AGM 2006
Minutes from the club AGM, 20th November 2006
Edinburgh RC, AGM, Monday 20th November 2006
Royal Ettrick Hotel
PRESENT: Gareth George, President
Ken Whitson, Vice President
Andrew Sinclair, Treasurer
Jonny May, General Secretary
Also other committee and ordinary members: -
Simon Bullock, John Connaghan, Sonya Crawford, Colin Crawford, Ross Crook, Gareth Davies, Oliver Del Corto, Fiona Donaldson, Eric Easton, Paul Ewing, Mark Finlay, Chris Harney, Janine Hensman, Dominic Hines, Liz Jones, Jennifer Laing, Niall MacDonald, John McDowall, Neil Muir, Sandra Murdoch, Ena Murdoch, Andrew Mylne, Tom Orr, Stephen Roy, Colin Russell, Ken Russell, David Sime, Kevin Tait, Claire Thomas, Lawrence Tring, Cliff White, Lee Whitelaw, Jessica Wilson-Young, Jenny Wright, Olly Young
1.0 Chairman's Introduction
Simon Bullock welcomed everyone to the AGM.
2.0 Apologies for Absence
Apologies for absence had been received from Peter Ness.
3.0 Minutes AGM November 2005
These were accepted as a true record
4.0 Matters Arising
o None
5.0 Officers' Reports
5.1 President
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report.
5.2 Registrar's Report
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report.
5.3 Coaching Convenor's Report
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report.
5.4 Membership Services
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report although newsletter Andrew Mylne did take the opportunity to make a plea for newsletter contributions.
5.5 Road, Track & Time Trial Convenor's Report
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report.
5.6 Off Road
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report.
5.7 Triathlon & Duathlon
No questions were received from the floor concerning this report.
6.0 Three Year Plan - An Update
Gareth George provided the meeting with a review of progress with the current three year plan.
He explained that we were now two years into the current plan and that he was delighted to report excellent progress on all fronts. The 2005-2007 plan had seven major objectives. Actions taken under each of the headings was as follows:-
1. Improve membership benefits
Communication: committee minutes now on the website; distribution of a written newsletter; major improvements to the website - giving access for members reports, frequently asked questions / answers, an improved "˜what's on diary', club documents, picture galleries and a new message board.
A new annual handbook provides a host of written information for members together with a members database.
ERC competitors supported with money devolved to the key groups in the club.
Club bikes and equipment available to some members
Membership renewal now available online through entry central.
Club events including the Kirkliston 10; club duathlons, regular running and swimming opportunities; the weekday and weekend rides together with a host of open events promoted by the club.
Socially the club dinner and prize-presentation has got bigger and bigger and an initiative not included in the three-year plan, our first club Ceildhl. Thanks to Eric Easton and his team of helpers.
2. Promoting membership to underrepresented groups
7% of the membership is in the youth and junior category but recruitment still remains patchy. A much needed youth policy has been written thanks to Cliff White and is now available online. Further efforts are planned for this category during 2008.
The other previously underrepresented group - women, now totals 90 or 23% of our membership - quite a success story. Largely do to the encouragement of members like Sandra Murdoch acting as ERC's women's coordinator.
3. Encouraging participation
While not able to provide statistics to illustrate the growth in participation Gareth encouraged the meeting to read the club conveners reports. The sheer scale of activity and the numbers involved speak for themselves. Strength in numbers, has now begun to pay dividends - we now expect for instance to dominate and win the supporting race at Ingliston rather than just taking part.
4. Encouraging sponsors / benefits
The club has recognized that this is such a vital function to help support our growing competitive activity that the vice president's job description has been changed to exclusively deal with sponsorship. A Publicity officer has been appointed and Neil Muir regularly gets reports in the media. Our website with its increasing number of hits has become an excellent vehicle to promote ourselves and our sponsors. The sheer number of ERC members wearing the new strip has given us, and our sponsors, lots of excellent publicity.
5. Helping members improve and win medals
Coaching - the club has put a huge effort into this with off-road sessions, team time trial sessions, 1 :1 coaching, the introduction of Training Peaks Software, well attended swim sessions, cycle maintenance and so on.
One successful athlete had pointed out to Gareth that success this season has been 95% due to ERC coaching.
Gareth explained, however, that we want to do more and the one thing promised but not achieved to date has been the creation of squads. He promised to refer to this later in his report.
