, many thanks to both for the work that you have done.
Rachel Simonetti, 5 years as Secretary, is standing down. Chairman gives a big and personal thanks for the huge effort that she has put into administration of the club.
After 5 years, Chairman states he feels its time to stand down and allow another to take the club forward. “I have enjoyed my time as Chairman and I would like to hank those of you who have helped and supported me during those five years. It would have been extremely difficult to have done the job without that help.
Whilst I believe I have left the club in a stronger and more robust situation than when I took over the hot seat I am aware that I am leaving my successor a number of challenges.”
There is an ever increasing demand for better facilities, more technology, better maps etc. These can be provided but at a price, which many in the sport do not seem willing to pay. We are currently making a loss on events, that cannot continue, either expenditure on equipment has to be reined in or event fees have to go up.
There is the challenge of our relationships with other clubs in the East Midlands and our involvement in the Regional set up. Chairman believes, and other members agree, that there are a few individuals from other clubs in the region who are intent on driving through their own agenda without reference to the good of their own clubs or the region and whilst driving that agenda, are quite prepared to use any means at their disposal. We have seen in the last year, among other issues, minutes of meetings that do not reflect what has been agreed and EMOA annual accounts being qualified by the I ndependent Financial Examiner because the Treasurer has acted unconstitutionally. This challenge must be resolved before the Region falls apart.
The third challenge is leading members through, what is clearly going to be a time of significant change. LEI are already seeing the impact of “events standards” and that will grow. Event official qualifications becoming compulsory with modular / online training already in place. Mapper accreditation is on the horizon. We are studying the pro and cons of electronic registration and ‘on the day’ payment electronically of event fees is a very short time away. Chairman predicts by the end of the decade, Community Orienteering will be the norm with regular Club Nights an integral part of all orienteer’s training programmes. There is of course the problem of how orienteering responds to a growing band of older competitors!
Chairman thanks the members for all their support : “It has been a honour to be your chairman over the last 5 years.”
Matters arising from Chairman's Report
Ernie reiterates the changes with regard to events standards meaning that officials will soon have to hold a ‘qualification’ to plan, map, organise etc. This move will change the normal way of regulating orienteering. This includes the new role as Chairman of Events and Competition Committee at BO and his/hers new group who will represent the entire orienteering community.
Treasurers report and budget projections for coming year
LEI’s has a balance of £7000 in the bank, which is sufficient to cater for any downfalls or emergency needs.
Event loss and overall surplus - forecast a surplus of £1292 next year, but on events, expect a loss of £141. Mapping printing very high.
The initial budget proposed a break even but in July, extra work at schools has given us extra income leading to the planned the surplus of £ 1292.
Event monies- LEI has now lost money in 3 out of 4 years. Because of this LEI went to EMOA and asked for £0 levy. This was considered and voted on by the EMOA, but the current regional levy of 40p per head was retained. We also pay a levy to BO. Concerns raised over LEI not be able to make money on it core activity.
Levies - BO are looking for suggestions for levy changes to submit to the 2012 AGM. RE’s opinion is that subscription to BO could even be nil. This will lead to higher levies.
Matters arising from Treasurers Report
JM - ref events making a loss - perhaps we should not continue to put on events that make a loss. This was met by disagreement by IT who suggested we should be putting on events which the members want and be not influenced by whether they make a return. RE noted that novelty events make a loss.
RE explained that on the day we cover the basic cost of event, it’s the overall costs for the year (overheads?) which result LEI in making a loss, this is where we need to reduce costs.
CB - Other factors which may contribute to event losses are event clashes with other clubs. The Sence Valley event may have been very successful as no other events were on in the area so lots of people from out of the club’s area attended. Easy access to events is also an influence.
EW- no coordination with clubs with event dates.
RD - Self-defeating, as clubs put on more and more events, it dilutes the pool of orienteers.
Independent Financial Examiners Report
Our Chartered Accountants confirm that the accounts for the year ended 31 July 2011 are consistent with the underlying accounting records of the club.
Approval of Accounts
RE moved to approve the accounts with Graham Watson seconding with a unanimous agreement from those present.
To note changes to the Committee Standing Orders
Changes are in italics -
The composition of the Club’s current Sub-Committees etc. are as follows:
Fixtures and Access Development
(These two sub-committees are combined at the present time, including permissions normally meeting January, April, July and October. A comprehensive review each January with regular updates. They report to the Club’s full committee. Fixtures Co-ordinator, Fixtures Secretary, Mapping Coordinator, Permissions Secretary, Access Development Officer, Club Captain, Minor Events Coordinator and Development Team Leader.
Minor Events Steering Group
Minor Events Coordinator, Fixtures –Coordinator, Minor Events Results Secretary, and the Development Team Leader. Meeting as required but to present a suggested forward programme to the Fixtures Committee by each January. The Fixtures Co-ordinator will act as Secretary to this Group. It reports to the fixtures sub-committee
Map Group
Mapping Coordinator, Fixtures Co-ordinator, Treasurer, Club Technical Adviser, Mapping Adviser, Map Custodian and Access Development Officer. Meetings June each year and otherwise as required. It reports to the fixtures committee. The Mapping Co-ordinator will act as Secretary to this Group.
Mapping Forum
The Mapping Adviser, The Mapping Coordinator and all active club mappers. Will meet at least once each year and will be chaired my the Mapping Adviser.
