THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION LINCOLNSHIRE
RECORD OF THE MEETING OF THE COUNTY COMMITTEE
HELD ON SATURDAY 14thAPRIL 2018 AT THE FRIENDS OF ALFORD HOSPITAL MEMORIAL HALL, ALFORD
PRESENT
Mr W S Erskine Crum (President), Mr A R P Goodwin (Chairman), Mr J Johnson (Vice-Chairman), Mr R Beresford, Mr T Butler, Mr F Byrne, Mr F Charlton, Mr R Green, Mr T Gundry, Mrs M Jones, Mr D Tyler
IN ATTENDANCE
Mr S Allen (Membership Council Member – East Midlands), Mr A Canham (County Parade Marshal), Ms. R Bridgwood (Lincolnshire Rider), Mr A Downey (Lincolnshire Riders), Mr A Pearce (Chairman City of Lincoln Branch), Mr N Fairfax (Community Fundraiser – Lincolnshire),Mr B R Mahoney (Membership Support Officer – East Midlands)
Action
1.Welcome and the Act of Homage:The County Chairman (CC) welcomed everyone to the meeting, he thanked Mr Allen for attending an acknowledged the presence of the Chairman of the City of Lincoln Branch. The Act of Homage was then said by the Membership Council Member and observed by all.
2.Apologies for Absence:There were 5apologies for absence received, Mr J Scally (County Treasurer), Mr S Ezekiel,Mr G Reid, Mrs B A Wilcox and Mrs I Francis (County Chair, Women’s Section)
3.Urgent Matters to be added to the Agenda:The CC wished to add a Confidential Item to the Agenda. He had also slightly altered the Agenda so that Items 10 and 11 would come under the Confidential Item. He had added a new item called Training which would slot in after Item 9.
4.The County President:The first business that the County President (CP) had to undertake was to present a County Certificate of Appreciation to Ms. R Bridgwood, who was one of Lincolnshire’s Independent Examiners.
The CP had attended an Armed Forces Covenant meeting with the City of Lincoln Council and the heads of all interested organizations. The Council intends to relaunch the Covenant and use it in the Council publicity.
The CP had attended the official opening of the International Bomber Command Centre, he felt that it was incredibly well done and urged anyone who is passing it to call in as it is well worth viewing.
The CP advised the meeting that the previously discussed President’s Reception would not now be taking place. The plan to use some of the Branch Legacy Funds to pay for it was causing some issues and the CP did not feel that this expenditure meets the charitable aims of the Legion. He would think about how this reception could be held in future.
Following the sad demise of Tony Worth, the Legion in Lincolnshire had not had a Patron, the CP felt that a suitable period had now lapsed and he intended to approach the new Lord Lieutenant, Toby Dennis, to become our Patron.
5.The County Chairman:The County Chairman (CC) thanked everyone for attending the meeting and gave a short resume of events that he had attended on behalf of the County Committee:
Sibsey - Lancaster Memorial Service
PAO Forum
Horncastle - lunch arrangements
Funeral Service- Leicestershire
IBCC
Grantham Branch visit
Funeral Service Surfleet-at request of Area Office
Visit Brigg Branch
Regional Standard Bearer Competition Loughborough. The County Standard Bearer came runner-up which was an excellent achievement as this was his first time in the competition. This Competition will be held in Lincolnshire in 2019.
Haig House - Chairman’s Seminar
County Management Board Lincoln Office
Grantham Town Council - Legion D'Honneur Presentation
Wainfleet School Affiliation Event. Wainfleet were the 1st school in Lincolnshire to affiliate to the Legion.
Horncastle meeting with Magna Vitae team
Meeting at Derby Office
Community Covenant meeting Sleaford
Aviation Heritage Launch Scampton
Skegness Branch Lunch 100-year-old member, both the CC and CVC attended this event
Boston Training planning meeting
The CC had also had some numerous contacts with Branches and had attended a number of funerals.
