The second session of the 43rd Council (121st Annual Meeting) will commence on Sunday 27th May 2018 at Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster, starting at 5.30 p.m.
Will members please sign the roll and be in their seats by 5.20 p.m.
The afternoon session will be adjourned at 6.30 p.m.; it will resume at 9.30 a.m. on Monday 28th May; adjourn for lunch at 12.30 p.m. and then resume at 2.00 p.m. for the second afternoon session.
Opening prayer.
Report of the Honorary Secretary as to the representation of societies and subscriptions.
Welcome to new members.
Apologies for absence.
Loss of members through death.
Report of the Stewards of the Carter Ringing Machine Collection.
Matters arising from the Minutes not covered elsewhere on the agenda.
Motions:
(A) That the Council adopt the Revised Rules of the Council, the Standing Orders of the Council and the other provisions of this Transition Motion below.
Proposed by Clyde Whittaker (Middlesex County Association & London Diocesan Guild) and seconded by Andrew Wilby (Ancient Society of College Youths).
In this Motion and its schedule:
the “Existing Rules” means the Rules of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers in operation at the commencement of the meeting at which this Motion is agreed.
the “Adoption Date” means the date on which this Motion is agreed.
the “121st Annual Meeting” and “this Meeting” each mean the 121st Annual Meeting of the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers held on 27th/28th May 2018.
That with effect from the close of the 121st Annual Meeting of the Council held on 27th/28th May 2018:
Rules and Standing Orders
the Council:
(a) adopts the ‘Revised Rules of the Council’ dated 17th March 2018 to replace its existing rules;
and (b) adopts the ‘Standing Orders of the Council’ dated 14th April 2018;
now tabled and initialled by the chair of this Meeting (both collectively referred to below as “the Revised Constitution”) to take effect from the close of the 121st Annual Meeting;
The Decisions
the Council’s Decisions current under the Existing Rules shall have effect as Decisions under Rule 10.4 of the Revised Constitution;
Continuing Officers (Trustees)
the following persons holding office under the Existing Rules shall hold office under the Revised Constitution in the respective positions shown below, to serve for a first term ending at the Annual Council Meeting in the year shown:
| Current Name | New Position | Term ends in Year |
|---|---|---|
| The President | President | 2020 |
| The Vice-President | Deputy President | 2020 |
| The Honorary Treasurer | Treasurer | 2021 |
| The Honorary Secretary | Secretary | 2019 |
New Ordinary Trustees
the four persons who have complied with the procedure set out in Schedule 1 to this Motion shall hold office as Ordinary Trustees under the Revised Constitution, as referred to in Rule 7.2b) of that constitution;
two of the Ordinary Trustees referred to in paragraph 4 of this Motion (as shall be determined by the President) shall hold office for a first term ending on conclusion of the Annual Council Meeting held in 2019 with the remaining two holding office for a first term ending on conclusion of the Annual Council Meeting held in 2021;
Stewards
the persons holding the office of Steward shall each be deemed appointed to hold office in the position of the same name under the Revised Constitution;
Independent Examiners
the persons appointed as Independent Examiners shall each be deemed appointed to hold office in the position of the same name under the Revised Constitution for a first term ending at the Annual Council Meeting in 2019;
Other Officers, Committees and Members
all other offices and committees established under the Existing Rules shall be discontinued;
Life Members of the Council elected under the Existing Rules:
(a) shall instead become Fellows for the purposes of Standing Order M2 of the Revised Constitution; and
(b) shall in addition, while they remain Fellows, be entitled to vote and shall be treated in all other respects as Representative Members for the purposes of the rules (except rules 5.4, 5.5, 5.6 and 9.7), standing orders and policies of the Revised Constitution;
Representative Members elected under the Existing Rules shall be deemed elected as Representative Members under the Revised Constitution; and
the position of Additional Member shall be discontinued and Additional Members of the Council elected under the Existing Rules shall cease to be Members of the Council.
SCHEDULE 1
Election Procedure for Ordinary Executive Members
The four Ordinary Trustees referred to in paragraph 4 of this Motion shall be those persons who have complied with the following procedure:
They shall either:
(a) have been nominated for election as an Ordinary Trustee in advance of the 121st Annual Meeting in accordance with the requirements for nominations set out in Rule 11(i) of the Existing Rules; or
(b) (in the event that the number of such nominations is less than four) have been nominated in person by those present at the 121st Annual Meeting.
They shall (where more than four persons have been nominated in accordance with this Schedule) have been elected by ballot at the 121st Annual Meeting by members of the Council entitled to vote at that meeting, with each such member able to vote for four persons, as follows:
(a) those four persons receiving the highest numbers of votes shall be elected; and
(b) in the event of a tied vote, the person or persons deemed to have the most votes shall be selected by the drawing of lots.
