Minutes of UKCA Limassol Annual General meeting held on 10 April 2010

Opening

1.  The meeting opened at 1100 hours.  52 members were present.

Apologies

 2.  The following members had sent apologies for their absence:

Sir Michael and Lady Beavis, Mr and Mrs John Butcher, Ms Helga Clifton-Moore, Mrs Jillian Cooper, Mr Peter and Mrs Carol Farr, Mrs Lynda Fisher, Mr Ronald and Mrs Mary Fuller, Mr Graham Hubbarde, Mr Eric Martin, Ms Elizabeth Marshall, Mr John and Mrs Eunice McArthur, Mr Stuart McBride, Mr Eric and Mrs Beryl Newsome, Miss Elizabeth Smith, Margaret Whitelaw.

3.  There were no other apologies received via attending members.

Minutes of last AGM.

4.  Acceptance of the 11 April 2009 minutes as a correct record was proposed by John Howard and seconded by Jan Hanton.  They were unanimously accepted by the meeting.

Matters arising

Title deeds for 37 Thermopylon Street

5.  The out going Company Secretary reported that he had hoped to have the title deeds by today but the solicitors had been held up by a last minute need to get the club’s original registration document from Companies House in Nicosia for the Lands Registry. 

 Chairman’s report

6.  The Acting Chairman read her report. 

I would like to start this annual report by thanking you all for attending.

The club hasn’t had as good a year as it could have done.  This is for various reasons.  The euro exchange rate, members going back to the UK and membership dropping are some of them.

However, the Entertainment group have certainly helped by bringing in a total of €3,800.  This is from April 2009 to March 2010.  I would like to say a big thank you to them.   The bar takings for the same period have also increased slightly.                 

While I am saying thank you, thanks to Lynda and Deryck Fisher for their hard work as Treasurer and Secretary, also to Jim Gardner our bar Manager. Due to other commitments they have decided to step down this year.  It has been a pleasure working with them as board members.

Jenny and Carolyn, thank you for all the hard work with our magazine.  Advertising revenue has dropped, but again this is due to the economic recession.

However, the club wouldn’t be able to exist without the small band of volunteers and activity leaders we have, so thank you one and all.

Whilst we are all aware that money doesn’t grow on trees can I remind members that turning off lights and air conditioning units we don’t need, helps us to save the Euros and cents.

My year as Acting Chairman has come to and end and I know that with the support of the new board members we will once again have a great team and club.

Audited Accounts 

7.  The audited accounts were presented to the meeting with a covering explanatory note from the Acting Treasurer. 

8.  A member asked why a wide screen television had been purchased when the club had made a loss last year.  The Acting Chairman explained that the Entertainment Committee intended using it to draw members into the club to watch such events as the Olympics and World Cup.  The Bar would be open and food would be available.  It was hope that this would be an attraction for members and they would visit the club rather than watch such events in a down town bar. 

9.  A member asked if we had a facility for recording events.  There is not, but a machine to do this would not be expensive, if one was thought necessary.

10.  Acceptance of the accounts was proposed by Ian Hanton and seconded by Lesley Hey.

Election to the Board and Confirmation of Officers (proposed and seconded before the AGM)

11.  Susan Blatchford - Chairman, Judy Durrant – Company Secretary, Dennis Wheatley – Treasurer were duly confirmed as officers having been properly nominated and seconded.

12.  John Howard, Ian Hanton and Sheila Ferguson having been properly nominated and seconded were also confirmed as Board members.

13.  There are two Board positions unfilled to which the Board may nominate somebody during the year.  

Confirmation of Auditors

14.  Dennis Wheatley proposed and Sue Blatchford seconded that GAH Audit Services Ltd be confirmed as UKCA (Limassol) Ltd auditors for a further year.  This was agreed unanimously by members present.

The Future of UKCA (Limassol) Ltd

15.   Norrie Ferguson said that he firmly believed that the club faced a crisis and the following questions needed to be addressed in an attempt to halt the haemorrhaging of our membership.  Should we:

·    Stay as we are?

·    Close because the club has outlived its usefulness?

·    Amalgamate with the British Legion?

·    Spend the money we have in the bank?

·    Move to a more central Limassol area?

16.  Several suggestions were received from the floor on better publicising the club and Norrie Ferguson said that he would take these forward in the coming months. 

17.  A member questioned whether we were really in a crisis.  We had a club that those members who took the time and effort to use the facilities enjoyed and if no new members were attracted by our facilities so be it. 

18.  Reasons advanced for members not wanting to come to the club included:

·    Many Limassol residents lived in outlying villages and did not want to drive into town.

·    The Cost of Living in Cyprus was increasing and people were prioritising their expenditure.

·    We were fighting to attract the same audience as other local expatriate clubs.

19.  In response to a suggestion that we should ask members what they want to see in the club the Chairman pointed out that a recent questionnaire had received just 3 responses.

20.  There was a discussion on whether or not extra charges should be levied for club activities.  A quick head count of those present indicated that 20 would be content to see a small charge levied for club activities with 14 against.      

21.  Metering the use of electricity used during club activities was a suggestion put forward.

22.  There was a strong feeling in the meeting that the joining fee should be scrapped as it was felt that this discouraged new members.

23.  A member pointed out that the reduction in advertising revenue was a greater problem for our finances than the decrease in membership.

24.  The Board was grateful for the views of the membership and would take them away for consideration.

25.  A member noted the lack of a clubhouse co-ordinator but no member present was prepared to volunteer for this position.   

26.  There being no further business or questions the meeting closed at 12 noon.

Judy Durrant

Company Secretary

10 April 2010