North Strathclyde Area Annual General Meeting followed by “Helensburgh Scenic Circular” walk led by a member of Helensburgh & West Dunbartonshire Group st Saturday, 21 January, 2017 CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKLET Page 2 Location map. Page 3 Notice of the AGM of North Strathclyde Area. Page 3 Agenda. Page 4 Notes on Nominations and Motions. Page 5 Annual Report of Area Council 2015/16. Page 12 Treasurer’s Report and Accounts 2015/16. THIS BOOKLET CAN BE OBTAINED IN LARGE PRINT FROM BARRY POTTLE, 33 BRACKENBRAE AVENUE, BISHOPBRIGGS, GLASGOW, G64 2BW OR [email protected]. North Strathclyde Area comprises Bearsden & Milngavie, Cumbernauld & Kilsyth, Glasgow, Glasgow Young Walkers, Helensburgh & West Dunbartonshire, Mid-Argyll & Kintyre, Monklands and Strathkelvin Groups. It is part of the Ramblers' Association, a registered charity (England and Wales no.: 1093577 Scotland no.: SC039799), and a company limited by Guarantee, registered in England and Wales (no. 4458492). Registered office: 2nd floor, Camelford House, 87-90 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TW. AGM LOCATION MAP The location is less than 300 yards along Princess Street from the railway station. Buses to Helensburgh stop across from the station. There is a car park within 100 yards (entrance off Sinclair Street), but parking there is only free for first two hours. The Pier car park, about 600 yards away, is pay and display nearest the town, but free at the far end near the sea. Page 2 of 16 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Seventh Annual General Meeting of North Strathclyde Area of the Ramblers’ Association will be held in the small hall, Helensburgh Parish Church, Colquhoun Square, Helensburgh on SATURDAY, 21ST JANUARY, 2017 at 10.00 a.m. for a 10.30 start. The Agenda for the meeting is on Pages 3-4 of this booklet. Area Secretary: Mrs. E. Lawie, Burnside Cottage, 64 Main Street, GLENBOIG, Lanarkshire, ML5 2RD. Please see the location map on Page 2 of this booklet. Copies of the Area Constitution and Standing Orders may be obtained on request from Barry Pottle, 33 Brackenbrae Avenue, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2BW or [email protected]. It is hoped during the meeting to have speakers on the Pathwatch project and Clyde Coastal Path, both of which are referred to in the Annual Report below. It is hoped to follow the meeting with a members’ walk "Helensburgh Scenic Circular" (distance 5½ miles/9 km; height climbed about 300 feet/100 metres). Members wishing to stay for the walk should bring packed lunches. Alternatively, there are cafés nearby where members could have lunch, provided they are able to return to the venue in time for the start of the walk. (The start time for the walk will depend on when the meeting finishes.) AGENDA 1. Chairman’s Introduction. 2. Apologies for absence. 3. Minutes of the Sixth Annual General Meeting of North Strathclyde Area held on 16th January, 2016. Copies of the Minutes will be available at the meeting, or may be obtained in advance from Barry Pottle, 33 Brackenbrae Avenue, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, G64 2BW or [email protected]. 4. Matters arising from those Minutes. 5. Annual Report of the Area Council of North Strathclyde and Audited Statements of Account for the year ended 30th September, 2016. See Pages 5-12 of this booklet for Annual Report and Pages 12-15 for Treasurer’s Report and Accounts. 6. Motions affecting the Area Constitution and/or Standing Orders. See notes on Nominations and Motions on Page 4 of this booklet. If any motions are notified, separate notice will be circulated to members 7. Election of Honorary Officers. Nominations are invited for Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Footpath & Countryside Co- ordinator, Publicity Officer. See notes on Nominations and Motions on Page 4 of this booklet. 8. Election of Representatives of individual members to the Area Council. Nominations are invited for election of Representatives of individual members to the Area Council. The AGM will decide how many representatives it desires to elect, subject to the maximum required to comply with the final sentence of Clause 6(i) of the Constitution See notes on Nominations and Motions on Page 4 of this booklet. Page 3 of 16 . 9. Determination of representation of local affiliated organisations to the Area Council (if necessary). Each local affiliated organisation is entitled to nominate one representative to the Area Council, provided that, where more than two organisations have made nominations, the places are allocated by lot. In the event that drawing of lots is required, this will take place at the AGM. 10. Appointment of Independent Examiner. Nominations are invited for appointment as Independent Examiner, whose responsibility is to check the Accounts prepared by the Treasurer and certify whether they are a true and accurate record. See notes on Nominations and Motions below. 11. Ordinary Motions: Area motions, Motions to Scottish Council, Motions to General Council, Recommendations to the Area Council and/or to local Groups of the Area. See notes on Nominations and Motions below. 