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CAA LTD AGM 2021 Company No. SC 560154 Cobbinshaw ANGLING Association Ltd Hon Secretary: A W Anderson 9 Thomson Grove Edinburgh EH14 5HZ Tel: 0131-449-2339 Email: [email protected] 2021 Postal AGM Paper 1.1 9 December 2020 2021 Annual General Meeting of Cobbinshaw Angling Association Ltd AGM CANCELLED: REVISED ARRANGEMENTS Dear Member, In the light of current and anticipated COVID restrictions and related risks, the Board of Directors has reluctantly taken the decision to postpone the 115th Annual General Meeting of the Association that was due to be held on 31 January 2021. This was a difficult but necessary decision to help safeguard the health and welfare of our members; and is in compliance with current government guidelines on meetings and travel. Given current uncertainties, there is no guarantee that a meeting can be held soon after the planned date, or even later in 2021. In these circumstances, the Board has been looking at alternative means by which it can keep members informed regarding the activities of the Association over the past year, especially in relation to financial matters. Also, there is some key business decisions that need to be made to ensure the continuing smooth running of the Association until a normal AGM can be held. The Board has therefore decided that the best course of action is to effectively conduct the 2021 AGM on a postal basis. This means that the usual AGM papers will be issued as normal per the attached booklet, and that the key areas where decisions are needed will be provided for through a postal voting process. The current Board membership will therefore continue to the extent possible until a formal AGM or similar can be held. Under the above arrangements the current officials and directors will, with one exception, remain on the Board until such time as an AGM or similar can be convened: this includes Frank Jackson and Vaughan Ruckley, both of whom were co-opted earlier this year (following early resignations of I Bailey and K Cairns). The exception relates to the Treasurer post which will need to be filled from 1 February 2021 but for which there has been no suitable applicants to date. Any member with relevant experience who is interested in this post should contact the Chair, Secretary or Treasurer as soon as possible. In the absence of a suitable volunteer to take over as Treasurer, the Board has agreed contingency arrangements that will allow the financial affairs of the Association to continue to operate without interruption. An important function of an AGM is that it allows members to have their say on how the Association is being run. This can still be achieved despite the absence of a formal meeting. Members are therefore encouraged to write to the Secretary with any comments, concerns or suggestions for improvement on any aspect of the running of the Association. All feedback will be considered by the Board and a formal reply given; if there is a particularly complex matter, the Secretary and Chair is happy to meet with a member(s) at the loch to discuss the issue in more detail. More generally, the Board regard feedback as an essential part of its accountability and transparency responsibilities, and would encourage its use so that members can be more proactive in helping to run the fishery. Approving the 2020 accounts The 2020 Accounts are included in the AGM pack at Paper 4.2. The Board met on 6 December and formally approved the accounts for issue to members following receipt of a clean examiner’s opinion and satisfactory enquiries of the Treasurer (both at the meeting and in previous meetings) in performance of their financial monitoring responsibilities. Normally the accounts would be presented to members for their approval but this !1 CAA LTD AGM 2021 Company No. SC 560154 is not feasible given current circumstances. Nevertheless the Board feel that members should be given the opportunity to ask questions on the accounts at this time should they wish to do so. Any enquiries from members on the accounts should therefore be addressed to the Secretary who will co-ordinate a reply from the Treasurer as quickly as possible. When circumstances allow the Accounts will be presented to members for formal approval as normal. Postal Voting Process 2021 The postal voting arrangement will be on an exceptions basis i.e. if a member approves the proposal they need do nothing; if they object, they should complete the voting form included in the AGM papers and send it to the Secretary so that it arrives before the closing date of 31 January 2021, either by email or by ordinary mail. A postal voting form is included in the pack at Paper 6.2; the form includes further