In all other respects the Council’s Existing Rules and conventions governing elections and the conduct of its meetings shall apply.
Election of Additional Members:
Jane Wilkinson has become a Representative Member. Robert Lewis retires. The following nomination has been received:
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Robert Lewis | Michael Church | Jane Wilkinson |
Elections to the Executive: the following nominations have been received; supporting statements are given in Appendix A of this Agenda:
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| David Smith | Peter Harrison | Pip Penney |
| Ernie de Legh-Runciman | Beverley Furniss | Richard Andrew |
| Phillip Barnes | David Grimwood | Leigh Simpson |
| Clyde Whittaker | Phillip Barnes | Tim Hine |
| Alison Everett | Nick Elks | Graham Hills |
Workgroup introductions.
To receive, discuss and if thought fit to adopt the reports of the following Committees; and to pass such resolutions as may be necessary on matters arising from the reports; and to elect Committee members. Nominations received are listed under each Committee; in accordance with Rule 14(ii), supporting statements by the candidates are given in Appendix B of this Agenda.
(a) Administrative:
Fred Bone, Robert Lewis, Anthony Lovell-Wood and Jane Wilkinson retire. There are 6 vacancies.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Jane Wilkinson | Jane Sibson | Derek Sibson |
| Robert Lewis | Jane Wilkinson | Michael Church |
| Fred Bone | Vicki Chapman | Tony Crowther |
(b) Public Relations:
Michael Orme has resigned. Neal Dodge (co-opted), Jacqui Brown, Nick Elks, Beverly Faber and John Harrison retire.
(c) Publications:
Philip Green and Barbara Wheeler retire.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Philip Green | Howard Smith | Barbara Wheeler |
| Barbara Wheeler | Howard Smith | Philip Green |
(d) Towers & Belfries:
George Dawson, Chris Povey and David Roskelly retire.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| George Dawson | Chris Povey | David Kirkcaldy |
| Chris Povey | Chris Mew | Alison Hodge |
(e) Tower Stewardship:
Ernie de Legh-Runciman and Chris Sharp retire.
(f) Bell Restoration:
Ian Oram is no longer a Council member. John Barnes and Ken Davenport retire.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| John Barnes | Peter Wilkinson | Jay Bunyan |
| Ken Davenport | Peter Wilkinson | Jay Bunyan |
(g) Redundant Bells:
Robert Wood is no longer a Council member. Helen Webb has resigned. Julian Newman (co-opted), Tim Jackson and David Westerman retire.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Julian Newman | Tim Jackson | Helen Webb |
(h) Education:
Christine de Cordova, Catherine Lewis, Caroline Stockmann and Susan Welch have resigned. Veronica Downing, Geoff Horritt and Anne Sladen retire.
(i) Ringing Centres:
Philip Bailey (co-opted) and Barrie Dove retire.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Philip Bailey | Maureen Frost | Barrie Dove |
| Barrie Dove | Maureen Frost | Paul Marshall |
(j) Ringing Trends:
The entire Committee resigned in 2016 and there have so far been no volunteers to continue the work.
(k) Compositions:
Fred Bone and Fergus Stracey retire.
(l) Information and Communications Technology:
Jacqui Brown, Doug Davis, Andrew Hall and Stuart Piper retire.
| Nominee | Proposer | Seconder |
| Doug Davis | Phillip Barnes | Christopher O’Mahony |
(m) Methods:
Fred Bone and David Richards retire.
(n) Peal Records:
Richard Allton and Ben Duke retire.
(o) Biographies:
Anne Bray and Patrick Hickey retire.
(p) Library:
Linda Foddering is no longer a Council member.
Ringing Remembers.
New Framework for Method Ringing.
Future meetings.
2019 meeting.
An invitation has been received from the Irish Association for 2023.
Any other business.
Mary Bone
Hon Secretary
David Smith: I am an Australian resident, currently nearing the end of a three-year term as President of ANZAB following a similar term as its Secretary. During that period I arranged or assisted with a review of the Constitution, the setting up of a Funds Committee (relevant to ANZAB’s charitable status), the creation of a web-centric database of members, starting an Advisory Panel, and the introduction of ART to Australia/NZ - I have been an ART tutor since 2014.
I was elected to the Central Council in 2016 and joined the Education Committee, and have written three series of ‘The Education Column’ for The Ringing World in that capacity. I was appointed to the CRAG team in 2016, and joined the (shadow) CC Executive in 2017 with particular responsibility for the Volunteer and Leadership workgroup. I am keen to continue to work on the Executive and promote the changes put forward in the CRAG report.
