NFSA Minutes Standing Committee Meeting Saturday 6th September 2008;–Oxford
Present;-
Richard Ferre [Chair]; Geoff Knight [vice Chair]; Barrie Senior; Stuart McPherson; Jac Bevan; Brian Owen; Alan Brothers; Chris Holloway; John Brooks;
John Rackett; Chris Clark; Alan Gilbert.
Apologies;
John Amery; Tony Williams; Sam Harris; Mike Patton; John Rowlands; Richard Penny; John Barratt; Kevin Tapper; Eric Gerrey. Andrew Wendon.
Minutes from SC meeting 17th. May 2008
Agreed
Matters Arising
Brian Owen – missing apology.
Actions Paperwork from office, including minutes, now circulated in good time; some delays in waiting for third party contributions.
Finances
John Amery has suggested a rule change regarding divisional assets to read something like “Divisions will be financially independent of the NFSA but in the event of the Division ceasing to function or be disbanded then it is recommended that any monies & other assets should be donated to The NFSA”
This was agreed in principle, but would ask JA to put a more formal set of words together. JA to action.
Cash flow forecast; P&L for year were presented to the board on 19th July.
David Rowe had confirmed that Corporation Tax had been paid & that the accounts had been signed off.
Year to date showing a £11k loss.
RF; - Questioned the viability of NFSA going forward. Revenue dropping; membership down; projection of a reduced level of income at year end. An increase in salaries over projections due to David Rowe & Jac Bevan handover period. JB confirmed that David was now off the payroll. RF continued that income was not paying for expenditure & that we are on a slippery slope.
GK; - Stated that service still not improved
JBe; — Totally rejected this claim, & that improvements had been made via emails; telephone & hard copy.
JBr; - Agreed, that service had improved, & stressed that it was down to everyone to encourage new members.
CH; - Stated that people are still uncertain about Unity, & are not sure how to move forward.
RF;- Agreed that Unity has caused confusion, but stressed that we are spending more than we earn, & will be in danger of not being able to pay bills, & that we are faced with hard decisions; either forget Unity & concentrate on own business, bearing in mind that we only have a few months available financially, cut backs are essential, but still savings would be small in comparison. The only tangible assets are the trophies, insurance value £37k but realisable value, more likely £10k. The question was mooted does the sc want to realise the potential value of the trophies?
JBr;-Asked what we did with the trophies?
CC; - Stressed that they are presented & then taken back.
CH; - Suggested we only keep 3 & release the rest.
GK; - Was concerned, because they are a tradition, but understood that if they had to go, then so be it.
BS; - Noted that most anglers are not interested in trophies.
AB; - Suggested we keep 4, one for display.
CH;- Again stressed that we only need trophies for the competition winner, therefore only 3 are needed, & proposed we keep 3 & lose the rest.
GK; - Seconded the proposal.
ALL AGREED, except JR who abstained.
BS; - Will confirm who donated trophies that are still living and will seek approval for disposal.
RF, GK, JBe; - To finalise choices.
BS; - Suggested we catalogue trophies for posterity. JBe to action
CH; - Questioned the benefits of joining NFSA?
RF; - Replied that all board & SC members should be emphasising benefits such as competitions & conservation, etc. RF; - stated that we really need to know why people do not renew, & that January / February is the danger time.
SM Pointed out that the only tangible benefit was the Third Party Insurance Cover and there was a need to make more of the lobbying that is done on behalf of the members.
RF said that the members also received a journal thrice a year, and a handbook.
CH; - Asked what happens on January 1st, re; - Unity?
RF; - Explained that all assets would transfer to new company& all existing board members would cease. Some work has been done on fee structure & benefits.
JBr;-wanted to know who he would pay his subs too & what would he be a member of?
RF; - Gave an update on Unity, & confirmed that everyone was aware that S&T had pulled out of the merger. That there had been 2 meetings since & things looked difficult after S&T withdrawal. Due diligence completed, including finance & buildings. Legal diligence looking at articles etc. Articles so far, are similar to ours in so far as board structure i.e. minimum 10, maximum 15 directors. It will have an accounts department; membership department, & regional levels. This would be for all anglers, & each board director would lead on his own discipline i.e. RF would be the director for sea angling, with a committee reporting into him. There would still be competitions & conservation. Regionally no change & support would evolve over the years.
There is a broad outline of a business plan, who does what, & this will be confirmed at next chairman’s meeting on 18th September. On Tuesday last [2nd Sept] a Unity meeting in Birmingham agreed a price structure & benefits. [hard copy report given out] taken as read.
JBr; - Asked about costs, as people are worried about money, & offering equipment discount on – line would hurt tackle shops.
RF; - Doubted this would happen.
GK; - Asked total number of members?
RF; - Uncertain, but about 30,000.
BO; - Asked about membership to several federations [bodies]?
