Annual General Meeting
DATE
Sunday 25th January 2009
VENUE
‘The White Lion’, 50 St Albans Road, Barnet, Hertfordshire EN5 4LA
PRESENT
Mark Collins – Chairman & Treasurer
Alex Conrad – Captain
Vij Dorlikar
Andy Picton – Handicap Secretary & Vice-Captain
Glenn Porter
Benjamin Riley – President & Secretary
Daniel Stevens
Stuart Ware
Dave Williams
Andy Woods
1. OPENING
The Chairman opened the meeting at 19:06. A toast was given to celebrate the 250th anniversary of Robert Burn’s birth. Apologies were received from Jonathan Smith, Edward Sturdy and Nigel Wildman.
2. PREVIOUS MEETING’S MINTUES
The minutes from the 2008 AGM were approved.
3. COMMITTEE’S ANNUAL REPORT
The President delivered the report and began by noting how successful 2008 had been, particularly for Andy Picton and Stuart Ware who won two competitions each and the fourballs as a pair. Only Nigel Wildman’s victory in the Masters prevented a clean sweep for the pair. It was also noted that Jonathan Smith had been something of a bridesmaid all year, coming second in four competitions. We again ran seven events that were highly competitive and enjoyable. We raised £2,200 for our nominated charities at our Charity Medal event in June. Verulam Golf Club were an excellent host and are keen to welcome us back in 2009. Our aim is to exceed £3,000 at this year’s event so members are expected to start marketing the event, finding sponsors and arranging guests as soon as possible. As discussed at last year’s AGM, we have selected a new venue for this year’s summer tour, Barnham Broom near Norwich. While we have only booked for the 14 members (13 golfers plus our Director Of Photography) who have paid their deposit, it is likely that we will be able to obtain additional rooms if others would like to attend. It would make organising the Riley Cup teams easier if we were to find one or three extra golfers. The Committee was aware of some consternation regarding the balance of the teams for the 2008 Riley Cup so it has been agreed that we will create teams using a seeding system based on BBGS handicaps for 2009. The Chief Technical Officer is pleased to report continued growth in the popularity of our website averaging nearly 10,000 views per month over the year. There were 119113 page views in 2008, up from 78759 in 2007. We now rank 1st on Google, Live and Yahoo search engines. We are also listed 1st in the Dmoz, Google Directory and FindIt listings for UK golf societies. Look out for some media enhancements this year including audio and video (members’ swing analysis videos and suchlike) that stream directly from our web server as opposed to having to download files and play them separately. The Handicap Secretary has clarified the situation regarding the use of the count-back system to split ties. The system applies to all places in all competitions unless an alternative method is specifically declared, e.g. a play-off. Where such a method is specified for a particular scenario, a play-off for a winner being an example, the count-back system still applies to all other places and prizes. This ruling has been published on the website Competitions page.
4. TREASURER’S REPORT & ACCOUNTS
The Treasurer presented the accounts showing income of £15,025 and expenditure of £13,930, resulting in a profit for the year 2008 of £1,063. As committed to the Society at last year’s AGM, the losses of £471 in 2007 and £509 in 2006 have been recouped and the Society now has a net worth of £83 as shown on the Balance Sheet. The Treasurer stated that similar profits this year are unlikely as, while event costs have risen, particularly those of the summer tour, we aim to minimise the impact on the members. The members congratulated the Treasurer on his excellent financial management and the accounts were unanimously approved.
5. EVENT SCHEDULE
The following schedule was agreed for 2009 events:
Barbill vs White Lion – Friday 6th March (to be confirmed)
Annual Dinner – Friday 6th / 13th / 20th March (to be confirmed)
President’s Cup – Friday 8th May
Summer Tour Payment Deadline – Friday 12th June
Charity Medal – Friday 19th June
Summer Tour – Sunday 12th to Wednesday 15th July
Barbill Bell – Friday 2nd October
Fourballs Championship – matches to be completed by 30th December
Masters – Thursday 31st December
6. CHARITY PROPOSAL
Benjamin Riley nominated the Addenbrookes Charitable Trust, Ward C3 (1048868). Stuart Ware nominated the North London Hospice. It was raised that perhaps we should just pick one charity to support each year but the majority supported splitting charitable funds equally between the two.
7. BUDGETARY REQUEST
The Chief Technical Officer requested an allocation of US$99 (approximately £70) with which to purchase a software package called Coda. This will facilitate management of the Society’s website and online presence. The request was unanimously approved.
