AGM Minutes, Tuesday 5th February 2013

Minutes for CUHWC AGM, 05/02/2013

Chair: Mr Andrew Williamson

Secretary: Miss Vicky Ward

Also present: Dr James Hickson, Michael Fordham, Greg Chadwick, Helen Phillips, Becky Howard, Peter Kirkwood, Mike Simpson, Joe Hobbs, Valerie Ashton, Tom Ashton, Andrena Ball, Phil Withnall, Tom Leach, Chris Arran, Paul Fox, Mark Jackson, Eleri Cousins, Jo Smith, Dave Farrow, Simon Williams, Laurent Michaux, Phil Brown.

1. Apologies for Absence

• David Pettit
• Jane Patrick

2. Report by the President, Mr Andrew Williamson

Trips

• Run 13 of the ‘normal’ 14 trips of the year
• Dartmoor – sign-up outside this committee year; at least 2 people did not get places on the trip. A new (small) bunkhouse for 12 people. If booking same in future, can use the barn next door too.
• Patterdale – returned to George Starkey Hut. Dave Farrow & Jo Smith just used transport and went off backpacking for the weekend to free up Bunkhouse space. Shared with some members. 4 did not get places on trip – probably so popular because previous 2 trips were small. Andrew didn’t bag anything – first time on a CUHWC trip this has happened
• Crowden – 32 people involved; biggest day trip for some time? Probably so popular because of small trips for rest of term
• Cwm Dyli – cancelled non-weekend due to lack of interest. Still 19 involved during weekend. Rather a heatwave so we all wanted to extend. Have same arrangements in place with Pinnacle Club this year so can cancel non-weekend at no extra cost.
• Stiperstones – another popular (20 people) day trip.
• Deiniolen – new Bunkhouse (Cefn Goch, Gloucestershire MC) for Club & ideal for Easter Term Trip 1. Again, there were a couple of their members present.
• Ennerdale – allowed to pay on per-person basis this year, but we over-filled the bunkhouse anyway. There were LOTS of pre-sign requests (17; all allocated) for the trip because of exams and because sign-up was on a Bank Holiday Monday. There was a bonfire on the trip, lots of songs and midges
• Alps Trip – organised unofficially and advertised as such to main list. Less popular than it may have been because of unofficial trips to Kyrgyzstan and Corsica (GR20), both of which were not advertised to the main list.
• Scotland Trip was planned for Torridon, but was called off because people gradually dropped out. There was only Phil Withnall remaining who wanted to come, but (sensibly) didn’t want to travel that far so walked half of the Pennine Way instead.
• Edale – filled all but one place on coach & some joined us there (making 60 in total), despite an unpopular Squash resulting from a poor Freshers’ Fair location. Told a couple of people to turn up on morning in case of last-minute drop-outs. Both of these DID get places, so this is worthwhile doing again in the future. Didn’t leave anyone behind due to multiple counts… Scrapped walk leader discounts & nobody complained (probably because most didn’t know anyway). This meant Edale made some money.
• Dunmail Raise – cheap bunkhouse and the fact it was a popular trip helped with making some money. Andrew explained to new members how weekend trips work (“if you want”).
• Capel Curig – new Bunkhouse: Gwydyr MC’s Tan-y-Garth. Andrew didn’t attend, so Vicky was Trip Leader. The Trip ran smoothly despite Andrew’s greatest concerns.
• Moffat – we stayed in the Well Road Centre. It was a joint CUHWC & Duffers’ Trip. 70-person bunkhouse but can pay per person above 30. Enjoyed by all – especially the Bunkhouse. Suggested return again in a few years. The second CUHWC Pantomime written by Michael F, recorded & posted on website for all to enjoy.
• Seathwaite – perfect number of people and not over-filled (25 on Saturday night; this was helped due to last-minute drop-outs). Only a few left by the last day – this is becoming normal on this trip, but is not a problem. Still made considerable profit. Andrew & Peter both didn’t go, so Paul C was Safety & Joe H/Paul C were Trip Leaders
• Selside – returned to Selside Centre; not been since Lent 2010. Perfect no. of people. Largely didn’t have problems getting there despite lots of snow affecting the country.
• The 3 new trip locations adds a bit of variety – encouraged to continue in future where possible. Dolgellau is also new (1-3 March).
• All trips about perfect size, especially from beginning of Easter Term 2012 onwards. Lent Term 2012 trips were too small. Often only people that haven’t got places are those who requested pre-signs or who tried to sign-up once it was known that extra places were available after sign-up.
• Non-essential pre-sign requests have been low generally – Ennerdale excluded. Limited pre-signs to 5-10% of trip (except Ennerdale) and allocated randomly. Had to turn a few people down, but these were generally limited. There were no problems this year with people requesting pre-signs for every trip.

