THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION LINCOLNSHIRE RECORD OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNTY COMMITTEE

Transcription

1 THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION LINCOLNSHIRE RECORD OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNTY COMMITTEE HELD ON SATURDAY 24 th JANUARY 2015 AT THE WADDINGTON RBL CLUB PRESENT Mr W S Erskine Crum (President), Mr A R P Goodwin (Chairman), Mrs B A Wilcox (Vice-Chairman), Mr T Butler, Mr F Byrne, Mr J Copeland, Mr S Ezekiel, Mr R Green, Mr R Hewitt, Mr J Johnson, Mrs M Jones, Mr B Marsden, Mr D Scott, Mrs P Seymour IN ATTENDANCE Mr J H T Hathaway (CPAC), Mr B R Mahoney (Membership Support Officer East Midlands) 1. Welcome and the Act of Homage: The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting, with a particular welcome to the newly elected and re-elected County Committee members. The Act of Homage was then said and observed by all present. 2. Apologies: None 3. Items of an urgent nature to close the Agenda: None. 4. The County President: The County President (CP) congratulated everyone on the organisation of the County Conference and stated that he did not have a lot to add to his speech at Conference. He informed the meeting that if he was invited by Branches to attend their events he would be happy to attend. 5. The County Chairman: The County Chairman (CC) informed the meeting that he had received an apology from the County Padre for missing the County Conference. Since the last meeting he had attended a Service in Lincoln Cathedral, which was part of the Lord Lieutenants retirement process, and made some useful contacts. The Area Office in Derby is to be opened in the next couple of months and 5 rooms were to be named after VC recipients and he had been asked for a nomination. The CC had nominated Sergeant Charles Sharp of the Lincolnshire Regiment. The CC had also attended a Community Covenant meeting in Boston, grants to projects were still being made but how they were to be made was changing.

2 The CC had also attended a meeting of Horncastle Branch; he was impressed that they had 25 members attend the meeting. They intended to open a new memorial on VJ Day, 16 th August 2015; they would be issuing more details in the future. The CC had also attended a meeting of the Lincolnshire County Council Remembrance and Memorials Group. The CC had also attended a number of funerals on behalf of the Legion. 6. Draft Record of the meeting held on 13 th December 2014: The record of this meeting was ACCEPTED as a true record and signed by the County Chairman. Proposed: Mr Johnson Seconded: Mr Byrne Accepted: 7. Matters Arising: None. 8. Confirmation of County Treasurer: The CC asked Mr Scott whether he wished to stay in the position of County Treasurer (CT), he confirmed that he would remain in post until the accounts were put on LOMAS. The CC recommended to the meeting that Mr Ezekiel be appointed as the County Book Keeper to assist the CT in putting the County Accounts on LOMAS. The County Committee appreciated the fact that Mr Scott had agreed to continue in the interim as County Treasurer. Proposed: Mr Hewitt Seconded: Mr Copeland Accepted: 9. County Delegate to Annual Conference: The County Committee discussed whether to send a Delegate to Annual Conference. There are at least 5 members of County Committee attending Annual Conference as Delegates and the fact that the County Delegate could speak but could not vote, the County Committee decided not to send a County Delegate to Annual Conference Proposed: Mrs Wilcox Seconded: Mrs Seymour Accepted: 10. Confirmation of Sub-Committees and Working Groups: The County Chairman issued the details of the proposed Sub-Committees and Working Groups for 2015 to the meeting. A volunteer was required to act as County Property Manager; Mr Johnson volunteered to fill this post. A copy is attached to this record.