Electronic Systems Team
Electronic Systems Coordinator, Electronic Systems Assistant and other members of the team. To coordinate our use of electronic systems at events and the processing of the results of electronic events. To organise training of members in these processes. It reports to the Club’s full committee.
Development Team
Team Leader, Development Team Liaison Officer, Coaching Coordinator and other members of the team - Meetings as required but normally twice a year. To coordinate the Club’s development work in liaison with British Orienteering and act as point of contact for schools and youth groups and to coordinate the Club’s work in supporting senior groups developing and organising activities in the sport. To assist in publicising the Club, our events and the sport in general. To liaise with the POC Steering Group and the Minor Events Steering Group. It reports to the Club’s full committee.
Coaching Forum
The Coaching Coordinator, the Development Team Leader and all registered Coaches. It will meet at least once a year and chaired by the Coaching Coordinator.
Club Membership Fees for coming year 2013
Current fees of Groups £10, Junior £3, Seniors and families £ 6 - RE proposes no change, seconded 2nd RD.
President's remarks and election of Chairman
CP has been able to build on the work of other Chairman’s in previous years and turned our club into one of the best clubs in country. This has been achieved by having the faith to delegate jobs out to members. To this end CP has achieved what he set out to do for the club and EW personally extends a great thank you to CP and on behalf of all members.
EW thanks RS for ‘keeping us on track’.
EW formally proposed Bob Haskins as new Chairman which is overwhelmingly accepted by members. EW welcomes new chairman.
(New) Chairman's address and plans for coming year
New Chairman (BH) thanks CP for his 5 years as Chairman of the club. This is also the end of a period of 5 years where the officers have remained the same. BH thanks Rachel Simonetti, who is standing down as Secretary.
LEI are currently Club of the Year, a great achievement, and a tribute to much work by many people, but does invite the question of “where next”? This is something for the incoming committee to consider. The agenda item for these comments is “plans for the coming year”, but in reality events for 2012 are largely decided by this time of the year, we are already looking towards 2013 and 2014. In 2012, we have 6 Level C (EMOA League) events lined up, with an Urban event in Ashby. We have no Level B events planned, and the sport may need to look at this type of event in terms of entries versus effort (and cost). In 2013, there will be one Level B (at Spring Cottage), and a Level A event, the British Sprint Championships at Loughborough University.
We are now into the Winter League (larger than ever with 12 events), winter Club Night, the Monday night club, and then there are the level C events and the Summer League, which is just being planned. What more could our members want? Well, we had the Maze event at Wistow, which could perhaps be repeated and the Ashby Urban event. There are some concerns as we have struggled from time to time to get officials for Level C events.
The Club Officers look at strategy, and have officer meetings from time to time, but there are many other posts, which can be both onerous and time consuming. CP is to continue as Fixtures Co-ordinator.
Minor Events Co-ordination, Development Co-ordination, Land Access, Mapping, Coaching and many other jobs are critical to the operation of the Club. Fortunately, some of our most devoted workers are retired and have time available, but BH would like to encourage and see younger members taking on more positions over the next couple of years. LEI now have more than one event or activity per week, and there is something happening every day of the year by some members of the club, be it preparing for large events, out planning a Level D event, Development, Mapping, or even investigating and testing social venues (something I plan to get involved in next year after I have retired).
At the moment, there is no sign of a reduction in our events and activities. It looks like we have an excellent 2012 to look forward to in the catchment area of LEI.
Election of other Principal Officers (Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer )
Outgoing Chairman nominates Iain Tebbutt as Vice Chairman, BH seconded, members elect to accept.
Outgoing Chairman nominates RE as Treasurer, seconded by IT , members elect to accept.
Secretary - position open, no members come forward to be nominated.
Election of Committee
Alan and Wendy West, Ernie Williams, Irene Marriott, Roger Williamson, Roger Phillips, Chris Phillips, Graham Watson, Iain Tebbutt, John Marriott, Peter Hornsby, Roy Denny, Kevin Bradley, Pete Leake, Roger Edwards, Steve Edgar - proposed by CP, seconded by BH.
Election / adoption of Independent Financial examiner
Lewis Sutton Prepared to act again - proposed by RE and seconded by SF - all in favour.
Election of President, Honorary Members
4 Honorary members currently, no further nominations were received. CP nominated all current which was and seconded by EW with overall vote of assent.
Sam Lattaway
Irene Marriott
Tim Maywell
Lewis Sutton
Formal meeting ended 9.35pm
Open Forum
Events -
Different events coming up:- Ashby next October and the EMOA Urban, new maps, new areas. Other events in January are Beaumanor and Welbeck 2013 - The Regional Compass Sport final takes place in February (level B)
Autumn - level B at Spring Cottage
BH welcomes RP to the Committee as Club Captain
RD -He is currently Social Secretary but would like to relinquish the role
Annual Dinner has moved from Nov/Dec to March 2012
Trophy ideas needed, we have had mugs and goblets in the past
Club tops - LEI needs to order some more Club tops, but now we can offer no subsidy to members as a club, a cost effective option is required. JM showed an example of a top from a Company in Bulgaria - opt to clone original or change design. £18 Euros.
Level A’s 2013 - CP - need to look at providing T shirts or similar again for helpers
Car sharing - SE - LEI members should be prepared to share cars in current climate - forum for members on website suggested.
Meeting ends at 10.30pm