Trip Statistics

• 158 different people came on the 13 trips this committee year (excludes Eskdale)
• 2 people came on 11/13 trips (Andrew Williamson & Peter Kirkwood); 1 person came on 10/13 trips (Paul Cook); 1 person came on 9/13 trips (Tom Ashton); 14 people came on 7 or more of the 13 trips; 32 people came on 4 or more trips
• Constanze H came on 8 consecutive trips, but stopped after Moffat (due to rowing commitments…)
• 60 people came to Edale, of whom 38 were new
• 14 came back on 1 or more trips since (37%)
• 1 (Tom Leach) came on 4/5 trips since and 2 (Laurent Michaux & Lilia Giugni) came on 3/5 trips since
• Of people who came on 2 or more day trips, 3 only came on day trips.
• Nobody who came on both vacation trips only came on vacation trips

Membership

• 116 members on database
• 26 non-CU members (22%)
• Of the 90 CU members, only ~35% are undergraduates
• On database, 10 people called Tom – 11 if we include Tuomo (9.5%)
• 11 left on course membership; 34 people’s terminated in September 2012; 9 expire in September 2013; final 2 expire in September 2014
• Increased membership to £15 – doesn’t appear to have discouraged anyone & this may still be a bit cheap – a proposed increase to £20 in 2013-14 committee year may be necessary for the Societies Syndicate. £7.25 costs for BMC affiliation – this may increase soon. The remainder is for equipment & surplus to subsidise trips – will the fact that people have paid for subsidising trips encourage them to come on more?
• Shouldn’t be too much of an exodus this summer, unlike last year – these people have been replaced by some keen new members (see Edale statistics), however.
• Can we still do more to involve new members (and especially undergraduates) to the Club?

Transport

• There has not really been an issue with finding drivers
• A new influx of minibus drivers – Greg, Andrena, Peter
• New car drivers too – Tom Owen & Greg have both driven lots
• Tom Ashton & Paul Cook have both driven on every trip they have come on; others have driven on very many too – Jo, Greg, Michael F, Jane, Helen. Many thanks to all drivers this past year.
• Tried to give some drivers a break by not driving on all trips. Some don’t mind (or even prefer) driving on all trips though.
• Cannot now use Milton minibus as need D1 on licence (the new bus is now too heavy, despite only seating 15 people) – only Paul Cook (& Chris Sidell) has D1. Have to use more expensive CCVR one.

Courses

• Scrambling Course on Patterdale Trip – More than Mountains – for 4 people. Incredibly successful, so the same planned for Patterdale Trip in June 2013 – run by same company.
• Navigation Course planned for Eskdale Trip in February 2013 – 6 people. At the last count, 5 of the 6 places were filled, but a large variation in navigational ability was represented by those on the course, meaning some will probably get less out of it than others.
• Peter Kirkwood applied for grants from BMC and received for courses (£320), equipment (£120) and flyer/poster printing for Freshers’ Fair & Squash (£100). Still one cheque not been cashed – to follow up. Suggested we apply for similar next year, assuming the new committee feels running these courses is worthwhile.

