The third session of the 42nd Council (119th Annual Meeting) will be held on Monday 30 May 2016 in the Best Western Royal Beach Hotel, St Helen’s Parade, Portsmouth, starting at 9.30 a.m.
Will members please sign the roll and be in their seats by 9.20 a.m. - the roll will also invite you to sign in as a member of The Ringing World Limited.
The morning session will be adjourned at 12.30 p.m.; at 1.45 p.m. the Annual Meeting of The Ringing World Limited will be held; the afternoon session will resume after that Meeting.
Opening prayer.
Report of the Honorary Secretary as to the representation of societies and subscriptions.
Welcome to new members.
Apologies for absence.
Loss of members through death.
Minutes of the 2015 Annual Meeting. (p. 464)
Matters arising from the Minutes not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
Annual Report of the Council. (p.469)
Accounts for 2015. (p.471)
Election of Life Member: John Barnes is proposed by Jane Wilkinson and seconded by Alan Regin.
Election of Additional Members:
Stella Bianco, Roger Booth and Robert Cooles retire. The following nominations have been received; in accordance with Rule 6(ii), supporting statements for the candidates are given in Appendix A of this Agenda: (p.463)
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Stella Bianco | Alan Glover | John Harrison |
| Robert Cooles | Michael Church | Mike Chester |
Change Ringing for the Future.
Motions
(A) That following the winding-up of The Ringing Foundation Limited the following Rules be amended as indicated:
That the second sentence of Rule 5(iii) be amended to read:
Each triennial session commences with the Annual Meeting next after each triennial election or an annual meeting of The Ringing World Limited if held in the preceding two days.
That the second sentence of Rule 5(iv) be amended to read:
An Alternate Member may not be elected an independent examiner, nor be appointed to a committee of the Council; neither shall an Alternate Member be entitled to membership of The Ringing World Limited, nor to give notice of motion in accordance with Rule 17.
That Rule 9 be deleted, existing Rules 10 to 23 be renumbered 9 to 22, and that the references in existing Rules 4(iii)(b), 15(i) and 23 to “Rule 10,” “Rule 23” and “Rule 18” be changed to “Rule 9,” “Rule 22” and “Rule 17” respectively.
That paragraph (iii)(e) of existing Rule 15 be deleted.
Proposed on behalf of the Administrative Committee by Tony Smith (Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild), seconded by Mary Bone (Ex-officio).
(B) That to avoid the need for time-consuming elections which distract from more important items under discussion by the Council the committee elections procedure be changed by introducing advance nominations and removing a maximum size for committees:
That the third sentence of Rule 6(ii) be amended to read:
Nominations may be accompanied by a statement by the candidate of not more than 250 words which will be distributed to members of the Council.
That the second, third and fourth sentences of existing Rule 15 be amended to read:
Members are appointed for three years and are eligible for reappointment.
That paragraphs (ii) to (vii) of existing Rule 15 be renumbered (iii) to (viii), that the references in paragraph (i) to “paragraph (ii)” be changed to “paragraph (iii)” and the following new paragraph (ii) be added:
All nominations for the Administrative Committee and the permanent committees enumerated in paragraph (iii) of this Rule shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary, signed by two members of the Council, not less than two calendar months previous to the meeting, and such nominations shall appear on the agenda paper. Nominations may be accompanied by a statement by the candidate of not more than 100 words which will be distributed to members of the Council. Supporting speeches will not be permitted at the meeting.
That existing paragraph (iv) of existing Rule 15 be amended to read:
The other committees shall consist of any number of elected members. Each of these committees shall have power to co-opt further members of the Council. Co-opted members shall retire at the next annual meeting but are eligible for nomination in accordance with paragraph (ii) of this Rule.
That the first sentence of existing Rule 18 be amended to read:
All notices of motion shall be sent to the Honorary Secretary, signed by two members of the Council, not less than six weeks previous to the meeting, and such notices shall appear on the agenda.
Proposed on behalf of the Administrative Committee by Tony Smith (Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild), seconded by Mary Bone (Ex-officio).