8. BANKING FACILITIES
The Treasurer proposed moving the Society’s banking facilities from RBS NatWest to HSBC. Given current circumstances, it is not inconceivable that RBS could go under, which would likely result in our funds being lost in their entirety. In the last 3 months, the RBS share price has dropped 82% to 12p, Barclays is down 74% at 51p and LloydsTSB is down 75% at 49p. By comparison, HSBC has lost just 20% and is trading at over 500p. In addition, HSBC is the only major UK bank not to have required external investment during the current financial crisis. The Co-Op was also considered with their ethical banking policy being a strong positive but they do not pay interest on balances less than £5,000. An HSBC Community Account in conjunction with a Community Savings Account will afford us free banking (until our turnover exceeds £100,000), internet banking and instant access savings at a rate as good as any currently on offer. The proposal was unanimously approved.
9. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
Andy Picton proposed modifying the final paragraph of ‘The Committee’ section of the Society’s Constitution as follows:
The Committee must be comprised of at least four individuals and no individual may hold more than two posts on the Committee at any one time. The Committee must exercise their powers jointly and in accordance with any decision based on a majority, with each post holding one vote. A member of the Committee will automatically and immediately vacate his office should he cease to be a member of the Society or fail to attend more than one Committee meeting per year without prior leave of absence. Elections for the offices of President, Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Handicap Secretary shall take place during the Society’s AGM and decided by majority of the vote. Nominees must be existing members of the Society and be forwarded to the Society’s Secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM. The previous year’s Vice-Captain will assume the office of Captain whereupon he will nominate his Vice-Captain who, upon unanimous approval of the newly elected committee, will be duly appointed.
The proposal was unanimously approved.
10. OFFICER ELECTIONS
The following officers were elected to the Committee:
o President – Benjamin Riley
o Chairman – Alex Conrad
o Secretary – Benjamin Riley
o Treasurer – Mark Collins
o Handicap Secretary – Andy Picton
o Captain – Andy Picton
o Vice-Captain – Stuart Ware
11. ANNUAL DINNER
The President will arrange the Annual Dinner for the evening of Friday 6th, 13th or 20th of March. It was suggested that a central London venue would make travel arrangements more convergent but there was also support for attending last year’s venue, Sargasso Sea, which allows us to carry on the party at the Treasurer’s fine abode after dining. The President will investigate both options and make a choice available to the members in the coming days. Wives, girlfriends, internet dating and other guests are most welcome, not withstanding the rules governing guest attendance as defined in the Society’s constitution.
12. PRESIDENT’S CUP EXTENSION
Andy Picton will be celebrating his 40th birthday during the week of the President’s Cup and proposed that we could extend the event to include golf on Friday 8th May, dinner, bed and breakfast, then a further round of golf on Saturday 9th May. There was some interest in this suggestion but it was agreed that as not everyone would be able to participate on both days, the President’s Cup competition would conclude on the Friday. Those who wanted to could then celebrate with Andy in the evening and enjoy a non-competitive round of golf on the Saturday. The Secretary will include this option when publishing details of the event.
13. CHARITY DAY SPONSORSHIP
The President asked the members to maximise efforts to find sponsors for our Charity Medal event. Sponsorship may be financial, competition and raffle prizes, tokens and vouchers or offers of service. All proposals should be presented to the Committee as soon as possible. We can offer sponsors visibility on our website, event flyers and match-day program in return for their generosity. Stuart Ware and Glenn Porter agreed to approach Barclays Bank to investigate their pound-for-pound program and Alex Conrad will investigate opportunities at Shell. Andy Picton will make contact with last year’s sponsors – Shoreland, Golfbreaks, Stockbrook Manor and Visit Wales – while Benjamin Riley has already approached Nevada Bobs, Online Golf and other online golf equipment retailers.
14. FELLOWSHIP
In accordance with the constitution, members may, at any time they see fit, bestow upon an individual the honour of Fellow of the Barbill Golf Society. Fellows must be existing members of the Society at the time of election but will retain their Fellowship status for life, unless rescinded as a result of disciplinary action. Fellows are entitled to use the post nominal FBGS (Fellow of the Barbill Golf Society). Fellowship status is intended to recognise and reward individuals who have displayed exceptional efforts and dedication to the Society. Prospective Fellows may be nominated by any member at any time and must be unanimously approved by the members. Nominees shall be excluded from any discussion or vote regarding their nomination. Andy Picton proposed Benjamin Riley be granted the first Fellowship of the Society. The motion was unanimously approved.
15. ORDER OF MERIT
Alex Conrad proposed introducing an Order of Merit each season wherein points will be accrued at each event according to results. The member with the most points at the end of the season will be awarded the Order of Merit at the following year’s Annual Dinner. There was all round support of the proposal and the Committee were instructed to formulate and publish details.
16. MEMBERSHIPS
The members were delighted to greet Mike Turner as a new member of the Society and were equally pleased to welcome Andy Woods back following a year’s hiatus.
17. CLOSURE
The Chairman concluded the meeting at 20:26.