instructions on completion and relevant contact details. The results of the vote will be posted on the Association’s website and any decision taken forward accordingly. Those areas of business that need to be voted upon are explained in Paper 6.1 and summarised below; (a) Setting a spending, single signature limit for the Treasurer This approval is required annually per the Articles of Association. The current limit is £5000. The Board’s proposal is to retain it at that level. (b) Subscription increases Flat rate increase of £10 on all subscription categories. (c) Reducing the Entrance Fee to £150 for a trial 2 year period The current Entrance Fee of £450 is regarded by many members as a deterrent to attracting new members. The need to reduce it has been discussed in recent AGM’s as part of wider proposals to attract new members. In response to these discussions the Board has unanimously agreed to propose a temporary reduction in the EF to £150 for a period of 2 years commencing season 2021, following which the matter will be put to members again for a decision on its future level. The Board hope this will help bring new members into the Association, and recommend it to members for approval. Subscription requests 2021 The subscriptions requests for 2021 will be sent out in early February 2021. Members should note that it is no longer possible to down grade membership category but for those in the Week Day-Day Only and Week Day categories it is possible to upgrade to Ordinary Membership. In Memoriam The following members / past members have sadly passed away since our last AGM: Rev R Waters; J Coutts; McCann; J Inglis; E Smith Appointment to Board of Directors As referred above, due to COVID issues and with the exception of the Honorary Treasurer position, the following directors will remain in post until a general meeting can be convened: D Moon (Honorary Chair), AW Anderson (Honorary Secretary), Vacancy (Honorary Treasurer), J Glynn, I Prentice, J Kelly, R Rudkin, F Jackson, V Ruckley. Season 2021 The 2021 season will commence on Saturday 20 March 2021 and close on Sunday 7 November 2021. Andrew W Anderson, Honorary Secretary, On behalf of the Board of Directors !2 CAA LTD AGM 2021 Company No. SC 560154 COBBINSHAW ANGLING ASSOCIATION LTD DOCUMENT PACK IN LIEU OF 2021 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND POSTAL VOTING FORM CONTENTS / ITEMS OF BUSINESS 1. Cover letter explaining 2021 special circumstances (Paper 1.1) 2. Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on Sunday, 28 January 2019 (Paper 2.1) (A) Matters arising - see Appendix to minutes of that meeting 3. Honorary Secretary’s Annual Report (Paper 3.1) 4. Honorary Treasurer’s Annual Report and Accounts for year ended 31 October 2019 (Paper 4.1 and Paper 4.2) 5. Honorary Chairman’s Annual Report (Paper 5.1) 6. Proposed Amendments to Articles of Association and associated Regulations (Paper 6.1) (A) A Postal Voting Form (Paper 6.2) is included separately with this AGM pack to facilitate voting on the motions proposed above; any comments can be added on the face or the rear of the form, or on a separate sheet, as needed. 7. Election of Office Bearers and appointment of Directors (A) Due to COVID risks and consequent cancellation of the AGM, the current Officials and Directors will remain in office until a formal AGM can be convened, except for the position of Honorary Treasurer for which a volunteer with relevant experience is required. See covering letter to this AGM pack for additional information. 8. Appointment of Honorary Auditor (A) A volunteer to replace our existing auditor is required for next year’s accounts. See the Annual Report at Paper 3.1 for additional information. 9. AOB - There are no AOB items this year. 10. Presentation of Trophies (A) Trophy for the heaviest rainbow of the season: won by J MacDowall for a rainbow of 8lbs 5ozs. (B) Malcolm Thomson Trophy for the heaviest brown trout of the season - none killed so not awarded. (C) Cobbinshaw Challenge was cancelled this year due to COVID restrictions. A W Anderson Honorary Secretary 9 December 2020 !3 CAA LTD AGM 2021 Company No. SC 560154 2021 Postal AGM Paper 2.1 Minutes of 2020 AGM of Cobbinshaw Angling Association Ltd Held at Uphall Golf Club on Sunday 26th January 2020 Order of business 1. As detailed in the Agenda. Introduction 2. The Chairman informed the meeting that there were 70 Members present, and he thanked Frank Jackson for volunteering as teller and managing the sign-in. He also thanked those present for attending the AGM. Apologies 3. C McIsaac; S Maxwell; I Bailey; D Blackwood; J Pyper; P Hardie; A Nelson; A Wright; D Gribble; T McGarvie; M Makison; C Turnbull; C Hardie; A Fry; K Cairns In Memoriam 4.