Kit

• Only winter conditions on Selside Trip – not really a location that required crampon / ice axe use – though some did use them for practice
• Crampon allocation not a problem – but they were used in Alps? (And taken out for use in winter in Scotland, but were not actually required)
• Still issues with some Club kit going missing – especially headtorches. Need to think about how to resolve this. A couple of ice axes are also still due back from a while ago…

Socials

• Largely managed independently by Becky Howard & Helen Phillips – many thanks for that
• Lunches not been popular – average of about 7-10 people. The location is probably an issue, so hopefully this will change in 2013-14.
• Pub meets are better attended – guess about 10-15 on average, with some >20 (not that anyone’s counting…)
• Many Formals (Downing, Lucy Cavendish, Homerton, Girton, Fitzwilliam & Christ’s). An average of 2 per term is suggested for continuation into the future.
• Held an Easter Egg Hunt (like in 2010) in March 2012 & a new Pudding Party at beginning of Michaelmas for ‘older’ members to meet before new Freshers come along
• Some (semi-)unofficial events, including the StAG Sports Quiz, a bike ride to Ely and ceilidhs.
• Other standard events – Garden Party in Dave & Jo’s garden; Christmas Curry (very popular, with carol service attendance afterwards); Annual Dinner

Other

• Had to hold two EGMs this year. The first was to elect a new Junior Treasurer (and discuss the apparently poor financial predicament). The second was to elect a new Meets Secretary. We held the second in the Castle immediately prior to a normal Pub Meet. This is to encourage attendance after only just meeting quorum (10) for first EGM.
  • Is this the first year we have had to have two EGMs in a year?
  • It is worth in future being wary of electing a fresher to the Meets position – it probably carries the most responsibility after President
• Introduced the ‘Webmaster’ position to the committee page of the website. Matthew Graham still has some responsibility (I think), but Chris Arran has now largely taken over (and will continue to do so while in Cambridge; it isn’t a big role). Better not to change Webmaster every year, but to leave it as something that someone does that will be in Cambridge for a long time.
• The website has been kept well up-to-date this year. An out-of-date website is a useless one. Please continue with this in the future.

3. Accounts for the Financial year ending 31st January 2013

a. Presentation of the Accounts by the Junior Treasurer, Mr Mike Simpson

• I got elected at an EGM when the ‘dire’ status of the finances of the club was also discussed. The Club owed members hundreds of pounds and couldn’t pay for down payments on bunkhouses. The buffer of £1500 was seriously depleted. The Communication between the Junior Treasurer and the President was not satisfactory: the President did not know what was being spent.
• Since then we have realised that the state of the finances is not that bad. I have introduced 2 changes which I feel have improved matters:
  • A Dropbox for sharing accounts between the President and the Junior Treasurer, which can be accessed by either at any time. I hope this is continued in the future.
  • A spreadsheet which readily summarised the trip profit/loss, so that a trip’s finances were known within about three days of said trip.
• The Trips:
  • Generally well priced and more sensibly priced by Andrew
  • Some fluctuation
  • Dunmail Raise made a good profit, as predicted by Michael F at October’s EGM
  • Moffat and Ennerdale made higher losses; this is no surprise as the bunkhouses are more expensive and further away
• The Socials:
  • Broke even for the year. Major kudos for Helen and Becky.
  • High cost due to punting last year, income to this year’s annual dinner received last year and cost of next year’s annual dinner
• Membership:
  • 100 paying annually, 92 last year
  • Mixture of £10 and £15
  • £15 didn’t cut interest in the club
  • £15 is better and will need to increase as BMC affiliation costs go up
• Grants:
  • Slightly higher than before (£2420 vs. £2100 last year)
  • More BMC Grants to come.
• Courses:
  • Balanced out due to AGTF payments
• Bottom Line:
  • £500 received overall on bank balance, but we made £1600 this year, which is quite a feat. The account now has a balance of >£1500. We need to maintain at least a £1500 float in case of a minibus crash, however I feel that this float needs to be higher and more like £2000 to provide a greater cash flow margin. This represents about 10% of annual turnover.
  • Online Banking now available and needs setting up by the next committee
  • It’ been a healthy year but there is still more work to be done. We need to be careful in the future to keep trip costs aligned with inflation (and increasing fuel costs)

