01/09/2009 1
ERITH YACHT CLUB
GENERAL COMMITTEE MEETING
Meeting held on Monday 3rd August 2009 at 20.00 hours
on the Clubship Folgefonn
1. Present
Commodore / John Edmonds / JEVice Commodore / Mick Kemp / MK / 8.50
Rear Commodore / Trevor Cambridge / TC
Vice President / Fred Finck / FF / Apologies
Hon Secretary / Val Torreggiani / VT
Hon Treasurer / Jacqui Daghini / JD / Apologies
Sailing Secretary / Robert Hall / RH / Apologies
Bosun / Mick Downs / MD
Committee / Andy Woollard / AW
Geoff Piggott / GP / Apologies
Guy Bates / GB
Ann Finck / AF
Roger Lambell / RL
Sheila Hamilton / SH
Iain Buckland / IB
Jim Freeman / JF / Apologies
Project / Brian Crickmore / BC
2. Minutes 29th June 2009
Apologies – Guy Bates
Accepted
3. Matters Arising
None
4. Officer of the Day, Cleaning Rota and Incident Book
Officer of the Day
Date / Report / Officer of the Day05.07.09 / Overcast, warm, light wind. Work Day. Flags 08.40. Two dinghies left in driveway. 27 Fire extinguishers. One condemned
Two prospective member visitors. Enquiry re launching from slip. Ref. to Secretary. All Cruisers returned from St.Kats. Aliva towed by Farfallina. Flags 17.10 / Bill Bailey
12.07.09 / Always Late and Kiaora – Thurrock picked up moorings to await the tide. (Gino Daghini – no duty) / John Edmonds
19.07.09 / No Report (Dudley Davies – away)
25.07.09 / Open Weekend. Ground Breaking Ceremony. Mayor and Mayoress, Cllr and Mrs Bernard Clewes conducted the ceremony.
PLA, Neilcotts, Pellings, Bexley leader Teresa O’Neill, Cllr Peter Catterall, RYA, John Austin MP Colin Bloom etc. present.
120 Members attended buffet lunch with sparkling wine. Jack Petchey and London Youth Games (Bexley 4th) awards presented.
Racing and Taster sessions (35 participants) Weather bright, warm, sunny, good breeze. Evening ‘party’ very successful. Pizzas and music. Richard Andrews provided the music. Finished at 01.30, reluctantly! / Jim Dolan
26.07.09 / Open Weekend continued. Good weather, wind fresh SW. More taster sessions (20) telephones down. Advertising indicated taster sessions at Thamesmead otherwise probably more visitors. Racing excellent
Prize Giving and Cake at 4.30. Greenwich, Thurrock, Stubbers and Gravesend present. Excellent and memorable weekend
Alan Percy kept appointment and removed boxes and stowed gear.
Two Stars launched 84, 115. Many visitors / Brian Barton
Cleaning Rota
W/beginning / Duty Officer / Completion Status13.07.09 / Mickey Downs and Trevor Armstrong
20.07.09 / Vic Mitchell and Trevor Cambridge
27.07.09 / Harry Carpenter
Roger Lambell to defer duty till later (on holiday) / Cleaning ladies completed
Incident Book
Date / Incident / Signed12.07.09 / Ambulance called to Adrian Reeves. Paramedics suggested rest. / John Edmonds
15.07.09 / Gates open 10.15 closed. Opened again and open all day until 16.45 / ?
17.07.09 / Commodore caught water main to Dinghy Shed. Sid’s Café destroyed water pipe, work top, sink, fridge and microwave.
New fridge donated by Martin Thomas 19.07.09 / John Edmonds
19.07.09 / Commodore on site to meet Alan Percy 10am – no show
20.07.09 / BT engineers on site for contractors telephone
31.07.09 / Sundowner evening. Keith Hughes rescued from river. Capsized dinghy rescued by George Mees and Peter Dornan. Shaken and breathless. / Sara Taylor
5. Project Report – Brian Crickmore
a. D & B Contract
A contract urgently needs to be placed with NCL. Will the GC please instruct the Trustees to proceed?
Contract Start Date 1st June 2009 Completion Date 14th May 2010
Proposed John Edmonds Seconded Iain Buckland
Unanimously Agreed
Brian Crickmore will contact other trustees when the contract is ready for signature.
b. Second site meeting is with NCL on Wednesday 5th August 2009
c. Neilcott’s Target Programme
i. Club House Construction 20th July 2009 to 29th March 2009 small delay due to obstructions in the ground.
