2007 RSCDS AGM
The following is a
précis of the AGM and Members Forum held in
a. Scrolls of Honour were presented to the following:
i.
May Macfarlane,
ii. David Cunnigham Sr., Membership Services
iii.
Helen Frame,
iv.
Kathleen McAdam,
v.
Masako Okada Naitoh –
‘Marchan’,
vi.
Fiona Turnbull,
vii. Elinor M Vandegrift, Seattle
b. HQ’s Membership data base is now launched to allow Branch Secretaries to maintain member’s data up to date.
c. All the Dance books issued by the Society to date will be reissued over the next 9 years in an A5 format. The Music for the dances will be available separately.
d. Financial Convenor in his report was critical of the support he had received from the Committee. Committee confirmed that the items raised are under discussion however, it would seem that this was not moving fast enough for the Convenor who resigned. Jim Healey has taken over this Convenorship. Jim has reviewed the financial process and identified where more robust procedures are required. Alex Gray, Deputy Chair, stated that he personally would ensure that these items were duly discussed and the agreed actions implemented.
e. There was quite a lively debate on the proposed increase in membership fees. It was pointed out that the Society were in the red to the tune of £120,000 which had to be made up from the Society’s investments. This situation could not continue otherwise the funds would run out within three years. It was stated that it cost the Society £17.85, (see breakdown*) per Member to deliver the current services. Therefore, even with the proposed Fee increase to £15 there will still be a deficit next year. It was generally agreed that the fee should have been increased incrementally over past few years to prevent this situation from arising. A number of members equated the current and proposed Society fee with that of other similar Bodies whose fees were noted to be appreciably higher, demonstrating that the Society’s membership fee provided an excellent return to members.
A Vote was held and the motion to increase the fee to £15 was passed.
For - 175; Against - 62; Abstentions - 2
Members Forum.
This was held along similar lines to last year. There was a selection of 5 topics from which each table group (8 to 10 people) chose two for discussion. The deliberations were submitted to Bristol Branch. The outcome of the discussions will be available on the RSCDS Web Site (in due course).
The choice of topics were:-
i. This Forum
ii.
Summer Schools,
iii. Publications
iv. Publicity
v. Visions
vi. Finance
Bristol Branch advised this would be their last year running the Forum and requested a volunteer to take it over for next year.
*Breakdown of Costs
Staff (net of contribution) £ 4.70
Property, Equipment, Depreciation £ 2.56
Printing, Postage, Stationery £ 1.29
Governance (audits, meetings, etc,) £ 2.08
Irrecoverable
VAT (a
Magazine (two issues) £ 3.67
Website and Database £ 0.73
Publicity £ 0.92
Youth, E&T Initiatives £ 0.68
Royalties, Licences, Archives £ 0.49
Total £17.85
George Ferrier
Hon. Chairman