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Axbridge Caving Group - Annual General Meeting 8 January 2006

by Alan Gray

Present - Colin Rogers, Jo Lee, Janna Cook, Duncan Hooper, Richard Nicholson, Doug Harris, Dave Holmes, Mick Norton, Paul Hodgson, Peter Flanagan, John Palmer, Alan Gray. Visitor - Mark Ireland.

1.  ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN FOR THE MEETING

Alan Gray was elected as Chairman for the meeting.

2.  APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

Matthew Nicholson, Simon Moth, Keith Lee, Chris Davies.

3.  MINUTES OF THE AGM ( 9 JANUARY 2005)

The minutes of these meetings were issued with the April 2005 Newssheet. There were no comments.

4.  MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM

None

5. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT

I have now been Chairman of the ACG for 18 years and am prepared to stand again. I would like to thank the Club Officers for their hard work much of it behind the scenes.

A round up of the past years events -

Digging with no major breakthroughs in Templeton, Carcass, Shute Shelve and The Rift.

ACG Web site has now had 2180 hits since 21 September 2004 - thanks to Chris Davies for its construction and maintenance.

The ACG's 55^th Anniversary meal was well attended.

Frank Scrace attended the “Bang” course.

A very successful Bristol Harbour Festival and Bristol Open Doors Day raising £1140 for club funds and also providing very good PR for the ACG.

Gate installed in Redcliffe Railway Tunnel preventing access to Redcliffe Caves.

ACG involved in filming for the second series of Secret Underground.

New find on Axbridge Hill - Axbridge Hill Ochre Pits.

Redcliffe Caves 48 tours in 2005

Looking ahead to 2006  -

The search for the lost part of Redcliffe Caves will continue in the cellar in Guinea Street and also in the records of Bristol Reference Library.

Continuing the digging in Templeton, Carcass, Shute Shelve Cavern and The Rift.

Publication of “ACG on DVD”

Publication of Mark Ireland's book - Mining in Shipham.

Thanks to all.

Alan Gray

6. SECRETARY & ACCESS OFFICER'S REPORT

There have been no problems experienced during the past year.

Janna Cook

7. CAVING SECRETARY'S REPORT

Many active cavers in the club have been enjoying trips to Mendip, Wales and Yorkshire over 2005. The club organised trips have not been well taken up although we have introduced and maintained the interest of some new members in 2005. I conclude that a point of contact for such trips rather than a set list of trips is the most important role of the Caving Secretary.

Simon Moth

8.  TREASURER'S REPORT 

Yet another profit to report, in fact a profit of £580 that's 211% up on the 2004 figure.

The income for the group was 37% up on last year partly due to increased subscriptions, but mainly due to the additional income from Bristol Harbour Festival and Bristol Open Doors day. Sales of t-shirts, donations and permit sales were down.

Group expenditure was up by 23% on last year mainly due to increased insurance, printing, photographic and torch costs. Tackle, library and t-shirt costs were down as were subscriptions to other caving organisations.

The group's funds now stand at just over £3100.

I have not had the accounts audited but if anybody wishes to inspect the figures they are more than welcome!

I have enjoyed managing the accounts this year and am willing to stand as Treasurer for next year.

Duncan Hooper

9. TACKLE WARDEN'S REPORT

The new hats, life-line and ladder are not that well used but are necessary to enable existing and new members to have access to trips without having to buy expensive kit straight away. The new kit condition and usage is recorded so that the Tackle Rep. and Club can make a judgement to its safety and future use. In my view the next purchase that is required is two new club lights and a tackle bag. The existing lights are working at present but are very old and are not a good advert to new members.

Simon Moth

10.  JOURNAL EDITOR'S REPORT

I have issued two journals during the year. As a trial the first was issued on CD, although this was well received it was agreed that future issues would be printed. Once again the usual moan from the Journal editor - Please submit some articles - I am running out of articles to publish.

I am willing to stand as Journal Editor for next year.

Alan Gray

11. LIBRARIAN'S REPORT

Very little was spent on books last year, though the usual journals from other caving clubs have been added to the Library. It has also been a quiet year for borrowing from the Library apart from Alan who has borrowed most of it at some stage (seems that way).

Elaine Johnson

12. RESCUE CO-ORDINATOR'S REPORT

No practice rescues took place during 2005. You may recall at the last AGM I indicated that due to the lack of support during previous years that I would willing to run a practice should there be a request from sufficient people within the club. It takes a lot of organising and liaison with the MRO to be able to use the MRO equipment for these events. When we have a poor turnout it makes the rescue practice extremely difficult and when the numbers are too low it could be dangerous.

I'll stand for Rescue co-ordinator if no one else wants to do it. Again, the same proviso applies - If sufficient members request a practice I'll willingly run one.

Paul Hodgson

13.  CONSTITUTION CHANGES

None proposed.

14.  ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2006

15.  SUBSCRIPTIONS 2006

Insurance costs for 2005 - £18 for Cavers, £6 for Non-Cavers. Club Insurance £65, Access provider Insurance £100.

The cost of Caving Insurance for 2006- £15 for Cavers (a drop of £3), for Non-Cavers £5 (a drop of £1) . The cost of Club Insurance is £65 (the same) and the cost for ACG as an access provider is £50 (a drop of £50).

Note the Derbyshire Insurance Scheme (DCA) has folded so there is a likelihood that these members will transfer to the BCA scheme.

The £3 reduction in insurance cost for cavers and the £1 reduction for non-cavers has been passed on to members. In addition I propose that we further reduce the cost of membership for both cavers and non-cavers by £2. This is due to the fact that since the majority of members now receive all their newsletters by e-mail the costs of postage has dropped and also as the photocopier will be scrapped and all copying will be done by a commercial company these cost will also drop.

Note - the ACG did not receive an invoice for £60 for the hosting of the web site last year so we will probably need to pay £120 this year. [Post Meeting Note - ACG were not charged for web hosting for 2005].

I propose we lower subscriptions to £28 for caving members, £16 for non caving members and review the subscription next AGM.

The Subscription for 2006 was agreed - £28 for Cavers, £16 for Non-Cavers and £13 for ACG members who obtain their caving insurance from other clubs

16.  ANY OTHER BUSINESS

None.