The Wallaseyan April 2014

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THE WALLASEYAN The magazine of The Wallaseyans Club

Vol. 4 No. 12 APRIL 2014

THE WALLASEYANS CLUB 140-142 Grove Road Wallasey CH45 0JF

Telephone: 0151-639 2832

Email: [email protected] Website: www.wallaseyans.com

OFFICERS 2013/14

President: T. Meadows

Hon. Secretary: T. C. Bowen (resigned 31/12/13)

W. T. Chipchase (acting) Hon. Treasurer:

D. Barnett (resigned 21/08/13) Mrs. W. Meadows (acting) Mrs. J. Philips (acting)

Hon. House Secretary: G. F. Fowler

Hon. Membership Secretary: A. Sheppick

Hon. House Treasurer:: Mrs. W. Meadows (acting)

COMMITTEE 2013/14 C. J. Brace (resigned 31/12/13)

A. Clarke J. Drysdale S. Finney R. Johns I. Lewis

W. C. Rowlands

OLD WALLASEYANS WORLDWIDE 2013/14

Chairman: R. Bryans

Hon. Secretary: C.V. Green

Hon. Treasurer: R. C. Lewis-Jones

Website: www.oldwallaseyans.co.uk

PAST PRESIDENTS 2013/14 G. Boston J. J. Brace

G. F. Carlyle W. T. Chipchase

P. A. Doyle P. J. Duff

A. J. Fraser K. T. Harding

D. Harvey J. M. Pringle

VICE PRESIDENTS 2013/14

C. V. Green A. J. Simpson

TRUSTEES 2013/14 W. T. Chipchase

P. J. Duff

The views expressed in The Wallaseyan are not necessarily those of the Officers, Committee or Editor.

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MAINTENANCE TEAM REPORT At the beginning of my first year as chairman of the maintenance sub-committee I felt I'd been thrown in at the deep end. However, under Roy Johns instruction and advice I began to get the hang of things, even learning to find my way around the labyrinth that is 140-142 Grove Road without the assistance of Sat Nav or a ball of wool. It also helps that Roy's enthusiasm for getting things done shows no sign of diminishing. The first task to be undertaken since the last report was partial replacement of the ramp down to the beer cellar. The next task involved extensive refurbish-ment behind the bar including new wipe-clean surfaces and bar countertop plinth for beer pumps, all to satisfy health and safety requirements. Following the attempted break-in, work was carried out to rectify the damage and further work was required later after the thieves succeeded at their second attempt. This work continues. Repairs were carried out to the brick-on-edge coping to the wall at the side of the disabled access ramp. Repair work was carried out to a number of tables for use in the committee room. Various plaster surfaces were redecorated following staining by water ingress owing to roof leaks. This problem has been greatly reduced by a combination of gutter cleaning, repairs and strategic positioning of containers on the upper floors of number 140, which are regularly monitored. The main entrance door canopy fascia and soffit has been repainted/varnished and the light fitting in the canopy reglazed. Various plumbing repairs and maintenance jobs were carried out in toilets, etc., including repairs to leaking WC traps and installation of new hand dryers. A commemorative plaque on the boundary wall was refixed to a hardwood pat-tress screwed to the brickwork. Temporary repairs were carried out to the snooker room curtains. A number of other jobs, too numerous to mention here, were carried out by the maintenance team, and thanks to the combined tireless efforts of Roy Johns, Dennis Jebb, and Keith Renton (not forgetting occasional additional contribu-tions from Phil Colebourne and others) the club premises continued to function, but fingers and dykes constantly spring to mind. To use another watery analogy, the ship's afloat but slightly lower in the water. Arthur Clarke Chairman of Maintenance Sub-Committee

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THE WALLASEYANS CLUB

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT in accordance with Rule 8 (ii), the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of THE WALLASEYANS CLUB will be held in the Clubhouse on WEDNESDAY, 30th APRIL, 2014 at 8.00 p.m.

AGENDA

1) Written apologies for absence. 2) Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 8th July, 2013.

3) Honorary Secretarys Report. 4) Honorary Treasurers Report. 5) Honorary House Secretarys Report. 6) Honorary Membership Secretarys Report. 7) Proposed alterations to the Rules. 8) Proposed alterations to Subscriptions

9) Election of Officers and Committee Members. 10) Election of Honorary Auditor. 11) Any Other Business that may be conducted validly at an

Annual General Meeting of The Wallaseyans Club.

Note: Under Rule 9 (vi), Annual Subscriptions are due and payable on 1st January. Members who have not paid their subscriptions within two months of that date cease to be entitled to the privileges of membership. In accordance with Rule 8 (ii), only fully paid up members may attend and vote at General Meetings. Although they now pay a subscription, Associate Members have no right to attend or vote (vide Rule 8 (ii)).

