Esperanto-Asocio de Britio 2013 Annual General Meeting

EAB's 36^th Annual General Meeting was held on 12^th May 2013 at King's Church and Community Theatre, Ramsgate.

The minutes of the previous AGM, the Trustees' Report [for year ending October 2012] and Financial Report were presented.

The proposals to receive the minutes of the previous AGB (with minor corrections), to receive the Trustee's report (with minor corrections), to receive the financial report, to re-appoint the current independent examiner, and to leave the [voting member] subscription rates unchanged, were all approved. [Claire Hunter explained that there had been a change to the Supporter's rate in the previous year to cover increased postage and printing costs, but the constitution only requires a vote on the subscription rate for voting membership.]

The votes for the ManCom* were counted by Viv O'Dunne and Vilĉjo Walker.
[* ManCom= Management Committee, and Trustees of the Association]
Edmund Grimley Evans, Paul Gubbins, Clare Hunter, Tim Owen, Ed Robertson, Michael Seaton were elected as trustees.

NAME OF CANDIDATE	FOR	AGAINST	ABSTAIN
Edmund Grimley Evans	53	1	5
Paul Gubbins	56	2	1
Clare Hunter	58	0	1
Tim Owen	57	0	2
Ed Robertson	56	0	3
Michael Seaton	50	2	7

Paul Gubbins was the sole candidate for president of the association, and so became the new president. Tim Owen thanked John Wells for serving as EAB's president since 2004 (to a round of applause from the membership) and presented a comemorative cake.

ManCom Clare Hunter (Hon. Treas), John Wells (outgoing president), Ed Robertson, Tim Owen (Hon Sec.); Voting in the ManCom election.

Incoming president Paul Gubbins addresses the membership; Outgoing president John Wells cuts the cake.

[The following report was printed in EAB Update issue 62 (July-September 2013).]

Summary of the AGM

John Wells opened the meeting with a commemoration of the members who had passed away since the previous AGM. A few moments’ silence was observed. John made special mention of the death of Ernle Money, a former barrister and MP who championed Esperanto. Apologies were received from Michael Seaton, Edmund Grimley Evans, Derek Tatton and Angela Tellier.

The minutes of the previous AGM from Eastbourne were received and approved subject to minor change.

The Trustees' Annual Report for the year ending 31 October 2012 and published in EAB Update was received and unanimously approved.

Clare Hunter read through a simplified version of the accounts, which were accepted unanimously. John Wells expressed his thanks to Clare for her proficient management, recording and explanation. She in turn presented her thanks to Joyce Bunting for continuing to assist with our investment portfolio and to Viv O'Dunne for so efficiently managing the accounts on a day-to-day basis.

The decision on whether to re-appoint the independent examiner was made. Helen Fantom proposed that the management team stay with Dains LLP, seconded by Joyce Bunting. This proposal was carried unanimously.

The issue whether to keep subscription rates unchanged was discussed. Clare Hunter informed that the supporters now had to choose between two tiers, following discussion at the 2012 AGM that the cost of printing and posting EAB Update was greater than the cost of joining up. Supporters who are happy to receive an electronic version of EAB Update can continue to pay £10, but those who wish to receive a paper copy now have to pay £15. Bill Walker queried why subscription rates were held to a vote but supporter rates weren't; Clare Hunter responded that by constitution subscription rates for membership had to be put to a vote. There were two abstentions to the motion to keep subscription rates the same; everyone else approved.

Viv O’Dunne and Bill Walker were nominated and approved as vote-counters.

Arnold Pitt asked whether there were any plans made for a congress in 2014. Tim Owen announced that work had started and invited Jack Warren to make a short presentation, in which he invited members to visit Sheffield over the Easter weekend.

Paul Gubbins announced that there will be a three-day programme in Liverpool in conjunction with the University, financed by the Buchanan Foundation. He informed that there would be three strands; a language strand, hosted by Wim Jansen; a literature strand, which he would host; and language seminars in Esperanto itself, guided by Angela Tellier.

Arturo Prent asked whether there had been any update on Wedgwood Memorial College. Tim Owen informed that the group which had submitted several business plans to run services from the College via a Community Asset Transfer had run several courses in different locations to demonstrate that money that could have come to Barlaston had headed elsewhere.They were adopting the approach of running a 'virtual college', registered as a cooperative benefit society. He confirmed that there would be no scope for this group to buy the College simply because the asking price was in the millions.

Paul Gubbins, as the new President of the Association, was invited by John Wells to present himself, which he duly did. John Wells then wished him well for the future, and Tim Owen, on behalf of the trustees who have served under John Wells, thanked him, presenting him with a card, present and cake, which was cut and shared among the attendees

The membership votes were as follows:

NAME OF CANDIDATE	FOR	AGAINST	ABSTAIN
Edmund Grimley Evans	53	1	5
Paul Gubbins (president)	56	2	1
Clare Hunter	58	0	1
Tim Owen	57	0	2
Ed Robertson	56	0	3
Michael Seaton	50	2	7

All the above were duly elected to the Management Committee.

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