Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Council for Voluntary Service Annual General Meeting
16thSeptember 2014The Citadel, Salvation Army, Blackpool.
Present – CVS Board
Mike Bullock – ChairmanPaul Greenwood – Vice Chairman
Jane Hugo – Human Resource Jill Threlfall – Treasurer
Lynn Saggerson – Communications Clive Hirst – Membership
Cathy Adams – Small Organisations
Representatives – Cllr Amy Cross - Blackpool Council
Cllr Ramesh Gandhi – Wyre Council
Staff
Richard Emmess – Chief Executive OfficerWendy Jackson – Operations Manager
Jane Williams – Fylde & Wyre Together ManagerSimon Lawton – TSS Project Manager
Angela Glass – Administrator
In Attendance
Gareth Maddock – Accountant
29 CVS Member Groups were represented. See appendix 1
Guests
Barbara Dearney Lancaster District CVSJohn Farrow Solicitor
Apologies
Mike Crowther – Human Resource
Marcus Beasley – Neighbourhood Project
GFS Platform
Friends of Stanley Park
- Welcome and Apologies
The Chairman, Mike Bullock, opened the meeting by welcoming attendees and thanking everyone for coming along to the 80th AGM. As this is our 80th Anniversary this morning’s focus is on the formal business, unlike the past AGMs where we have reflected on events we have done throughout the year this will be shown this afternoon at our celebration event.
The trustees, staff, members and guests introduced themselves and their roles. Trustees Lynn Saggerson and Clive Hirst are standing down this year and not offering themselves for re-election as they both have other things in life to be focusing their time to. Mike Bullock thanked Lynn and Clive for all of their support to the CVS, not just the last 2 years but many years. The Chairman drew attention to the tremendous range of skills and talents around the room and invited everyone to take this as an opportunity to network during the break and after the meeting if they wished.
- Minutes of the AGM held 11th September 2013
The minutes of the AGM held on 11th September 2013 had been posted on the CVS website and were agreed as a correct record and signed by the Chair
Proposed – Mike Bullock
Seconded – Cathy Adams
- Matters Arising
No matters arising were raised.
- Chairman’s Report is Detailed in the Accounts (which are available to read on CVS Website)
L P Hartley said in the Go Between “The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.” – Only partly true. As I was preparing for the meeting I was tempted to list events from 1934 and did indeed scan newspapers and it struck me about how similar they were and yet the world was completely different. One thing that was consistent is the way that volunteers, churches, charities and a whole host of Organisations give so freely of their time, talents and money to support each other and those in need and they have fun and enjoy the things they do.
I was recently asked to say what CVS does in one sentence.
“To help organisations support people in the community – no doubt it was the same in the 1930’s.
Three facets which are consistent
- Membership and mutual support – shown in the Forums
- Representation and giving a voice
- Financial viability – which is always difficult
These were still our basic aims in 2013/14 and I am pleased to say we have achieved them.
The detail is in the report and we will build on these for the coming year – Richard will be looking to the future later on this afternoon but our intention is for the Trustees to do some planning work in the autumn so that we can talk to all of our members early in 2015 about what you would like the future of the CVS to be.
Thanks to our member organisations for your continued support, to the staff and the Volunteers who have brought the building back to life by continuing to run the UK online sessions and to the funders for their continued flow of money.
- Annual Report Introduced by CVS Chief Executive Richard Emmess
Richard Emmesshas been in post for 15 months and despite difficulties around obtaining funding the organisation is in a healthy state. We have cleared out old budgets and simplified the accounts. With thanks to all of the staff involved. We are a small team and get out and about as much as we can. Establishing the Blackpool Third Sector Forum is a priority now that the AGM is over.
I would like to thank John Farrow Solicitor for his help, although we have only called upon his expertise on 2 occasions both times he has provided excellent advice.
We are on a firm footing to move forward although the future is full of challenges. It is not for CVS alone to plan the future but for its members via closer involvement.
In establishing the 80th Anniversary event for later today it has been necessary to look back over our history. The principles established when the CVS began in the 1930’s are still very similar as those required today. Indeed the current circumstances of much of our population remain as dire now as they were in the 1930’s. It is good to read historical documents as they give a sence of place. Two are worthy of note from the original constitution of CVS, one is not to compete with our memebrs and the second is way back then Trustees were considering the levy of a memebership charge. The second of these is a point we will be seeking your views on in the future.
Proposal to accept the Annual Report for 2013/14 in its entirety by Mike Bullock
Seconded by Lynn Saggerson
- Audited Accounts to 31 March 2014 Introduced by Jill Threlfall
Gareth Maddock read out his financial report which will also be available on our website.
Mr Maddock is pleased to announce an Unqualified Audit Report once again this year.
Q&A
George Holden asked Gareth Maddock once the grants are moved to a commission basis how would you show in the accounts where Commission money is and where it came from?
Answer The format for the report could be slightly altered in future years.
GH It would be helpful to see how CVS does it so smaller Organisations can follow.
MB on a broader question perhaps CVS could lay on a series of events relating to commissioning and other topics.
Proposal to accept the Audited accounts for 2013/14 in their entirety by Jill Threlfall
Seconded by Cathy Adams
- Appointment of Auditors for 2014-2015
Whitehead & Howarth Chartered Accountants, 327 Clifton Drive South, Lytham St Annes were nominated as Auditors for 2104/15
Proposedby Jill Threlfall
Seconded by Cllr Amy Cross
- Resignation/Retirement of Council Board Directors
In accordance with rule 38, (one-third of the Board members of the Council shall retire from office per annum), from the ballot arranged 2 years ago as all but l member of the Board were new members the following are retiring this year:
Paul Greenwood, Clive Hirst and Lynn Saggerson and may offer themselves for re-election in accordance with rule 40.
9a. Re appointment of existing Board Directors
In accordance with rule 40 and 41Paul Greenwood is offering himself for re-election and the Board recommends having interviewed Paul that he be accepted.All present in favour.
Paul Greenwood said “ We have lived through some interesting times” and when asked if he would remain on the Board given that he has a great many years of experience which is invaluable he agreed to stay.
9b. Election of Nominated Council Board Directors
In accordance with rule 42, any vacancies on the board may be filled by nominations from member organisations. Following an interview process conducted by Mike Bullock and George Holden the Board recommends that the following proposals are accepted.
Mrs Jenifer Phillips from Thornton Action Group and Chair of Wyre Together and Mrs Michelle Scott from Care and Repair (Wyre & Fylde) and Chair of Fylde Together.
Mike Bullock stated it is great the representation is being broadened across Wyre & Fylde.
Jeni Phillips said she is glad to be bringing a Wyre presence to the CVS Board which is very important as Jeni and Michelle are both chairs of Wyre Together and Fylde Together.
Michelle Scott is also glad to become a member of the Board and has operated in Wyre & Fylde for almost 10 years.
The Official Business was closed at 12.10pm
Signed……………………………………………………………… dated ………………………………………………..