RF; - Confirmed that they would only pay for one membership, in the new organisation.
CC; - Asked about life membership.
RF;-Suggested that they would remain as is.
CC; - Asked about insurance.
RF; - Confirmed that better insurance would be available.
CH; - Asked about Jac & staff & office at Buckfastleigh.
RF;-Structure likely to be legal & finance would go to ACA office at Leominster & membership & administration would go to NFA office in Nottingham, because they have the resources. However there is an argument for a sea angling “presence” in the South West.
JR; - Asked about merging the various databases.
RF; - Confirmed that this is a big problem. The next meeting [18th Sept] would see a detailed membership plan & structure. Lawyers are working on a merger agreement for all bodies to sign. The NFSA would need a special extraordinary board meeting after that date to agree or not.
JBr; - Stated that the NFSA have committed fully to Unity, & asked about other bodies.
RF; - Stated that all the chairmen are committed, but were having difficulties with their board & members. Also, that it make commercial sense to bring ADB into Unity, further down the development path.
CH; - Queried the official name of the new body.
RF; - Unable to confirm, but either Angling Trust or Anglers Trust, & is confident that Unity is more likely because the chairmen are in full agreement & that a lot of work is being done to move forward.
GK; - Wanted to know what to tell members.
RF; - The structure is almost in place & each board will have to decide. When Sport England withdrew their funding it was likely that The NFSA would fail, we have survived thus far, but the new chairman of the organisation, Mr Stephen Marsh – Smith [current chairman of ACA], has a wealth of experience in developing funding.
JBr; - Wanted to know, after initial start up, how the sc [committee] would be able to influence the new board?
RF;-Confirmed that there would be a voting process.
Chairman’s Report
Taken as read.
RF: - Confirmed the underlying problem with David and asked the sc to decide if DR should be a board appointee.
CC; - Asked if there was any point in making a new board member in light of Unity?
CH; - Replied that we have a procedure & we should follow it.
CC; - Pointed out that DR is not currently a sc member, so could not be automatically appointed.
RF; - Pointed out that the sc should have at least another two members.
JBr;- Asked the current board structure, this was given as Richard Ferre; Geoff Knight; Jac Bevan; Tony Williams; John Amery; Brian Owen; Barrie Senior; Stuart McPherson.
At this stage RF; AB; SM; GK; & JBe (Members appointed by virtue of their office ie. Chairman and General Manager or were Board Appointees) were asked to leave room, for the remaining sc members to appoint new members. We returned shortly afterwards.
CC;- Stated that the sc wished to appoint Chris Holloway & John Brooks to the board, it was felt that David Rowe should stand in his division & then seek board SC appointment if he so required.
GK; - Asked about David’s involvement with ADB.
RF; - Confirmed that at the last Board meeting Stuart McPherson had been appointed.
At this stage JBe passed around a paper the DR had written for the board & sc. This outlined David’s involvement in various bodies and the current position regarding involvement and concluded with wishing the Federation and JB well.
Conservation & Access
Conservation paper taken as read.
RF; - Noted that this was the first meeting in 6 months as June & July meeting was cancelled due to Parliamentary Committee.
JBr;-Emphasised the importance of an anglers logbook.
RF; - Agreed, & said that no one believes angles re; - stocks, because of lack of evidence.
CH; - Stated that the Wessex division is about to start a survey regarding this subject.
RF; - Noted the additional information would be useful, such as how much people spend.
JR; - Reminded people of the imminent rise in diesel.
RF; - Asked about anglers codes of conduct, & emphasised the importance of such things, also suggested a pyramid structure seems most easily defined.
SC gave general agreement.
JBr; - Suggested talking to the ADB.
CC;-Said that there is some already in existence.
RF; - Agreed to distribute a list of what exists & what needs doing.
CH; - Thought it was difficult getting information, & that the RNLI have information on various disciplines.
RF; - Stated that the RSA strategy group, buried in DEFRA, & still waiting consolatory report.
SM;- Stated that there is an illegal draft response on several websites, but not in public domain for a further 2 weeks.
ASFC response paper presented, taken as read.
SM outlined the points that effect the RSA sector and some of the threats that could result and said that he had discussed this with the Chairman earlier in the week. SM was recommending a letter to the Minister.
RF was of the opinion that this would have no effect and that we should write to the ASFC and ask to meet with them.
SM pointed out that this had been tried in the past without success.
JBr; - Objected to the word “EXPLOIT”
CH; - Suggested that the conservation group should deal with conservation issues.
SM Pointed out that it had not been discussed at the C&G meeting earlier in the week even although several members had been made aware of its existence.
The meeting agreed that it should be a C&G issue.
There was a general disagreement about the number of sea anglers on AFSC committees.
RF; — Suggested that SM write to the SFC to invite us up for participation.
TW had submitted a paper outlining the work of the EAA and the NFSA involvement.