This material has been temporary stored in the NE corner of their site
ii. New Sheds 27th July 2009 to 30th October 2009
NCL will complete new sheds before Dinghy shed is demolished
Colour of new sheds needed – Moorland green, sides and roof, agreed.
iii The YMCA rib container and small outboard shed will be moved to facilitate building.
d. Work on the Fill cannot proceed until Planning Permission is gained. JE believes from previous discussions that there are good possibilities that the Environment Agency will look on this scheme favourably.
e. Folgefonn
The moving or removal is still a problem we seem to be down to two options, as we are now being urged to move her in January;
i. Move her boat’s length downstream until the Norwegians are able to organise funding and take her away. This is the likely course.
ii. Sell her for scrap
iii. After discussions with Capt. McQueen we need to write to the PLA urgently to seek permission to move Folgefonn down stream in the New Year. Letter of Intent BC/VT
iv Costs will be incurred for this movement and new anchorage points created. The stern quarter mooring needs to be re-sited quickly otherwise we will have to break up the base ourselves. Neilcotts to dig hole for new anchorage and extra site for new anchorage. EYC to provide chain, anchor and second anchor.
v. Norwegians will be given a time limit to remove Folgefonn. This is a point for discussion.
e. New Club Film
i. Mike Axtell has agreed to film all the events I reported to the last meeting. However this will have to ultimately be professionally edited and may cost approx 2thousand pounds.
ii. Mike Axtell will also examine the contents of Wilf Middleton & Reg Smiths old films as he has access to working 16mm projector.
iii. Ray Gannon in contact with John Edmonds. He has old EYC film.
iii BC to pursue grants for film making.
f. Sports England
We are still awaiting approval of layout drawings sent to them recently. JE will contact Roger Lewis to discuss drawings and Sp. England attitude towards audit of EYC accounts. Currently to carry out a professional audit will consume large proportion of the yearly grant.
6. Membership
a. Brian Barton - Brian Barton was welcomed as a new Full Member of Erith Yacht Club.
b. Alan Percy - Alan visited the Club as arranged and removed some of his belongings. He refused to return Club keys until he has removed all his belongings. He and Mrs Leask continue to be in dispute as to the ownership of Bea. EYC will pursue return of Keys through Solicitor’s letter or the Small Claims Court. VT
7. Secretary
a. Press Release
i. Press releases were sent to a number of publications concerning the Ground Breaking Open Weekend. Positive comments followed from Y&Yachting, Yachting Today, the News Shopper, Mercury and IPC publication. EYC Press Officer, Role and relationship to LA to be considered
ii. There was some query with the LA as to how such Press releases should be written. All publications received two versions, one written by Sarah Mees (EYC Press Officer) and Geoff Pigott and the other by Maddie Cross (Local Authority).
iii.The terms of the Development Agreement include the need to ensure that the Fund granting bodies are represented correctly in the press
iv. MK etc. to meet with Janet Stone to discuss role of EYC and LA concerning Press publications. JS was willing to provide material for the websites of the Funding bodies. EYC would provide material for the yachting press etc. However a meeting is to be called to ensure the LA understand and implement the lines of communication and protocols between the LA and the managing body of EYC.
v. Once protocols are sorted out then a Press Officer (EYC) can be arranged. Meanwhile all material will be run past Mick Kemp.
vi. All publications written by EYC and the Local Authority will be passed to each body prior to publication.
b. Request from Steve Mitchell to bring approx. 10 youngsters from Urban Adventure Centre on Friday 7th August.
c. Request from Ollie Goldring to start and finish Cycle rally at EYC on 8th August. Bar to be open at 12pm.
d. National Maritime Museum Art Group. Christmas cards, paintings and requests to exhibit. To be thanked for their exhibition over Open Weekend which added another dimension to the weekend. They will be welcomed again. and offered the opportunity to exhibit in the new Clubhouse.
e. Thanks from Cllr and Mrs Clewes, Mayor and Mayoress of Bexley, thanking EYC for most enjoyable Ground Breaking day and gifts of tie and flowers. Cllr Clewes will wear his tie on all future occasions he attends the Club.
f. i. Club insurance. Three year 10% discount. Check on values and Schedule. Three year agreement was endorsed by the Committee.
ii St Margaret’s Insurance. JE has discussed insurance at EYC with the St Margaret’s. It has been established that the company is happy with the swinging moorings arrangements at EYC and a yearly professional survey will not be required. St Margaret’s are also particularly satisfied with laying up arrangements on the Fill.
iii. JE suggests that Members holding St.Margaret’s insurance should read the small print especially that concerning single handed sailing. Items can be negotiated individually.
iv. St Margaret’s surveyor is most interested in visiting the Club and will do so in the next few months.
g.. Log book for use of plant at EYC. Handed to Andy Woollard. (See Rules)
h. Stratos Keels. Disappointment was expressed that a Member of the Club felt that the General Committee could not be approached with the excellent idea that the two new Stratos Keels be named after Paul Gladden and Dudley Davies and thereby acted unilaterally in placing names on the vessels. Names for the two club boats were discussed but there were no other suggestions and it was strongly felt that in recognition of all the years of hard work on behalf of the Club to gain grants for the new Clubhouse that no more suitable names could be suggested. The Committee unanimously agreed that the Stratos Keels be named Dudley D and Paul G. An Official naming ceremony will be held. Date to be announced once all participants have been consulted.
