Meeting started at 10:46

Present: DKB, FC, SG, KH, IH, PM, RP, SS, JW.
Apology for absence: GG, NH, PP, RT.

The minutes of the meeting held on 7th Jan 2007 were accepted as a true record.

Matters arising.
RT has circulated amended regs on the board forum and has received comments, but the situation now appears to be static. SS suggested that a paragraph be added to the AUK regulations to emphasise the Club had now moved away from organising rides to a policy of calendaring, regulating, validating and recording events. No further Accident Reports had been received up to the meeting and RP agreed to submit a piece to Arrivée giving brief details.
ACTION: RP

DKB mentioned his potential contact to understudy FC was unlikely to be available. It was suggested, given the apparent level of expertise within the membership that a suitable candidate might be trawled from there and FC is to initiate a suitable advertisement. He did mention in passing that he felt vulnerable, with both the membership and events databases on the same server, but it had proved reliable thus far and was backed up frequently.
ACTION: FC

Honoraria.
SS had proposed that three tiers of honorarium be paid according to time and equipment required of £300, £600 and £1,200. An extended discussion ensued where it was agreed that honoraria were an expression of gratitude for the contribution an definitely not in lieu of expenses. It was also felt those levels were too arbitrary, and the following amounts were suggested:
DKB, RP, IH £300
SG/KH £600 each
PM £300 (£600 in PBP year)
JW £750
FC £1200
SS (Events) £300 per delegate
RT £600-900 with a portion offered to Bill Carnaby
GG £1200 split between delegates as requested
NH £600
PP £1200
SS (Pubs) £600 to editors for each edition of Arrivée, and £300 each for Handbook and Calendar.

SS pointed out that an increase in subscriptions would be needed, even without these payments, as the Club was currently losing money. It also emerged that, following the move of the AGM into the New Year, such increases could not be implemented until virtually a year later, since they had to be ratified by the membership. Various suggestions were made to change the membership expiry date, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. It was agreed to reflect on the situation and consider it again at the next meeting. (Any change also needs AGM approval.)
ACTION: ALL

AGM Venue 2008.
PP advised the Hoddesdon hotel mentioned at the AGM had been found, on inspection, to offer poor value for money, and she had therefore booked the Hotel Metropole in Llandrindod Wells again. Equally, Center Parcs were very uncompetitive, and Scarborough has been pencilled in for the start of 2009.

Reports and Correspondence.
SG/KH advised numbers were generally up on last year, but overall were at a similar level to last year after one event had been poorly supported due to bad weather. The new system of Org validation of BPs seems to be working well.
IH reported no correspondence received, but CW still pressing for adverts. AUK awards have been mentioned in C+ and on CW website and the Guardian has printed an article about PBP.
PM has received a stream of PBP enquiries, some of which he is not yet in a position to answer. There is a PBP page on the website and it was suggested he update it with the most frequent questions.
JW is finding numbers similar to last season’s levels with PC still processing the dregs of his events. Many DIY cards are being purchased for future use and he is hoping to map DIY routes with FC’s technical help.
FC reported his stint assisting the membership team to get their database on line had gone extremely well and was anticipating a hands off role in 2008. He was now involved in a similar project for the Events aspect of the Club, and mentioned parenthetically that from April, the Brevet card inners would be printed by PP/JW and would look slightly different.
SS, as Pubs Mgr thought that Hedleys were as good as Quorum for the Handbook and Calendar, but was not happy with the quality of photographs in Arrivée, and has therefore requested a comparative review on various grades of paper. The bills were now smaller (and much later!) but she felt quality had suffered, which she was intent on reversing. She also mentioned the Nov issue had had too many add-on sheets in the package, which added too much to the costs. Where possible, such supplementary information should be provided as a centre page pullout at a lower cost.
On the Events front, she was slowly working through PC’s events and was surprised at the lack of completeness - something she would prefer from the outset. She did accept the new automated system would happily cope with the procedure as it had evolved (as noted by the Orgs present at the meeting) Piecemeal and gradual updates would be possible, except on new routes, which were checked by AutoRoute. In an attempt to avoid problems, there will be an article in the May Arrivée giving full details of the organisers’ process.

LEL.
Melita Luxton and Peter Coulson are to be directors of LEL2009, the company being formed to run that event. Three start times are being proposed - 08:00 and 14:00 on Sat 25th Jul 2009 and 08:00 on the Sunday for riders expecting to average 12 / 13.3 /15kph respectively. Mel’s update was reviewed briefly and a hands-off involvement by the board was accepted. There was one query whether self-catering would be available at the Youth Hostel before the morning starts.

PBP.
PM detailed the four entry options offered by ACP previously circulated on the board forum and indicated the procedure should be decided at the meeting. The chosen option is for entrants to complete the on-line form, and then send all ancillary docs to AUK with the appropriate payment. ACP’s form can be downloaded to mail to off-line entrants on receipt of sae. As each entry will probably need a different payment amount, entrants should send the appropriate Sterling amount to us. (The exchange rate will probably be set shortly.) AUK will check all entries and mail them in bulk to ACP with a single cheque for the total Euro balance required. PM suggested riders submit their entry as soon as possible after qualifying to ease the workload. He will do an explanatory piece for the next Arrivée. The Pavilion Bleu is, surprisingly, still in business and has contacted him to channel business in their direction, if all better options prove fruitless. ACP club numbers (required for the entry form) will be visible on the AUK website.
ACTION: PM

AOB. KH mentioned that when medals were ordered at the finish of an event, it was not possible to specify whether one for the distance or the appropriate AAA one was required. To avoid the possibility of incorrect assumptions in the future, it was agreed that the Grimpeur medal would be the one of choice, if eligible. During the discussions, it emerged there was a discrepancy between the AAA points tables in the Handbook and on the website, and SS volunteered to contact Steve Snook to arrange a correction.
IH mentioned the composition of the CTC steering group for the York rally was currently unclear.
RP relayed a message from PP that she would be unable to man the AUK stand there this year. An advert is to be sent to Tim for the next Arrivée requesting volunteers.
FC noted in the Orgs’ guidelines that AUK is covered for 3rd party liability, but only some product liability and no employees’ liability. This will be researched and discussed at the next meeting.
ACTION: ALL

Next Meeting. Comfort Inn, Station Street, Birmingham on Wednesday 6th June 2007 at 10:00 for 10:30.

The meeting closed at 14:50.