READING & DISTRICT MODEL AIRCRAFT CLUB

Minutes of 2008 Annual General Meeting

The AGM was held at St Barnabas Church Hall Emmer Green on 2^nd December 2008 between 2008 hrs and 2146 hrs.

Item 1: Apologies for absence

Apologies were received from Mike Russell, Kevin Mercer, Mike Caracciolo, Robin Cawsey, Andrew Stretton, Paul Joslyn, and Peter Riddick.

Item 2: Adoption of the agenda

The agenda was adopted as published.

Item 3: Minutes of the 2007 Annual General Meeting

The minutes as published were agreed as a fair representation of the 2007 meeting. Proposed by Ron Perkins, seconded Martin Dance, the minutes.

Item 4: Matters arising from the minutes not listed elsewhere on the agenda

No matters arising.

Item 5: Chairman’s report

The chairman began by thanking the committee for its work thought the year. He then continued and expanded on the fact that it had, he thought been the worst year for model flying that that he could recall, virtually no model flying taking place referring to the high winds and heavy flooding experienced by most of England this year.

Cholsey had also been a very low key event due to a wet week end and low public attendance, only two members of our club being there himself and our secretary Andrew Stretton, the chairman thought that the event might not even take place in the future due to a perceived weekening of both public and trade support.

The club arranged a visit via a Reading buses coach to the LMA event at RAF Cosford during the year which was enjoyed by our members and those of another model aeroplane club, along with members of both the Reading and Woodley model boat clubs whose numbers exceeded our own.

Despite taking a £30 loss on the event almost all present stated that they would like to go again if we could arrange the outing during the 2009 season, at the end of the chairman’s report a decision was made to go ahead with arrangements to make a return trip, therefore put a mark in your diary’s for 19^th July.

The chairman elaborated on the 2.4GHz situation and said that it had all but settled down and is being generally accepted by the public and authorities alike.

He explained that the Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer had been invited to a seminar held at Middle Wallop by the BMF Southern Area main club during January last year. This was an event to get the Southern Area’s model clubs senior officers together to explain what they can do for us and how we can help them to help us, as clubs within the Southern area. The out come of all this was that a lot of ideas and events were kicked around by representatives of well over 80% of the clubs within their area and we came away re-vigorated so to speak. We became aware of their excellent flying facilities and expertise that they enjoyed in the Middle Wallop area and although we could not reciprocate and invite them to our very modest facilities that we enjoy we did offer them our Church hall facilities should they wish to hold a meeting on a smaller scale during a club night.

The chairman pointed out that the BMFA Southern area committee are to organise a further forum on 30^th January 2009 at middle Wallop and this time they want all aircraft modellers to attend, therefore he requested that interested club members should refer to their web site at, www.souhernareabmfa.hampshire.org.uk/ to see what they have got to offer and to book your self a seat, refreshments will be provided.

Martin pointed out that due to ongoing unforeseen problems at work Andrew has not been able to be much help either, model flying wise and also his club duties as our Secretary, as his post comes up for re-election this year he intimated that he would like to step down if another volunteer would come forward, see item 7 of this report.

Item 6: Treasurer’s report

The Treasurer confirmed that the BMFA had decided not increase its subscription this year, he then stated that a copy of the accounts were distributed at the AGM and that it can be ascertained from them that excess of income over expenditure at the date of auditing the accounts at 24^th November 2008 was £2,375. However, there were six plus items yet to be settled amounting to £1,170 at 30^th November.

Ron went on to explain what the accounts do not show, for example by absorbing all the cost increases since 2004 was in retrospect a bad policy.

The treasurer gave examples of increases incurred by the club that were not deemed large at the time but over the four year period have compromised our endeavour to save for our own club site, these examples were the Church hall rent which had increased by £1 per hour each year amounting to £240 over 4 years and field maintenance costs increasing by £25 per year since the start of this service to the club. The postage used to be 27p but now is 36p, when multiplied by 5, and then 85 members one can see how this compromises our club saving abilities.

The Treasurer then outlined his recovery strategy and intended to propose an increase in the club part in next year’s 2009 subscription.

Disguising this weakening of our club part of our subscription is a safety net called “New member” joining fee”, this I feel should be an extra benefit to the clubs saving ability and not to depend on it happening annually facility.

The club Cosford trip costs were all balanced to until just before the excursion when 3 club members backed out, due to the circumstances I reimbursed their payments and therefore the Cosford event cost the club £33, I will be taking action next time to avoid these circumstances again.

The Treasurer wearing his Membership Secretary hat gave a brief analysis of our club membership make up, there were 60 seniors, (61 last year) 17 senior citizens, (19 last year) 6 juniors, (7 last year).

49 A Certs 7 B Certs 3 Examiners 4 BMFA Instructors 6 Club Instructors.

When the report was thrown open to members present there were no queries or questions, the report of the 2008 accounts were then proposed by Martin Dance, seconded by Dave Belcher, and voted unanimously by members present.

Item 7: Election of officers and committee

Martin explained Andrews predicament regarding the clubs Secretary’s post but there were no members volunteering to take over this position, therefore Ron produced a E mail that Andrew had sent on 23^rd November 2008, stating that he would however continue in the position if there volunteers.

Martin explained that Andrew would be given the chance to step down again at next year’s AGM if he wished to.

The core officers Chairman Martin Dance, Secretary Andrew Stretton and Treasurer Ron Perkins will therefore remain in positions for 2009.