i. Key Performance Indicators, keeping of data base. Components, reporting and responsibility. To be discussed at the meeting 24th August 2009.
j. Letter received from Marconi Sailing Club thanking EYC for their hospitality on Thursday 23rd July. They look forward to returning and visiting the new Clubhouse. (Neil Pembleton)
k. Welsh Harp has established that Mr O’Farrell did not represent their Club. EYC is concerned that this gentleman may still hold RYA instructor status and Roger Lambell will write to the RYA to make enquiries concerning this matter. Steve Mitchell to be approached to check the situation re Mr O’Farrell.
l. EYC will ensure that all visitors to the Club requesting to use EYC facilities will follow the correct procedures to gain permission for any visit that is through the Secretary for General Committee agreement.
m.
8. Treasurer
a. VAT registration
I followed up with David Murray, Head of Finance at the RYA, below are some brief notes that you may want to discuss at the General Committee Meeting tomorrow.
We do not have to but VAT registration is a possibility and, given the likely increase in activity of the club and resultant growth in turnover, we may reach compulsory VAT registration level in the not-so-distant future.
If we were to register, then we could only achieve partial recovery of VAT on the build, let’s ball park at 1/3rd . Given the project is £2.5mm, VAT at 15% = £375,000 , then the potential recovery of 1/3rd = £125,000 .
Actual recovery rate would be pro-rated to the proportions of VAT able activities to VAT Exempt activities. For example, Training and the Bar are VAT able, membership fees and charge out of PLA mooring costs are exempt. We will have to work the numbers through in detail.
I’ve been given a list of VAT notices that seem to apply,
· VAT Notice 700 – Registration
· VAT Notice 701/45 – Sports Club rules
· VAT Notice 706 – Partial Exemption rules
In the Sports Council notes from Geoff, the SE will not pay out for VAT that is recoverable by the club but it would be £112,500 that could be given for additional parts to the project that would otherwise go unfunded.
Steve Dabner (to be further discussed at next meeting 24.08.09)
b. Document of Authority - See appendix.
Proposed Jacqui Daghini Seconded Mick Kemp Agreed
c. All EYC bank accounts will be held at National Westminster Bank at Townley Road. Training Account signatories are currently being modified.
d.
Bank Balances as per June StatementCommunity Account at 29 June 09 / 9,977.42
Base Tracker Account 24th June / 46952.64
Business Premium Account 6 March 2009 / 77.21
Bar Account at 10 June - 09 - 10 July 09 / 4802.93
Training Account May - 09 - June 09 / 2699.75 / Waiting June / July
Social Account 10 Feb - 8 May / 4071.06 / £ 2000 transferred into community May 09
Children’s Christmas Fund April - July 09 / 551.53
Managing the Marshes 2nd Feb / 3934.4 / Waiting Next Statement
Project Account - 09 / 7226.59
Balance C.Fwd / 1,958.71
Income June ( as previous sheet ) / 14,033.11
Additional Fees / 30.00
War Stock Dividends / 15.00
less correction on standing order per statement / 83.32 / 15953.5
Balance Carried Forward to July 2009
Expenditure June (as previous sheet ) / 5,756.08
Additional Expenditure for June
EDF Energy / 220 / Standing Order Increased to 340.00 per month
5976.08
Balance carried Forward to July / 9977.42
Income July 2009 / 9977.42
Fees / 510.50
Key Money / 100.00
EYC Sales / 57
Sale of Diesel / 28.5
Standing Orders / 1,550.34 / to be confirmed July Statement / 2246.34
Expenditure /July 2009
PLA / 6,147.34
Petty Cash ( Behind Bar ) / 300
Biffa Waste / 46.69 / will have July Inv to pay then contract terminated
Bexley Euro bins / 246.11
Fee Refund / 87.5
Heath Lambeth Insurance / 92.77
Stationery / 111.47
Petty Cash Cleaners + Additional 40 for OW / 140
Open Weekend / Waiting Invoice for daytime food
Banners 200.00
Plants 38.37
Drinks 279.98
Napkins 23.08
Postage 18.00
Food for Evening 243.70
Microphone Stand & Lead 33.98
Flowers for Mayoress 30.00 / 867.11
Bexley Council 50.00
Thames Water 30.00
Buen Limited 23.50
EDF Energy 340.00 / Meter being read this week
Groves John & West 543.71
BOC 55.00 / 1042.21
9,081.20 / 9081.2
Balance C.Fwd to August / Not Reconciled with Bank / 3142.56
9. Wine Committee