PROPOSED ALTERATIONS TO THE RULES

The committee proposes the following amendments to the Rules:

Membership Rule 3 (i) The Membership of the Club shall consist of Honorary Life Members, existing Life Members, Full Annual Members, Country Annual Members, Senior Annual Members, Junior Annual Members, Joint Members and Associate Members. Membership of the Club shall be available to men and women on the basis of full equality.

To be altered to read

(i) The Membership of the Club shall consist of Honorary Life Members, Life Members, Full Annual Members, Country Annual Members and Associate Members. Membership of the Club shall be available to men and women on the basis of full equality. Where a Member can demonstrate that he/she is in full time education, the fee shall be 50% of the fee due for the relevant category of Membership as fixed under Rule 9 (i).

References to relevant categories of membership throughout the rules to be amended to comply:

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Management Rule (iii) delete the words Senior Annual Members; General Meetings Rule 8 (iii) delete word Senior Membership Rule 3 (v) to be deleted and replaced with:

(v) Life Membership, subject to application as detailed in Rule 3, shall be available upon the payment of ten times the current Full Annual Membership Fee. Should the Club be dissolved in accordance with Rule 13 within the ten years subsequent to election to Life Membership, the Member concerned shall be eligible for a refund of the fee from the disposal of the Clubs assets for any whole years that remain outstanding. Membership Rules 3(vii) and 3(ix) to be deleted General meetings Rule 8 (ii) A notice convening the Meeting and a statement of the Clubs accounts made up to the previous December 31st, signed by the Treasurer and duly audited, shall be sent to each Member either by postal or electronic means at least 10 days before the date fixed for the meeting. Associate Members are excluded, have no right to vote in General Meetings and may not be elected to Office or to the Committee. Only fully paid up members may attend and vote, except as otherwise specified herein. Mr C.G.Bruce proposes and Mr K.T.Harding seconds the following proposals: Membership Rule 3(i) The Rule to be amended by the addition of a final sentence reading: Paid employees of the Club may not become members.

General Meetings Rule 8 (i) The first sentence amended by the insertion of the words and Trustees as follows:

The Annual General Meeting of the Club should be held during the last week of April each year, when the Officers, other Committee Members and Trustees shall be elected and the Honorary Auditor appointed. Property and Investment Rule 11 (i) The first sentence which currently reads: The Trustees of the Club property shall be elected by the Committee and they shall hold office until death or resignation unless removed from that office by a resolution of the said Committee. To be replaced with: The Trustees of the Club property shall be elected and re-elected at the Annual General Meeting and they shall hold office, for a period of five years unless preceded by death, resignation or removal from office in accordance with the Clubs disciplinary procedures laid down within these Rules and the bye-laws.

and enjoy ourselves. Pubs are still closing by the week and yet we remain a bastion against the social prevail of domestic isolation. For how much longer only the membership can decide please use and support your Club. Simon Finney

SNOOKER REPORT I would like to thank all the Members who supported the snooker competitions and for supporting their Club in the process. The results are as follows: Open Singles: Winner: A Meadows Runner-up: D Wilson Handicap Singles: Winner: A Smith Runner-up: P Colebourne Handicap Pairs Winners: A Smith and P Davies; Runners-up: D Wilson and G Sullivan Highest Break: Winner: Iain Lewis 38 Our snooker facility is one of the great successes of the Wallaseyans Club. We have first class tables maintained by Thurston's of Liverpool. This year the cush-ions have been replaced in order to improve the quality of our provision. The tables are valeted on a monthly basis. Help is always valuable in this department and if anyone is willing to lend a hand they will certainly be most welcome. Recently there was an attempt by thieves to break into the snooker meters on tables two and three. Fortunately they did not succeed. The security of the snooker room was being revised at the time this magazine went to publication. The competitions this year commence in July and run through to December. The playoff dates are advised on the snooker notice board in the television area and entrance forms are available from behind the bar at a cost of 1 per compe-tition per person. May I please remind all players that food of any kind is not permitted in the snooker room and that you must sign your name and a time into the snooker diary before commencing each frame. Please cross your name out when you are finished. If you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you once again for your support. Iain Lewis Chairman of Snooker

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Late Subscriptions Rule 9 (iv) also states that Members who have not paid their subscriptions within two months of the due date i.e. by the 1st March will not be able to attend and vote at the AGM. Consequently, Members are advised to check that they have paid their subscriptions this year before the date of the delayed AGM. Alan Sheppick Hon. Membership Secretary