The encumbering committee members, Kevin Mercer, Dave Grey flying field officer, Paul Joslyn web site officer, Dave Belcher, Neil Viney Joe Dray, and Robin Cawsey were re-elected en mass, proposed by Tony Roberts, seconded by Paul Simmons, and unamonously by club members present.

Item 8: Club fees for 2009

The Treasurer and Chairman both reminded the members present on the situation at the 2001 AGM when the Secretary advised that RADMAC needed and club members subsequently voted at that meeting, in favour of an enhanced club subscription that allowed a gradual build up of funds that would substantially help when a flying site became available in the Reading area, to enable us to more easily purchase a permanent site for the club from which to fly.

The Treasurer in referring to item 6 and the need to restore the club part of the annual subscription to a level to cover a real increase in incurred costs to the club, proposed that an increase of £2 to the club sub be made this year. This increase to be applied across all types of club membership in order to maintain the differentials that were established at the 2004 AGM.

Proposed by Ron Perkins, seconded by Paul Simmons, voted unanimously by the members present.

Again referring to item 6 the Treasurer said that in future he would look to increase this part of the subscription more vigorously annually should the club incur any steep rises in accommodation or flying field facilities. It was reiterated that the BMFA did not increase their part of the annual subscription this year.

Fees payable this year are now to be, Seniors 18 to 65 years : Total £75 consisting of club £47, BMFA £28

S/Citizens + 65 years : “ £46 consisting of club £18, BMFA £28

Juniors up to 18 years : “ £27 consisting of club £12, BMFA £15

Senior member only joining fees remaining at £50 usually a one off payment unless current subscription has elapsed.

Item 9 : Club constitution and associated matters

The Chairman explained the work that the clubs committee had carried out in debating and exploring our position with what to do about the clubs now quite substantial financial assets and possibly a field, should we have a flying field in the event of the clubs demise.

In laying to rest apparent rumours circulating among members fearing the eminent demise of our club Martin explained that it was the clubs committee’s duty to ensure that our club assets were safe at all times in any arising situations.

Should the club have to be dissolved however the club had contacted the BMFA for advice and had since been debating this information and narrowed our options down to two proposals, basically :-

(1) That the club could only be dissolved by a vote at an AGM or EGM providing that a majority of two thirds of those voting is obtained, and that the date for dissolution be agreed and be set at a realistic time to enable the clubs affairs be wound up by the existing committee. That any monies remaining after payment of depts. and club assets be held in trust by the BMFA for a period of up to 10 years or until such a time that a new Reading & District Club is both formed and affiliated to the BMFA, “or” at the end of that period the trusties being responsible for the disposal of such funds in promoting the sport of model flying.

(2) That the club could only be dissolved as in the first sentence in item 1 above. That any remaining monies after payment of any depts. and the disposal of any club assets shall be divided equally amongst those who are fully paid up senior members.

The pro’s and con’s were explored with the members present with many queries that could not be immediately answered by the officers present, however a conclusion was agreed that after more definite answers to some of the questions from the floor and the submission of concrete proposals to the club membership perhaps a vote could be taken at next years AGM. Most members present appeared happy with the handling of the asset matter and diligence applied by the committee.

The Chairman promised to take away some of the queries presented i,e, would the BMFA tailor a trust to suite the members wishes of RADMAC, would the BMFA ensure that the assets of RADMAC were only passed on to a club containing senior members of repute not asset strippers.

With the Southern area seminar due to take place at the end of January it was thought that some of these queries could be raised there.

To obtain a feeling of the members present on the two proposals explained, a vote was requested to test the waters at this meeting, there were 16 for proposal 1, and 10 for proposal 2, there being 2 abstensions.

Item 10: Charitable donation

The Treasurer explained that for the second year he had not received any monies from the Cholsey show event, the Chairman having already explained that the event was rather poorly attended by the public and by our club, the Chairman and Secretary being the only two club bodies present.

The club however donated £50 to its preferred charity, The Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance, this was passed to Tony Roberts a official donation collector for the trust.

Item 10: Presentation of Trophies

Due to extremely bad weather and flooding and a general lack of enthusiasm by members only one competition was successfully completed this year that being the Concurs de La Elegance this was one by Joe Dray with his Bristol fighter, second Andy Warlow with a CAP , third Ray Stuart with a Mossie.

Well done guys, cheques were awarded in lieu of commemorative cups this year, !st being £15, 2^nd £10, 3^rd £5.

Item 12: AOB

A vote of thanks was proposed by Ron Perkins seconded by Martin Dance to Mike Russell for once again auditing our accounts.

A vote of thanks and a free club subscription was proposed by Ron Perkins seconded by Joe Dray to Dave Grey for his dedicated work and patience with new members in obtaining their initial flying status.

The BMFA registered ,club authorised instructors were re-confirmed, Graham Legg, John Grange, Andy Stretton, Colin Robertson, Joe Dray, and Robin Cawsey proposed by Ron Perkins, seconded by Neil Vinney.

The BMFA authorised instructors were re-confirmed, Ron Perkins, Martin Dance, Dave Grey,Dave Belcher, proposed by Neil Vinney, seconded by Tony Roberts.

The Club Examiners, were re-confirmed, Andrew Sretton, Dave Belcher, and Martin Dance, proposed by Ron Perkins, seconded by Tony Roberts.

The AGM started at 2008 hrs and fished at 2146 hrs

Ron Perkins pp Andrew Stretton