Minutes of the 20th (105th) Annual General Meeting of the St Beghian Society

held in the Whitelaw Building on Saturday, 21st September 2013 at 11.00am.

The President, Anthony Wills, welcomed everyone to the meeting, which included James Davies (Headmaster), David Lord (Secretary/Treasurer), Pam Rumney (Minutes) and 22 others.

1. The Minutes of the 104th Annual General Meeting held on Saturday, 15th September 2012 as published in the January 2013 Bulletin. Matters arising:
   i. Donald Brownrigg raised his concerns over Item 6 i regarding Abbey Farm and the Restrictive Covenant and    explained that he felt far from satisfied with the treatment he had received and the conclusion to date. He wished it to    be noted that although, as stated, he was shown the correspondence between the President and the Governors, it    had been under strict supervision and no copies were allowed to be taken. He also stated that he had been very    upset by a comment where he felt that he had been asked to resign from the Society. David Lord advised that, in his    opinion, this was not the case as the member in question had only stated ‘that he should consider his position’.    Donald asked if the minutes could be changed to include the wording that ‘no copies were allowed to be taken’. After    some discussion, Mark Roberts proposed that, if this amendment would conclude the situation, the minutes should be    changed as requested. Proposed by Mark Roberts, seconded by Stan Holmes. All members present approved the    proposal. Anthony Wills again reiterated that Donald should address any further issues to the Governors direct. 

2. The Election of Officers:
   a) Committee - Retiring this year were Mr John Dunn, Mr Richard Hall and Mr Mark Roberts. This was accepted as read.
   b) Secretary and Treasurer - David Lord indicated that he was willing to continue until a suitable replacement could be identified. In this fast moving, technological age David believed that a younger person would be more suited to the position. Proposed by Darryl Davies and seconded by Richard Hall.
   c) Nominative Governors - Matthew Rigby was due to retire this year and the Committee recommended that he should continue. The Secretary mentioned that Matthew’s retirement and request for further nominations had unfortunately not been included in the January Bulletin. Matthew’s re-appointment was proposed by Mark Roberts and seconded by Alastair Lord.
   d) Golfing Secretary - It was agreed that James Doggett should continue in the post and he was duly re-elected.
   e) Accounts Checker - Jason Spires had also expressed his willingness to continue and was re-elected.
   f) President Elect for 2013-2015 - The President advised that he had approached a few people but without success for 2013 and therefore recommended that he would hold the post for a further year until Dacre Watson (SH 56-62) could take over in Sept 2014. Dacre, a retired airline pilot, is very much involved in the Royal Aeronautical Society over the coming year, but would be delighted to take up the position in a year’s time. Alec MacCaig proposed this and it was seconded by Tony Rigby.

3. School Update - James Davies commenced by saying that he was hugely grateful for the support received from St Beghian Society members over the last year. Pupil numbers had been falling and he was anticipating a further fall this September, but was pleased to report a rise of 30 to almost 280. He was also delighted to be able to report on excellent A-Level results, which were in fact the best in Cumbria, even better than QEGS, Penrith. Furthermore, he advised that the only boarding school in the north with better results was St Peter’s, York. James also expressed his sincere thanks to Nigel Halfpenny, the school Bursar, who had been involved in many of the improvements and developments within the school, such as the drainage of the Crease and the renovation of the cricket pavilion. Furthermore, James voiced his appreciation of the help given by the Society in the form of bursaries, to assist former pupils of the school with fees to enable their sons and daughters to attend. James concluded by thanking individual members for all their support and help.

4. Grant to Golfing Society - It was recommended that this should continue at £600. Proposed by Anthony Fox, seconded by Denis Holliday.

5.  200 Club Report and Draw - Darryl Davies reported that there was a balance of approximately £1786 available for spending and that the full 200 Club report could be viewed at the end of the meeting.