(C) That existing Rule 16(x) (Terms of Reference of the Committee for Redundant Bells) be replaced by the following:
To consider and advise on all matters concerning churches and other buildings with rings of bells where those buildings may be affected by redundancy, having the power, where necessary, to act on behalf of the Council; to develop and maintain contact with statutory and other interested bodies charged with dealing with church and other buildings, with rings of bells, which are facing redundancy and to provide advice and support as appropriate to protect the interests of ringers; to liaise with and support local ringers, as appropriate, in order that their interests are taken into account when buildings with rings of bells are made redundant; to provide periodic reviews and reports concerning rings of bells in buildings affected by redundancy in order to raise awareness of the problem among ringers.
Proposed on behalf of the Committee for Redundant Bells by Robert Wood (University of Bristol Society) and seconded by Helen Webb (Ladies Guild).
(D) That the following paragraphs be added to existing Rule 20 to permit voting by proxy:
(iii) Voting by proxy is permitted. Any member who will be absent from a meeting of the Council and who wishes to appoint a proxy to vote on his/her behalf must, before the start of the meeting, lodge with the Honorary Secretary a written proxy form, signed by the member. The absent member may appoint either the chairman of the meeting, or another member who will be present at the meeting, as their proxy to vote on their behalf. Proxies will be issued with an additional set of ballot papers for use in secret ballots. Arrangements will be made to indicate proxy votes in a show of hands ballot.
(iv) For all purposes in these rules, a member who has appointed a proxy will be considered to be present at the meeting. When a proxy vote is cast, the member who has appointed a proxy will be considered to be voting at the meeting.
Proposed on behalf of the Lancashire Association by Ernie de Legh-Runciman and seconded by Giles Blundell.
(E) That the Council should make a declaration to clarify its relationship with ringers, with churches and with other ringing service providers, and that to give it prominence the declaration be recorded as a new “Decision” as follows:
The Council’s primary rôle is to provide support and services to bellringers - those who practise change ringing (methods and called changes) on tower bells in the English style or on handbells.
The Council recognises its responsibility to undertake actions locally or globally that will help to ensure the long term future of ringing by supporting the development of all aspects of the art, science and practice of ringing, and fostering a sustainable community of competent, motivated ringers.
The Council recognises the church as an important partner for the ringing community - most ringers are members of church bands that provide a service within their church communities and most ringers depend on the use of bells in churches. However, the Council seeks to promote ringing as a non-denominational living tradition open to all.
The Council supports ringing for many reasons, including for church services, community celebrations, the development of skills and the personal satisfaction of ringers.
The Council will seek opportunities to develop an appetite for ringing and a respect for ringers in the wider community and in all organisations with an interest in bells.
The Council recognises the need to ensure the long term availability of bells suitable for ringing, whether in churches, former churches or other buildings in civic, commercial or private ownership, especially in an era of closing churches.
The Council recognises itself as one of a number of providers of services to ringers, and will seek constructive synergy with other service providers, taking a leading rôle in helping different agencies to work effectively together.
The Council recognises that its responsibility to ringers includes seeking to ensure the continuity of any service on which the ringing community depends, if the original provider is no longer able to do so.
Proposed by John Harrison (Oxford Diocesan Guild) and seconded by Ruth Marshall (Scottish Association).
(F) That the Council appoint a Working Group to undertake a detailed review of the its rules and activities, and to make recommendations for modernisation. Specifically:
That the Group report, with appropriate recommended changes, to the 2017 Council meeting.
That the Group consist of 5 Council members who are not officers and preferably not committee members, 5 recent former Council members (having left in the period 2008-2014) and 5 representatives from territorial societies who are not in either of these categories.
That the Council commit funds to the Group to cover hire of meeting facilities, members’ travel and secretarial costs.
That the Group should consult relevant parties including ringers at large (via a survey), representatives of relevant churches and other tower bell owning organisations, ringing societies and the Charity Commission.
That the scope of the review shall include but not be limited to: the Council’s legal Objects and its name, the Council’s structure and governance, the Council’s size and membership (for example whether being a federation of ringing societies is the best way to engage with individual ringers).