6.Draft Record of the County Meeting held on 27thJanuary2018: The record of this meeting was ACCEPTED as a true record and signed by the County Chairman.
Proposed: Mr JohnsonSeconded: Mr Butler Agreed: Unanimously
7.Matters Arising:There was one matterarising:
Item 19 –The County Training Coordinator (CTC) was asked a question about the Video Conferencing trial that he took part in. The CTC thought that it had worked well and could be an asset to the County. You do need a good internet connection otherwise the link might drop out.
8.Draft Record of County Management Board Meeting – 12th March 2018: The record of this meeting was ACCEPTED as a true record and signed by the County Chairman.
Proposed: Mr JohnsonSeconded: Mr Byrne Agreed: Unanimously
9. Matters Arising:There was one matter arising:
Item 7 – County Almonisation of £8k, the invoice still hadn’t been received from the Finance Department. (MSO Note: An email from Finance has been sent to the County Treasurer apologizing for this oversight and an invoice is on the way)
10.Membership Council Member – East Midlands:Mr Allen thanked the meeting for his invite; he is delighted on how Lincolnshire is progressing. His pet subject is BCS; he is the Membership lead; every Branch does welfare and has always done it but they are not signing up to BCS. He would like to see 85% of Branches signed up to BCS before he finishes on the Membership Council. As a Committee please encourage Branches to sign up to BCS and report their activities.
He is also responsible for the Membership Handbook; the number of different copies in different places is being rationalized, there will only be one copy of the Membership Handbook.
Mr Allen informed the meeting that a certificate would be required before being able to get a GP90 pennant and that this certificate would more than likely be issued after the event.
Mr Allen also informed the meeting that making illicit recordings at any meeting is totally unacceptable.
Mr Allen felt that any Legacy’s or BPT monies should be used in the area that they were left or existed.
Mr Allen also felt that that if you had a County Patron he should be the Lord Lieutenant, either current or past. Counties Should not have Vice-Presidents as a number of them were just past County Chairman, but in the case of a County the size of Lincolnshire he could understand the need to have working Vice-Presidents to lighten the load on the County President.
Mr Allen also informed the meeting that Leicestershire, there was discussion of it becoming under or combining with Lincolnshire, was going very well and hopefully they had identified an individual to be the new County Chairman.
11.County Training Plan:A discussion had been held between the CC, CVC and the CTC on Wednesday to discuss Office 365 and Branch Community Support (BCS). They had agreed that Branches wouldn’t get anywhere without being on Office 365.
The CTC outline the possible locations that he could hold Office 365 workshops, which would include GDPR:
Boston
Alford
Horncastle
Gainsborough
Mablethorpe
Lincoln
He also requests permission to purchase a dongle so that he could train Branches that don’t have access to Wi-Fi, he was asked to price one up.
To move BCS forward Branches need to be encouraged to sign up and use Office 365.
Those Branches registered for BCS have recently received a BCS Box.
The CP asked if he would get access to Office 365, unfortunately not as it was a tool for the County Committee.
The CTC informed the meeting that Magna Vitae will be running a Safeguarding Course on the 9th June at Alford; the intention is to disseminate this information to Branches once numbers are known.
12.General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR):The MSO provide a copy of the Draft Data Protection Guidance for RBL Branches Leaflet to the County Committee. This Leaflet will be sent to all Branches in early May. The MSO also advised the meeting that a document retention schedule had been produced for Membership and that there would be some restrictions on data that he could provide to Branches in the future. The MSO also advised the meeting that a Confidential Waste Disposal day would be held at the Lincoln Office, when any old documents that contained personal information could be just dropped off and would be disposed of securely. (MSO Note: This will take place on Tuesday 8th May 2018 at the Lincoln Office)
13. County Reports – Submitted Questions:There had been no submitted questions received.
The MSO advised that the County Treasurers Report should be recorded as being seen and approved in the Record of the Meeting. This was duly done.
