Chairman’s Report It is with great pride that I begin my second year as Chairman of this association, and I thank all of you for having the confidence to bestow this honour upon me once again. Being so soon after the AGM, my report for this Bulletin issue is very brief, but I trust it will be sufficient to keep you up to date with what is happening within the organisation. Our first council meeting turned out to be a tumultuous affair, which regretfully resulted in the resignation of one of our newly elected Council members, Jeannie O'Beirne! It is difficult to explain in a few words the course of events which led to her resignation, but the issue centred on a possibility of a conflict of interest in Jeannie serving with the Training Committee. For my part, I possibly didn't handle the meeting or situation very well, being wrong-footed by the vociferous content of some of the debate! Please, in reading this account, do not consider for one second that Jeannie acted improperly in any way or that her personal or professional integrity should be questioned. The whole situation is regrettable, but I am pleased to say that I have spoken with Jeannie at length and we both feel confident that valuable lessons can be learnt from such situations. Jeannie has been encouraged to reconsider her decision to resign from Council, although for reasons of her own feels disinclined to do so. I feel sure you will all join me in welcoming our other newly elected council member, Geoff Oldham, who is to work with the Technical Committee. Our new honorary secretary Paul Craven takes over from Andy Berry who has now relieved Rob Tunnicliff as Honorary Editor. I look forward to working closely with all of my council colleagues over the coming months. Council has many plans for the coming year, not the least of which is to revisit the aims and objectives of the APEA. Whilst generally we have confidence that the original aims still hold good, we feel that it may be necessary to carry out a little "tweaking" in order to fully satisfy the needs of the wider membership. We are all aware of our obligations as an industry to protect the environment, and it is in areas like this where we feel some changes may be necessary. If your branch (or you as an individual member) feels there are issues which should be addressed, please let us know - we always want fresh ideas. For those of you who do not adapt easily to change, I would like to add the comforting note that it is not the intention of council to mess with the association to any great extent, but to recognise where changes are required and if possible effect those changes. After all, it has only been by being adaptable that the APEA has survived into the 21st Century, and if we want to remain at the forefront of our industry we must retain the flexibility to react to a changing world. At a recent Events Committee meeting options for the events programme for the coming year were discussed. Whilst no final agreement was reached the committee were united in their opinion that it would be foolhardy, and tantamount to committing financial Hari-Kari to try and stage a full blown exhibition such as those previously held at Telford, London & Birmingham. What did find favour amongst most was the concept of holding the APEA Annual Dinner, which would be
supported by a lively and informative conference programme. The possibility of inviting manufacturers and suppliers to support the event with a relatively low key exhibition was also discussed. Those of you who can remember the distant days when we met at Dunstable will be familiar with the concept! As you read this Jane is looking into suitable venues for the event (in the Midlands you'll doubtless be pleased to know)! Future Bulletin editions will bring you more news as our plans unfold. Generally, Council was pleased with the AGM and felt that the venue was good and the speakers interesting and informative. On behalf of the Council I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the speakers for giving their time freely in preparing and presenting their excellent material. We understand that some visitors felt that the buffet luncheon was a little overpriced and somewhat sparse! Please be assured that we do listen to our members and will try and feed you all a little heartier next year! Under Brian Baker's chairmanship, the Training Committee continues to develop and expand its activities, with the courses offered being well structured, extremely popular and profitable. Jane Mardell has stepped in to help Brian with the abundance of administration and groundwork which goes to make each course run smoothly and efficiently. I am pleased to report that Jane is undertaking this new task with her usual calm efficiency, and I am confident that the association can only benefit from her efforts. It is interesting to note that we are now receiving enquiries from overseas countries to provide bespoke training courses. This must be a clear indication that the APEA is truly an international organisation with a reputation for offering high quality training and support within this specialised industry. Before closing, I would just like to mention our lifeblood - the branches! Some of our branches are extremely successful, holding regular meetings and attracting lively and interesting speakers, whilst others appear to be struggling - in some cases to maintain their very existence! I would like to ask you all to support your local branch and make a point of attending meetings. Not only does active participation at branch level allow us to understand and discuss developing industry trends but it also provides us with the opportunity to meet with friends and colleagues from within the industry. Please find out when your next branch meeting is, note it in your diary and make sure you attend - I am sure you will find it a worthwhile and enjoyable experience. I conclusion, I would like to thank you all once again for your support and say how much I look forward to working with you all in the months to come. Tony Jenner (Chairman) 5