Proposed by John Harrison (Oxford Diocesan Guild), seconded by Ruth Marshall (Scottish Association).
(G)
That Decision (D) PEAL RINGING be amended as follows, to allow a wider range of possible lengths for peals of Doubles, Minor and Triples:
Add a new part (c) to Decision (D)B.2: “Not more than one touch shorter than an extent in which any of the possible rows at that stage occurs at most once.”
Add a new part (d) to Decision (D)B.4: “Not more than one of the following:
a touch with the tenor as cover as permitted in 2(c) above;
a variable cover touch shorter than an extent in which any of the possible rows, treated as being at the next higher stage, occurs at most once.”
Add a new part (e) to Decision (D)B.6: “Not more than one of the following:
a touch at the lower stage as permitted in 4(d) above;
a touch at the higher stage as permitted in 2(c) above;
a mixed stage touch shorter than an extent with a cover bell when ringing the lower stage, in which any of the rows possible at the higher stage occurs at most once.”
That Decision (E) METHODS be amended as follows, to allow a bell to lie still for more than four consecutive blows:
Delete the current Decision (E)A.6 in its entirety
Add a new Decision (E)A.6: “No bell shall lead or lie continuously for the entire plain course of the method.”
That Decision (E) METHODS be amended as follows, to allow a new method to be named by ringing a true touch of 1260 changes or more for a Triples method (1250 changes or more for a method at higher stages):
Replace the existing Decision (E)A.4 (E)D.4 with the following text:
“A new method shall be named and published in The Ringing World, subject to D.2 and D.3 above, and to the power of the Council to change the name or leave it unnamed if it considers it necessary, by the band that first
rings an extent or round block as permitted in Part B.2 of the Decision on Peal Ringing; or
in the case of Triples only, rings a touch of at least 1260 changes, or in the case of higher stages, rings a touch of at least 1250 changes, otherwise complying with Parts A to D of the Decision on Peal Ringing; or
includes it in a multi-method peal complying with Parts A to D of the Decision on Peal Ringing.”
That Decision (J) CALLS be amended as follows, to allow calls that extend the length of a lead:
Add the following text to the end of Decision (J)A.2: “(c) by inserting additional changes between two rows, altering the length of a lead.”
That Decision (D) PEAL RINGING be amended as follows, to allow peals of Minimus on handbells:
Delete Decision (D)B.1 and renumber existing Decisions (D)B.2 to (D)B.7 and references to them.
Add a new Decision (D)A.15: “One or more umpires shall be present during any peal by a single ringer.”
Proposed on behalf of the Methods Committee by Peter Niblett (Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild) and seconded by Fred Bone (Essex Association).
(H)
That the Council recognises the need for a framework of definitions for Peals, Methods and Calls in order that method collections and peal records can be maintained.
That the Council agrees that these definitions should reflect current ringing practices and also that they should not inhibit future developments in ringing, and should not impose value judgements on what people choose to ring.
That the Methods Committee shall, in consultation with other interested parties, prepare revised Decisions that are consistent with points 1 and 2 and address points that have been raised in the consultation process to date. The Committee shall prepare a draft before the end of 2016.
That the following areas shall be considered in scope for the revision:
Relaxation of restrictions imposed by the current Decisions (for example peals on simulators, methods that are false in their plain course)
Requirements on how peals are reported
Requirements for Record Peals
The process for recording and handling non-compliant peals
The structure and presentation of the Decisions, and definitions of the terms used in them.
Proposed on behalf of the Methods Committee by Peter Niblett (Winchester and Portsmouth Diocesan Guild) and seconded by Robin Woolley (Southwell and Nottingham Diocesan Guild).
To receive, discuss and if thought fit to adopt the reports of the following committees; and to pass such resolutions as may be necessary on matters arising from the reports. In all cases one-third of the present members retire and are eligible for re-election if still members of the Council.
(a) Administrative: (p.472)
David Kirkcaldy is now an ex-officio member. Helen Udal is no longer a member of Council. Angela Newing, Helen Udal and Andrew Wilby retire. Angela Newing is not seeking re-election. There are 4 vacancies.