SOCIAL & FUNDRAISING REPORT Well what have we done? Much the same but with a twist our own (Club) functions have declined due mainly to lack of numbers wishing to attend, our once healthy dinner season has shrunk to Burns Night only and artists who have to earn a crust cannot be afforded as ticket sales are impossible to project and not many see the value in live entertainment. Oh dear! Oh dear! What a tale of woe but hold on, our referrals from private functions have more than compensated for our own lack of being able to fill the club on weekend nights and there is now hardly a month goes by without an private function (Birthday Party, Anniversary, Christening, Wedding Breakfasts & evenings) being booked and of course the Club does not close to members even when booked for a private function. Long may it continue! Of course our Club would cease to function (pun) without the considerable assistance given by volunteers and it is the same volunteers that have created the standard that attracts so many to hold their events within our premises. This Committee would like to thank wholeheartedly all those who have given their free time to the Club they know who they are and if you are not one of them but would like to be please contact any committee member we always, always need more volunteers. During the last year we ran our Car Boot Sales again from April to September with great success queues outside the gates on every monthly Saturday morning of the Sales. We shall be repeating the exercise again this year we are already starting to take bookings for tables!! Finally, a thank you to all who attend the Friday Quiz Nights and take part in both the draw and the monthly lottery. We still need more members of the lottery and for 5.00/month you could win the top prize of 140.00 (or even more if we can get more members). Please contact the Club if you wish to take part. Friday nights have always been kept apart from function events but at times we have come under pressure to allow functions so please keep coming or we may have to succumb to financial pressure and rearrange Quiz Nights. Only a short report this year expressing the essentials but please do not forget what the Club stands for conviviality, debate, discussion, meeting and enjoying the company of old friends and new. We know that there are those who take the affairs of the Club more seriously than the staggering inhumanity beamed into our lives by world events but should we not count ourselves lucky, regardless of personal attitudes, to have a place where we members can meet

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SUBSCRIPTIONS Should the proposal for the alteration to the Membership Rule 3 (i) above be passed, The Committee proposes that, in accordance with Rule 9 (i) the following alterations be made to annual subscription fees with effect from 1st January 2015: Fees due and payable on Jan 1st for Full Annual Members shall be 52.00 per annum. Fees due and payable on Jan 1st for Country Annual Members shall be 41.60 per annum. Fees due and payable on Jan 1st for Associate Members shall be 26.00 per annum. It should be noted that the facility to pay Membership fees by quarterly standing order will remain but that the 10% discount for prompt payment will no longer be available. Any amendments to these proposals for changes to the Club Rules must be received in writing, at least seven days before the date of the AGM. Similarly, questions arising from Officers Reports should be received in writing, at least seven days before the date of the AGM. All nominations for election to Office or the Committee duly proposed and seconded by Full, Senior or Country Members who have been Members for at least three years, should be submitted in accordance with Rule 8 (iii) to the Acting Hon. Secretary in writing no later than 23rd April 2014. W.T.Chipchase Acting Hon. Secretary

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PRESIDENTIAL COMMENT

My tenure of office as President will end at the AGM on Wednesday, 30th April 2014 when I will hand over to my successor.......................................... Thanks to my predecessor Dave Harvey for setting the precedent, I have been able to enjoy my term of office free from the usual committee duties that previous Presidents had to endure. I have always maintained that the Presidency should be an honour and a reward for long serving members to enjoy not burdening them with matters that other Committee members are perfectly able to deal with. It has been a difficult year for the Club, starting with the delayed AGM and the subsequent retirement, due to ill health of our treasurer Dave Barnett. On behalf of all our members, we wish Dave a speedy recovery and the best of luck for the future. The proposed investment for our Club did not materialise so it was back to the drawing board to deal with the usual financial problems that beset us on a disappointingly regular basis. Indeed the Christmas letter to our members resulted in a magnificent response and my thanks go to all those who donated funds and gave up their early payment discounts to help out.

I would like to thank the members of Committee who have done such sterling work throughout the year, including Dave Harvey and Simon Finney on the Entertainments section; Roy Johns and Arthur Clarke for their maintenance input, Gordon Fowler and Bill Rowlands for their contributions to the Club functions; our Membership Secretary for his determination to collect outstanding subscriptions, and Iain Lewis for his unstinting work on the Snooker section. My thanks also go to Win Meadows for taking on the duties of the Hon. Treasurer after Dave Barnetts resignation. Our Club is unique in the support that our regular members give and my thanks go to all those who gave up their precious spare time and energy to help out at the various functions throughout the year, from peeling potatoes to selling bric-a brac at Car Boot Sales, which have contributed massively to the Club finances. I am sure that with the continuing support of all our members, the new President will lead us into a prosperous future that we can all enjoy for many years to come. Tom Meadows President

