The Master Andrew Craddock, supported by the Honorary General Secretary Steve Castle, the Honorary General Treasurer Michael Bubb and Minute Secretary Francis Mitchell, opened the meeting at 10.26 a.m. by asking Canon Barry Fry to say a prayer.
The others attending were:
Andrew Banks, Andrew Byford, Michael Church, Val Cleaver, Sue Craddock, John Davey, Mark Esbester, Barry Fry, Gill Gardener, Keith Gillings, Theo Johnson, Maureen Kelly, Wendy Ling, June Mitchell, Sue Park, David Strong, Mary Tester, Barbara Townsend, Jack Walters.
Apologies had been received from:
Roger Barber, Marie Boniface, David Forder, Adam Greenley, Jonathan Hetherington, Margaret Paterson, Hugh Routh, Tony Smith, Val Williams, Mike Winterbourne.
The meeting stood to remember John Spice of Winchester, Les Tremeer of Jersey, J Michael Lakin and Lady Rosemary Price who was Cyril Johnston’s daughter.
Minutes of the meeting held on 11 March 2006 were approved and signed by the Master as a true record.
There were no matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.
Ron Pike of Bournemouth will achieve 50 years membership in 2007.
| i. | Librarian & Archivist | £75 | ||
| ii. | Guild Report Editor | £60 | ||
| iii. | Belfry Stewardship Committee | £100 | ||
| iv. | Education Committee | Nil | ||
| v. | Public Relations Committee | £450 | ||
| vi. | Social Committee | £100 | ||
| vii. | Striking Competition | £120 |
All these bids were individually approved by the meeting.
Mark Esbester outlined the Bell Restoration Fund Trustees’ recommendations regarding recent urgent applications for grants:
St Mary Eling - general maintenance including replacement of pulleys. Cost £1,500, grant £200;
Goodworth Clatford - refurbishment and replacement of clappers and pulleys. Cost £4,500, grant £500;
All Saints Ryde - work on headstocks, clappers, pulleys. Cost £11,752, grant £1,500.
These recommended grants were approved by the meeting.
Previous applications from Romsey and North Stoneham were still outstanding pending further information about work to be undertaken. A late application from Abbots Ann was deferred to the March Executive meeting.
David Strong outlined his proposal “The Executive Committee sanctions the publication of the Guild rules in every edition of the Guild Report”. The extra cost was estimated at less than £100 per year.
After some generally favourable discussion, several amendments were tabled:
John Davey proposed that the Guild and BRF rules should be published in the Guild Report on alternate years.
Mike Bubb proposed that both sets of rules should be published in the Guild Report every year.
Barbara Townsend proposed that the Guild and BRF rules be published separately from the Guild Report. This was clarified as a paper publication in addition to the current availability of rules on the Guild website.
When put to the vote:
Amendment 3 was seconded by Andy Banks and lost by a significant majority;
Amendment 2 was seconded by Barry Fry and carried with 1 vote against;
Amendment 1 therefore fell.
The amended motion “The Executive Committee sanctions the publication of the Guild rules and the BRF rules in every edition of the Guild Report” was therefore approved.
A subsequent suggestion that Guild rules be printed on coloured paper was approved by a large majority.
Andrew Craddock had circulated a proposal that instead of electing members to sub-committees at AGMs who then elect convenors, only the convenors be elected and they co-opt their own committee members. This would enable the Guild membership to elect their committee chairmen, which is arguably more democratic and provides flexibility for people willing to take on a convenor role to do it in the way they wish to work - with or without other committee members.
During the ensuing discussion a point of order was raised that the proposer of the motion should not also chair the meeting, so the Guild Treasurer Michael Bubb took over as acting chairman.
Views were expressed that the proposal was deeply undemocratic and discouraging to Guild members who may be willing to stand as committee members but are not known to the convenor.
The role and function of Guild officers, sub-committees and especially single person sub-committees was felt to be a different matter for the Executive Committee to consider at another time.
When put to the vote, there was no seconder for the proposal, but as it had been proposed initially from the chair, the acting chairman asked the meeting to vote on it anyway. There were no votes in favour so the proposal was lost.
Steve Castle had prepared a paper proposing “The DAC Bell Advisors be Executive Committee members”. But as the Bell Advisers are appointed by the bishops, not elected by the Guild and do not have to be Guild members, he withdrew the proposal.
At present both Bell Advisers are members of the Executive Committee in their own right, but future Bell Advisers could be invited to Executive meetings as non-voting guests.
Sue Craddock outlined plans to hold the 2007 Guild Dinner at Southwick Park golf club on Saturday 21 April with some additional local attractions during the afternoon. Although the need to vote on these arrangements by the Social Committee was queried, the Guild Master explained the desirability of gauging the support of the Executive for a proposal involving an appreciable amount of money.
The proposal was agreed with expressions of appreciation for the efforts to arrange an attractive event in a different part of the Guild, and for the assistance of some members in the Portsmouth District. The dress code was agreed as Lounge Suit / Dinner Jacket.
The Guild Master Andrew Craddock handed over the chair to the Guild Treasurer Mike Bubb before describing apparent shortcomings in the Guild’s Public Relations and mentioning the Central Council’s recommendation to separate Guilds’ internal communications from their external public relations, before proposing similar measures in our Guild.
It was pointed out that a similar proposal had been rejected by the Executive in November 2004. Subsequent discussion centred on the importance of finding suitable people to do the jobs rather than changing the structure. But a different structure could enable different people to concentrate on the different roles.
After considering the views put forward Andrew Craddock proposed “The existing Public Relations committee be renamed Communications Committee to retain responsibility for the Guild’s website and newsletter, while a new Public Relations Officer be elected to concentrate on promoting ringing and the Guild to the local community and media.
This was seconded by Mark Esbester and carried by 14 votes to 4. A rule change will be prepared for the AGM, but someone is needed to start doing the work as soon as possible.
David Strong thought the plural of diocese was dioceses and had prepared a proposal to change the Guild rules accordingly. As the meeting showed this was not necessarily so, he withdrew the proposal.
Steve Castle had produced a draft contents list for a Welcome Pack to be given to all new Guild members. The meeting agreed it should be a welcome to the Guild, rather than a welcome to ringing, which is already well covered by existing publications. Barbara Townsend and Wendy Ling agreed to prepare a draft pack for the next Executive meeting. They would welcome views via email on the material to be included .
Education dates for 2007 Education Days were made available shortly after the meeting as: March 24th, April 21st, October 13th, November 3rd.
Guild Dinner on 21 April had already been dealt with.
Striking Competition dates were given as:
19th May - 6 & 8 Bell Tower competitions;
7th July - Inter district 8 bell competition at Upham;
1st Sept - Inter district 10 bell competition.
The March Executive meeting is on Saturday 10 March 2007 at St Barnabas Church Hall, at 10.15 a.m.
The AGM will be on Saturday afternoon 7 July at Bishop’s Waltham.
The November 2007 Executive meeting is set for 17 November at St Barnabas Church Hall, at 10.15 a.m.
Jack Walters had met Rev. David Cawley recently to agree final changes. He asked members of the Executive to look at his preliminary designs after the meeting and give him their preference for the publication, bearing in mind that the Guild had previously agreed to bear the publication cost. The number of copies was expected to be about 300.
The Master closed the meeting at 12.12 p.m.