(b) Peal Records: (p.473)
Andrew Barnsdale resigned and has since died. Alison Brittliff and Derek Sibson retire. There are 3 vacancies.
(c) Public Relations: (p.478)
Matthew Sorell is no longer a member of Council. Bruce Butler, Lynne Hughes and Michael Orme retire. Lynne Hughes is not seeking re-election. There are 4 vacancies.
(d) Publications: (p.480)
Peter Mackie has died. John Couperthwaite retires. There are 2 vacancies.
(e) Redundant Bells: (p.481)
Bob Cooles and Robert Wood retire. There are 2 vacancies.
(f) Ringing Centres: (p.481)
Matthew Sorell is no longer a member of Council. Leslie Boyce and Pip Penney retire. There are 3 vacancies.
(g) Ringing Trends: (p.482)
Elva Ainsworth and Mark Ainsworth are no longer members of Council. David Grimwood has and Tim Pett have resigned. There are 3 4 vacancies.
(h) Towers & Belfries: (p.482)
Tim Collins has resigned. Roland Backhurst, Alan Frost and Bernard Stone retire. There are 5 vacancies.
(i) Tower Stewardship: (p.483)
Alan Chantler and James Smith are no longer members of Council. Peter Kemp retires and is not seeking re-election. There are 3 vacancies.
(j) Bell Restoration: (p.483)
Jay Bunyan, Ian Oram and Peter Wilkinson retire. There are 4 vacancies.
(k) Biographies: (p.484)
Richard Andrew, Pat Halls and John Harrison retire. There are 3 vacancies.
(l) Compositions: (p.485)
Richard Allton and Paul Flavell retire. There are 2 vacancies.
(m) Education: (p.485)
Tim Hine, Gill Hughes, Pip Penney, David Roskelly and Susan Welch retire. There are 5 vacancies.
(n) Information and Communications Technology: (p.485)
David Richards, Leigh Simpson and Peter Trotman retire. There are 3 vacancies.
(o) Library: (p.486)
Stella Bianco and Ian Self retire. There are 2 vacancies.
(p) Methods: (p.487)
Peter Niblett and Robin Woolley retire. There are 3 vacancies.
Report of the Stewards of the Carter Ringing Machine Collection. (p.487)
Report of the Steward of the Rolls of Honour. (p.487)
Report of the Stewards of the Dove Database. (p.487)
Central Council Rescue Fund for Redundant Bells (registered charity no. 278816):
Report and Accounts. (p.488)
Future meetings.
Any other business.
MARY BONE
Hon Secretary
Stella Bianco joined the Library Committee in 2008 and became its Chairman a year later. She has held this position ever since. Her experience as Sussex Association Librarian, where she organises an open morning each year to encourage members to use and enjoy this valuable resource, has been invaluable in arranging three outreach days to encourage people to enjoy ringing books and publicise the rôle of the Central Council Library.
Stella was first elected to the Council as an honorary member in 1989 and has served it well in various positions ever since. She served on the Public Relations Committee and was joint project co-ordinator for the “Ringing in the Millennium” project, leading the distribution of £3m in grants to 150 projects. She continues to support the Council’s Bell Restoration Fund through selling ringing-themed wooden jigsaws.
Stella would like to continue to serve on the Library Committee. The members of the Committee would very much welcome her experience and enthusiasm in guiding the Committee and promoting the use of the Library.
| Proposed by | Alan Glover |
| Seconded by | John Harrison |
Robert Cooles has served on the Council for many years, principally as Secretary of the Rescue Fund for Redundant Bells, as a member of the Committee for Redundant Bells, and for several years as its Chairman. He has served for many years as a member of the Administrative Committee and in previous years as one of the first directors of The Ringing World Limited and in various other sundry “ad hoc” rôles within the Council. As a life long member of the Surrey Association he is currently President of the Association. Bob has been involved in Diocesan and other church bodies for a long time and the knowledge thus gained is additionally of value to the Council. He is a solicitor by profession and has skilfully acted as the Council’s honorary legal advisor for many years.
| Proposed by | Michael Church |
| Seconded by | Mike Chester |
The Ringing World, May 6, 2016, pages 459 to 463