Minutes of the Dorset Twinning Association

Minutes of the Dorset Twinning Association

Annual General Meeting

10th October 2011 Gillingham Town Hall

Present: John Wilson, Chairman Dorset County Council

John Pounder, Chairman of Management Committee

David Lloyd, Chairman of Gillingham Twinning

Jacquie Hall, Secretary

Terry Piper, Treasurer

Philip Sharp, Webmaster

Association Members from Wareham – Hemsbach Society, Swanage - Rudesheim, Gillingham, Sturminster Newton, Bere Regis, Poole/Cherbourg, Shaftesbury,

1. Welcome

David Lloyd, Chairman Gillingham Twinning, and John Wilson President of the Association welcomed everyone to the meeting

2.Apologies were received from members of the Associations of Shaftesbury, Verwood & Three Legged Cross, Weymouth/Holzweckide, Weymouth/Louviers, and Beaminster

3. AGM Minutes 2010

Copies were available at the meeting. No amendments were made to the Minutes of last year’s AGM. Philip Sharp proposed they be accepted as written, with Sturminster Newton seconding the proposal.

Matters Arising from the minutes was the Brochure which was to be dealt with in item 9.

4. Management Committee Report was presented by John Pounder, Chairman

4.1 Copies were available at the meeting.

An additional report was presented by Tony Watts, describing the Fire Cadets European Challenge.

4.2 It was also mentioned that French schools are keen on video conferencing, and it is hoped this will be furthered, despite the departure of Ruth Parker. John Wilson stated that, since the schools which participated in the video conference link were changing to Academies, Dorset County Council had lost influence with them

4.3 Comments were invited about the postponed Conference due to be held last September.

There were only 16 potential delegates, and it was considered by the Committee to be too small a number for the venue. Maybe we could hold it in March or April 2012. Timing was one problem. The other, it was thought there should be a better structured timetable., to include advice on fundraising, and on lowering the average age of members.

4.4 Brittany ferries concessions: It was stated that there was a 10% discount on the final cost of the trips to France either individuals or groups, provided the visits were in support of twinning. Alternatively any member of Brittany Ferries ‘Club Voyage’ could give their membership number to friends who wished to travel, not restricted to twinning visits, and this would secure a 10% reduction in fare as well as crediting the member with £10 for each booking so made.

4.5 Sherborne is twinned with approx. 27 countries and they can be ‘loaned out’ if another Association wishes to gain EU funding, especially for youth programmes

4.6 John Wilson mentioned his trip for the 1100th celebrations in Normandy, where he was well looked after. During the Olympics the French were proposing to anchor their three masted Newfoundlander “La Marite” off the Weymouth coast.

5.Hon.Treasurer’s Report

Presented by Terry Piper. No questions. Approved by Sturminster Newton, seconded by Swanage- Rudesheim.

6. Subscription Rate for 2012

It was decided to leave the subscription rate at £59. Proposed by the Chairman, seconded by Poole

7. Election of Management Committee

The Chairman proposed that Jacquie Hall, who was seconded onto the Committee in February, be elected as Hon. Secretary, seconded by Poole. All members of the Committee were prepared to stand, and were all duly elected.

8. Appointment of Hon. Auditors

A point of order stated that the Association should have the accounts independently examined, and not audited. It was proposed that the wording in the Constitution be changed from ‘audit’ to independent examination. Officers of the County Council examined the accounts, and it is hoped they will do so next year.

9. DTA Brochure

It was suggested last year, but with not much interest it was put to one side. The idea was to generate interest in all twinning in the County, and to promote twinning to encourage new members. Local businesses could advertise in it, and each Association pay approx. £100 to advertise their individual Association.

It was suggested that perhaps the Dorset Community Magazine printed by Dorset County Council could insert an editorial and advertise the twinning across the County.

The website has improved in the number of ‘hits’ It was suggested we could have the brochure on the website in a downloadable format. Each Association could add items, and it would be easy to update at any time. The Committee would consider this further

10. Website – The presentation by Philip Sharp was delayed until after the rest of the business, and the information was well received.

11. Local twinning Association reports

Chairman of Swanage-Rudesheim stated some of the reports were not downloadable from the web. Philip will look into it. He also stated that there were a few 25th anniversary celebrations happening, which was good news.

Tony Watts of Poole stated that Poole will celebrate its 35th next year. Also on 14th/15th April 2012 there will be a musical celebration in Cherbourg to commemorate the sinking of the Titanic. There will be a Titanic exhibition at the Cite de la Mer.

Tony Watts will organise a Brittany Ferry package of ferry and hotel, and the concert will be FOC.

Dates: Swanage Rudesheim Oktoberfest on 14th October, and Sturminster Newton Quiz on 10th November.

12. Chairman’s closing remarks

John Pounder thanked members for their attendance and vowed to encourage the French link with the Olympics, and to help the Non-French and rest of France Associations through the proposed conference, and by other means. He again invited volunteers for the Management Committee and Myrna Gomes Maria, Chairman of Wareham- Hemsbach Society had volunteered to take one of the two available co-opted places on the Committee. He thanked Philip Sharp for his presentation and Gillingham for hosting the AGM

13. The date and venue was not decided upon for next year. Volunteers were invited. The DTA offer to pay half of the cost of the meeting (up to £50)