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING. 8th JULY 2013 Mr S. Finney chaired the meeting which was attended by 67 Members whose names are appended to these minutes. The President, David Harvey asked for 1 minute silence in memory of all those members who have died since our last AGM. The President, David Harvey stated that the AGM would be chaired by Mr Simon Finney. Simon Finney read a statement of explanation in respect of the calling of the AGM at this time:- The Committee were approached late last year by a member who wished to discuss the possibility of a major monetary investment in the Club. Discussions were undertaken with the member concerned and the Committee, on satisfaction that the proposed investment was a bone fide offer, commenced the preparation of documentation to pursue this offer and to satisfy the Member and the Members advisors of the viability of an investment in the Club. Through further discussion in respect of time scales the members advisors considered that the earliest date for confirmation of investment would be late March 2013. The Committee were anxious to be in a position to report to the

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HON. HOUSE SECRETARYS REPORT

Well it's that time of year again when I get my chance to climb onto my Soapbox , although local pubs continue to close with an almost boring regularity the Club soldiers on kept afloat by a loyal hardcore of Members, if we could persuade those members who attend the Club on the odd occasion to make a visit a more regular occurrence it could over the passing of a year make a big difference to our operating profit. On a more positive note The Committee have appointed Ms Angela Jones as the Clubs new General Manager with immediate effect , Angie has also taken over the tenancy of the flat I am sure you would all wish Angie every success in her new position and home. I would like to thank all those volunteers who have given their time freely to assist at the many functions that have been held during the past 12 months. Finally, I would like to thank you all personally for your support during my time as House Secretary as I will not be putting my name forward for election to Committee this year. Gordon Fowler Hon. House Secretary

HON. MEMBERSHIP SECRETARYS REPORT Membership Figures at 31/12/2013 were as follows;- Full Annual 120 Joint Full Annual 34 Junior Full Annual 6 Senior Full Annual 132 Country Annual 84 Life Members 38 Associate Members 97 Widow Associates 27 New Members We are pleased to welcome the following new Members who have joined the Club since our last Magazine; Mr.S.Jones; Mr.G.Jones; Miss. R Taylor; Ms.B.Usherwood; Ms.S.Lichfield; Mr.C.Lennon; Mr.D.Raphel; Mrs.L.Palin Obituaries It is with regret that we announce the deaths of the following members since our last Magazine; Mr.J.T.Coombe; Mr.R.Palin. Unpaid Subscriptions Members in breach of Rule 9 (iv) are reminded that, in the event of subscrip-tions remaining unpaid on 31st December, they shall forthwith cease to be a Member. To this effect a list of lapsed Members shall be posted on the Clubs notice board and Members are advised that no lapsed Member may be invited as a guest without prior permission.

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Membership the full facts and itinerary of any proposed investment and therefore agreed to postpone the AGM in order to prepare a full report. Unfortunately the wheels of commerce can sometimes grind slowly and such was the case. The Members advisors have stated that they will not be in a position to advise the Member in respect of the proposed investment until the latter end of this year. There is still a great deal of work & negotiation to be undertaken once the Committee has received a green light from the Member & the Members advisors. Members should be advised that your Committee will only enter into an agreement for investment in the Club once all parties are fully satisfied that it is to the benefit of the Club, the satisfaction of the Member providing the investment and the full agreement of the Membership. Simon Finney responded to a question from Geoff Holmes that an EGM or AGM would be called to discuss the matter but that no decision would be taken without consultation with the membership. 1.00 Written Apologies for Absence:- 1.01 The following were recorded EA Brace, JJ Brace, WT Chipchase, J Drysdale, K Farraley, P Fazakerley, D Holmes, K Roberts, M Roberts, A Sheppick, J Wealthy, N Flowerday, M Corbett, Corcoran, A Jones, R Mount, D Jebb, A Meadows, H Bowman, J Richards, G Ravenscroft, From the floor A Clarke, T Thompson, R Ashley, D Moran, N Wooton. 2.00 Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on 26 April 2012 2.01 Simon Finney stated that the minutes of the AGM held on 26 April 2012 are as published in the magazine and requested any matters arising that will not be dealt with under the agenda 3.00 Matters Arising 3.01 Peter Doyle raised the following comment. In terms of matters arising A comment was raised relating to myself as to the 2011 accounts it should have read the 2010 accounts. A further matter, the Treasurers report the non-audit of the 2011 accounts as a result of Mr Taylors illness was now to be completed within 3 months I asked myself was the audit completed. The committee meeting minutes of 16 May 2012 suggest that the audit had been conducted by the present Treasurer, to quote following the acceptance at the AGM for the 2011 accounts to be audited by the current Honorary Treasurer the Committee would be pleased to hear from any Club member prepared to audit future accounts and it went on that such a task would suit a retired accountant who would be prepared to offer his services. This particular resolution was not in my opinion proposed at the AGM. The Committee meeting minutes further on 15 August 2012 have Mr David Barnett the Hon Treasurer reporting that he had audited and signed off the 2011 accounts. 3.02 Simon Finney thanked Mr Doyle and confirmed that his comment has been noted.