b. Discussion of the Accounts

• Mike
  • What you have to remember is that this social loss is largely a relict from last year
• Helen
  • There will be some costs from this year that will go on next year’s accounts.
• Andrew
  • It is worth adding that in terms of the Societies' Syndicate: we applied for £2400 and only got £2000. We included ‘driver discounts’ in our application this year, which the Societies' Syndicate didn’t feel justified. Next year perhaps don’t call them ‘driver discounts’ but ‘wear-and-tear’, which is entirely justified.
  • It might also be worth applying for an ‘Equipment Grant’ next year since some of the Club equipment – and especially waterproofs – now needs replacing. We can also never seemingly have too many headtorches.
• Paul Fox
  • We have to remember that another CU club involving mountains get £2100 despite having far fewer (about half of our) members. Paul is willing to discuss the Societies' Syndicate application with the incoming President and Junior Treasurer.
• Philip Brown
  • Why was a profit made this year?
• Mike
  • Largely because of higher trip costs
• Dave
  • Trip prices had not followed inflation previously
• Someone
  • Why are there ever so slight social losses on certain social events, like formals?
• Becky
  • Because some people haven’t paid
  • Please pay?
• Paul Fox
  • There’s an unfortunately placed comma that needs to be removed from the Proctorial accounts…
• Dave
  • Someone had enquired why there was some income for the Christmas Curry, and it was explained that this was as a result of cheque confusion and because some people had been reading the President’s emails too closely. This was resolved.

c. Vote on whether to approve the accounts as presented

The accounts got approved unanimously.

4. Discussion on the Progress of the Andy Gibson Fund

a. Overview

• Summary by the President:

  • Finally managed to transfer signatories on the account – now Peter Kirkwood & Dave Farrow since both will (hopefully!) be around for a considerable time yet in Cambridge.
  • NatWest are VERY slow at doing things (‘lose’ changeover forms etc.) so trying to avoid changing the signatories every year too
  • The President still receives statements from the account to keep track to make sure no money goes mysteriously missing. Dave Farrow & Peter Kirkwood are not involved in assessing applications, but just write cheques
  • May change bank as Natwest are useless – need to check with AGTF Committee. Should improve getting money to members quickly, which was the only piece of negative feedback received on AGTF feedback forms this year.
  • The fund has been very well advertised on the website and in emails. Word of mouth is also useful.
  • Have had lots of applications this year:
  • Lent 2012
    • Andrew Williamson applied on behalf of scrambling course to be run on the Patterdale Trip – partly BMC funded. Received £148 = £37 per person. Peter K, Kerrie Taylor-Jones, Lucy Stone and Mark Jackson took part in this.
    • Laura Burrows – ML Training = £100
  • Easter 2012
    • Becky Howard – ML Training = £100. Had to push back her training to Dec ’12, but now completed and feedback is on the website.
    • Peter Kirkwood applied on behalf of himself and 7 others for a Wilderness First Aid course in April – received £20 per person, making total of £160
    • Bethan Gudgeon applied on behalf of herself and 10 others (some from the CATSE expedition) for a second Wilderness First Aid course in June – received £20 per person, making total of £220
    • Dave Mackenzie, Andrena Ball & Becky Howard applied for an Alpine skills course - £60 per person. This did mean Becky Howard had funding in two areas at this round of applications, but the fund committee were happy with this and it was good to see someone being so pro-active.
    • Matthew Hay applied for ML Training but we did not give him a grant as he had not been involved in the club at all. It was suggested to him that if he came on club trips and socials in the future, he could apply again; he hasn’t been to anything since (to the President’s knowledge).
  • Michaelmas 2012
    • There were no applications; this is as expected since this time of year isn’t ideal for training and so on.
  • Lent 2013 – the application deadline is on Friday 15th February so the applications will be dealt with by the new committee.
    • Peter Kirkwood has already submitted an application for the Patterdale scrambling course in June.
    • Phil Withnall & Josh Jones have submitted an application for themselves for the first-aid course to be run in March 2013
    • Peter Kirkwood anticipating submitting application for his ML training and an application for the navigation course
    • Informal discussions revealed some may submit Alpine course application either this term or in the Easter term

• Key is to keep updated feedback on website as advice for future applicants – all feedback from completed courses now online. Sometimes this was only after the President had to pester people for a considerable amount of time, which shouldn’t be the case when they had been provided with money.