In the world outside ringing, I am a Cambridge mathematician, was a full-time teacher for twenty years, and more recently have set up and managed various companies involved in publishing, IT and education, and worked as a missionary involved with education in Papua New Guinea.
Ernie de Legh-Runciman: I live on The Isle of Man and am a representative for the Lancashire Association. I am employed by the Isle of Man Government and am responsible for the inspection and maintenance of civil engineering structures on the Island. I am tower captain at St George’s, Douglas.
I am a member of the Tower Stewardship Committee and its present chairman. I bring my professional experience to this Committee. I have served on the Education, PR and Ringing Centres committees and am a member of the organising committee for the 2018 CC meeting.
I was appointed to the shadow CC executive last year, and have taken on the oversight, together with the Vice-President, of the Stewardship and Management Workgroup. I have been involved in the formulation of the new CC post CRAG strategic objectives.
I am excited as to what the future holds for our new representative body and am keen to bring my skills and experience to develop this body for the good of ringing, especially in the areas of recognition and representation to outside national bodies that may have influence and effects on the way bells and towers are managed.
Phillip Barnes: Having been privileged to lead the CRAG Team, I am keen to continue to contribute actively to the development of a new Central Council which provide leadership and respond to the opportunities and challenges that ringing now faces. The process of change will not happen overnight but will take several years. During this time it is crucial that the Council and its trustees set a clear strategic direction and encourage others to follow us. New ideas need to be welcomed whether t are about recruitment, tower leadership, how we present ourselves to stakeholders or whatever else. Taking the best of the past and using that as the foundation for a healthy future with a mixture of old and new is key.
I would bring to the role nearly 45 years of passion for bells and for ringing, experience of leadership within ringing (at all levels) and also from a career spent as a physician and a medical leader. I have led major change programmes including the merger of two hospital Trusts in Sussex to create what is now one of the most successful NHS organisations in the UK. The future for ringing is bright if we continue to look forwards!
Clyde Whittaker: A teacher by training, most of my career has been in the IT industry, latterly as board director of a finance company. I am treasurer of Hampstead’s Neighbourhood Forum, where I am responsible for transport policy and wrote the transport section of Hampstead’s neighbourhood plan. Having taken up student radio whilst at Oxford, I am currently a trustee of a hospital radio station in Surrey and was its chair for six years.
I learnt ringing from 2010 at Hampstead and Epsom. An active supporter of MCALDG, I currently serve as its Training Officer and organised its bid to secure grant funding for a second London Summer School in 2018.
Since joining the Council in 2016 I have contributed to the PR team, taking responsibility for engagement with the BBC on “Music Day 2017” and initiating relationships with DCMS and The Big Ideas Company which led to the “Ringing Remembers” project. In 2016 I was invited to join CRAG where I focused on the Council’s governance and wrote the FAQ document accompanying the CRAG proposals. Since last Autumn I have coordinated the task of rewriting the Council’s rules working with (among others) David Bleby, Andrew Wilby and Daniel Meyer.
Alison Everett: I was on the CRAG team and shadow Executive, bringing the fresh perspective of a comparatively new and grass-roots ringer to the Council reform programme. I have been involved with key personnel in the Ringing Remembers campaign and Volunteer and Leadership group, participating in liaison Skype meetings regarding membership, Terms of Reference and ART collaboration.
I am Communications and Events Team Leader for SCACR, have contributed articles to The Ringing World, latterly regarding the Education Committee Simulator and Technology Day of the ART Conference during which I publicised events online in real time over the weekend using a variety of social media accounts, including the Central Council’s Facebook page and Twitter feed. When a communication needed to go out to Council members, societies and PROs from the Council President, to take advantage of increased activity online while the Conference was taking place, I sent it.
I am enthusiastic and energetic, networking in my home county of Lincolnshire and anywhere I can, actual or online, taking opportunities to promote my fervour and diligence, at the National 12-Bell, ART Conference, visiting a District Ring & Walk or observing half a day’s M1 course in Stafford en route from A to B.
Fred Bone: If the motion to replace the Rules should fail, the Administrative Committee will have to continue and will need a full complement of elected members.
John Barnes: I am currently the Parish Contact for the Committee and have built up a considerable knowledge of fundraising in support of bell restoration and augmentation as well as initial provision. I am retired and am able to cope with the considerable number of requests for help that I receive. I was elected a Life Member of the Council in recognition of my work and I would like to continue this work for the Council.
Ken Davenport: Ken is currently our contact with the bell trade and also responsible for all our printed material. His expertise would be hard to replace.
The Ringing World, April 27, 2018, pages 394 to 396