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3.03 Iain Berriman raised an amendment to the minutes in respect of item 9,

Proposed Alterations to the Rules, in that it was not solely during his tenure as Membership Secretary that six months or more qualified for Country Annual Membership. Tom Bowen explained fully Iain Berrimans amendment and Simon Finney confirmed that the amendment had been noted.

4.00 Hon Secretarys Report 4.01 Simon Finney stated that the report was as published in the magazine and asked if there were any comments pertinent to the report. There being no comments the Simon Finney asked for a proposer and seconder for acceptance of the Hon. Secretarys Report. Proposed by P Toolan Seconded by G Holmes Accepted nem.com. 5.00 Hon. Treasurers Report. 5.01 Simon Finney stated that the report was as published in the magazine and asked if there were any comments pertinent to the report. 5.02 Peter Turner stated that he had sent a letter to the Hon Treasurer questioning the accounts in respect of the removal of the Dilapidations Reserve and explaining how the Dilapidations Reserve had been brought into existence in 2000. He further asked what has now happened to the amount previously included under the Dilapidations Reserve. 5.03 David Barnett stated that until the point that he had received Mr Turners letter he had attempted to find out the workings of the Dilapidations Reserve from the previous Treasurers without any success. He also confirmed that now that he understood the workings of the Dilapidations Reserve the matter would be reassessed in respect of the accounts but had not had the opportunity to do so prior to the AGM. 5.04 Peter Turner further stated that it was not good practice to have members of the Committee audit the Accounts. 5.05 Simon Finney stated that the Committee had tried without success to obtain an auditor for the Accounts and reiterated the point raised in Mr Doyles comment previously. Simon Finney also stated that Alan Sheppick who undertook the audit with David Barnett had considerable experience in dealing with accounts from his previous professional business dealings. 5.06 Peter Doyle raised comments in respect of the figures within the accounts relating to furniture, fittings and equipment and stated that had a decent audit been undertaken these minor points would have been picked up and that although minor were of significance in respect of the audit undertaken. He found the situation in respect of the Dilapidations Reserve totally unacceptable and suggested that the figure of 7170.00 of Dilapidations Reserve should be included in the accounts or an indication to what it had been debited. He

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surmised that it had been placed against an item of capital not shown in the accounts, a revenue expense not shown on the accounts or in the worst possible scenario a payment that had been made to an individual from the club that has been extinguished by the 7170.00. 5.07 Simon Finney asked what Mr Doyle was suggesting by his last comment. 5.08 Mr Doyle stated that he was suggesting that the record of the Dilapidations Reserve must be established correctly and that if that meant hiring an outside auditor it should be done. 5.09 Simon Finney stated that it was quite right that there was an anomaly in the accounts that had been accepted late in the day but that it was unacceptable for a senior member of the Club with privileged knowledge of the accounts dating back to 19 May 2013 to start to raise these items at the meeting where it would be impossible for the Treasurer to respond. It would have been more beneficial had Mr Doyle raised these concerns at the time he had seen the proposed accounts. 5.10 Mr Doyle further commented that the accounts should not show the sum of 54.00 of Members interest if this was not to be claimed. 5.11 Simon Finney thanked Mr Doyle for his comments that had been duly noted 5.12 Following discussion of the possible cost of external Auditor and Mrs Alison Wootons confirmation that she would find out the cost of the Audit of the Wallasey Operatic Society for assistance, David Barnett stated that he had attempted to give a full explanation of the accounts with the information he had been provided with but should the meeting wish to vote to reject the accounts or propose a vote of no confidence in the Treasurer it would be up to the meeting to decide. There was verbal rejection of this proposition from the floor of the meeting. 5.13 Mr Eric Bushell proposed acceptance of the accounts as published, seconded by Mrs Joy Rowlands. There followed a great deal of discussion in respect of acceptance of the accounts and the implications on the status of the Committee and its Officers. John Pringle commented that it was unfair to criticize the Treasurer who had obviously been working with limited information but if the accounts were incorrect they should not be accepted. Kevin Harding commented that the Officers of the Club should be protected by the membership but accepting incorrect accounts was not protecting them. 5.14 Mr Eric Bushell, in collaboration with Mrs Joy Rowlands withdrew his proposal for acceptance of the accounts and Simon Finney then asked the assembled members if they wished to have the accounts withdrawn pending amendment and representation at a later date. This was agreed by the members present via a show of hands 6.00 Hon. House Secretarys Report 6.01 Simon Finney stated that the report was as published in the magazine and

