STRINGS ATTACHED
Minutes of the 6th Annual General Meeting held on 2 March 2017 at 1130 at 9 Powis Square, Brighton
| Present: | David Botibol, Sandie Botibol, Charles Goldie, David Harrison, Norman Jacobs, Mary McKean (Chair), Christine Moon, Paul Moore, Andrew Polmear, Margaret Polmear, Guy Richardson, Helen Simpson |
| Apologies: | John Bosowski, Mary Budleigh, Jennifer Goldie, John McKean |
1 Chair’s welcome
The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.
2 To receive the minutes of the fifth Annual General Meeting held on 21 February 2016
The minutes were accepted as a true record of the meeting.
Proposed: Christine Moon
Seconded: David Harrison
3 To receive the Annual Report of the Committee of Strings Attached
The report was received.
The Chair drew attention to and thanked those who undertake work for Strings Attached outside the committee as follows:
- Chris Darwin (helped this year by Guy Richardson and Helen Simpson) for his outstanding programme notes and also for managing the calendar of events on the Strings Attached website.
- David Botibol for managing the Strings Attached website with such efficiency and for making it mobile phone and tablet friendly.
- Andrew Polmear for the regular newsletters and his reviews of concerts.
4 To receive the audited financial accounts for the year ended 31 December 2016
The audited financial accounts for the year ended 31 December 2016 were received.
It was noted that the financial situation of Strings Attached remains static though healthy.
5 To agree the annual subscription rate for 2017/18
It was proposed and agreed that the annual subscription for the year 1 August 2017 to 31 July 2018 should remain unchanged at £10 (£5 for students).
Proposed: Paul Moore
Seconded: Helen Simpson
6 To appoint members to the committee
The Chair reported that all members of the outgoing committee were willing to serve for a further year and they were duly appointed.
Proposed: Andrew Polmear
Seconded: David Botibol
It was proposed and duly seconded that Norman Jacobs, who curates the lunchtime concert series at St Nicholas’ Church and runs MOOT (Music Of Our Time), a not for profit music education organisation and registered charity which puts on regular concerts, talks, and musical events specifically for people with varying disabilities, join the committee. It was noted that Norman has a gift for publicity which it was hoped to harness in the interests of Strings Attached.
Proposed: Mary McKean
Seconded: David Botibol
The Chair stressed that further new committee members would be welcome and urged anyone interested in joining to contact her.
7 To consider an amendment to the constitution
The previously circulated paper and amended constitution were received.
It was noted that the existing constitution, which calls for 10 people to be in attendance at an AGM for it to be quorate, had been drawn up when it was not known how many members Strings Attached might have. Now that the number in membership has stabilised – there are currently 83 – the committee believes that the quoracy rules should be changed to enable responsiveness to a potentially changing level of membership.
Against this background it was unanimously agreed that the relevant section of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
There must be at last 10 members or 10% of the membership (whichever is the lower figure) present at the AGM.
The revision will come into effect from the 2018 AGM.
A revised constitution was duly signed by the Chair.
One member suggested considering moving to the model constitution offered by Making Music. Another member cautioned against doing so. It was, however, agreed that the committee would look into the possibility at some stage.
8 Future plans
A number of issues were aired as follows:
- The possibility of raising funds through sponsorship for extending the coffee concert season through additional concerts in September and/or April.
- Exploiting the fact that the coffee concerts are temporarily being held at the Attenborough Centre on the University of Sussex campus to build strong links with the student community there in the hope that some will also attend concerts when they return to the Corn Exchange.
- The need to develop our involvement with social media as a means to attract a younger audience.
- There will be no annual survey of members this year as responses are becoming very predictable. Instead, more general comments about the 2016/17 season and Strings Attached in general will be sought through a newsletter.
- The need to ensure that coffee concert audiences are fully aware that the move to the Attenborough Centre is temporary and to take steps to ensure that the transfer back to the Corn Exchange is as seamless as possible.
- To consider further revision to the Strings Attached website to make it more attractive.
Information about these issues will be included in a newsletter.
The committee was warmly thanked for its work throughout the year. It was noted that Andrew Comben might not remain Chief Executive of Brighton Dome and Brighton Festival for ever and, in the event of his leaving, the weight of the committee might be needed to ensure that the coffee concerts endure.
9 Any further issues for consideration
One member asked that our thanks to Andrew Comben for the sustained high standard of the coffee concerts be recorded and this was warmly agreed.
10 Closing remarks
The Chair thanked everyone for attending the meeting and invited them to stay for the refreshments provided.
Andrew and Margaret Polmear were thanked for hosting the meeting and organising the lunch.
MP/02.03.17
Note: The above minutes were approved at the AGM on 1st March 2018.