Minutes of the Annual General Meeting
Date: 2nd December 2015
Time: 4.00pm - 6.00pm
Venue: Cambridge House, 1 Addington Square, Camberwell, London, SE5 0HF
Present:
Name Organisation Aarti Gandesaha Healthwatch Southwark Alison Goldsmith Healthwatch Southwark Andrea Hafliger Community Action Southwark (minutes) Catherine Negus Healthwatch Southwark Chithmini De Silva Healthwatch Southwark Clare Chamberlain Community Action Southwark Deborah Hayman Community Action Southwark Gordon McCullough Community Action Southwark - (CAS CEO) Graham Collins Community Action Southwark Jo Palmer Community Action Southwark Mariana Meirelles Community Action Southwark Marlijn Wijkhuizen Community Action Southwark
Matthew Sheldon Community Action Southwark Rachel Clarkson Community Action Southwark Robert Jamieson Community Action Southwark Truly Johnston Community Action Southwark Victor Momodu Community Action Southwark Yannick Masozera Community Action Southwark Andrew Rice CAS Trustee
Page 1 of 6 Beccy Allen CAS Trustee Jacky Bourke- Age UK/CAS Trustee White Jim Wintour United St Saviour's Charity/CAS Treasurer Khosi Manaka AAINA Women’s/CAS Trustee Mark Parker CAS Trustee Matthew Guest CAS trustee Stuart Cox CAS trustee Verinder Mander Southwark Carers/CAS Chair Karen Woodley Cambridge House/Cas Trustee Doyin Adebiyi IBA Charity Fred Annin Actionplus Foundation Matthew Allgood United St Saviour’s Charity Lindsay Carmen Camberwell After School Project Isabelle Clement Wheels for Wellbeing Caroline Clipson Alzheimers Society Martyn Craddock United St Saviour’s Charity David Dravie-John Henrolda Autistic and Youth network Organisation Nick Dunne Bede House Association Dorcas Fayemi IBA Charity Victoria Foster Age UK Lewisham & Southwark John Fraser Julie Gomez Henrolda Autistic and Youth network Organisation Robert Havrincea Romanian – Hungarian Organisation Boris Dulcie Hutchinson Springs of Hope Agnes Ingleton- Henrolda Autistic and Youth network Conteh Organisation Ahlam Laabori Bede Star Fish Helen Laker Southwark Council Jim Lodge Southwark Friends of the Earth Stephanie Lodge Southwark Friends of the Earth Andrew Matheson Southwark Council Alex Margolies Toucan Employment Catherine McGrath Bede House Valerie Oldfield Wheels for Wellbeing Jackie Peirce Southwark Law Centre and UKLGIG Angela Woodley Three C’s Susan Underhill Blackfriars Settlement
Apologies: Angus Lyon (Southwark Council)
Page 3 of 6 1. Welcome and apologies Gordon welcomed all to the Annual General Meeting. The AGM commenced at 4.30pm and was chaired by Verinder Mander, Chair of the board of Trustees.
2. Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting on 3rd December 2014
Copies of the minutes of the AGM on 3rd December 2014 were circulated prior to the meeting and handed out during registration. The Chair invited questions but none were raised. The minutes were unanimously accepted as an accurate reflection of the discussions that took place on the day – proposed by Matthew Allgood (United St Saviour’s) and seconded by Mark Parker (CAS Trustee)
3. Chair and Chief Executive Reports Verinder highlighted that it was a challenging year for the sector, with many organisations suffering financial cuts; and residents and community of Southwark requiring more support. CAS has continued supporting, looked at best practices, looked into consortiums and collaborations. Verinder highlighted the excellent traning and consultancy work CAS provides and said that CAS has gone beyond Southwark. In the last year she has seen CAS continue to go from strength to strength. Verinder mentioned that CAS has had it’s own challenges, including negotiations with Volunteer Centre and other organisations within the borough, however have put aside grievances and always looking at best interests of Southwark’s beneficiaries. Whilst the merger last year was difficult Verinder feels that it has bought a lot of strength to the organisation.