Proposed: Mr ByrneSeconded: MrsJones Agreed: Unanimously
14.Lincolnshire Branches: The MSO advised the meeting that he had received a request from the Branch Property Trust (BPT) Team regarding a Trust held at Caistor Branch. The request involved approval from the Lincolnshire County Committee to sign the Branch Resolution on behalf of Caistor Branch because they currently did not have a functioning Committee. This Branch Resolution was to transfer the contents of the Caistor BPT to The Royal British Legion.
The Lincolnshire County Committee agreed to this Resolution.
Proposed: Mr BeresfordSeconded: Mrs Jones Agreed: Unanimously
15.County Supported Branches Project: The MSO provided the latest information on the County Supported Branches Project to the meeting. The CC thought that Gunby Branch might be a candidate for this but it came down to the County Treasurer and if he thought that he could cope with this additional workload. The use of Office 365 is one of the pre-requisites of including a Branch in this Project. The CFR commented that there is obviously a need for basic computer training and that the Legion should consider providing it, it was felt that there was enough opportunities for individuals to get this training if they wished without the Legion getting involved.
16.Great Pilgrimage (GP) 90:The MSO informed the meeting that the following Branches were attending GP90 and he requested a blanket approval for them to take their Branch Standard overseas.
Boston & District RBL
Bourne & Dist. RBL
City of Lincoln RBL
East Halton RBL
Epworth RBL
Fleet & District RBL
Freiston RBL
Grantham RBL
Great Grimsby RBL
Healing RBL
Holbeach RBL
Horncastle RBL
Immingham RBL
Kirton and Dist. RBL
Laceby RBL
Long Sutton RBL
North Hykeham RBL
Pinchbeck RBL
Sleaford RBL
Spalding RBL
Stamford RBL
Waltham RBL
Washingborough & District RBL
Wellingore Navenby RBL
Winterton & District RBL
The Lincolnshire County Standard was also attending GP90. Permission was given to take all these Standards to GP90.
The County Parade Marshal requested a list of GP90 Branch contacts, so that he could contact them regarding training, the MSO would provide this.
It was suggested that it would be good Public Relations if a photograph of all the Standard Bearers attending GP90 could be taken.
The County Parade Marshal offered to make a donation to the County to cover the cost of adding the GP90 scroll to the County Standard. This kind offer was accepted with thanks.
17.Future County Events:The CVC and County Events organizer gave an update to the meeting:
County Chairman’s Lunch: This would be held at the Admiral Rodney Hotel, Horncastle on Sunday 29th April 2018. The list is now closed for this event and there are 85 members attending.
County Rededication Service:The County Rededication Service would be held at Wainfleet on Sunday 17th June 2018. Details will be sent out to Branches in the near future.
Museum of Lincolnshire Life Event:The Museum of Lincolnshire Life had requested that the County hold an event at their location to commemorate the end of WW1; this event will be held on Saturday 18th August 2018. Further details to follow.
County Standard Bearers Competition:The County Standard Bearers Competition will be held on Sunday 9th September 2018 at Stanhope Hall, Horncastle. The venue has been booked.
County Poppy Appeal Launch – East Kirkby: The County Poppy Appeal Launch will be held at East Kirkby on Saturday 27th October 2018. The Legion’s Director of Fundraising has been invited to this event and has accepted. The event organizer will try to include a item on 100 years of the Royal Air force and the Legion’s Thank You Movement.
Armed Forces Day Cleethorpes:Mrs. Jones has been asked to have a stall during this 3-day event and would like some assistance if possible. Mr Butler would contact her to discuss.
Festival of Remembrance:The County has been asked to help to organize the Festival of Remembrance held at the Terry O’Toole Theatre in North Hykeham. The CC will update when more information is known.
18.Confidential Item:County Committee Members Only.
19.Date of next meeting: The nextCounty Committee Meeting is planned for Saturday 7th July 2018 at Alford, 1000 for 1030 start.
Signed as a true copy,
A R P Goodwin BEM
County Chairman