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asked if there were any comments pertinent to the report. There being no comments the Simon Finney asked for a proposer and seconder for acceptance of the Hon. House Secretarys Report. Proposed by T Bowen Seconded by G Holmes Accepted nem.com. 7.00 Hon. Membership Secretarys Report 7.01 Simon Finney stated that the report was as published in the magazine and asked if there were any comments pertinent to the report. There being no comments the Simon Finney asked for a proposer and seconder for acceptance of the Hon. Membership Secretarys Report. Proposed by S Goldbourne Seconded by C Brace Accepted nem.com. 8.00 Proposed alteration to rules. 8.01 Simon Finney read out the proposed alteration to Rule 4 and invited discussion of the proposed change. 8.02 Mr P Doyle commented that this had been mooted at a meeting between the Committee and Trustees and that he had proposed at that time that the President should maintain the Chairmanship of the Committee in the first instance. Simon Finney advised Mr Doyle that the Committee had discussed his proposal but had agreed to proceed with the rule change proposed. 8.03 Mr A Fraser proposed an amendment to the rule change to state that the Chairman of Committee should be elected from the elected Officers of the Club but that he was prepared to withdraw his amendment as he saw no reason to change the present rule. 8.04 Mr D Harvey commented that the rule change was purely a formalisation of the present situation allowing the President to enjoy his role without the burden of having to chair the Committee and liking it to the roles of the Queen and Prime Minister. 8.05 Mr C Bruce commented that such a rule change would mean that there would be an additional Officer of the Club un-elected by the membership. Simon Finney commented that since the Chairman would be an elected member of Committee they had in fact been elected by the membership. 8.06 Further discussion continued and Simon Finney put the proposal to the membership for a vote reminding them that any rule change had to be carried by a two thirds majority. The vote was taken and on a show of hands accepted that the proposed rule change should not proceed. 9.00 Election of Officers & Committee members 9.01 Mr Kevin Harding commented that the magazine appeared to insinuate that the Past Presidents had given sanction/support to the Committee nomination of Mr Tom Meadows as President and that while not questioning Mr Meadows capabilities to be President he wished to reaffirm that the Past Presidents

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sanction/support is not required. 9.02 Simon Finney concurred with Mr Hardings comment but wished it to be made clear that the Committee had written to the Past Presidents out of courtesy to inform them of the Committees nomination for President. 9.03 The nominations for Officers and Committee Members were:- Proposed Seconded President Mr Tom Meadows Mr W Rowlands Mr S Finney Hon Secretary Mr Tom Bowen Mr S Sheppick Mr D Barnett Hon Treasurer Mr D Barnett Mr T Bowen Mr A Sheppick Hon House Secretary Mr G Fowler Mr T Bowen Mr D Harvey Hon Membership Secretary Mr A Sheppick Mr R Johns Mr D Barnett Hon House Treasurer No Nomination Received Committee Mr C Brace Mr D Barnett Mr A Sheppick Mr A Clarke Mr R Johns Mr A Sheppick Mr J Drysdale Mr S Finney Mr R Johns Mr S Finney Mr D Barnett Mr R Johns Mr R Johns Mr I Lewis Mr D Moran Mr I Lewis Miss S Wooton Mr D Moran Mr W Rowlands Mr S Finney Mr R Johns All elected unopposed. 9.04 Mr D Harvey commented that it had been an honour and a privilege to serve as president of The Wallaseyans Club and wished every success to Mr Tom Meadows, investing him with his chain of office. 9.05 President Tom Meadows thanked D Harvey for his two and a half years of office to much applause and stated that he wished to continue as President without chairing the Committee. He wished to maintain a happy Club where Members can enjoy themselves with the main aim of keeping the Club open. 10.00 Any Other Business 10.01 Mr C Bruce stated that the meeting should re-elect the Vice Presidents and Trustees. Upon a show of hands Mr Green and Mr Simpson were re-elected as Vice Presidents of the Club. Simon Finney confirmed that the Trustees are elected by the Committee for life unless deselected under Rules of the Club 10.02 Simon Finney confirmed to Mr E Bushell in response to his question that the Rules of the Club can be found on the Clubs website and that any decision regarding the future development of the Club will only be sanctioned at an AGM or EGM by a voting majority in excess of 50% of the members attending.

