Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Audax UK held at the Metropole Hotel, Llandrindod Wells, on the 27th November 2004 to be read in conjunction with the agenda published in Arrivée issue 86.
Meeting commenced at 14:07
Chaired By Keith Benton
1) Those present were asked to record their names on the list circulated.
2) Apologies for absence were read out including those from John Richardson, Liz Creese, Bry Ferguson, and Mick Potts who was ‘on his way’..
KB mentioned the deaths of Ron Sant, an early member of AUK, and the first to go from 100k to Paris-Brest-Paris in one year, and of Alan Brazier, an organiser for Victoria CC, Saffron Walden.
3) Minutes of the previous AGM were accepted as correct. John Radford proposed, Tim Wainwright seconded. None opposed.
4) There were no matters arising from the last meeting.
5) Officers’ Reports presented at the meeting or with additional comments given at the meeting.
Validation Secretary, Bernard Mawson presented a verbal report: It was his final report before retirement. Neville Holgate had taken on a portion of the work and had validated about half of all cards. There were 15,032 validated rides during the season, 695 fewer than the previous one. Shorter events showed increased numbers; 200ks were about the same. 300s were down by 20%; 400s were down to half the previous season’s total; 600s, with 155 validated rides, had ‘almost disappeared’. Roger Philo asked whether BM had, as in previous years, calculated a figure for what constituted a long distance, but BM said he had not.
Recorder, Neville Holgate said he had been helping with validations. He had also been dealing with end-of-season claims. He showed the meeting an envelope which had been delivered unsealed and empty, and suggested that any members who had not been credited with all their rides should contact him.
ACP & LRM Correspondent, Noel Simpson said his job was to represent ACP (Audax Club Parisien), LRM (Les Randonneurs Mondiaux), and AUK to each other. He informed the meeting that he might be moving to France next year.
Events Secretary, Peter Coulson added to his written report that the new calendar would be out before Christmas, that there were a few new events, and thanked all organisers for getting information to him on time.
Publications Manager, Sheila Simpson added that there were now six publications per year, four in full colour. She introduced editors Tim Wainwright and Maggie Lewis to the meeting and said that the future of Arrivée was in safe hands.
Systems Manager, Francis Cooke added that he had had a quiet year.
Permanents Secretary, Rob Webb reported that he had validated 834 brevet cards, including 70 over 600k. There were new events and new organisers, and some old ones had dropped out. Permanent events which were still under review would not be eligible for championship points, but would otherwise count towards personal totals. He asked for volunteers to help with producing maps to accompany website details of events.
He advised that emails to him should have the words ‘audax’ or ‘auk’ in the subject line to avoid being treated as spam.
He thanked organisers, riders, and those who wrote legibly.
John Walker asked about risk assessments for youth hostel darts and arrows. RW replied there were no risk assessments because no fixed routes, but organisers were asked to mention exceptional hazards. KB referred JW to Safety Officer, Steve Cockram. SS said that she and PCo were working on statistics from AUK accident reports and hoped to be in a position to come up with a generic risk assessment based on these figures. This would take some of the onus off organisers in the future. PCo mentioned that he was doing a form of RA for his permanents ten years ago and invited JW to contact him or look at the Mesh web pages.
Publicity Secretary, Graham Mills distributed his report at the meeting. It was more difficult this year to get items about AUK published in the cycling press. Cycling Plus had concentrated on l’Etape, and Cycling Weekly on competitive events. However CW would be publishing names of Super Randonneurs and of finishers of the Gourmet 1000 event. The committee had decided on a budget for advertising, and mention of this had made journalists more willing to accept news items. With a view to raising the profile of long distance cycling and AUK, a National Series consisting of events form 100 to 600k had been instituted, with gold, silver, and bronze badges awarded according to distance attained. Derek Slann expressed support for the idea and suggested a nickname of ‘Mills the Hills’.
Brevet Card Production Secretary, Pam Pilbeam said the number of cards produced had dropped against 2002 (ignoring 2003 because it was PBP year), especially for longer distances. John Ward had assisted by producing 705 permanent cards this year, and exchanging over 1000 old cards. JW volunteered that ‘I do what Pam tells me’. GM thought that the national series might help reverse the decline in participation in longer events.
Membership Secretary, Gerry Goldsmith reported that membership had risen to over 4000 for the first time. She thanked her team: Mike Wigley, Julian Beach, Nick Windle, and Findlay Watt. Membership cards would be sent with the renewal form and calendar, and she asked members to look out for them. Richard Phipps asked what happened regarding cards and commuted members. GGo replied that they would get a new card each year with a renewal form telling them their membership status.
RW advised the meeting that the unofficial Permanents Champion was Brian Callow with 63 points, and that Peter Mennicke had ridden both Roscoff-Nice and the reverse event in quick succession.
All the above reports were accepted without dissension.
Treasurer, Ritchie Tout drew attention to the accounts published in the agenda.
