AGM Minutes 2015

Millbrook Lake Moorings Association Ltd.

Minutes of A.G.M. held in The Village Hall on 9th December 2015.

Ken Banks the new chairman of MLMA opened the meeting at 7.30pm. with the following members present;

Board Members; Ken Banks, Bruce Selkirk (treasurer), James Buss (moorings), Steve Creese (parish rep.), Tony Edwards (fisherman’s rep), Bryan Luxford (secretary), Rob Wingate and Peter Walker. Justin Elworthy and Keith Bousfield sent their apologies.

Members– 21 members present (including Board members).

Members Apologies. John Horsley and Andy Negus.

The minutes of the previous AGM were accepted as a true record.

Proposed- Paul Elliott seconded Neil Harvey.

Chairman’s Report

Ken relieved Bruce of the burden of doing both treasurers duties and the chairmanship half-way through the year, the post of vice-chairman was introduced by the board to wean Ken into the chairmanship duties. Ken thanked Bruce for his guidance over the last months and the members of the board for their services over the past year. The duties involve attending the Port of Plymouth liaison meetings and overseeing the ever increasing number of organisations that wish to have an impact on our environment with the diverse activities that take place within our area.

The year’s Key points;

  1. Establishing the correct number of moorings that we are entitled to grant within our area according to the License we hold from The Queen’s Harbour Master.
  2. Fitting reflectors to the sewage outfall post in the channel.
  3. Surveying the site at Dexter’s corner to tidy up the area.
  4. Placing signage around the Lake to signify our administration of the Lake.
  5. Meeting summer visitors as they arrive, emphasising the need to look after the Lake and shore, keeping it tidy and uncontaminated by burning rubbish etc.
  6. Periodically collecting rubbish that is bought in by the tide.
  7. Completing the task of making the “Terms and Conditions” more appropriate for our types of moorings and easier to understand. The advice from the Royal Yachting Association had been most useful through this task.
  8. Meeting with the new Land Steward for the Duchy, Chris Gregory and his assistant Chris Mathews with whom we will be dealing.

 

Secretary’s Report

Bryan welcomed the members present, and wished to thank Bruce on behalf of the membership for taking on the role of Chairman as well as continuing the outstanding job he does of keeping the finances in order and making them not only available to anyone who wishes to inspect them but in such a clear layout. Chris Knott (a member), who kindly files our financial report to Companies House each year, complimented Bruce on his spreadsheets and presentation of our accounts and wished her professional client could send her their accounts in such a good clear order. The formalities of secretary duties have continued over the year, each board member having dealt with many of the Key points mentioned by Ken. As a board we have held 9 meetings over the year Bruce, attending them all, Ken and myself 8, Peter 7, Justin 6, Keith, Rob, James and Steve 5 and Tony 4. (Steve asked to step down as Parish representative but the Parish wouldn’t let him so Steve continues to be on the board, this was an oversight of Bryan’s and not in fact mentioned at the AGM meeting.)

Until November Keith had been patrolling the Lake as Foreshore Officer, this duty he undertook most efficiently giving the board up to date information of the “goings on” and talking to our summer visitors when they arrive also keeping a beady eye on things. As Keith is now spending more time away from Millbrook he wished to be relieved of his post, the board wished to thank Keith for his dedication and efficiency in doing his patrols along with his monthly reports of his surveillance. Every 6 months under the terms of our Lease from the Duchy we have to create a Lake Inspection, as this also covers the area that Keith reported on the board to date have not continued with the post of foreshore officer. (Roddy Elworthy presented a letter to the Chairman in response to an idea Roddy had for improving the Lake, as suggestions were asked for in the invitation letters received by all members. Roddy’s suggestion of a new slip-way with a solid landing jetty will be an item on the agenda at the next Board meeting.)

 

Treasurer’s Report

Bruce distributed to those present at the meeting a handout which on one side had a summary of income & expenditure for the year 1st Jan. to Dec. 2014 and on the other-side a summary of reserves for the last 5 years, each having notes at the bottom where an explanation was required. Any member wishing to obtain more information than shown on the handout was encouraged to contact Bruce on a pink form he had available at the meeting. The 2015 year about to end was a good year of consolidation; stable income and low expenditure with no new capital project, resulting in a return to our normal situation of realising a surplus.

Looking ahead to 2016, as always we have to keep to the Duchy lease requirements that our fees should relate to commercial rates, with this in mind the Board made the decision to increase the mooring fees by a little less than 5% overall. Fees have remained unchanged for 5 years so the increase is about 1% per year and equates to the change in the “Consumer Price Index” over the period, just keeping up with inflation (and therefore Duchy rent).

 

Mooring Officer’s Report

As Justin was absent from the meeting (he was working nights) Bryan asked members present to check a few things;

  1. All mooring chains, shackles, ropes, etc.
  2. Identification buoys marked with mooring number.
  3. All the vessel details and contact details are correct on your license renewal forms so we can identify vessels if they go walk-about.
  4. If there is a change of vessel on a mooring please inform the moorings officer.

 

Issues Raised by Members.

Tom Mathews raised an on going problem we discussed at the last Board meeting, xxx not being able to get his tender to the water as other non licensed boats have obstructed his path.

 

 

Any Other Business.

Kathy Boston and Tom raised the fact that dog walkers park at the Dam where it clearly states No Parking, again stopping the passage of boats, tenders and people launching and recovering vessels at various states of the tide. Attention has been bought to the Parish Clerk of this situation recently, if there is no action taken then the environment agency will be notified of this situation on their land.

 

Election of Board Members

The existing Board were re-elected by unanimous approval.

Roddy Elworthy proposed and Alastair Spencer seconded that Paul Elliott should join the Board as a member along with the current Board. The meeting approved the proposal unanimously.

 

 

 

Ken closed the formal part of the meeting at 8.20pm.

 

 

All members present were able to enjoy refreshments and a chat with fellow members at the end of proceedings.