• The Fund committee are keen on group applications. Very approachable and worthwhile telephoning the lead member (was Lottie Bell in 2012-13) each year to smooth relations
• Current account balance £4502, with payments still due to CATSE of £140 and Matthew Graham of £75 (as he personally paid Elena Yudovina for a Winter Skills course in his Presidential year).
• Received another £1000 from Gibsons in March 2012 and Andrew Williamson wrote to them to thank them for this donation.

b. Discussion

• Joe
  • Are you sure they owe CATSE £140?
  • I would check this but I am having trouble opening the documents on my tablet (then proceeds to struggle with technology in background for a few minutes)
  • How did I not notice…?
• Michael F
  • Is the fund sustainable in the long term?
  • It would be worth keeping this in mind when making future allocations.
• Peter
  • We are down some money this year, but lots of this is from payments that have been backdated from outside this financial year.
  • It is also likely that in the future donations from duffers will continue to the fund.
  • We can earn 3% interest from changing current account but am waiting upon agreement from the rest of the committee. Lottie Bell seems keen on a new account, but waiting on confirmation from a couple of others on the Committee.
  • Is there a possibility of Internet Banking?
  • The AGTF Committee have also made it clear that they are more keen on supplying funding towards funding in this country rather than Alpine courses
• Dave
  • You can do Alpine courses in this country.
• Andrew
  • The new President should ring Lottie Bell to introduce themselves

5. Motion proposed by Joe Hobbs, seconded by Andrew Williamson

To remove article 31 from the Club’s Constitution and replace it with: “Should a post on the Executive Committee become vacant, not at the AGM, and if only a single member is nominated for the vacant position, said member may be co-opted onto the committee without the need for an Extraordinary General Meeting to be held. An Extraordinary General Meeting may still be called in accordance with article 33.”

a. Discussion of the motion

• Joe

  • Wants to summarise motivation behind the proposed amendment to the constitution
  • This motion was proposed following the business of the 2 EGMs that were held this year
  • They were both a hassle and a faff, otherwise known as a haff.
  • We struggled to meet the quorum in the first one
  • Since both only had one candidate standing and there was no option for RON, what were the members attending meant to do? Their options were literally turn up and vote or eat the ballot paper.
  • Now Michael Ashdown, upon reading the proposed amendment on this agenda clearly stated that it had to many legal holes
  • Michael Ashdown proposed a new amendment of far greater length. Michael says it is acceptable to make changes to the text of a proposed change to the constitution during an AGM so we can effectively replace my proposed amendment with his as they have the same intention.

  • Michael Ashdown’s proposed changed amendment is as follows:

    • If a post on the Executive Committee becomes vacant an election for the vacant post may be held. The Executive Committee may call an Extraordinary General Meeting for this purpose. Alternatively, the Executive Committee may fix a date (“the nomination date”) for the receipt by the President of nomination slips in respect of candidates for the vacant post. The Executive Committee shall give not fewer than seven days notice of this date. Article 27 shall apply to the nomination of candidates as if “on or before the nomination date” were substituted for “not fewer than three days before the General Meeting at which his or her election is proposed”. If nomination slips are received by the President in respect of a single candidate only, that candidate shall be deemed to be duly elected to the vacant post with effect from the day after the nomination date. If nomination slips are received by the President in respect of more than one candidate, the Executive Committee shall call an Extraordinary General Meeting for the purpose of electing one of the nominated candidates to the vacant post. In respect of such an Extraordinary General Meeting, article 27 shall not have effect and the candidates nominated on or before the nomination date, and no other, shall be candidates for the vacant post, and article 36 shall have effect as if “seven” were substituted for “fourteen”.

