Minutes of the YBKA Delegates Meeting 2021
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Minutes of the virtual Delegates Meeting of the Yorkshire Beekeepers Association, 27th March 2021, starting at 10am Present: Dave Shannon (Chair); Mark Millard (Vice Chair); Norbert Cooper (Treasurer); Clare McGettigan (Education and Training); Kirit Gorhandas (Exams and Assessments); Linda Schofield (Secretary); Peter Lewis (Chief Steward Yorkshire Honey Show); Richard Bond (BBKA Link Trustee) and representatives from the following districts: Rotherham; Barnsley; Doncaster; Ryedale; Airedale; Barkston Ash; Leeds; Huddersfield; Whitby; Northallerton; Wakefield; York; Halifax; Bradford; Beverley; Wharfedale; Darlington 1. Dave Shannon welcomed all attendees at this the first virtual YBKA Delegates Meeting, resulting from the restrictions imposed by the Covid- 19 pandemic. Dave handed over to Mark Millard to lead the meeting through the agenda. 2. Apologies for absence: Richmond BKA; Selby BKA; Phil Gee; Brian Lightfoot 3. Quoracy confirmed as 17:22 districts represented. Information on voting had been pre-circulated. Norbert to act as Teller, in the event of a formal, weighted, vote being taken. 4. Minutes of the Delegates Meeting 2020 had been pre-circulated. 5. Matters arising - Linda explained the small amendment made to the Examinations and Assessment section. Clare McGettigan proposed acceptance of the minutes as an accurate record, seconded by Tony Jefferson. 6. Reports of all officers had been pre-circulated. Mark asked for any queries/clarifications regarding reports of: • The Chair (none) • Secretary (none) – Linda reminded district representatives to ask that changes of members’ email addresses are raised with the local membership secretary to change on the eR2 system. Norbert needs details of Officer address changes to amend mailing lists. • Treasurer – Wharfedale asked for clarification of the sum of monies YBKA holds in reserve. Norbert advised Norbert advised that the Charity Commission requires a minimum reserve of 50% of annual expenditure to provide sufficient working capital and to fund future equipment purchases. Financial accounts for the year ended 30th September 2020 show a reserve of £39,029 which is 87% of total expenditure of £44,872. This is not considered to be excessive and provides a financial buffer against unexpected falls in income or increases in expenditure Whitby thanked Norbert for his help with a recent Gift Aid claim. Norbert reminded all districts that he is happy to help with Gift Aid applications and noted that HMRC is especially prompt in processing them at present. • Examinations and Assessments – Wakefield asked whether exams will be available in both written and electronic formats in November 2021; Airedale asked whether members will be asked for their preference. Kirit noted that written exams will be offered, subject to restrictions at the time, but location of examination sites may be reduced. There are challenges to offering examinations in both formats and some technical issues in respect of suitable equipment to permit electronic entry. Richard Bond clarified that the Examinations Board is meeting weekly to address the challenges, but the present intention is to offer both formats. Last week’s electronic mock exams received positive feedback. Technical issues still to be resolved, including accommodating candidates with special needs. • Education and Training – Clare thanked all presenters and contributors to the virtual Modules training sessions. The membership survey had suggested a reluctance to travel any great distance for face-to-face training, but it has been suggested that the way the question was posed could have influenced the outcome. A further consultation is intended after the Module 1 and 2 training sessions have been completed. Airedale noted that the location of training venues has been a longstanding issue. Wakefield thanked Clare for all she has done to keep training and learning alive during the restrictions. The meeting agreed to forgo the scheduled refreshment break and continue with the business of the day. 7. Tony’s report from the BBKA virtual ADM 2021 had been pre-circulated. In brief, he noted that despite some initial reservations, the virtual meeting ran much more smoothly than anticipated and there had been plenty of opportunities for pre-meeting discussions/consultations between area delegates. There had been training sessions offered for attenders, but some, who should have taken advantage of these, sadly did not use them to full effect. On balance, Tony feels that this is the way forward: more effective in terms of costs (eg travel and accommodation) and time. Tony welcomed having a voting substitute on hand (Linda), allowing for regular communication throughout the meeting to check