2nd Management Group Meeting, 3rd June 2019 (from notes by Jane Boden)
Present were; Don Jones (DJ) Glen Fiddy (GF), Rev Clive Thrower (CT), Lynne Newton (LN), Neil Westman (NW) and Jane Boden (JEB).
1. Apologies for absence were received from Martin Whiteley (MW), Richard Brooke (RB), John Fisher (JF) and Rev Harold Dobbin (HD).
2. Notes from previous meeting; having been previously circulated, were accepted.
3. Matters arising
a. It was agreed that MW’s discussion paper should be referred to the next meeting. However, DJ had convened a meeting between District Ed Comm members and Ringing Masters. This was felt to be successful and it was agreed to hold another such meeting in September.
It was decided that the Ed Comm minutes should be circulated by Andrew Hall (AEH) to District Ringing Masters (would need to post to Richard Taylor).
b. LN had looked at the insurance. The list of the insurance of the Association assets needs to be updated by adding the Peter Taylor Trophy, WW Worthington 10 Bell Cup, the President’s badge of Office and the Wombel (Saxilby simulator).
LN enquired about cover for private rings and ringers who visit. The question was do private rings have public liability? JEB to ask Kate Flavell of the Central Council if she has any knowledge as she used to work in the insurance industry.
c. JEB had expressed concern regarding the ease of using the DDA website.
d. JEB had written to Bishop Libby; awaiting reply.
e. Invitation had been made to DYR.
4. Matters discussed
a. DYR safeguarding policy – Christian Peckham (CP) and Anthony Cotton (APC) had prepared a document. Janet Foulds (Safeguarding Officer) and others had now had time to review this.
LN would need to keep a running total of the monies spent by the DYR – currently they had a budget of £500 pa.
b. JEB had received an email from Gill Hughes (GH) regarding Peak 2020.
The Committee were fully in favour of supporting Peak 2020 with its potential recruitment implications and agreed to ‘sponsor’ the event up to £1,000 for the hire of the Lichfield Mobile ring, the DDA Womble and to cover the registration fees for helpers who camp or are daily visitors.
c. DDA website and showing information including a list of Education Ringing and tower maintenance courses. DJ agreed to send existing links to courses to Ringing Masters
JEB had some points from the Southern District Secretary – she would like a Southern District Mailing list apparently the yahoo group is not ‘owned by’ AEH – JEB will ask APC for advice. Issue over sending reports to unattached members – JEB had spoken to AEH and has been told that District Secretaries may access their own district membership list, but they need to log in correctly.
d. Job descriptions – JEB/DJ would prepare job descriptions for inclusion on the web.
e. Proxy Voting – this matter had been raised prior to the AGM by a proposed motion which was subsequently withdrawn. JEB had looked at this and could find no mention of this for the following Associations:- Lancaster, Leicester, St Martins, Yorkshire, Southwell & Nottingham, Peterborough, Oxford, Bath & Wells, Gloucester, Lincoln, Lichfield, Chester, Coventry, Guildford, Hereford and Essex. She did mention that several Guilds had nominations for Officers sent to the General Secretary six weeks in advance of their AGMs. It was agreed that this topic needs to be kept under review and would be looked at annually.
f. CT felt it was important that we identified ‘training towers’ and this could include their availability for Association meetings. He thought there were two types of training towers:
i. basic bell handling
ii. development stage
It was agreed that this needed to be considered and be discussed at a future meeting.
5. Date of next meeting DJ would send out a ‘doodle poll’ but the day would be moved through the week, venue was convenient for most. Items for future discussion would include the annual report with MW present and the DDA website with an invitation to AEH.