3 11. County Treasurer s Report: A current balance sheet from the CT was included with the Agenda and was accepted by the meeting. A couple of bills are still outstanding, one from the Festival of Remembrance and one from the Poppy Appeal Launch. Proposed: Mrs Seymour Seconded: Mr Butler Accepted: The CC gave an update to the meeting on the monies raised by the Cricket match; he expects the final total to be around 1500, he asked the Committee to consider what should be done with this money for a decision to be made at the next meeting. A discussion was held on making a donation to the Poppy Appeal from the County Welfare Fund. The MSO raised the issue that this was a Trust Fund and should we be making donations from it to the Poppy Appeal. The consensus was that we had done it previously and there was no reason to not do it again. It was agreed to donate 1000 to the Poppy Appeal. Proposed: Mr Johnson Seconded: Mr Butler Accepted: 12. Annual Meeting of County Conference 2015: Mrs Seymour, the Chairman of the County Conference Committee, gave a report to the meeting on County Conference. The CC thought that the event went well but there was a little bit of confusion around the numbers of delegates, but this was because some of them hadn t signed in because they had attended the Poppy forum. There was also some other issues with holding the Poppy forum as it meant that there was a delay in getting the hot water boiler for conference. The CC confirmed that the Poppy forum was at no extra cost to the County. The CC would circulate the answers to the questions asked at conference. The CC also raised the matter of the picture brought for auction by Coningsby Branch, there had been no prior contact before the meeting and he felt that it was not ideal the way that it had been handled. 13. Annual County Service of Rededication: The 2015 Service will be held at St Deny s Church, Sleaford on Sunday 10 th May. Sleaford Branch has been approached and they have made initial enquiries with the Vicar, they are also considering venues for refreshments afterwards. Hopefully this will be an East Midlands Event as it falls on the 70 th anniversary of VE Day weekend. 14. County Meetings/County Calendar: The provisional County Calendar 2015 was discussed at the meeting and some amendments made. The County Committee meeting planned for 18 th April was changed to the 11 th April because of a conflict but unfortunately the CC is not available on the revised date, because of a meeting at Head Office, therefore the original date of the 18 th April will stand. The date for the meeting of Annual

4 Conference Delegates would be confirmed later.. Alford Branch offered to host the County Committee meeting on Saturday 11 th July 2015, this was agreed by the meeting. The CP would approach the Bishop of Lincoln to launch the County Poppy Appeal. It was confirmed that the County Festival of Remembrance would take place again at RAFC Cranwell, subject to the Commandants agreement. The CP raised the matter of the Poppy Appeal Lunch, which was not held in 2014, but was his and the Women s Section President s lunch supported by the CFR. He would be grateful for the Committee s thoughts on this event; to include location, timing, type of event etc. and whether it was still a good idea. If the event was to take place in 2015 the County Committee agreed to actively support it. 15. Branch Matters: The following Branches still had outstanding MS1: Barnack Branch Brigg Branch Caistor Branch Deeping St Nicholas Branch Gedney Drove End & Dawsmere Branch Gunby Branch Langtoft, The Deepings Branch Spilsby Branch Waddington Branch (MSO Note: I have now received MS1 s for Langtoft, The Deepings Branch and Spilsby Branch) The CC reminded the meeting that there was a standing invitation for Branch Chairman to attend the County Committee meeting. The CC raised the matter of a recently received policy letter on the Membership Structure, and the requirement to look at the viability of Branches. The CC was concerned about Caistor Branch and Deeping St Nicholas Branch, it appears that they both cannot continue as viable Branches because of the lack of members and the age of those members remaining. There was also one Sub-Branch which needed to be approached to see if they wished to reform as a Branch or join another Branch. The Lincolnshire Central (Holding) Branch was required to operate as a proper Branch if it was to remain part of Lincolnshire or it would be subsumed in to a larger Central Branch controlled by Head Office. The Committee wished the Central Branch to remain within Lincolnshire but wanted Branch Members to be contacted to give them the opportunity of expressing an opinion and hopefully transferring to a local Branch. The County Management Board would make a decision on the future of the

5 Central Branch at their meeting on Monday 9 th March The MSO advised the meeting that should the Central Branch remain as a Lincolnshire Branch that he would have to relinquish his role as Branch Secretary. The County Committee asked to have a copy of the letter that was sent out. 16. Date of next meeting: The next County Committee Meeting is planned for Saturday 18 th April 2015 at Waddington RBL Club, 1000 hrs for 1030 hrs. Signed as a true copy, A R P Goodwin BEM County Chairman