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10.03 Mr P Doyle requested that the minutes of the AGM be published as soon as possible and also commented that it was unacceptable that the Notice of the AGM be posted in the Club pigeon holes. Following discussion of the cost of postage and the procedures adopted for the posting of this years Notices it was discovered that Mr Doyles Notice had been posted in the pigeon holes in error and Simon Finney apologised for this oversight. 10.04 Mrs Joy Rowlands thanked the Committee for their hard work in keeping the Club afloat when so many pubs and clubs have failed to survive. Endorsed by the members present. 10.05 Mr T Bowen gave a vote of thanks to Mr P Colebourne for his work in the gardens and for setting up the room for the evenings AGM. Endorsed by the members present. There being no further matter for discussion the Simon Finney thanked everybody for their attendance and declared the meeting closed at 9.10pm. S. Finney

ACTING HON. SECRETARYS REPORT Since the AGM in July 2013 to the time of writing there have been nine Committee meetings with a 77% attendance rate. There was no meeting in December but this was compensated for by holding two meetings in January!! The Committee exists to serve the Members and they all deserve our thanks for their efforts. However, I would take this opportunity to particularly mention several. Following the resignation of Dave Barnett, the Hon. Treasurer, in August on health grounds, Mrs Win Meadows was co-opted to cover his role. Mrs Meadows, ably assisted by Mrs Sheelagh Toolan, resolved issues raised at the AGM 2013 concerning the 2012 accounts and managed the 2013 accounts to the end of the year. The Club is indebted to these ladies for the considerable effort that they have made on our behalf. Mrs Meadows has now relinquished her responsibilities and the Acting Hon. Treasurer is Mrs Joyce Phillips. Our thanks are also due to, Chris Brace who left us in October and to Tom Bowen who resigned as Hon. Secretary in December due to work commitments. Tom continues to edit this magazine and run the Clubs successful Facebook page. Finally, Keith Renton vacated the flat in November and now, as he loves us so much, commutes from Shropshire to serve at the bar! Angela Jones has taken over the tenancy since 1st March 2014. We welcome her and look forward to her settling in as General Manager. The gap between Keith moving out and Angela moving in saw the Clubs security breached on several occasions. An attempted break-in occurred in September but an actual break-in occurred December when a sum of money and stock were stolen and considerable damage was caused to windows and

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Hon. House Secretary To be responsible for the purchase, stocking and supply of alcohol and other beverages To maintain accurate records of purchases and to control stock To ensure that administrative procedures are in place for the efficient running of the Clubhouse To be responsible for the day-to-day management of the staff and Clubhouse in liaison with other Committee memberspresent reports to monthly Committee meetings and the AGM

Hon. Membership Secretary To administer and maintain accurate records of membership applications, resignations and lapsing To maintain accurate records and information in relation to queries about subscriptions and membership To present reports to monthly Committee meetings and the AGMliaise with the Hon. Treasurer regarding membership payments received/due

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ACTING TREASURERS REPORT

After Dave Barnetts resignation, I took on the role of Acting Treasurer until such time as a replacement could be found. It was not until early January 2014 that Mrs Joyce Phillips volunteered and was accepted unanimously at the Committee Meeting of January 8 2014. The problems with the 2012 Accounts were caused in the main by the change over from manual book-keeping to a computer software based system called Quickbooks which Dave Barnett, unfortunately, was unfamiliar with, and simple human error. As I was the one who set the system up in the first place, I felt it was incumbent upon me to redress the balance. I adjusted the 2012 Accounts and completed the 2013 Accounts, both of which have been audited and are now ready for presentation at the AGM. Any questions arising from these Accounts must be addressed in writing to the Secretary prior to the meeting as no questions will be taken from the floor on the day. For 2014 we have reduced the wage bill substantially by Mrs Phillips taking on the bulk of the administration duties. We have also ensured our stock levels are more in keeping with our turnover. As indicated in Mr Finneys report, our function business is looking very healthy and is growing at a sure and steady pace. We will be repeating our very successful Car Boot Sales from April onwards so I am confident that with these measures in place, the Club can return to profitability by the end of 2014 Win Meadows Acting Treasurer