12. Election of Representatives to Scottish Council and General Council. Nominations are invited for: two representatives of the Area to the Scottish Council of the Association, which will be meeting on 11th/12th March, 2017 (location to be confirmed), and two representatives of the Area to the General Council of’ the Association, which will be meeting at the University of Southampton on 1st/2nd April, 2017. See notes on Nominations and Motions below. 13. Any other competent business. NOTES ON NOMINATIONS AND MOTIONS Any motions affecting the present Area Constitution and/or Standing Orders must be notified in writing, signed by the proposer and seconder, to the Area Hon. Secretary by 24th December, 2016. Nominations for election and ordinary motions must be notified in writing, signed by the proposer and seconder, and with the signed acceptance of the nominee, to the Area Hon. Secretary by 14th January, 2017, except that: (a) the requirement for prior notification of a nomination will be waived if there is a vacancy for any post and no other nominations for that post been notified, (b) at the discretion of the meeting, emergency motions may be accepted relating to matters arising at a date when it would not have been possible to give timeous notification. All nominees, proposers and seconders must be individual members of the Area or representatives of local affiliated organisations. (Representatives of local affiliated organisations may not be nominated as, or be proposers and seconders of, representatives of individual members.) If notification of any motion affecting the present Area Constitution and/or Standing Orders is received, notice of the motion will be sent to all members in advance of the meeting. Details of all nominations and ordinary motions notified will be available at the start of the meeting itself. Page 4 of 16 REPORT OF THE AREA COUNCIL 2015/16 This is the sixth Annual Report of the Council of the Ramblers’ Association Scotland – North Strathclyde Area, which came into existence on 1st October, 2010. The period covered by this report is 1st October, 2015 to 30th September, 2016. It is stated in a number of places that copy documents can be obtained on request from Barry Pottle. His contact details are shown on the front page of this booklet. Note on abbreviations: AC - Area Council CEC - Scottish Council Executive Committee AEC - Area Executive Committee BofT - Board of Trustees of Ramblers as a whole. CRs – Concerned Ramblers RAMBLERS GB Chief Executive After four successful years, Benedict Southworth has stepped down as Ramblers’ Chief Executive. Over this time, Ramblers has continued to expand its work opening up more places for walkers across Britain, while defending their rights and promoting the benefits of walking to everyone, everywhere. Benedict has established a new vision and a long term strategy, improved support for volunteers, made internal devolution to the nations work and strengthened the finances of the charity. Natasha Clayton has been appointed as Ramblers’ interim Chief Executive. Her most recent role was interim chief executive at Farm Africa, where she was previously chief operating officer. She has also worked at the Prince’s Charities and Diabetes UK and is trustee of Transparency International. Vanessa Griffiths will be taking over as Chief Executive in November 2016. She comes with a wealth of experience, most recently through her role as Assistant Director at National Trust Wales. Her background in conservation and sustainable development makes her the perfect candidate to lead the Ramblers in an ongoing journey to protect and promote the British walking environment. Ramblers Governance A response was submitted on behalf of the Area to a consultation on Area and Group governance, received from Ramblers Central Office. A copy of the response can be obtained on request from Barry Pottle. RAMBLERS SCOTLAND Interim Director of Ramblers Scotland Brendan Paddy is interim Director of Ramblers Scotland, covering for Jess Dolan’s maternity leave. rendan previousl worked at the Disasters Emergenc Committee, where he was Director of Communications for almost seven years at their London offices. Originally from New Zealand, Brendan has vast experience with high-profile organisations, including roles at Amnesty International, Save the Children and the Environment Agency. Ramblers Walk About Festival Hundreds of walks took place from 3rd to 11th September, 2016, as part of The Ramblers’ new Walk About Britain festival. The flagship event for Scotland was a day of walks and fun at Balloch Castle Country Park on 3rd September. There were 20 different led walks ranging from gentle 15-minute walks to challenging hill climbs – and everything in between. In the lochside marquee beneath Balloch Castle, activities included a talk from Forestr Commission Scotland’s James Ogilvie, who will describe his journey from regular hillwalker to climbing the highest peaks on each of the seven continents.