AGM Report - 6th October 2000

by Norma Green

The AGM was longer this year due to items on the agenda relating to proposed minor changes to the Constitution and proposed changes to the subscription rates. These two points, items 4 and 5 in the Minutes, are detailed below for your information. Approximately 30 members attended and last year's Minutes were approved and seconded. The retiring Chairman, Alan Brown, gave his report. Officers and committee members were proposed and seconded and these are listed on the front page. The fact that holidays sell out very quickly was raised in Any Other Business and Paul Sharp explained how he tried to balance probable demand against the risks of being over-committed. Brian Richards gave a vote of thanks to Paul for all his hard work. Before the meeting closed at 8.30pm Pat Ashworth gave a presentation and vote of thanks to Jonquil Lewis who retires as Hon Secretary.

Treasurer's Report at A.G.M.
Subscriptions were last raised in 1989 and the situation has been reviewed by the Committee. Members receive 10/11 Newsletters per year at a total cost of £4.50+. Public Liability Insurance costed £1.80 per adult and £1.00 for U18's last year. There is a steady year on year increase of insurance premiums. Hence, subscription charges at present do not cover basic expenditure.
The majority of Club activities / events tend to be self-financing or operate at a small profit, although Ski Fit sessions ran at a loss of £300+ last season.
Subscriptions have remained low because of Newsletter sponsorship, but as a source of income, this is unreliable and extremely variable. Last year it represented 55% of our income, this season 20%.
The new subscription charges, which were agreed at the October A.G.M. to commence November 1st 2001 and are listed below.

Joint SCGB/SCoM member subscriptions are subsidised to the amount of £5 per SCGB membership (whether individual or family) and hence SCGB members rates have had to be increased to bring them into alignment with SCoM only fees. The joining fee has been removed but there has been a differential introduced to encourage members to pay by Standing Order Mandate and thereby reduce administration. (N.B. Standing Order Mandates are NOT the same as Direct Debit Orders)

Paying By Standing Order Paying by cash/cheques
Individual Members (was £5) £10.00 £13.00
Junior Member (U18, parent a member, was £2.50) £1.50 £2.00
Family Members, 2 adults (was £10) 18.00 £21.00
Family Members, 2 adults + all children U18 (was £10) £20.00 £23.00
SCGB member ( was free ) £5.00 £8.00
SCGB Family Members, 2 Adults (was £5) £13.00 £16.00
SCGB Family Members, 2 Adults + all children U18 (was £5) £15.00 £18.00

Changes to the Constitution

A copy of the new Constitution (forwarded to all members before the AGM) was circulated with the agenda and Alan Brown explained the proposed (minor) changes.

(i) S. Wardle proposed and R. West seconded the amendments recommended by the Committee.

(ii) S. Webster objected strongly to the proposed changes - she did not like the idea of the SCM moving further away from the SCGB. She proposed that SCM should pay for Officers' SCGB membership during office if Officers were not already SCGB members. Some detailed discussion ensued.

S. Webster proposed that 5c; 5d and 5e should be deleted and left as on the 1990 constitution.

S. Webster's proposed amendment to the committee proposal was proposed by S. Webster and seconded
by I. Webster.

27 members rejected Mrs Webster's proposed amendment.
1 member abstained.

(iii) The original amendments were approved by 28 members.
No votes against. There were 6 abstentions.

Copies of the new Constitution are available on request.