Title: Minutes of 19th Annual General Meeting held Saturday 20 October 2001
Author: P18681
Last saved by: Diane Davies
Company: The Patent Office

Minutes of  24^th Annual General Meeting held Thursday 9^th November 2006

Present:  Diane Davies, John Newton,  Michael Belton, Gillian Masters, Mike Kohnstamm, Arthur James, Val Hamilton, Robin Hamilton, Norman Slater, Gwyn Lewis, Robert Jewels, Roma Whitely, Jeff Watson,  Jeff Hobden, Simon Blackmore, James Davies (West Glamorgan), Alex Marshall (Glamorgan Area), Beverley Penny (RA Wales), Anwen Hughes (RA Wales).

Apologies:, Jen Richards, Vera Belton, Linda Bakker, John Henn, Margaret Wallis, Richard Garman, Brenda Isaacs, John Isaacs, Glenys Rugman, Ann Vousden,  Jack Lingard, Geoff Trinnick, Iris Barratt

John Newton agreed to chair the meeting but before the meeting he introduced our speaker Christine Elliot, the new RA Chief Executive.  She gave a talk covering the new strategic plan being developed by the RA and answered questions relating to it.

1.  Minutes of previous meeting: accepted as a true apart from a correction to item 3(a) first sentence to read:  “Michael Belton explained that the budget for 2004-2005 had forecast a loss of £250.   However, income had exceeded expenditure by over £270 - this was due to increased income from coach trips, donations and income from VIP walks.  The Group dinner had realised a small profit but this was offset by having to pay for Committee meeting venues”.  This correction was accepted.

2.  Matters arising
Norman Slater asked: (i) about progress on footpath onto the Barrage and it was agreed to write again to Cardiff Barrage Authority regarding access (Diane Davies to action);  (ii) a question about whether a bridge between Fairwater and St. Fagans which had been vandalised had now been repaired (Diane Davies to contact John Henn for an answer); (iii) whether the Wales Office was now available for use in the evening by the Group (Beverley Penny answered that it was now possible to use the Office)

3. Officers’ reports
(a) Treasurer:  The Treasurer’s written report was accepted.
(b) Secretary:  see separate paper report.  Diane Davies spoke in more detail about co-operation with Cardiff Council which was leading the Group to introduce a “PathWatch” scheme where members nominated a path or walk which they were willing to walk regularly and report problems on.  Diane Davies circulated a draft leaflet and asked for comments from those present.
(c) Membership: Roma Whiteley stated that membership was 703 at present.  The internet seemed the main way that enquiries about membership were now made and the number which came directly to her had dropped considerably.  She expressed her thanks to the volunteers who helped with the postal distribution of the programme and WalkTalk.
(d) Publications:  Mike Konstamm acknowledged the help that Gillian Masters had given in editing WalkTalk and that Diane Davies had given in producing the short walk leaflet.  He asked for a volunteer to develop the website.  Gillian Masters expressed her wish for more articles for WalkTalk.
(e) Countryside:  John Newton predicted that a number of countryside issues were likely to break in the near future.  He mentioned two current issues J33 development and the plans by WPD for Llanishen reservoir.  He stated he was standing down as Countryside Officer but was happy to continue watching over countryside matters.
(f) Rambles officer:  Gwyn Lewis mentioned the Leaders evening in January and expressed the hope that it would be well supported.

 4. Election of Officers
The following were elected unopposed:
Secretary – Diane Davies
Treasurer – Jeff Hobden
Membership Secretary – Roma Whiteley
Publications Officer – Mike Kohnstamm
Footpath Officer – John Henn
Rambles Officer:  Gwyn Lewis

5. Election of Committee: Gillian Masters, Richard Garman and Arthur James were elected.

6. Auditor:  Margaret Wallis was elected as auditor and John Newton as the deputy auditor.
 
7.  Any other business:  
(a)  A motion to allow the change of signatures with Unity Bank was agreed.
(b)  Beverley Penney spoke about coastal access and that a plan to develop a coastal path around the whole coastline was about to be launched. There would be 100% funding from WAG to local government to meet the costs of carrying out any work on the 40% of the coastline for which rights at present did not exist.  Although the RA’s wish to have coastal access through designation as access land would not be fulfilled, this still represented a major achievement of the RA campaign to obtain access to the entire coastline.
(c) John Newton reported that Diane Davies and Robin Hamilton had been elected to the Cardiff LAF.