COOLHURST LAWN TENNIS AND SQUASH RACKETS CLUB

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

HELD IN THE CLUB HOUSE

Monday March 9th, 2015

MINUTES OF THE MEETING

1. Approximately 80 Coolhurst members attended the meeting.

2.The minutes of the 2014 AGM were confirmed as a true record of that meeting subject to the following amendment to Resolution 1

Resolution 1

This meeting

  1. Notes with alarm the widely held feeling among adult tennis members, especially those who want to play at the weekend, that in terms of access to courts the club gives priority to juniors and coaching over adult members
  2. Instructs the Tennis Secretary and Tennis Committee to undertake a full review of court allocation rules and policies as they affect the main groups (adults, juniors, coaches, teams); draw up a scheme to rectify the imbalance; and submit the proposed changes for approval by adult tennis members by 10 April 2014.

Proposer: Mark Swenarton

Seconder: Iain McCartney

The minutes stated that this resolution was defeated but the minutes were amended as follows:

‘as it was felt there was insufficient evidence to support the resolution’ as this is a matter of opinion and not fact.

3.Election of members to the General Management Committee for 2015-2016

The following nominations were unopposed and the members were duly elected:

David Smart Chair

Fraser Searle Vice-Chair

Bob TaylorTreasurer

Jim WakeleyBar Secretary

Nick HealySocial Secretary

Gillian CollinSecretary

Andy WatsonSquash Secretary

Adrian MorrisSquash member

Charlie Logan Squash member

Peter HiltonSquash member

Karen HallTennis member

Nick CollinTennis member

Gerald Barrett Tennis member

There were 2 candidates for the position of Tennis Secretary:

Christian Midhage and Cliff Chaplin

Christian Midhage focused on the following :

  • Level of debt
  • The expansion of the junior tennis programme and how this was affecting the culture of the club
  • The GMC should be considering all members
  • Governance issues
  • Car parking

Cliff Chaplin focused on the following:

  • Improvements made to the tennis facilities whilst he has been Secretary
  • High level of membership
  • Thriving tennis teams
  • Passionate about junior membership
  • Contribution from volunteers

Christian Midhage was elected, after a secret ballot, by 30 votes to 28 with one blank ballot paper

4.The meeting adopted the Chairman’s Report which incoporated reports from the tennis,squash, facilities and bar.

5. Treasurer’s Report and 2014 accounts were adopted once the following questions had been answered:

  • The contractors who had refurbished the upper courts would not be paying the club any compensation for further repairs as the company had gone bust
  • £50.000 reduction in club debt per year was feasible
  • Average cost of maintaining the tennis courts was £35,000
  • Amounts of monies needed annually should be in the annual accounts

6.Agreed to appoint Collards as independent auditors

7. Members Resolutions

Resolution 1

Proposer:Adrian Morris

Seconder:Peter Knight

Any member wishing to submit a resolution to a General Meeting must present such resolution in writing at least 10 days before the stated date of the meeting to the Secretary and the Secretary shall display a copy of such resolution on the Club Notice Board and shall make available a copy to any member who requests it. Any member wishing to suggest an amendment to a published resolution must submit it to the Secretary at least 48 hours before the date of the meeting.

It was agreed that members wishing to submit a resolution must do so 14 days before the stated date of the AGM

Resolution 2

To reduce the number of directors from all members of the GMC to the Chairman and Treasurer and make the necessary changes to the Club’s Memorandum and Articles of association, as set out below

Proposer:Milly Ayliffe

Seconder:Fraser Searle

This was agreed subject to the following amendment:

'They (The Directors) have no discretion to make decisions on any matters on which there is not a minuted decision by the Committee’

Resolution 3

To allow proxy voting by members and make the necessary changes to the Club’s Memorandum and Articles of association, as set out below.

Various concerns were raised by members in relationship to proxy voted.

The motion was passed by 18-12 but was not accepted because of a requirement for a 75% majority

Proposer:Milly Ayliffe

Seconder:Fraser Searle

AOB

  • PH not prepared to accept nomination for President because of the lack of a defined role
  • Thanks to Andris Berzins, Cliff Chaplin and Peter Hilton for their contribution to the GMC