out views on issues arising on the day. Tony asked Richard to feedback his impressions to BBKA. Wharfedale asked for some clarification on how Tony had voted. Tony reminded the meeting that a full YBKA consultation on all the propositions to be voted on had only resulted in 2 responses. In the event, final decisions had needed to be taken by the GPC. • The proposed £2 increase in BBKA capitation fees had been supported, on balance. • The proposed change to the weighted voting system (that Tony had helped to devise), modified to accommodate the YBKA proviso that the new system be trialled for 3 years, was, ironically very narrowly defeated on a weighted, membership, vote, having been passed on the, single, delegate vote. As a constitutional matter, the vote needed to meet a threshold of 75% to be carried. This means that the previous dual system of voting continues. • The required membership size of new applicant Area Associations was confirmed at 75. • An emergency proposition, on the day, to demonstrate the BBKA membership view on the neonicotinoid derogation, was passed unanimously. Tony noted that some delegates were representing areas whilst also members of the BBKA executive and felt this poses a potential conflict of interest. He suggests that this is a suitable proposition for YBKA to table next year. Airedale thanked Tony and Linda for representing YBKA at the meeting. 8. Peter Lewis provided an update on the Great Yorkshire Show 2021 as follows: On 1 March it was announced that, subject to Covid regulations at the time, it is hoped to stage a 4-day GYS, beginning 13 July. Three weeks earlier, discussion between the Hives and Honey Show representatives and GYS directorate had agreed that a full Yorkshire Honey Show would not be viable this year. Representatives clear that the usual volume of visitors and the judging of a food product could not be accommodated safely. It was agreed, however, to attempt to stage a “grocer’s shop window” display of hive products, with the possibility of a static display of the hive to jar extraction process, to accommodate public interest and maintain a safe profile within the Show. Management of the venue to include a one-way visitor flow on a 1:1 exit/entry basis. The finer details of how the entire GYS will be managed are still to be confirmed. Peter noted that every other major agricultural show throughout the country has been cancelled for this year and, usually, exhibitors move their entries between several shows in succession. • Peter asked for feedback from districts regarding interest in contributing to the proposed showcase display. He notes that any honey exhibits for the display could include both unlabelled (as for competition entry) and labelled, providing an advertising opportunity for exhibitors. • Requests for more information about what this would entail and numbers of volunteers to steward the exhibition cannot be answered fully yet. • Beverley BKA noted that the Driffield Show has decided to go ahead if possible, with 50% fewer visitor admissions spread over more days. There will be no Honey Show as such at the event, but an educational display. This seems to mirror the GYS planning. Peter agreed to let Linda have any further details/expectations to circulate to districts. Dave asked delegates to raise the matter in their districts and feedback to Peter. 9. Mark Millard advised that the Yorkshire Agricultural Show executive has not yet made any announcement about the 2021 Countryside Live event. The primary focus is clearly on the GYS. Mark noted that the National Honey Show Committee is still debating whether this year’s event, in November, will be held live. • Airedale suggested that in the light of so many cancelled Honey Show events and the proven success of Zoom as a vehicle for providing training, this would seem a good time for providing some guidance to beginners on how to prepare exhibits to show. Mark Millard and Peter Lewis both expressed interest in this. 10. No formal propositions had been received from any YBKA district within the given timescales for circulation, however: • Mark Millard noted that an issue raised by a Wakefield member in respect of the importation of bees had been overtaken by events, most significantly the BBKA parliamentary petition, raised by Anne Rowberry. Dave encouraged all YBKA members to sign this. Richard Bond advised that discussions were being held, late last night, at BBKA discussing the potential to ban Bee Equipment UK advertising in BBKA publications and at events. There are some legal issues to be clarified and potential costs in actioning this. A previous proposition that BBKA express concern regarding the practice of importing bees, was passed at an ADM, when the UK was still an EU member state. BBKA addressed this by means of a position statement in