MINUTES
For the Inaugural Meeting of The Parliament Choir APPG held in the Grand Committee Room, Westminster Hall, London SW1 at 8.00 pm on Monday 8 June 2015:
Present: Caroline Spelman MP (outgoing Chairman), Mark Prisk MP (incoming Chairman), Lord Aberdare, Libby Aberdare, Graham Alker, Anna Bailey, Sally Banks, Viscount Bridgeman, Jane Bowler, Sally Cantello, James Cartwright, David Caron, Alan Chance, Baroness Corston, Susan Craig, John Dawson, Maggy Dean, Josy Eldred, Alexandra Forrester, Lord German, Cheryl Gillan MP, Paul Goss, Margaret Griffiths, Jean Guise, Holly Haines, Harriet Harvey, Christine Heald, Christine Judd , James Langstaff, David Leakey, Jeremy Lefroy, Margaret Lykiardopoulos, David McBride, Baroness McIntosh, Mike Meur, David Orton, Gillian Perry, Susan Ruckes, Jane Slowey, Michael Switsur, Abigail Sykes, Lord Thomas, Charles Thomson, Aileen Walker, Julie Wall, Baroness Walmsley, Edward Webb, Denise Westbury-Haines, Anna Yallop.
In attendance: Simon Over (Music Director), Nicholas O’Neill (Chorus Master), Anna Yallop (CEO)
1. To receive apologies for absence
1.1 The Chairman opened the meeting and thanked the choir for their efforts during the time of her chairmanship. She also thanked Anna Yallop for her work as CEO.
1.2 Apologies for absence have been received from: Val Goss
2. To note the Minutes of the fourteenth AGM, held on Monday 19 January 2015
2.1 The minutes of the Fourteenth Annual General Meeting were noted.
Proposed: Mark Prisk MP, Seconded: Baroness Walmsley
3. To confirm the adoption of the Report and Accounts for the period ended 31 March 2014 at the 2015 AGM
3.1 The Adoption of the Report and Accounts was confirmed.
Proposed: Lord German, Seconded: Baroness Corston
4. To elect a Chair
4.1 Mark Prisk MP was proposed as the new Chair by the outgoing Chair, Caroline Spelman MP.
Seconded: Cheryl Gillan MP
4.2 Mark Prisk was duly elected as the new Chair. The chairing of the meeting passed to the new Chair (hereafter MP). MP proposed thanks to Caroline for her hard work during her time as Chair and reminded the choir that much of the success of the concert held in Westminster Hall with the choir of the German Bundestag was due to Caroline’s efforts.
4.3 MP noted that one of his key objectives would be to make the choir financially sustainable and sound, without compromising on artistic value. He also stressed his desire to be inclusive in the running of the choir.
5. To elect a Treasurer
5.1 Cheryl Gillan MP indicated that she would be happy to continue as Treasurer
Cheryl Gillan MP to be elected as Treasurer: Proposed Baroness Corston, Seconded Lord Thomas
5.2 Cheryl Gillan MP was duly elected as Treasurer.
6. To elect Officers of the Parliament Choir APPG
6.1 The following Officers, having indicated in advance their willingness to stand for re-election, were elected en bloc:
Chair: Mark Prisk MP
Vice Chairs: Baroness Corston, Lord German, Bernard Jenkin MP, Caroline Spelman MP, Cheryl Gillan MP (Treasurer).
7. To elect members to the Board of Trustees of the Parliament Choir Charity
7.1 The following trustees, having indicated in advance their willingness to stand for re-election, were elected en bloc:
- Viscount Bridgeman- Baroness Corston
- Susan Craig
- Lord German
- Cheryl Gillan MP
- Christine Heald / - Bernard Jenkin MP
- David McBride
- Mark Prisk MP
- Caroline Spelman MP
- Abigail Sykes
- Eilidh Whiteford MP
7.2 Denise Westbury-Haines was also co-opted onto the Board of Trustees.
8. To elect members to the Volunteers’ Committee (MPs, Peers or Staff)
8.1 The following volunteers, having indicated in advance their willingness to stand for re-election, were elected en bloc:
- Sally Cantello- Val Goss
- Jean Guise
- Elizabeth Mann
- Maggie Ronald / - Jenny Sturt
- Michael Switsur
- Diana Thompson
- Julie Wall
8.2 MP recorded his thanks to the volunteers for the work they do in supporting the choir.
9. To discuss the future plans and programme for the Choir
9.1 SO gave a brief overview of some of the events coming up in the year, including the November concert ‘Long to Reign Over Us’, and encouraged choir members to send out the date of the concert in advance to their prospective guests.
9.2 SO mentioned various invitations the choir has received to sing in Anghiari, Italy in July (Verdi Requiem), Prague in November (Ryba Mass) and Notre Dame, Paris in May 2016, and with the St Michael Singers (Mozart Requiem) in November. Information on these events will be made available to choir members.
9.3 SO also mentioned that a return visit to the choir of the German Bundestag was being discussed, and that our German colleagues were keen for this to happen, although there may be some challenges in terms of finding dates convenient to both choirs.
10. To transact any other business proper to an Inaugural Meeting
No other business was proposed.
Mark Prisk MP
Chair
Chairman: Rt Hon Caroline Spelman MP I Music Director: Simon Over MA, FRCO
Chorus Master and Composer-in-Residence: Nicholas O’Neill MA, FRCO
Chief Exec: Anna Yallop I Choir Secretary:
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The Parliament Choir is a registered All-Party Parliamentary Group | Registered Charity Number 1085042
Address: Parliament Choir, Portcullis House, London SW1A 2LW | Telephone: 07973 844010
Email: I Website: www.parliamentchoir.org.uk