• Joe

  • [Amidst laughing] please tell me I read out the right amendment... That took rather a long time
• Paul Fox
  • That is longer than most clubs' constitutions...
• Joe
  • It is long to mend the holes. I would read you all Michael Ashdown’s comments but they’re rather long and boring.
• Eleri
  • Why were there such holes?
• Joe
  • I wrote my proposed amendment in 5 minutes
• Michael F
  • The proposed amendment by Michael A isn’t pedantic, it’s just correct
• Simon
  • Why is there a second proposed amendment on the agenda?
• Joe
  • In case the first didn’t get passed
• Simon
  • Shouldn’t we then be discussing both at the same time
• Andrew
  • According to Michael Ashdown the holes in the second are unsolvable
• Joe
  • According to Michael Ashdown, if the second proposed amendment was passes it could allow for the whole committee to be co-opted
  • I proposed the second as I thought someone would have an objection to how the first one worked (and look what happened)
  • What Michael wrote is only relevant as an amendment to the first; it is irrelevant in regards to the second proposed amendment
• Peter
  • Can we therefore agree that the second proposed amendment is rejected now?
• Michael F
  • Not necessary, considering the stipulation stated in the agenda in regards to whether the first got passed.
• Greg
  • Does anyone actually object to the proposed amendment?

b. Vote on whether to accept the Motion as presented

• Andrew
  • To make this clear: we are voting on Michael Ashdown’s proposed amendment to Joe Hobbs’ proposed amendment to the constitution
• 24 Votes for passing Michael’s amendment, 1 abstention
• Valerie
  • I just don’t see the point [giving reason for her abstention]

6. Motion, proposed by Mr Joe Hobbs, seconded by Mr Andrew Williamson

This Motion was made redundant by the passing of the motion above.

7. Questions to the Committee

• Andrew
  • Any questions?
  • I’ll take that as a no…

8. Election of the positions of the Executive Committee due to become vacant at the meeting’s close, in the following order:

a. President

Member(s) standing for position: Vicky Ward

Speech by Vicky Ward

It took a long time for people to persuade me to take this position as I did not believe that I was a suitable candidate for the job; however, now I have come round to the idea and intend to do my best at the role possible. I believe that I am suitable candidate as I can be surprisingly organised and do not get stressed easily. I also would not in the case of an emergency, despite Joe’s claims upon hearing I was Cambridge Contact for Selside, react by baking a cake.

Questions to Candidate

• How do you deal with stress?

  • Vicky: I just keep getting up earlier in the mornings so I have time to do things; seriously, the only outward sign of my stress is a little bit of tiredness.
  • Joe: I remember you telling us last year how you just made lots of cake...
  • Vicky: I did but I had an oven last year
  • Joe: If we get you really stressed by sending you lots of emails, does this mean you will have more cake than you will know what to do with?

• Phil Brown (possibly): What changes do you propose to make to the club?

  • Vicky: Largely, as cheesy as it sounds I would like to make the club a happier club. I feel like in the past committee year there was a lot of complaining from us the committee and that perhaps members of the club caught these ‘unhappy vibes’. The effect of this I feel has been shown in the fact that we only have one candidate for each committee position, and it was sometimes a struggle even to get this one. On a related note to this is the fact that the club is only now 30-something% undergrads. I know that I am getting a bit infamous for harping on about this point and I am not saying that postgrads are a bad thing, it’s just I think that this figure is unhealthy for the clubs vitality and I feel it is something that needs to be addressed next year.
  • Paul Fox: How do you propose to persuade undergrads to take off Saturday morning lectures?
  • Vicky Ward: To be honest I don’t know. I don’t have a great argument for skiving lectures.But I do think, as I have said before, we need to made a decided effort whenever an undergrad comes to any club event to include them.

• Peter Kirkwood: Where do you intend to take the club?

  • Vicky Ward: As I have stated several times, one of my stipulations of standing for President is that people would help me choose locations. As a non-mainland, Northern Irish citizen I do not feel like my knowledge of the mountainous areas of England and Wales is sufficient enough to make good decisions in this regard, especially as Andrew is keen that the club continues to go to new bunkhouses [not necessarily]. However, [pointed staring] some people have said that they would be happy to help me in this regard. Also, I encourage everyone to email me if they have any ideas for where they would like the club to go; I like to think we are a democratic club where everyone can have a say in how it is run!