doors. A further act of vandalism to the snooker meters was discovered on 1st March. Although an insurance claim has been submitted, these wanton acts have caused expense that we can ill-afford. The elderly alarm system has been up-graded and, at the time of writing, surveillance cameras and swipe entry systems are being researched. Please be aware that we are a target for speculative intruders. Make sure that the entrance doors are firmly closed behind you and not left on the latch; that any persons unknown to you are challenged, especially in the Snooker Rooms, and that any evidence of tampering is reported immediately. Other necessary expenditure linked to security has been the repair of the rear fence which was carried out at minimal cost by Phil Colebourne. Phil is one of the small band of Members who volunteer their time and efforts to maintain and improve the Club. They provide invaluable cost savings for us and their numbers need to increase in order to reduce the load per capita. They also have a good time, working as a team and taking refreshment together at the end of a session. Consider joining them and volunteer. Thanks must also go to the many Members who forwent their 10% discount on Membership Fees and paid the full amount in response to the Presidents Christmas letter. Their support has helped immeasurably at the start of this financial year. By the end of the January discount period a bonus for the Club of approximately 820 was received from these generous Members. Over the period from November to the end of January we also received donations of at least 1,400, a figure that will probably increase by the time all the calculations are done. Thank you all very much. Successive Presidential and Secretaries reports have tended to repeat the same old exhortations and generally talk the Club down thus exacerbating our situation. It is true that the Club finds itself at a cross-road in its history but continuing to plough the same old furrow will not help. Throughout the Club there needs to be improved communication, openness and dialogue. Members need to perceive that they have ownership of their Club again so that they will more readily use the facilities on offer leading to improved profitability and security for the future. To this end, the Committee believes that only ambitious and far-reaching alterations to the Clubs structure can address our problems; hence, the proposals outlined in the Notice of AGM. The Committee are introducing economies to address the spiralling wages bill, restructure catering and entertainments in order to reduce expenditure. Reform is also proposed through the amalgamation of Membership categories and fee structure. It is hoped that a reduction in fees will more appropriately represent the Clubs facilities at present and be more attractive to potential Members than our current package. It is proposed that there shall no longer be prompt payment discounts on fees but that the overall fees for the current Full, Joint and Senior Membership categories shall be reduced to the equivalent of 1 per week. Increases in fees are proposed for Junior, Country and Associate categories. However, where a Member is in full time education his/her fee will

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reduce and as Associate Members are frequently paid for by their partners, this would still represent overall savings for a household budget. A further innovation in the Membership structure is the re-introduction of Life Membership (LM). This is aimed at our younger (50-something) Members for the Clubs succession planning and is in effect an interest free loan to the Club by pre-paying fees due. It is proposed that LM will be available to all Full Members (i.e. not Associates) upon payment of 10 times the Annual Fee for 2015 onwards. Should the Club cease to exist within a 10 year period of the LM being taken, the Member concerned would receive a refund of the residual years already paid for except in the case of the Members death within the 10 year period. After the 10 year period, no further fees would be due from the Member. Space precludes too much detail here but figures will be available in the Clubhouse immediately prior to, and at, the AGM. Earlier, I mentioned ownership and volunteering. One of the best ways of achieving these is to work on Committee. It is essential that all parts of the Club are represented and not just the members of one particular section or another. To this end, I publish below the responsibilities of the various Committee members. Although they may seem daunting, most can be achieved with a few hours effort each week acting as part of a team. I also publish a nomination form for election to Committee at the forthcoming AGM. This form can be cut out of the magazine and returned to the Club, by 23rd April, for the attention of the Acting Hon. Secretary. Alternatively, it may be downloaded or completed online via the Clubs website. I would encourage all Members who have the time to spare, or the relevant transferable skills, to stand for Committee at this interesting time for the Club. W.T.Chipchase Acting Hon. Secretary COMMITTEE PERSONNEL AND ACTIVITIES Committee The Committee serves the Membership by being proactive to the benefit of the Club both maintaining and improving facilities, activities and events and through promoting new projects or ideas. All Committee Members serve on sub-committees. Currently, these include Catering, Social (e.g. Entertainments) and Fundraising (e.g. Car Boot Sales), Maintenance, Gardens, Snooker, Activities and Website. Some Committee Members have specific responsibilities for the day-to-day running of the Club and their roles are listed below: President Is usually a person who has been a long-standing and active Member of the Club, one who has made a significant contribution to Club life and is elected in recognition of this. Not necessarily a position of Honour, Presidents attend and may chair Committee meetings should they wish to do so.

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Hon. Secretary To act as a main point of contact for the Club, maintaining effective

written records and information in relation to queries, all administration and communications

To deal with the day to day running of the Club including all correspondence (both internally and externally) and upholding legal requirements

To organise Committee meetings and AGMs, preparing agendas, taking minutes, and distributing and communicating these as appropriate

To liaise with other Club Committee members to ensure all appropriate administration is in place and that it conforms to law

To represent the Club at meetings with external authorities To have a knowledge and understanding of roles and responsibilities of

other Committee members

Hon. Treasurer General financial oversight ensuring that appropriate financial systems

and controls are in place

Ensuring that accurate record-keeping and accounts are maintained in compliance with current legislation

Oversee and present budgets, accounts and financial statements to the monthly committee meetings

Manage bank accounts and advise on financial implications of Committee policies

Draw up annual accounts, liaise with the auditor and report to AGM Liaise with staff about financial matters, ensure that everyone handling

money keeps proper records

Take control of fixed assets and stock Make returns to HMRC Hon. House Treasurer Delegated financial responsibilities from Hon. Treasurer Day to day management of cash from machines, meters and tills Conducting cash checks Auditing weekly payroll

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