IWA Great Ouse Branch - AGM Notice

Great Ouse Branch

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING to be held on Thursday, 24th March 2022 at 8.00 pm This will be followed by an update from a River Manager of the Environment Agency.

Please forward any questions to be directed to the Environment Agency to our Secretary john.hodgson@waterways.org.uk

Ouse News - Appendix 1 Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of the Great Ouse Branch of the Inland Waterways Association will be held on Thursday, 24th March 2022 at the North Lodge Pavilion, North Lodge Park, Milton, Cambridge, CB24 6UD at 8.00 p.m.

AGENDA 1. Chairman’s welcome and apologies for absence 2. Approval of the Minutes of the previous AGM held via video link on 22nd April 2021 - printed in Appendix 2 3. Matters Arising from those Minutes, not included on this agenda 4. Chairman’s Report - printed in Appendix 3 5. Secretary’s Report - printed in Appendix 4 6. Treasurer’s Report and presentation of accounts - printed in Appendix 5 7. Election of Branch Committee 8. Any Other Business 9. Close of Meeting Notes: (following the amendment of Byelaws dated 14/3/09) 1. Accounts are audited by IWA Head Office. There is no need to adopt the accounts or appoint an auditor.

2. There is no longer any limit to Committee numbers. Members serve for 3 years after which they retire but may seek re-election.

3.There are 2 committee members due to retire by rotation this year : Stephen Foote and Peter Webb.

4. New Committee Members are most welcome. Those who would like to stand must sign the consent form below and send to the Branch Secretary, John Hodgson (9 Beaufort Way, Brickhill, Bedford, MK41 7XQ) before the AGM.

 INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION CONSENT FORM

I agree to stand for election at the Annual General Meeting of the Great Ouse Branch. I am a member of the Great Ouse Branch.

(Sign) .................................................. Print Name ............................

Date ...............................

Ouse News - Appendix 2 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the Great Ouse Branch of the Inland Waterways Association on Thursday 22nd April 2021.

Held by Zoom video link at 8.00 p.m.

Present: Keith Alderton (Chairman) plus 18 Great Ouse Branch members.

1. Apologies for absence.

The meeting was opened at 8.01 pm and the Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting.

An apology for absence had been received from Robin Adams.

2. Minutes of the deferred 2020 Annual General Meeting held on 1st March 2021.

The minutes of the previous AGM, having been previously circulated as Appendix 2 of the AGM booklet were proposed as a true record of the meeting

by Derek Bradley and seconded by Chris Buck. This was agreed unanimously.

3. Matters arising from the AGM on 1st March 2021.

There were none.

4. Chairman’s Report The Chairman’s report was similarly included in the AGM booklet as Appendix 3. He had nothing to add to the report as presented. There were no questions for the Chairman.

5. Secretary’s Report The Secretary’s report was also printed in the AGM booklet as Appendix 4.

There was nothing to add to these notes. There were no questions for the Secretary.

Cont’d:

Ouse News - Appendix 2 cont’d.

6. Treasurer’s Report.

The Treasurer’s report and accounts were available in Appendix 5 of the AGM booklet. There were no questions for the Treasurer. The Chairman commented that the branch remains in a good financial situation.

7. Election of Committee Members.

Gail Mead was due for re-election as her three year term of office has ended. She is eligible and available for re-election. This was proposed

by Peter Hedges and seconded by Carole Alderton.

Gail Mead was re-elected unanimously.

8. Any Other Business.

There was no other business.

9. The Chairman closed the meeting at 8.06 pm.

Ouse News - Appendix 3: Chairman’s Report 2021-2022 It has been another strange year with normal branch activities once again curtailed due to Covid, resulting in our February general meeting and all outside activities being cancelled. However we did manage to successfully hold the delayed 2019-2020 AGM in March 2021and the 2020-2021 AGM in April 2021, both via Zoom.

Fortunately we were, at long last, able to restart our programme of offseason branch general meetings in October when Richard Thomas presented ‘The Story of the Panama Canal’. In November Stephen Foote gave us his much delayed talk on ‘Fenland Rivers before Vermuyden’. Finally, in February, Simon Judge gave an illustrated talk entitled ‘Oxford to Cambridge by boat’.

Cont’d:

Ouse News - Appendix 3 cont’d.

We are hopeful that the coming year will see us able to reinstate our normal full programme of meetings and activities. The branch committee would welcome any suggestions or ideas you may have as to activities or events that you would like to see included.

Members may be aware that following the resignation of Chris Howes, we have not had a Regional Chairman in place for the second year running. The Eastern Regional Committee has, therefore, not met during that period.

However, the branch committee has continued to be active throughout the pandemic and I would like to thank committee members for their efforts during this difficult time.

As usual, I would I would like to thank those members who do not normally participate in branch activities but continue their membership because they support the aims and objectives of the IWA. Finally, I wish to thank our advertisers whose continued financial support helps us pay for speakers’ fees and meeting room hire.

Keith Alderton Ouse News - Appendix 4: Secretary’s Report 2021-2022 The year has continued in much the same vein as its predecessor although, at long last, there is a growing light at the end of the tunnel. The last two branch meetings at the end of 2021 were held and the attendance, especially at the November event, was encouraging. Committee meetings have also re-commenced in person. Covid restrictions have generally been lifted, so we must hope that the situation with the virus continues to improve.

The total membership of the branch has reduced by around 1.75% over the year. It is disappointing in that there is any reduction at all.

Cont’d:

Ouse News - Appendix 4 cont’d.

However, in the circumstances, this is actually fairly good especially when compared to the national situation. The loyalty of the branch membership is to be applauded.

The organisations where the branch is represented have, again, generally not been meeting either during the previous year, although a small number have used video or telephone conferencing. The latter being even less convenient than the former!

Again, “Project Hereward” meetings have not been held, i.e. the project to re-open the stretch from Welches Dam Lock up to Horseway Lock, since early March 2020 so there is nothing to report on that subject.

At the forthcoming AGM, March 2022, two committee members are ending their three year term of office – Stephen Foote and Peter Webb – and both are eligible for re-election.

As noted on the nomination form there is no limit to the number of committee members and we have lost some over the last few years. More would be welcome especially to take on the roles of sales and of functions organisers.

Please contact either Keith Alderton or John Hodgson for details. The nomination forms can either be sent to the Secretary or be completed on the evening of the meeting.

One good thing to come out of the pandemic is that the branch accounts are in a healthy situation as expenditure has been lower than normal and, although contributions and sales at meetings are missing, our advertising income has remained – our thanks, as always, go to our loyal advertisers.

Our newsletter editor, Carole Alderton, is always keen to receive contributions from as many authors as possible to offer a variety of content style.

John Hodgson

Ouse News - Appendix 5