Bermondsey BSAC AGM - 3rd February 2016

In attendance: 23 members

Apologies: 3 members

Chair: Pat

Chair’s opening statement and welcome

• Pat welcomed attendees and noted the meeting was quorate. He noted that 2015 had been a good year for the club.

Minutes of the previous AGM (04/02/2015) and matters arising

• These minutes are available to view on the club blog. Minutes agreed.
• There were no matters arising.

Officers’ reports

• Training Officer – Chris reported that, in 2015, the club had trained 1x Dolphin Snorkelers, 3x Snorkel Divers, 8x Ocean Divers, 1x Sports Diver and a Sports Diver refresher, and 2x Dive Leaders.  23 try dives had been delivered, and 2 club members had done the Instructor Foundation Course. Lee thanked Chris and the instructors for all their hard work this year.
• Diving Officer – Lee noted BSAC’s 2015 Diving Incident Report, and the trends it revealed. The club has an entry on page 38 (re: the Falmouth fills). Bermondsey incidents were discussed – none of these resulted in DCI or injury, however they highlighted where the club needs to focus its training (in SMB deployment, for example). 8 club divers entered a decompression chamber early last year, but did this for fun, not out of necessity. Clive noted BSAC’s new resuscitation rules. The 2016 dive list was discussed, and it was noted that take-up was slower than this time last year. Lee noted that dive medicals are not hugely expensive (around £60), and that members should have one if they think they need one. Dave asked if there was still a requirement for refresher training before the first dive of the year – Pat confirmed there wasn’t, but the DO can determine whether someone is fit to dive or not.
• Equipment Officer – Ross noted that the club had acquired 3 wetsuits and 2 regulator sets this year, but lost 2 Dacor regulator sets. Other Dacor regulator sets are functioning but are old. Mixing of manufacturers in regulator sets is not recommended nowadays. The club has masks and fins in a range of sizes, 4x 10-litre cylinders and 4x 12-litre cylinders. New arrangements for lending club kit to members were noted – instructors will take responsibility.
• Secretary – Victor noted that most of his work as Secretary involved weekly emails to members, answering emails sent to the club, and taking minutes at meetings. Chris and Colin were thanked for sending emails and taking minutes when he was absent.
• Treasurer – Ken handed out an accounts summary and noted that the club was in a reasonably good position financially. The club will be slightly cash positive at the end of 2015, once members have paid the club back for the equipment cleaning done after the Falmouth fills problem. Ken is pursuing matters with Seaways on behalf of the club. Pat asked members to remember to pay promptly after dives. Ken asked if members could use an obvious payment reference if possible when paying online. Colin reported that the club currently has 39 members.
• Chair – Pat had little to add to his earlier opening statement, but reminded members that the club would be celebrating its 60^th with an anniversary event at Ross’s place. Dave queried what the cost would be – Pat answered that this hadn’t been settled yet, but it would be reasonable. Pat also mentioned that Mevagissey dates have been announced, and that interested members will need to sign up soon, as accommodation is being snapped up.
• Welfare Officer – Teresa noted that BSAC’s Buddyguard policy had been published in 2015, and the club must follow it. Instructors and volunteers must abide by its code of conduct. The club also needs to adopt an equal opportunities policy and a whistleblowing policy. Noted that parents of children will need to attend non-pool dives.

Grant funding

• Sally took on the job of applying for grant funding on behalf of the club. She researched what sources of funding were available, and settled on applying to Sport England’s Small Grants Programme for a grant to fund a project to encourage try-diving in the club’s 60^th year. This would be spent on equipment for try-dives and open water dives, namely 10 sets of kit including smaller cylinders.
• Sally announced that the bid was successful, and Sport England have awarded £8,225 to the club. Sport England require an amendment to the constitution to include a “fully charitable dissolution clause”.
• Pat thanked Sally for her work on this project.

Motions

• A motion to amend the constitution, as per Sport England’s requirement, was considered. The amendment would add the following text (in bold) to paragraph 17 of the club’s constitution: “17. If a resolution to dissolve the branch be passed at a general meeting and confirmed by a two to one majority in a postal ballot, circulated to all members of the branch, then the branch shall be dissolved. This being so all funds, property and equipment will be disposed of by a majority vote of the branch members. All property and equipment will be given to an organisation with similar charitable objectives or to the National Governing Body of the sport”.
• Victor spoke in favour of the above motion. The matter was put to a vote and was carried unanimously.
• Dave proposed a policy motion to limit the number of years the position of Chair can be held by the same member to 3 years in a row. Dave explained that this was intended to bring fresh blood and new ideas to the role, and would encourage new people to come forward and get involved in running the club.
• Ken spoke against Dave’s motion. It was noted that 5 people had been nominated for Chair this year, but only 1 person accepted their nomination – given that there was no shortage of nominations, the proposed motion would not make a difference, it was suggested.
• Pat expressed a desire to see more people coming forward, volunteering and shadowing. Sally noted that if any member has an idea, they shouldn’t hesitate to speak up. Victor noted that there were many small jobs that needed doing in the club, and that anyone in the club could do these.
• An issue with Dave’s motion was noted – if passed, it would not change the constitution, so there would be no constitutional barrier to a person standing and being elected as Chair for more than 3 years.
• Dave withdrew the motion. Pat thanked Dave for raising the issue and provoking a discussion about volunteering with the club. 

Canada Water masterplan

• Victor noted that LB Southwark had cancelled an £8m refurbishment of Seven Islands Leisure Centre. Public consultation on the Canada Water masterplan had been announced – this project will include a new leisure centre to replace Seven Islands. Masterplan exhibition dates were noted. Members were encouraged to attend, and/or to lobby their councillors (around a third of the club live in LB Southwark). Secretary to write to LB Southwark about the new leisure centre, and the facilities we’d like to see provided.

Elections

• Although the 4 committee positions were uncontested, an election was still required by the club’s constitution. All candidates had been seconded.
• Victor reported that 3 members had cast their votes in advance, and had sent apologies.
• A secret ballot was held.
• Pat was elected Chair, Lee and Clive (jobshare) were elected Diving Officer, Ken was elected Treasurer, and Victor was elected Secretary.

Other business

• Medical self-declaration forms were collected.
• Pat closed the meeting at 9.30pm.