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Doc:May 2007 Board
Draft MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF THE RADIO SOCIETY OF
GREAT BRITAIN HELD AT THE PREMIER TRAVEL LODGE
SOUTH MIMMS ON SATURDAY 12 MAY 2007.
Present :
Directors
Angus Annan MM1CCR President International and Regulatory
Leslie Butterfields G0CIB Technical and Propagation
Liz Cabban GW0ETU Regional Representative/Membership Services
Don Field G3XTT Radio Sport
Brian Reay G8OSN Amateur Radio Development
Colin Thomas G3PSM Spectrum
Dave Wilson M0OBW HFC and Special Projects, IOTA
Kath Wilson M1CNY Regional Representative/Membership Services
Ex-officio
Peter Kirby G0TWW General Manager
Rupert Thorogood G3KKT Company Secretary
Robert Dingle G0OLB Treasurer
The President, Angus Annan MM1CCR, opened the meeting and welcomed the members
to South Mimms and expressed the Board’s sympathy to Peter and Sandie Kirby for their
recent bereavement.
1. Apologies
1.1 Apologies were received from John Pink G8MM Technical (Environment) and
Richard Constantine G3UGF Education and Training
.
2. Minutes of the previous meeting 17 March 2007 in Blackpool
2.1 The Minutes were agreed with the following corrections -
3.1.4 regarding listing of Directors. This will be dealt with as an agenda item.
4.4.2 the second sentence should read that the Society remains liable indefinitely.
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6.1 propagation studies should read propagation studies committee.
13.5 the train the trainers session should read in Northern Ireland
3. Matters Arising
3.1.1 Revised TOR for the new Treasurer item 2.3 – discussion have taken place and
there is a draft which will come to the next Board.
3.1.2 RCVS National Coordinator item 4.1 - the interview has taken place and Dr
Robin Bellerby has been appointed.
3.1.3 2012 Olympics coordination previous item 3.1.3 and previously item 4.6 action
on Don Field to continue discussion with CVRS. He reported that there has been a
meeting with an MP but there remains a problem with copyright of the Olympic name.
This is ongoing and a formal approach will be made to the Society when the matter is
clarified.
3.1.4 on the question of co-opted Directors item 3.1.4 this is an agenda item.
3.1.5 Board Self Evaluation item 3.1.5 Ongoing regarding the Board training exercise.
3.1.6 Amateur Radio Development item 3.1.9 The post had been advertised. There had
been one applicant who has since backed out. The President will write an item for
RadCom regarding the matter.
Action: President to write an item for RadCom regarding Amateur Radio
Development
3.1.7 loss of e-mails into Headquarters item 3.1.10 This appears to have been
remedied.
3.1.8 Treasurer to examine the reserve issue item 4.4.4. Ongoing.
3.1.9 Colin Thomas to write and item for RadCom on conduct of contests item 6.3.
This has been completed.
3.1.10 previous item 13.7 to align the Radio Amateurs examination with Vocational
Qualifications. The General Manager reported that the submission was in the process of
being completed and will be forwarded to QCA in due course.
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4. Financial Report
4.1 The Financial Report had been prepared by Marilyn Slade Financial Officer and
presented by the Treasurer who said that there were three important points to address.
They were 1) the underlying need to keep the business plan updated. 2) the Monthly
report for March and 3) the year to date report..
4.1.1 There was some discussion about future exam numbers and the lack of exam
centres as there is a feeling that some Clubs are not accepting candidates from outside
their area. The General Manager suggested an audit to ascertain the extent of the
problem.
Action: The General Manager to look at the question of accessibility of exam
centres
4.1.2 He said that the March budget was on track despite the low book sale’s and a larger
than forecast membership none renewal figure. The QSL Bureau was showing a surplus
because maternity cover had not been provided.
4.1.3. He commented that the year to date revealed a significant negative variance in
subscriptions and said that this was a matter for concern. However the President and
General Manager commented that subscriptions were not linear through the year.
4.1.4 He drew attention to the overall income deficit but the General Manager remarked
that books were traditionally slow at the beginning of the year and promotions and sales
have mostly been geared to the major rallies.
4.1.5 He commented on the outstanding Creditors which had been noted by the Auditors
and said that this needed to be addressed.
5. Commercial Report
5.1 The Commercial Report had been prepared by Mark Allgar M1MPA Commercial
Manager and was presented by the General Manager.
5.2 Advertising. He remarked that advertising continued to be of concern.
5.3 Books. These are below budget but he expect the activity to rise.
5.4 Membership. This continues to decline but the outlook, following the mail shot, was
positive.
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5.5 Rallies. He commented that the Blackpool and Kempton rallies were within budget.
He said that the stand for Dayton will be slightly smaller and the team will go out slightly
later.
6. Business Plan update
6.1 The Business Plan had originally been prepared by Peter Kirby, General Manager in
January 2006. It had now been updated by the President and General Manager and
presented by Angus Annan MM1CCR President. The President pointed out that further
development of the plan will follow after the report on the review of the GB4FUN project
and the report of the Pathfinder Group are considered by the Board.
6.2 The President said that the business plan needed to have a development plan for the
IOTA sponsorship and some options concerning the RSGB Headquarters should be
considered at this meeting.
