Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of the B.M.F.A. North West Area held on 15 November 2011 at St Aidan's Parish Centre, Winstanley, Wigan.
Persons Present
David Lloyd-Jones Chairman & Delegate/CCMAA
Derek Gilbert Secretary & Treasurer/Sale MFC
Mike Colling FSMAE Vice Chairman/Wigan
Keith Barker PRO/Webmaster/ Rochdale MAC
Roy Allam Achievement Sch Co-ord/FCMFA
John O'Donnell Timperley MF
Tom Anyon Fylde Coast MFA
Gerry Ferer Timperley MF
Wayne Pendleton CCMAA
John Leadbeater NW Free Flight Group
Sue Price Stoke MHC
Rodger Price Stoke MHC
Peter Maw Bickershaw MFC
8 voting
The meeting commenced at 8.06 pm
Apologies for Absence
Ray Jones, Bill Cowell, Colin Martin, Jim Radcliffe, Wayne Halman and Reg Boor.
Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting
Other than two spelling errors the meeting approved the minutes For: 7, Against:
0, Abst: 1
Matters Arising
John O'Donnell asked if there had been any progress on the use of Chetwynd.
The Chairman confirmed there had not, we were still waiting to hear when a new
CO was to be appointed.
Gerry Ferer enquired if there was anything further to report on the possible
Heli B test in the IOM. Roy replied that no requests had been received so the
topic of costs and means of testing had not arisen.
Officer's Reports
Chairman
The Chairman, David Lloyd-Jones, reported that he felt it had been a good year
for the North West Area with the indoor and outdoor events being well supported.
Thirty years ago the area only organised free flight events, nowadays we are
also involved with 7 indoor events at Rochdale, two outdoor fly-ins, the Eddie
Riding competition and hope to have a helicopter fly-in next year.
Our area is the largest with about 150 clubs but it is disappointing to note
only 5% regularly send a delegate to the area meetings. The venue is pleasant,
easy parking, good beer and we pay travel expenses. Perhaps clubs in the area
do not have many problems?
The Chairman thanked all the elected committee members for the work they have
put in over the year on behalf of the clubs in the area.
Vice Chairman
Mike Colling FSMAE reported that as well as attending area meetings he had assisted
with the Eddie Riding competition.
Secretary
Derek Gilbert reported that the proposal regarding rule changes was deferred
again as it looked as if notice had been taken of the weaknesses we had highlighted.
John O'Donnell stated that he had been told the 2012 free flight rules will
be published before 1st January.
It was good to see that the Eddie Riding competition was covered by Alex Whittaker
again this year in the Aeromodeller section of the AMI as well as a mention
in the BMFA News.
Numbers attending our meetings were still low, however the numbers were rising
during the year but only the same total at this AGM as last year.
Treasurer
Derek Gilbert, as Treasurer, reviewed the accounts for the year ended 31st March
2011 which showed a surplus of expenditure over income of £502 bringing
the surplus funds now to £5,992. He went on to explain the major items
of income and expenditure.
In the current year 2011/12 the Eddie Riding costs were similar and with the
costs of the first aid kits, given to all area clubs with active flying sites,
should generate a reduction in the surplus funds we have next year.
The Treasurer thanked Gerry and Jim for giving up their time to audit the accounts
for us.
The accounts were accepted by a unanimous vote of the meeting,
PRO
The PRO, Keith Barker, reported that he had maintained the area web site during
the year and with the help of Wayne Pendleton had manned the BMFA stand at all
the major shows in the North West.
Keith also reported that the indoor events were going well again with 31 flyers
at the last meeting. He also noted that the BMFA had voted to increase fees
by a further £1, making £2 in total, with no allocation for a particular
purpose. There followed a discussion on the topic and it was the agreed that
the BMFA should consider allocating the additional £1 to competition travel
funds.
Free Flight Secretary
John Leadbeater thanked Phil Owens for the work he had done for the area in
previous years. Despite crops and the weather 5 out of 8 events were flown at
Rufford this year. Last year there were some concerns regarding wildfowl shooting
causing us to lose the site, but the landowner appears to be happy to let us
continue to use it as long as we fit in with them. One of our members won the
6th Area P30 event at Church Fenton and in the Plugge Cup the North West Group
came 15th out of 25 clubs.
Scale Secretary
David Lloyd-Jones reported that whilst the number of entrants in the Eddie Riding
contest was down this year there was a small increase in the number of models
entered. Unfortunately the new class for catapult jets was not a success, none
being able to fly for any reasonable length of time. The Shawbury scale fly-in
went very well with over 50 aircraft on the ground.
David was sorry to report that he is hoping to stand down from these events
and was looking for someone to take over them over from him.
Achievement Scheme Coordinator
Roy Allam, Achievement Scheme Coordinator, reported that it had been a very
quiet year again with very few requests for club examiner tests. He said that
he was considering a further ACE for the south of the area and had someone in
mind who could be ratified early next year. All the ACEs had done thier jobs
as required and he would propose they are all ratified for another year.
Area Chief Examiners Reports
Tom Anyon. Ray Jones, David Lloyd-Jones, and Bill Cowell's reports were read
to the meeting, all reported low levels of testing again. There was no report
from Andy Ellison or Richard Budd.
There followed a discussion on why two examiners could not find the time to
give the area a short report on their activities and Roy agreed to contact them
again.
Roy proposed that all examiners be ratified for next year and this was seconded
by CCMAA which was approved by the meeting with 7 votes in favour and 1 against.
Election of Officers
Wayne Howman had informed the committee that he did not want to stand again
as Education Coordinator. As no one offered to take up that post, the post was
left vacant and the Chairman noted that if there was a need for one in the future
the committee could consider co-option at that time.
All the other retiring Officers were prepared to continue in office and as there
was no-one wishing to stand against them, they were all re-elected to hold office
until the 2013 AGM:
Vice Chairman Mike Colling FSMAE
Secretary Derek Gilbert
Achievement Scheme Coordinator Roy Allam
Auditor Gerry Ferer
The meeting also re-elected, unopposed:
Webmaster: Keith Barker
Free Flight Sec John Leadbeater
Scale Comp Sec: David Lloyd-Jones
Indoor Sec: Keith Barker
All to hold office until the 2012 AGM
Date of the 2012 AGM
The meeting was not able to set a date for the 2012 AGM and this will be confirmed
at the next area meeting.
The meeting ended at 9.47 pm
These minutes are provisional until approved at the next annual general meeting
Elected Officers
Chairman
David Lloyd-Jones dlj@dlj702.co.uk 01565 734 040
Vice Chairman
Mike Colling FSMAE mike@skyhi.org.uk 01257 452 624
Secretary & Treasurer
Derek Gilbert derek.gilbert@ntlworld.com 0161 748 5380
Achievement Scheme Coordinator
Roy Allam 01253 763 566
4 Knutsford Road, Blackpool, Lancs, FY3 9UU
Delegate
David Lloyd-Jones dlj@dlj702.co.uk 01565 734 040
PRO
Keith Barker keithatrochdale@aol.com 01706 659396
Area Webmaster
Keith Barker keithatrochdale@aol.com 01706 659396
Flying Discipline Secretaries
Free Flight
John Leadbeater john@theleadbeaters.freeserve.co.uk 01772632295
Scale
David Lloyd-Jones dlj@dlj702.co.uk 01565 734 040
Indoor
Keith Barker keithatrochdale@aol.com 01706 659396