6. Good governance
Under this heading the club had achieved the following;
"¢ sound financial management
"¢ well-run committee meetings with reported decisions
"¢ a committee constantly reviewing progress made against the plan
"¢ updates to the constitution
"¢ job descriptions - committee posts published
"¢ the distribution of regular feedback from National Bodies
7. Event promotion and shaping national plans
We have never been in such a good position to shape national events:
Ken Whitson is the current chair of ESCA
Gareth George is a Director of Cycling Scotland
We have members on the Triathlon Scotland Committee
Cliff White is a Director of Scottish Cycling
A long association with Audax Ecosse
The future:
So far the club has made a huge effort to nurture newcomers and in doing so has recognized that perhaps it has neglected our more established and successful competitors. To address this, to be more successful competitively, to gain more publicity and sponsorship, to satisfy existing sponsors, to create goals and a ladder of opportunity within our club and to hold on talented athletes within ERC - a squad system is now envisaged.
One of the goals of the existing plan has always been to create supported team squads but to date, despite being part of successive plans, it has never been achieved. The committee believes that we should start the ball rolling now with a women's squad for 2007 to provide a model for the remaining groups to follow. The committee have also decided that our women members present the best opportunity for ERC to perform at the highest level in the shortest possible time.
In view of the scale of this undertaking, however, a number of meetings have already been held and a steering group created. Four sponsors have been approached and one has already pledged some help. In addition a separate budget has been created within ERC's 2007 Spending Plan. The commitment and enthusiasm to begin this process with a women's group next year has been overwhelming. Lists of target races are now under discussion, firm commitments from 17 of our women members have been received to date, together with lots of offers from members committed to help the squad develop.
Gareth concluded by saying that this initiative presented a superb new opportunity for ERC and if successful will provide an excellent model to create a male squad system within the club in future years.
7.0 Changes to Constitution
The following changes to the club's constitution were approved:-
"¢ 1.2 "The object of the club shall be to provide competitive and social activities for members in connection with cycling and other related sport"
"¢ 2.3 "The committee reserve the right to approve all new applications for membership."
"¢ 4.2 Delete "(Adult, Junior and Juvenile)" & "associate members"
"¢ 4.3 Delete entirely
"¢ Reorder section 6.5 to become 6.2, subsequent subsections to be renumbered accordingly.
"¢ 8.1 "The chairman will give notice in writing
"
"¢ 8.2 "Quorum for a committee meeting must be five committee members"
"¢ 8.3 "The chairman will have a casting vote."
"¢ 8.4 Renumber subsection 8.2 as 8.4.
"¢ 12 Change "the rules of the ERC, ESCA or SCU" to "the rules of the Club or other bodies to which it affiliates"."
8.0 Approval of Honorary Memberships
Honorary memberships for Gareth George, Neil Muir and Penny Rother were agreed.
9.0 Treasurer's Report and Accounts
The full annual account, duly audited has been made as an appendix to these minutes.
Approval of accounts:
Proposed Stephen Roy
Seconded Gareth Davies
10.0 Subscriptions 2006 / 2007
The following charges were agreed by a large majority:-
Full member - £15 per year
5 Year Membership - £60 (5 for the price of 4)
Youth - Free
Junior - Free
Unwaged - £5 per year
11.0 Election of Officials
President Ken Whitson
Vice President Mark Findlay
Chairman Simon Bullock
General Secretary Jonny May
Membership Services Coordinator Vacant
Coaching Services Convenor Colin Russell
Road/TT/Track Secretary Kevin Tait
Off Road Coordinator Fiona Donaldson
Triathlon Coordinator Peter Ness
Treasurer Andrew Sinclair
All of the above were elected unopposed.
12.0 Appointment of Auditor
Susan Heneaghan was reappointed club auditor.
13.0 Election of Delegates
Club delegates to allied bodies are: -
ESCA Kevin Tait
SCU AGM Sandra Murdoch, Ken Russell, Ken Whitson, Stephen Roy, Colin Crawford
14.0 AOCB
Simon Bullock thanked outgoing committee members Gareth George and Cliff White for their services to the club.
The meeting closed with Neil Muir proposing a vote of thanks to the committee.
Jonny May
General Secretary
14th November 2007
More information
Please read the Frequently asked questions page and the What's on? page for more information about club activities, or contact us for more information.
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