           The September draw took place with the following winners:

PRIZE	No.	WINNER	PRIZE	No.	WINNER
£132	23	Bill Heslop	£20	68	Mark Roberts
£40	56	Keith Harcombe	£20	49	Stuart Withnall
£40	6	John Dunn	£20	36	Darryl Davies
£40	63	Alec MacCaig	£10	50	Jack Davies
£40	1	Steven Downham	£10	30	Andy Haile
£40	66	Simon Temple

6. OSB Company ‘OSB Nominee Limited’ - Resolution -
   Anthony Fox gave a brief introduction regarding OSB Nominee Limited (‘OSBN’) and the proposed resolution, as tabled at the previous Committee Meeting. He outlined that the Guarantee Trust Fund, which had been established in 1939 to assist financially during a difficult period for the school, had continued to grow and develop once its original aim had been achieved, and now held various assets in the form of the properties on Lonsdale Terrace. However, the terms of the Trust Deed were now very much outdated and required modernising and the List of Trustees needed updating. After discussion, the following resolution was tabled for approval:
   Resolution:
     “(a)  that the establishment of OSBN be approved and ratified;
       (b)  that the Society approve (i) the appointment of OSBN and the directors for the time being of OSBN as Trustees and (ii) variation of Clause 11  of the initial Trust Deed to give effect to and permit such appointment;
       (c)  that, having regard to the history of the Guarantee Trust Fund, the nature of its assets and the current context and circumstances and in order to give effect to the primary purposes of the GTF Trust Deed, namely: furthering the interests and/or promoting the success of the school - the Society approve the variation of the GTF Trust Deed in such manner as the Committee (or any sub-committee  thereof) of the Society shall determine appropriate and in particular, but without limitation, the variation of the GTF Trust Deed to permit the Trustees to borrow on such terms as they consider appropriate (including charging assets as security) and to apply monies borrowed in such manner as they consider appropriate including, but without limitation, to lend  all or part  the monies so borrowed to the school on such terms as they consider appropriate.”
   Approval of the resolution was proposed by Anthony Rigby, seconded by Donald Brownrigg and was carried unanimously. Anthony Wills thanked Anthony Fox for all his work regarding this matter.

7. Accounts – 
   a) Guarantee Trust Fund - David Lord advised that a small surplus of income over expenditure of approximately £10,500 had been achieved. The outstanding mortgage on No.8 Lonsdale Terrace, continued to reduce in accordance with the agreed repayment terms. All other properties on Lonsdale Terrace were free of mortgage.
   b) Scholarship Fund - Each year the Society has assisted with school fees for sons and daughters of OSBs by the provision of bursaries. David suggested that if the school, during the current difficult economic climate, requested further assistance, he would not be against breaking into the capital for a few years, if necessary.
   c) General Account - Income had reduced from the previous year, but this was due mainly to the fact that in the previous year the Society had received a substantial legacy of £6,500 from an Old Boy.
   d) Trust Funds - Consolidated Trust Fund - A small sum continues to be given to the school annually towards the cost of prizes on Speech Day. However, the dividend income is such that to give more would be eating into the relatively small amount of capital.
   Acceptance of the accounts was proposed by Bill Gough and seconded by Richard Hall. All were in agreement.

8. Any other business
   i. David drew attention to the Stuart Lancaster Black Tie Dinner due to take place in the evening. All tickets had been sold, although three had been returned in the last 24 hours and so were available should anyone wish to purchase them. It was believed that about 200 out of the 300 due to be present were former pupils of the school and their partners.
   ii. Tony Graham advised that the Roll of Honour for the 1st World War would benefit from being re-engraved. It was agreed to pass this recommendation on to the school.

9. Date of AGM and St Beghians’ Day 2014 - The date required discussion and agreement with the school and would be announced in the January Bulletin.

Anthony Wills closed the meeting at 12.05pm and thanked people for their attendance.

 

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The St Beghian Society,    St Bees School,    St Bees,    Cumbria,    CA27 0DS.
         Tel: (01946) 828093      Email: osb@st-bees-school.co.uk      
Web: www.st-beghian-society.co.uk