19December 2016
To: All branches
ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017
Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre, Stone, 12 to 14 May 2017
I am writing to provide you with further information on our Annual Conference 2017, where we are hoping to welcomeeven more attendees next year and the booking figures already look very promising. Since I first wrote to our branches in September, 50 people from 21 branches have registered their Conference places and booked their rooms. There are 338 bedrooms at Yarnfield, all reserved for the Association. We hope that our negotiated daily rate of £55 for full board accommodation or £75 based on two people sharing will be attractive.
Remember, you can invite any of your branch members to attend, they do not have to be your Branch delegates. Please see the enclosed ‘Arrangements for Conference’ instructions to register your place(s).The closing date for bookings is 17 April 2017, but fully accessible rooms will be distributed on a first come first served basis.
Naturally, the 2017 Conference will contain business relating to the governance and administration of your Association. Just as importantly, the weekend gives all members the opportunity to come together in friendship and to have an enjoyable time with likeminded people. With this in mind, we have planned a gala evening, day tripsto local attractionsand live singers to keep you entertained during your stay. More details can be found in the enclosed ‘Outline Conference schedule’.
The principal business of the 2017 Conference will be the proposed changes to the Area and Standard Branch and Club Regulations of the Association. These will be circulated to all branches and will be discussed at each of the Area Conferences to ensure that all members have an opportunity to contribute to the simplification and modernisation of the Association’s Regulations. More information about the process can be found in the enclosed ‘Pre-Conference procedure’.
I have also enclosed a summary of the very positive delegate feedback from this year’s event. I hope you find the 2017 Conference to be even better and I very much look forward to meeting you next year.
Yours sincerely,
Nick Bunting
Secretary General
CcCouncil, Annual Conference Committee, Senior Management Team, Area Directors
Pre-Conference procedure
The following information is provided as a guide to the pre-Conference procedure and to advise on general arrangements.
Please note that delegate packs will be sent directly to the registered delegate, soplease ensure the correct contact details are provided when registering. Resolutions will still be distributed to all branches in March 2017.
1Annual Report and Audited Accounts for 2016
The Annual Report and Audited Accounts for 2016 will be despatched oncepublished.
2Resolutions
a. Nature of resolutions: when drafting resolutions, please only submit resolutions of substance, particularly on matters affecting the Association’s immediate and long term future. This will allow Conference time to be used to the best possible advantage and, importantly, will lead to informative, purposeful and lively debate.
Please note that matters of day-to-day administration should be addressed to the Secretary General as they arise and should not wait for Annual Conference. This will have the two-fold advantage of ensuring prompt staff action and freeing up Conference time for consideration of matters of strategic importance. The advantagefor the membership in doing business in this way is that, if those making the proposal are unhappy with the outcome, they still have the option of putting forward a resolution to Conference in the traditional way.
b. Procedure: Resolutions should be submitted on the enclosed form and a separate form should be used for each resolution. Once complete, they should be addressed to the Chairman, Annual Conference Committee (ACC) at the address shown, and they must arrive no later than 1600hrs on 20 March 2017.
Resolutions will only be accepted if authorised by a properlyconvened branch general or committee meeting. Each resolution must be signed by two of the following officers of the branch: Chairman OR Vice-Chairman AND Secretary OR Treasurer.
It will be helpful to the ACC if resolutions are submitted as early as possible. Branches are requested to draft each resolution, so that its intention is clear to Conference and it indicates a definite line of action. Branches should only submit a resolution if they are going to attend Conference or can arrange for another branch to speak on their behalf, otherwise the resolution will not be discussed.
If an acknowledgment of the receipt of a resolution is not received within a fiveworking days of posting, pleasecontact Kelly Brotherhood on 0116 268 8770 or .
c. Formal seconder for resolutions:It will help the smooth running of Conference if branches obtain a formal seconder for their resolutions beforehand, enabling the name of the seconding branch to appear in the Conference programme. This avoids having to seek seconders during Conference itself. Details of the seconding branch should be included on the attached form as indicated. The seconding branch must also be representedby a delegate at Conference. Its name should not be used if that branch does not intend to be represented. Please note that the inability of a branch to obtain a seconder at this early stage should notdeter that branch from submitting a resolution to Conference in the usual way.
d. Resolutions discussed and defeated at Annual Conference 2016:Resolutions discussed and defeated at Annual Conference 2016 or new resolutions having a similar intent, will be daggered in the 2017 Conference agenda and must be accepted by Conference in accordance with the Rules of Procedure before being allowed to be debated.