Gordon (CEO) thanked everyone who has supported CAS. He thanked the Trustees for all their support and guidance during a year of change; thanked staff for their commitment and effort put into all their work; thanked volunteers of CAS; and all the funders – with particular mention to Southwark Council for the understanding of the value of CAS and the Big Lottery and City Bridge Trust funders.
Gordon gave an overview of CAS’s activities over the reporting period, highlighting; Impact and evaluation support, Community Catalysts – support for micro-enterprises; Personalisation, Southwark Emergency Support Scheme, Early Action; Commissioning, Social Value Act, Healthwatch played a crucial part in 1,000 lives engagement / Health and Wellbeing, Safeguarding summit, Overview and scrutiny.
Gordon also highlighted the merger with Volunteer Centre Southwark on 1/05/15. Excited by the next stage. He then gave an overview of impact figures as reported for the volunteering service.
There were no questions from members.
4. Treasurer’s report on the accounts and financial statements Jim Wintour paid tribute to Verinder and Gordon’s work. He gave an overview from the audited accounts of CAS’s financial position and activities in the last financial year. The organisation made a loss of £3,427 (0.9% decrease on 2013-14), which Jim said was not a big problem for an organisation that turns over £1million. The reserves are £369, 998.
JW stated that we are facing a difficult time over the next 4 years. Reccommended that if there was indication of financial difficulty to make decisions early on.
There were no questions from members. 5. Resolution 1: To adopt the annual accounts for the year ending 31 March 2015 and Treasurer’s Report
This motion was proposed by Jim Wintour (CAS Trustee) and seconded by Matthew Guest (CAS Trustee). The members unanimously adopted the annual accounts.
6. Resolution 2: To appoint the auditors for the year 2015/16
Jim proposed the reappointment of the current auditors: Haines Watts, Old Station House, Station Approach, Newport Street, Swindon SN1 3DU; seconded by Jacky Bourke-White and accepted by all members present.
7. Resolution 3: That CAS’s Memorandum and Articles are revised to reflect changes in charitable objects and area of operation
The aims of the proposed changes are as follows:
• To include a specific provision that includes the promotion and support of volunteering as a consequence of the merger with Volunteer Centre Southwark • To provide greater scope to work outside the boundaries of Southwark and its most immediate neighbouring boroughs.
Article 15 (15.1 and 15.2) in the current Memorandum and Articles to be amended with the following reading as follows:
15. The Charity’s objects (“the Objects”) are: 15.1 to promote any charitable purpose for the benefit of the public and particularly, but not limited to, the public who live and work in the London Borough of Southwark and surrounding London boroughs, including: to advance education, protect health, relieve poverty distress and sickness, promote voluntary work and a volunteer service and to provide facilities for recreation and other leisure time occupation in the interests of social welfare with the aim of improving the conditions of life of the public. 15.2 to promote the efficiency and effectiveness of voluntary and charitable sector organisations providing health, community care and children’s and family services for the benefit of the public and particularly, but not limited to, the public who live and work in the London Borough of Southwark and surrounding London Boroughs, through promoting good practice and partnerships within the voluntary and charitable sector.”
This motion was moved by Jim Wintour (CAS Trustee) and seconded by Nick Dunne (Bede House Association) and accepted by all members present.
8. Resolution 4: To appoint co-opted CAS trustees
Gordon confirmed that Verinder would be stepping down as Chair but will remain a CAS Trustee. Gordon thanked Verinder for all her support for CAS. The Board will select a new chair at the next meeting. Page 5 of 6 The following co-opted Trustees are appointed as full Trustees: • Michael Bukola (Volunteer Centre Southwark) • Khosi Manaka (Aaina Women’s Group) • Karin Woodley (Cambridge House)
To appoint trustee(s) nominated according to section 16.2 of CAS’s governing document • Matthew Guest (appointee)
This resolution was moved by Jacky Bourke-White (CAS Trustee) and seconded by Nick Dunne (Bede House Association) and accepted by all members present.
9. Any other business None
10. Close VM and Gordon thanked all for attending and closed the meeting at 5.20pm followed by table discussions about CAS’s strategic priorities 2016-2019 – a chance to feed into what CAS will be doing for the next three years, and announcement of the new name (Community Southwark). A summary of the discussions is available here.