Results:

24 Votes for, 1 vote RON, 0 abstentions

b. Meets Secretary

Member(s) standing for position: Mark Jackson

Speech by Mark Jackson

At this point, I would like to say a few words on why I do not want to fill the role. I only decided to allow myself to be nominated as it would be filling a hole in the committee, despite only being here for the next 4 months, not being able to come on any weekend trips and not having much time in the evenings to do the work when I am exhausted. Since then a more suitable candidate has stepped up, but not in time to be nominated. On the other hand I do not wish to be the first person voted RON....

Discussion of Predicament

• Joe:
  • WE CAN USE THE AMENDMENT
• Dave:
  • So are we going to elect him or not?
  • Why do I have the Social Sec envelope of voting slips?
• Michael F
  • We must elect Mark so that he can resign. THEN the new amendment will take effect.
• Joe:
  • I think there may be a hole in the un-holed amendment...

Results:

19 Votes for, 6 Vote RON, 0 abstentions

• Mark
  • That result’s a bit shady
• Joe
  • Time how long he lasts…

c. Social Secretary

Member(s) standing for position: Chris Arran

Speech by Chris Arran

I have long been keen on the social aspect of the club. I did not originally stand for the social secretary position as I was concerned about the workload so went for meets. But since then I have come round to the idea of Social Secretary – especially if Lucy Stone can come in to help in September! The question of where lunch will be from now on is an interesting one. Murray Edwards was easier personally for me but it is obvious that it is not ideal for everyone. I was thinking about moving around the location of lunch, including sometimes pub lunches perhaps? I plan pancake challenges next week!

Questions to Candidate

• Vicky Ward: How many formals do you plan per term?
  • Chris: 2 seems a good number; it worked last year.
• Andrena Ball: Any good at making cakes?
  • Chris: I can make mud cakes? Perhaps make Vicky stressed and she’ll do the baking?

Results:

25 Votes for, 0 vote RON, 0 abstentions

d. Safety and Equipment officer

Member(s) standing for position: Tom Leach

Speech by Tom Leach

I intend to continue the hard work of Peter, maximising equipment access and continuing the role forward. I will also always ensure a healthy supply of biscuits

Questions to Candidate

• Phil Brown: What biscuits?
• Andrena: Will you continue Peter’s £/100g rule?
  • Tom L: I’ve investigated biscuits Aldi seems cheapest. I also hear Jaffa Cakes are popular. I have never had any problem with the biscuits Peter supplies so why not?
• Michael Fordham: What will you do if a fresher wants to go scrambling on their first trip?
  • Tom L: I would encourage them not to go unless they had experience.
  • Dave: How can they get experience if they can’t go scrambling without experience?
• Michael Fordham: what about a 25-year old who wants to wear jeans?
  • Tom L: I would advise them not.
  • Chris A: but what if they’re HUGE
  • Tom L: Pass to someone else...
  • Dave F: Anyone can survive a day in the UK in jeans anyways....
• Dave F: What’s your policy on the use of club crampons?
  • Tom L: On snowy trips like Selside it could be an opportunity for inexperienced members to get a grip with them, but whenever crampons are 100% essential I would make sure they have experience.
  • Dave F: Have you ever actually used crampons?
  • Tom L: Yes.
• Paul Fox: Do you feel you would be able to say no to a senior member of the university?
  • Peter: NO!

Results:

24 Votes for, 0 vote RON, 1 abstention

e. Junior Treasurer

Member(s) standing for position: Phil Withnall

Speech by Phil Withnall

I have enjoyed my time in the club and would love to be able to give something back. I am reasonably numerous. I have lived beneath a Treasurer for the past year – hopefully some of it has osmosed down.... (Paul fox made a comment on biological knowledge). I am graduating in the summer but there is only a slim chance that I will not be staying in Cambridge.