e. Amendments to resolutions: In accordance with Resolution 14 carried at Annual Conference 2006, minor amendments to resolutions may be permitted provided that the original intent of the resolution is unchanged. The process is included in the Rules of Procedure.
f. Interim list of resolutions: An interim list of resolutions accepted by the ACC will be sent out as soon as possible after its meeting on 23 March 2017. This should allow branches sufficient time to consider all resolutions before Conference. It is imperative that resolutions are discussed at branch level and the delegate instructed accordingly before listening to any further debate at Conference.
g. Final agenda: The final agenda will be despatched to branchdelegates no later than 3 May 2017. The full Conference pack will also be emailed and made available online for those delegates who have email and internet access.
3Resolution 27/1999
Resolution 27, carried at Annual Conference 1999, reads as follows:
“This Conference resolves that any branchresolution of national interest carried at an Area Conference shall automatically be forwarded by that Area for inclusion in the Annual Conference agenda with the Area shown as seconding the branchresolution.”
This resolution does not in any way affect the right of branches to forward their resolutions directly to the ACC for inclusion in the Annual Conference agenda. However, if a branch wishes its resolution to be discussed first at Area Conference, it is the responsibility of the branch to ensure that the resolution reaches its Area Headquarters by the appropriate closing date. The ACC and Headquarters will NOT become involved in this process. If a branchresolution of national interest is subsequently carried at Area Conference, it will then become the Area Director’s responsibility to ensure that the resolution is received in the appropriate timescale by the ACC.
Please note that if a branchresolution is defeated at an Area Conference, the Area is NOT required to forward that resolution to the ACC.
To ensure that a branchresolution does not become ‘lost’ between an Area and the ACC, it is strongly recommendedthat, where a branchwishesto submit a resolution to Area Conferenceand Annual Conference, the branch submits the resolution to both the Area and the ACC.
4Elections
There will be no elections for Council or the Annual Conference Committee in 2017.
5Branch representation, standard bearers and branch accounts
All branches who wish to send a representative and/or a standard bearer to the Conference must register for Conference – see point 7 to learn how to register.
Those branches whose standard bearers are unable to attend, but wish their standard to be paraded on the Sunday, should contact Kelly Brotherhood on 0116 268 8770 or .
Branches are reminded that their audited accounts should be submitted to their Area Headquarters by 31 March 2017 (Branch Regulation 32(1)). Failure to do so will mean that they would be unable to be represented at Conference or take part in postal voting in a year when elections take place.
6Summary of programme
2017 deadlines are:
27 FebruaryDespatch of Council resolutions for Conference
20 MarchClosing date for resolutions
23 MarchMeeting of ACC to finalise resolutions
3 AprilDespatch to branches of interim list of resolutions
17 AprilClosing date for Conference registration
3 MayLatest date for despatch to branches of final agenda and Annual Conference
papers
Branches are requested to plan branch meetings to fit in with these dates.
Arrangements for Conference
7Registering your place
a. Registering your attendance:Annual Conference 2017 will be held at the Yarnfield Park Training and Conference Centre from 12 to 14 May 2017. Yarnfield Park is situated in the heart of the Midlands in Stone, Staffordshire ST15 0NL. Please visit their website for full details on the venue’s facilities.
To register, please use this link to visit our Eventbrite booking system:
Here you can register delegate details for you and your guests. No password is required, but you do need an email accountto use Eventbrite. If you do not have an email account, or prefer to book over the phone,please contact our reception team on 0116 268 8750 and they will happily take your booking details.
b. Area delegates: Please note that an area delegate to Annual Conference cannot also be a branch delegate.
c. Accommodation: Accommodation is available at the conference venue, at a cost of £55 a night for a single room or £75 a night for a double/twin room based on two people sharing. This price includes breakfast, lunch, dinner and each room offers an en-suite bathroom, TV, hairdryer, tea,coffee and biscuits and wi-fi.
Your accommodation can be booked through Eventbrite at the same time as booking your delegate place(s). Full payment is required at the time of booking, however, a refund can be requested up to the 1 May 2017. Fully accessible rooms are limited and we would advise booking early to avoid disappointment. Again, if you do not have internet access, please telephone our reception team on 0116 268 8750 and they will be happy to help.
