Page 5 - ALG Issue 4 2014 Digital Edition

Chairman’s Comments
I think that this will be the first time that the Chairman’s Comments have been delivered by the Vice-chairman. Those of you who are regular readers of this magazine will be aware of the reasons and, for the rest of you, I will explain...
At the Management Committee Meeting held immediately after the Annual General Meeting in Blackpool in June this year, the Committee members elected Mr. Andy Percival to be the Chairman for the following twelve months. Unfortunately, shortly after that date, Andy suffered from a re-occurrence of a previous health problem which has forced him to stand down from the Management Committee. We wish him well and hope for a quick return to full health.
Whilst on the subject of regional reps we have recently lost several valued members, some due to planned retirement such as Shirley Fleetwood, Allan Cavil and Maurice Lander, although Maurice has stayed on as his successor was unable to take up the position and he will stay until a replacement can be found. Three others have had to step down for health reasons, including Andy and John Doherty. A North Eastern Local Authority member has also left due to personal reasons. We also, of course, have lost our long-term Chairman, Allan Rees who announced his retirement after the 2013 AGM and retired in May of this year.
However, it is not all doom and gloom! We have a replacement for Wales and for the East Midlands, a new representative for the Southern Region with additional prospective replacements for the West Midlands, North West and the North East. One new Local Authority member is already on board and will be at the next Management meeting.
I have great hopes for progress over the coming year with what amounts to an almost totally new Management Committee. Whilst some may be short of Management Committee level experience I believe we have a very strong team which will bring a fresh outlook to our deliberations.
Last year it was decided that our rules needed an overhaul and
a subcommittee of four members was formed, two from Standing Orders along with two from the Management Committee. The committee have met three times and a draft of the alterations is with the Standing Orders Committee. From there it will go to the
full Management Committee and then out to the members, in the Provisional Agenda, in time for their comments prior to the final Agenda for the 2015 AGM. In my view rules should not be set
in stone but should be reviewed regularly and modified to take
into consideration changing circumstances. One such change is ‘electronic communications’; whilst most of us use emails all of
the time, our website and the usual social networks, we have yet
to encompass communication with both member societies and indeed individual plot holders. The partial reason for this, I must say, is down to the reticence of those members to supply the necessary
We are sorry to announce the death, on 5 October 2014, of John Farmer; a much valued previous President of the
Society. An obituary will follow in the next magazine.
information. One area where emails have been used is in members voting and proxy voting. At the moment we are not sure of the security of such messaging and although we are looking to simplify the proxy voting system we will need more time to examine the options available before we commit to any electronic system.
Of course all this is going on at the same time that we are in discussions with the insurance company, considering the way ahead with the magazine, looking at alternatives to the Industrial Provident Society and taking advice as to changes to our rules within the Co-operative movement.
With our staff level now at six persons the normal work of the Society is continuing as usual with our two long-term assistants
Liz and Karen carrying on the good work whilst Di Appleyard is
still leading the mentors. Di is now an integral part of the National Society, looking after the website and social media as well as being involved in publicity activities including the magazine. The two new assistants, Holly and Sarah, apart from assisting in the general running of the Society are also involved in membership activities such as improving our membership information and database, chasing
up subscriptions and continuity matters. The whole operation is being overseen and supported by our Legal Adviser and Operations Manager Liz Bunting. Recently Holly has started to assist Liz with some of the legal enquiries.
In a bid to save money spent on Management Committee meetings we have recently started to hold meetings at Head Office where Sarah now takes the notes. Other changes such as the frequency and length of the meetings are also being considered.
All of this is a long way from me tending my allotment. I find many more calls on my time but still try to get a little peaceful recuperation time on my plot.
Happy Gardening!
Tony Heeson Management Committee Vice-chairman
The UK’s Market Leader For Polythene Plant Pots
Buy Online www.hadopots.co.uk
Copyright
You must own the copyright of any picture supplied
with submitted articles and you will retain copyright. However, in supplying us with the image you are granting the NAS/Crest publications a royalty-
free, world-wide license
to publish images in print and electronic format for purposes connected with the promotion of the NAS (although a credit may be given if requested). No fees will be payable.
Chrysanthemums Direct
Holmes Chapel Road, Over Peover, Knutsford, Cheshire. WA16 9RA
Telephone: 0800 046 7443 sales@chrysanthemumsdirect.co.uk
We offer over 430 varieties, the widest range in the UK, suitable for both exhibition and the garden or allotment. MANY NEW FOR 2015
All grown on our nursery, in Cheshire from clean, virus-free stock. Contact us for your copy of our catalogue or order online NOW
www.chrysanthemumsdirect.co.uk
Head Office
5