He was looking at the costs of membership, and how to make membership easier. Neville Chanin asked why the cost of Arrivée had dropped dramatically from the previous year. RT explained that it was an apparent drop caused by the printer submitting invoices too late to be included in this year’s figures. NC asked what Membership surplus was. RT replied that it was the sum of income less expenditure. Gavin Greenhow asked about the net worth of the club. RT explained that the net worth was £92,000 approx, and that the figure of £65,000 was cash. He said that this was less than the year’s turnover and thus a minimal cushion against sudden financial difficulty.
Anne Benton said we should congratulate the treasurer and membership. She mentioned cancer-sufferer, Jane Tomlinson who is attempting an End-to-End ride and hoping to raise a large sum of money for a cancer hospital. As the club was affluent would it consider making a donation. Previous donations had gone mainly to the CTC action fund. Phil Chadwick asked what would be done with the money otherwise. RT mentioned the club’s sizable operating expenses. DS asked what the figure might be [no recorded answer]. SS said that a donation should generate some publicity for AUK. Ray Smith suggested JT could ride the National Series. An informal show of hands showed support for the idea, with 6 against. AB asked that the committee take the idea on board.
The treasurer’s report was accepted, none opposed.
5a) Treasurer’s Recommendations. RT said that we had to match expense with income, and that insurance had gone up by 25%. He was therefore suggesting the increases as published, to take effect from 2005. Simon Jones questioned why the premiums had risen so much and asked whether the insurers were aware of the risk assessments the club had in place. RT replied that RA does not have a bearing on what might be claimed. KB said that the insurer expects us to have RA in place. He said that cover had been increased from £1m to £5m. RT said he was taking advice from the insurance co. GGr asked why it was necessary to cover expenses when the club was worth so much. He felt too much money was tied up. RT replied that money was needed for cashflow as the club got bigger, and that the current amount had been built up slowly over a long period. JW asked about the history of the funds increase; had the increase occurred recently? KB replied that the club had lived ‘hand-to-mouth’ at first, and had difficulty paying creditors. A surplus in the bank made our financial position more secure. He added that GGr was right to raise the query. John Pearce spoke in favour. SS asked what proportion of fees were commuted. KB replied 1 in 4. John Curtin asked if commuted fees could be kept separately. RT said it was approx £70,000 annually.
Recommendations accepted, 5 opposed.
Renewal date cut-off.
RT explained that it would make the membership team’s job easier and encourage members to renew within a reasonable time. Hugh Harrison asked if it would be possible for life members to pay by standing order. GGo asked those present if they wished to use standing orders. RT explained that direct debit was not an option open to the club, and that standing orders would only be viable if enough people were interested. It need not be restricted to life members. JC asked whether commuted membership or standing orders would be better for the club. RT replied that commuted was best.
Proposal accepted, 1 opposed.
Honoraria.
RT said the proposal was an administrative matter to avoid creating revenue or tax problems. It would not financially affect the club, just alter the way tax is paid and accounted for. Linda Johnston asked how non-taxpayers would be dealt with. RT replied the same way as far as the club was concerned, but they would file a self-assessment return.
Proposal accepted, none opposed.
To operate the club through a company.
Last year the AGM gave authority to look at turning the club into a company limited by guarantee to give some protection against litigation. RT explained that the club stays functionally the same but would be structured as a legal entity to take advantage of the status thus afforded. Members cannot take salaries, and are not allowed to personally benefit from running the club.
Jon Jennings asked if members were personally liable at present. KB replied that the committee was more exposed than the members, which was one reason for raising the amount insured to £5m.
HH asked if all members would have shares. RT replied that there would be no shares and no certificates. LJ asked if the company could reduce the insured amount. RT said no, the members liability would be limited to £1 each, but the assets of the company could be taken, which would mean it would fold. KB said that in the event of a claim for £6m the total liability would be the assets of the club plus a pound from each member. JW asked if cover needed to be increased. RT replied that the amount was reasonable at the moment but would be monitored.
GGr said he was an organiser and asked what the position of an organiser would be under the new company. RT replied that it would be unchanged. KB said there would be an explanatory note in Arrivée. FC asked if voting was to go ahead. He said he was concerned that there was little documentation. KB answered yes, and that there would be safeguards in the documentation. RT said articles would be drawn up and sent to lawyers after the committee had seen and approved them. Regulations would remain unchanged. KB said that this proposal formalises the start of the procedure and that all steps would be scrutinised by the committee.
PCh suggested that directors of a company might have onerous liabilities. RT said he had warned that committee members who were already directors might not want the extra responsibility and risk. However the responsibilities were less because it was not a commercial company. PCh suggested directors would need to complete tax returns. RT said that self-assessment would be adequate. IH said it was the difference between a standard limited company and a company limited by guarantee.
Rod Dalitz asked if the meeting should vote on specific changes to the constitution. RT replied there would be no change to the regulations and that the constitution would only be adjusted to comply with company law. The new company would be run as a cycling club. SS said the constitution could not be changed without a 2/3 majority vote in favour.
The proposal was accepted, 1 opposed.
6) Publication of finishing times for long events.