JBe; - Asked about the viability of value of EAA membership, in light of our financial situation.
RF; - Suggested that we do not pay the second half membership fee. It was noted that Tony Williams has done a fantastic job on our behalf, but unfortunately economics are not favourable. RF to talk to TW.
CC; - Noted that the next Cips meeting is in York, no date given.
Increasing RRS for Bass to 45cm
The proposal floated at the last meeting that the Federation should increase the MLS of Bass to 45cm in line with our recommendation to DEFRA was discussed.
JBr; - Declared that the non member angler takes no notice. But as members of NFSA we should all follow this rule. Most use NFSA size.
All present voted in favour of 45cm Bass. It was agreed to change our MLS as from Ist.January 2009. [in absence of government initiative]. AB was asked to prepare a press statement on this.
National Teams
Paper presented, taken as read.
CC;-Stated that the 2009 press release for applications was going out next week, & that teams would still go out under NFSA banner.
GK;- Declared that a small group deals with NFSA festivals, but it is not working very well, now that they are 2 people short, with DR & Paul Lawson leaving. Invited anyone interested in the vacancies to contact him. It was also noted that it has been agreed with Wessex about the 2008 competition. 2009 competition looks likely in Wessex. Also details of boat competition, from Nigel Blythe were read out. GK to send to office for inclusion on web site.
Guernsey & BRFC, as per DR’s paper, circulated.
RF; - Asked JBe about handbook.
JBe: - Confirmed that it will be issued shortly, & one reason for delay was getting money in from advertising.
ADB
SM;- refreshed members memories of the paper outlining Sport England’s Policy which had been circulated earlier in the year and stated that he had attended a meeting earlier in the week where the ADB were formulating their bid for funding for the period 2008 / 2013. He said there was an identical presentation on Tuesday 9th Sept at Nottingham and there was a request for a Sea Angling presence.
CH; - Questioned the viability & benefits of ADB.
SM;- said that having considered the Whole Sport Plan 2008 / 2013 he was of the opinion that the proposed staffing levels were ambitious but from his short involvement in the Yorkshire and Humber Region there was potential. He was optimistic that the strategy for engaging youngsters was necessary and would preserve the heritage of angling.
Press Report
AB; - Stated that he had no report, because things are very quiet. The next thing is the journal, & it will now include a piece about 45cm Bass.
Reports from Division
Wessex division report, taken as read. Also Wessex will have small boat & shore competition in 2009.
GK; - Looking to divisions to run National competitions in 2009.
SM; - Quoted from a note from the Hon Sec of the North East Division open boat competition next week, details on web site; and a Sea Angling show organised for 25/26 October at the Nissan Car Centre Sunderland is going well, with several celebrities confirmed to attend. Also SM & JA will attend.
SM; - Yorkshire have arranged a 10% for NFSA members in local tackle shop. Jac to put on web site, front page, already, on forum .
JBe; - Read for the Wyvern, that they hosted its annual open junior competition at Teignmouth. 49 juniors fishing & as well as the main prize all went home with a goodie bag. The boat jumble in Newton Abbot attracted a lot of people but alas not many to our stand, suggests a slide show or attraction to grab peoples attention. The 13/14 September will see the open small boat competition at Salcombe. Prizes include a small outboard engine & a GPS fish finder, prizes total over £2500.
Club Applications
None.
AOB
SM;- Advised the Committee that there was an increasing trend for Local Authorities, who control most of the shoreline, to require the organisers of events, such as shore angling competitions, on the beach to complete risk assessments and provide proof of third party liability insurance. The latter usually being cover for £5 million and in some cases more. He thought that many Affiliated Clubs and the wider RSA sector were not aware of this and we should bring it to their notice. Agreed that it would be publicised in the next edition of the Journal. Action AB
JBe; - Reported that there had been a request to hold at least one sc meeting up North from the North East Division. The Chairman stated that he thought it was a worthwhile suggestion and the members agreed. It would be finalized once the Unity outcome was decided.
CC; - Reported that NFSA selectors need to be chosen. It was the existing members that were reselected, Jack Rees, Chris Clark, and Geoff Knight. GK & CH confirmed they would continue. All present voted in favour. Alan Gilbert was selected as junior advisor.
Ch; - Questioned how the sc is selected if Unity goes ahead, & suggested that they may return to the original format.
RF;- Suggested that the new body may bring new rules which will have to be followed.
GK; - Asked for clarity on what has been decided re Unity & sub groups.
RF; - Confirmed that the sea anglers will still have it’s sub group & that there will be only one organization, one central financial pot etc, so each discipline will have to apply for any monies. Also confirmation was given that a board & sc meeting will be needed for final decision about Unity, either the 18th or 25th October, or 1st.November, RF will confirm. Also all available information will be circulated beforehand.
Next Meeting formal meeting confirmed for December 6th. @ Buckfastleigh.
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