For overseas branches, please register your place and book your accommodation directly through Eventbrite (as detailed above). In addition, please inform the Overseas Area Director, Sarah Waugh you will be attending.
d.Car parking: There are over 600 car parking spaces available on site at Yarnfield and parking is free for all those attending the Conference.
e. Transport from local stations:Transport will be provided from and to the local rail stations in Stone and Stafford on the Friday and Sunday. Please provide us with your journey details at the time of booking (or as soon as available) so we can book transport and ensure employees are available to greet you at the station.
8Expenses
a.Pooled fares scheme: All branch delegates are entitled to claim standard rail fare or economy air fare which will be reimbursed accordingly after Conference. All claims are then totalled and divided by the number of branches attending, after which each branch is sent an invoice for the amount involved (£118.96 per branch in 2016).
b.Conference expenses: In accordance with Byelaw 27 (3), the reasonable expenses of a branch committee, including those of its members attending meetings and of any delegates from the branch to Area or Annual Conferences, may be reimbursed from the branch fund. If any branch is experiencing financial hardship they should apply to their Area for assistance. No branch should be deterred from attending Annual Conference because of financial issues.
c. Identification badges: All delegates and visitors will be issued with an identification badge and lanyard on arrival. This will provide you access to the venue, the evening functions and free tea and coffee during Conference. This badge should be worn at all times.
Outline Conference schedule
a. Marketplace, Friday-Sunday 12-14 May: The marketplace will be open from 1400hrs on Friday and throughout the weekend in the atrium. The stalls will give members and guests information on how we can support our branches and help the RAF family. There will also be the chance to buy products from our Association shop.
b. Meet and Greetevening, Friday 12 May: An informal Meet and Greet evening has been arranged to give members and guests the opportunity to meet in an informal setting. This will start at 1900hrs and run until 2300hrs in the main bar. The President of the Association and the official guest party will join the evening at approximately 2100hrs.
c.Pre-Conference refreshments, Saturday 13 May: Refreshments will be available from 0830hrs until 0910hrs on the first floor balcony. This will give delegates, members and guests the opportunity to meet before being seated at 0915hrs for the opening ceremony at 0930hrs in the Knighton Suite.
d. Day trip, Saturday 13 May: There will be two day trip options provided on Saturday afternoon for guests not attending the business element of Conference. Transport will be provided free of charge, however, guests will be required to pay the entrance fee to their chosen trip (please refer to the website for prices and further information).
Option 1: Trentham Gardens: Trentham Gardens is an award winning garden of which at the centre is a lake, take a circular lakeside walk all the way round the lake through woodland trails and meadows or hide and seek in the maze. There is a Tea room and Café within the gardens that have panoramic views of the lake and gardens to enjoy.
Option 2: National Trust, Shugborough Estate: A rare survival of a complete estate, with all major buildings including mansion house, servants’ quarters, model farm and walled garden. There is opportunity to explore sweeping parkland, ancient woodland and visit the gift shop and tea-room.
e.Gala awards evening, Saturday 13 May: This will take place in the Knighton Suite at 2000hrs until 2200hrsand will include a concert and live music. Delegates, members and guests are then welcome to enjoy the live music in the main bar from 2200hrs until 2330hrs.
f.Service, Sunday 14 May: A Service will be held, commencing at 0900hrs with refreshments available following the serviceat 1000hrs.
Annual Conference 2016Member Feedback
This is a brief overview of the member feedback from Annual Conference 2016. The detailed report, including member comments, is available on the RAF Associations website within Members Area/ Members Resources/Conference 2016.
ROYAL AIR FORCES ASSOCIATION
RESOLUTIONS FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2017
CLOSING DATE: MONDAY 20 MARCH 2017
To:THE CHAIRMAN, ANNUAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE,
c/o Kelly Brotherhood, Headquarters, RAF Association, Atlas House, Wembley Road, Leicester
LE3 1UT or email
This resolution is submitted by:
Branch Name:Branch Address:
At a General/Committee meeting of this branch held on ...... (date) it was resolved that the following resolution be submitted for the agenda of Annual Conference2017:
The name of the branch prepared to second this resolution and intending to be represented at Conference is:
All correspondence concerning the above resolution should be addressed to:
Branch Contact Name:Branch Contact Telephone Number:
Branch Contact Email:
Signatures:
Chairman OR Vice-Chairman: ...... Date: ......
Secretary OR Treasurer: ...... Date: ......