Chris Crossland spoke for the proposal. He said it was a modest proposal, not satirical, that it could enhance appreciation of Edinburgh-London around the world. He said that E-L was the second-most prestigious event in the world after Paris-Brest-Paris. We should seek to maintain its high standing. All other 1200+ events published finishing times, and E-L times are available elsewhere in the world although AUK does not publish them. It would be only BRM events, not other AUK events. He said that PBP times had been published last year by country, not by finishing order, because of the ‘unacceptable behaviour’ of some of the ‘premiers’. AUK could do the same for E-L Andy Clarkson, seconding, said that at the end of PBP everyone talked about times, and that people liked to see data. He mentioned British riders, Gethin Butler and Mick Potts who had set out to do fast PBP times. It would help to raise the profile of E-L by getting it into the cycling press, and would attract people to AUK. RW said that there were two defences against the accusation of racing: The minimum time and non-publication of finish times. This proposal would move one of those. JW asked if the maximum speed would remain the same. PCh and George Hanna spoke in favour. Chris Beynon asked if the committee had any advice about legal or insurance implications. KB answered it had not been raised with the insurers. Ron Carlton and BM spoke against. JC spoke against. KB said a letter received from Reid Anderson said it would a nail in the coffin of AUK. JH said Audax Club Parisien had only recently published PBP times under pressure from the Americans who ‘wanted to win’. Richard Phipps spoke in favour. CC summed up by saying there were different ways of publishing times.
The proposal was rejected 15 in favour 44 opposed.
7) Alteration to regulations.
PCo said that the revised wording of 2.5 clarified the scope of insurance cover and temporary membership for events. Temporary membership covers riders to the point when they finish an event. RC mentioned that bronze British Cycling membership did not include insurance cover. PCo and KB said the onus was on the rider to make a truthful declaration. The proposal was accepted, none opposed. PC said the revision to 2.9 put the onus on riders to behave according to the rules of the road. It reinforced the point that audax events were private excursions and not special use of the roads such as racing. FC suggested that the wording was fundamental enough to deserve a regulation on its own.
The proposal was accepted none opposed.
8) Secret Controls.
GH spoke for the proposal. He said it was a ‘Hammerite’ proposal, that secret controls were memorable, whereas information controls were not. He felt they would add to the mystique of events. Danny Fisher seconded by saying that it would help organisers who had scenic routes which were part of AUK’s winning formula. PP asked where organisers would find controllers to man secrets, said that information controls did not require manning and avoided queues. JH spoke against. Annemarie Manley said they would be discretionary, said she would like organisers to produce decent route instructions especially in areas with which she was unfamiliar. RT said it would make routes compulsory.
Simon Jones spoke in favour, said he organised an event and found it tedious to have many infos. He thought the present regulations too tight and suggested that cheats only cheated themselves. Cheating was mainly relevant to the championships, and perhaps this was an argument for doing away with them. JC said that organisers could put extra controls in under current regs. RW said he found it difficult to follow route instructions and dreaded the idea of secrets. PCh was concerned about ambiguous route sheets, recalled an event where three quarters of the field missed a secret.
JW spoke in favour. IH called upon Dai Harris and Andy Seviour and mentioned a particular secret control on a DH event.
GH summed up and said it had been an interesting debate.
The proposal was accepted 33 for 25 opposed.
KB said the committee would decide on a form of words to go in the organisers’ pack. RD noted that current regs said that all controls must be notified at the beginning. PCo said that would be met by having a box on the brevet card.
9) Election of Vice-President.
John Richardson, known to all as Rocco, was elected none opposed.
10) Election of officers.
It was agreed to elect officers en bloc. Sue Gatehouse and Keith Harrison were standing for the validation secretary post as job-share. Proposed by Chris Beynon, seconded by Richard Phipps.
Accepted, none opposed.
11) The next AGM would be held near Scarborough on the 7 January 2006.
Proposal accepted , none opposed.
12) Any Other Business.
DS asked that easier events be chosen for national events. He felt that events such as the Elenith were not suitable for beginners.
GGr felt there was a general decline in long-distance rides. He noted that events had been cancelled because of insufficient entries, asked if financial support could be given in such cases to avoid cancellations. PCo replied that assistance was available for events over 300k.
FC noted that the chairman had a copy of the ‘ABC of Chairmanship’ by him.
LJ asked whether AUK events abroad carried the same insurance cover. PCo replied that they did.
KB mentioned that videos of prize presentations for the last eight years were available from John Pearce.
He said that JW suggested sending used postage stamps to the British Kidney Association to raise money for holidays for children.
SS asked for the remaining dart cards to be handed in.
GGr asked about end of year claims. NH replied that a few claims were received each year, but mostly the awards were dealt with by computer.
IH apologised for embarrassing DH and said that he ran some fine events.
Tim Wainwright suggested a vote of thanks to BM for his work over the years [applause].
JH suggested a vote of thanks to the committee and organisers. Said organisers put in a great deal of effort. He thought it appropriate that Rocco should be ‘president of vice’.
13) Meeting closed at 16:22.