6.3 The General Manager commented that there needed to be a meeting to discuss the
IOTA development plan. The President said there was an outline plan drafted by the
Chair of the IOTA Committee, but this needed further development and also needed to
cover commercial aspects of the use of the sponsorship. The Director Special projects
was asked to call a meeting. but this needed further development. Dave Wilson was asked
to call a meeting.
Action: Director Special Projects to call the IOTA development meeting.
6.4 Bob Dingle asked about the extent of RAYNET in the External Factors and the lack
of strategic issues. The President said that these were still being developed and further
input will follow.
6.5 The General Manager commented on the Raynet question and said that there was still
a perceived reluctance of the various factions to work together. In recent weeks there
have been reports from two separate regions that the “Networkö groups were trying to
ride roughshod over RSGB and non affiliated groups despite the high level goodwill
between the Society and the “Networkö There was also continuing concern that the
RAYNET group’s capability audit was still not forthcoming. President responded that
meetings with the “Networkö were continuing and with the new RSGB RCVS
coordinator now in place it was hoped that there would be a closer co-operation with
RAYNET groups on the ground. A progress report will be provided for the next Board
meeting.
6.6 Bob Dingle said that we should not be setting up an e-bay operation. This was agreed.
6.7 Liz Cabban sought clarification on the average age and salary of staff. The General
Manager told the Board that the age profile and average staff salary was in the plan. She
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also suggested that the Regional Office idea would add another tier of administration.
The General Manager explained that this was modelled on the Age Concern regional
concept. After some discussion it was decided to retain this option.
6.8 The President commented on the options for alternative premises and suggested that
those options involving building or estate development work had risks and would be a
distraction from the core tasks of the Board. The General Manager said that on the
previous occasions this has been discussed many of these options were practicable as
were moves to other sites. It was agreed that it may well be necessary to move HQ but
the Society should not be involved in the re-development of the existing site. The
President said that the matter should be deferred until the outcome of the Pathfinder
group.
6.9 Don Field suggested that a merger of some of the Societies should be considered but
the General Manager, and others, said that national interests were still too embedded for
this to take place.
6.10 In the light of the discussions the President said that more work was needed on the
strategic and other issues for the document. These should wait until the outcome of the
GB4FUN and the Pathfinder reviews.
7. Interim report on GB4FUN Review
7.1 This was presented by the President Angus Annan who had chaired the Review
Group.
7.2 He reminded the meeting of the drivers for the review.
7.3 The composition of the review group had been Peter Kirby, Peter Blair G3LTF of the
RCF, Bob Dingle G00LB former head teacher, Terry Murphy CE of WISE and Stuart
Ellins Director of the Young Engineer Scheme. Bob Whelan G3PJT and Richard
Constantine G3UGF had been consulted by correspondence and advice had been taken
from Sir Martin Sweeting G3YJO and the Chair of the RCF.
7.4 There were three options namely 1) continue with a programme of visits to schools,
2) use the science centres that are visited by schools or 3) a mixture of the two. There
were two broad recommendations - one for the current operation and one for developing
a new programme.
7.5 Following a wide ranging discussion, which included the relations with STELLAR, it
was decided to accept the recommendations for the current operation but to await the
outcome of the completed review and the possible acquisition of a second vehicle.
8. Interim Report on Pathfinder project
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8.1 The President said that this was moving slowly but he had invited another person,
Moira Pool who was a IT consultant to join the group. Mrs Pool would shortly be visiting
Headquarter for briefings from the General Manager and the management team. He
hopes that there will be an interim report for the July Board. He asks if the September
Board could be moved but this was not accepted but there could be a preliminary meeting
on the Friday evening to discuss this item.
9. Change in Byelaws
9.1 The Honorary Company Secretary, Rupert Thorogood G3KKT, had tabled a proposed
amendment to the bylaws to clarify the situation regarding the registration of all Directors
at Companies House.
9.2 After the General Manager had recounted the historical background to the registration
of Directors, the meeting accepted the amendment and a notice will be placed in
RadCom.
Action: Company Secretary to make a note for RadCom.
10. President 2008/9
10.1 The President outlined the process. There has been one nomination, that of Colin
Thomas G3PSM, and the recommendation will be taken to the National Council by the
President.
Action: the President to take the nomination of Colin Thomas G3PSM as
President-elect to the National Council.
11. AGM Washup
11.1 The General Manager commented that there had been universal acclaim for the
venue and the arrangements. He remarked that some of the presentations had been too
extended which left little time for questions by members. There had been a suggestion
that the Portfolio reports should be made available to members prior to the meeting to
allow more time for topical issues.
11.2 He reported that over 100 persons attended the AGM and over 70 to the dinner.
11.3 The Board recognised that success of the policy to take the meetings to the Regions
and agreed with the General Managers proposition that the 2008 AGM be centred on
Bristol.
12. AOB
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12.1 Dave Wilson noted that at the Kempton Rally an RSGB Award had been made and
asked whether the Board should approve future awards. It was agreed that if this becomes
an annual event then the award will be approved by the Board.
12.2 Don Field asked whether the Board could approve the ARDF application for a grant.
The Board approved the action taken by the Management Committee on its behalf to
make a grant to the ARDF committee for equipment.
There being no other business the President closed the meeting at 1235.
The date of the next meeting is scheduled for 14 July at Lambda House.
o-o-o-O/ex
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