Questions

• Laurent: Does the committee need to be completely members of the university?
  • Andrew: It needs to be at least ½

Results:

24 Votes for, 1 vote RON, 0 abstention

f. Membership Secretary

Member(s) standing for position: Eleri Cousins

Speech by Eleri Cousins

I love being a member of the club and standing for Membership Sec seems the most feasible way of giving something back. I can also touch type!

Questions to Candidate

• Peter Kirkwood: You free Freshers’ Week?
  • Eleri: Yes
• Vicky Ward: What’s your view on possibly increasing the membership further to £20?
  • Eleri: I don’t think it’s really necessary as it was just substantially increased and the Club’s finances appear to be good.
  • Paul Fox: You have to remember the Societies' Syndicate...
  • Eleri: Well in that case I will look at similar clubs
  • Paul Fox: CUMC is substantially more
  • Michael F: the Societies Syndicate have never asked for a larger membership fee [have they implied it?]
  • Dave: We can justify our lower membership fee by pointing out the increases in trip fees
  • Joe: CUMC also has yearly expenses... At least we hope they do...

Results:

23 Votes for, 0 vote RON, 2 abstentions

9. Any Other Business

Dr James Hickson’s Position in the Club

• Dr Hickson
  • Do you still want me? Throw me out as your Senior Treasurer?
• Michael F
  • Surely constitutionally we have to have you?
• Dave F
  • It’s no issue – we’re stuck with you!
• Michael F
  • I would like to take this opportunity to thank James as our longest standing member
• Dr Hickson
  • I would like to reciprocate by offering a vote of thanks to the outgoing committee

25th Anniversary Celebrations

• Dave F:
  • September marks the start of our 25th year
  • Someone’s nominated me as in charge
  • This obviously means that Jo is helping
  • Michael F is helping out as well
  • Currently there’ a bit of a debate on whether we should have both an Anniversary and an Annual Dinner or just one of them
  • Hopefully a journal will also be published.
  • On that note, where is this year’s edition of High Society?
• Andrew:
  • Still in the hands of Matthew
• Michael
  • I did the journal last time
  • This time I hope to make it better and I will need funding to do this
• Peter
  • This shouldn’t be an issue as last year the BMC’s publication grant was under applied to
• Dave F
  • Anyone got any T-Shirt ideas?
• Simon
  • YOUR FACE!
• Dave F
  • There are plans to make the Garden Party in 2014 even bigger. Probably held separately from punting which, let’s face it, is usually viewed as an undergraduate drinking event for all 35% of them that are members.
  • As a club hopefully we’ll do some Wainwright bagging, aiming to climb them all in the 25th Anniversary Year. This will mean that in September 2015 some may have to be sent out to do a round up? HuMPs are hopefully just a club phase.
• Someone
  • What about Munros?
• Michael F
  • No, the Lake District has always been the spiritual home of the club.
• Dave F
  • The price for the Anniversary Dinner in Langdale will be around the price of a trip plus the cost of a black-tie dinner – this is how we will see it. Duffer tickets will be more to subsidise current members.
• Michael:
  • Maybe you will allow me to provide a little history of the Anniversary Dinners...
  • 15th had a good balance between duffers and current members
  • 20th did not; there was no strong link between the duffers and the new members
  • Club needs to be pushy about wanting to be part of the 25th
  • Possibly because 15th had no Annual Dinner as well, but 20th did? This is worth bearing in mind.

Mark’s Resignation

• Mark
  • Can I resign yet?
• Michael F
  • Not until the meeting is over, please

10. Post-AGM Cheese and Wine

This year, there were fewer complaints about the refreshments on offer. Possibly because Wensleydale with cranberries had been added to the cheese selection. And because one of the Outgoing Social Secretaries had managed to ‘slip away’ from the meeting halfway through when she realised there were more people than they had expected and so further cheese supplies were required. One person expressed unhappiness at the lack of gorgonzola, however. This was only because the Outgoing President had told them to expect it to be present, but had then forgotten to tell the Social Secretaries to buy any of said cheese.

Mark resigned at 20.51 in writing to all Officers, having only been elected at 20.26.