Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

13:30 Saturday 31st October 2009

The Friends Meeting House, 6 Mount St, Manchester

Present: Mike Baker, Pete Barnes, David Butler, Barbara Clarke, Alan Derbyshire, Eileen Green, Lawrence Green, Terry Hodges, David Lee, Andy Regan, Phil Rigby, Mike Roberts, Dave Robinson, Ian Ross, Mavis Ross, Graham Trunks, Mike Wigley (17 CTC members).

1) Election of Chair for the meeting. Phil Rigby

proposed: Eileeen Green, seconded: Mavis Ross, election: unanimous

2) Minute’s silence: in remembrance of those members deceased during previous 12 months

3) Apologies for absence: Brian Richards, Vera Rigby, Dave & Kath Collins, Steve Willetts

4) Approval of Minutes of the previous AGM: These were unanimously accepted as a true and accurate record of the previous AGM proceedings.

proposed: Mike Roberts, Seconded: Ian Ross, passed unanimously

5) Matters arising from the minutes: None raised

6) Reports from DA Officers

6a) CTC Chair of Council (Dave Robinson)

Dave announced that Welma Boden had been elected as a second North West Councillor replacing David Butler. He thanked David for all his efforts on Council. Council met 4 times in the year, twice each in London and Manchester, and invited us all to come along to any future meetings - see Cycle magazine for details of future meetings.

CTC is moving towards adopting Charitable Status, as a means to take advantage of tax benefits. This will be voted on at the CTC AGM in May and David urged us to vote for the proposal, either in person at the AGM or through a proxy vote - again details in the Cycle magazine.

6b Secretary (Mike Wigley):

Another year with plenty of events being organised to encourage people onto their bikes. We’ve got rides going out on a weekly basis from Bury, Bolton, West Manchester and Oldham & Tameside. In addition we’ve got CTC members going out with other clubs in our area, such as the Mid-week Veterans, Macclesfield Wheelers, Lancashire Road Club, Stretford Wheelers, Warrington Road Club, Leigh Premier, Seamons, Dukinfield, Wigan Wheelers, Weaver Valley and Wills Wheels.

It’s still difficult for people new to cycling to get involved in group rides, as they can easily find it daunting and afraid that they will be “dropped”. Possibly a good place to start cycling is to see where the various club runs are intending to go and to meet up with them at their

lunchtime cafe. So if you run into new cyclists while out on your club runs, by all means give them a warm welcome and encouragement to ride further distances as they build up confidence and stamina.

Bury CTC promoted the Charlie Westlake rides in March, over distances of 54 and 105km, with proceeds going to Bury Hospice. It was included in the CTC’s Touring Competition and attracting a record turnout.

Ian Ross and his helpers put on the Beard Cup hill climb. Numbers were down this year, so you are encouraged to give this a try next September. It’s only a mile, how hard can that be?

Peak Audax have attracted new riders looking for more challenging distances, from 100km in the Peak District, up to a 600km ride to Aberystwyth and back in atrocious weather. Our more typical events are the flat 200km rides into Cheshire, usually with 150km shorter alternatives.

Northern Wheel is a useful notice board for our club runs. Graham and his team produce 650 copies of each edition going to postal subscribers or sold either by local groups and clubs or in cycle shops. Club websites are also a useful means of telling the world about our events, while Oldham & Tameside gets a mention in each Friday’s Oldham Chronicle, listing that Sunday’s meeting point and lunch destination.

During the season, Manchester & District CTC was reduced in size by a small amount. West Yorkshire CTC requested that the area covered by the OL14 postcode be transferred to them. As this covers Todmorden and district and is entirely within the Calderdale Council area, this made perfect sense from a local authority campaigning point of view, so the deal was done. No roses were harmed in this Lancashire/Yorkshire exchange.

During the year we were subjected to the referendum for the congestion charge which was resoundingly rejected. However, we still seem to be getting the metrolink extensions. There are also proposals to revive the long awaited A556 improvements, something which we’ll have to keep an eye on as we could find that Chapel Lane in Bucklow Hill, part of the Cheshire Cycleway, gets severed by this high speed motorway link.

6c Treasurer (Terry Hodges):

Terry was unable to present audited accounts as he has had difficulties with the accounts handed over from the previous year when we split off South Manchester from Manchester & District. This will be resolved as soon as possible and made public in due course.

6d Magazine Editor (Graham Trunks):

Due to problems getting the printing done earlier in the year only three issues of Northern Wheel were published during the last twelve months. These problems were eventually overcome and a combined Spring and Summer edition saw us back on track with an issue now being published on schedule every three months. Circulation has decreased to 650 compared to 700 copies per issue last year, mainly due to the reduction in sales in the bike shops caused by the said delay in publication and copies no longer being sent to new members.

The number of pages of reading matter has continued to average 82 (not including adverts) plus the eight-page colour supplement, in each issue. The charge for advertising was increased from £5 to £7.50 per issue for half a page with effect from the spring '09 issue and in consequence we lost several advertisers, the most notable being Gerry Shield Cycles who had a full page advert with us for many years.

A few new advertisers turned up and in the last issue we had 31 adverts (12 full-page and 19 half-page) compared to 40 at this time last year (18 full-page and 22 half-page).

The financial situation of the magazine has continued to be satisfactory with the costs of producing the magazine remaining steady, so the price per copy will remain at £1.50 for the foreseeable future and advertising rates will also not be increased. Postal subscriber rates will also stay the same at £9 for four issues.

There has been no shortage of excellent material for publication during the year and my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed, and also Ian Ross for his invaluable help with the printing and problem solving, etc.

On 30.9.09 the Northern Wheel bank balance stood at £1761.17 and there was £43.23 cash in hand. Today (31.10.09) there is £1044.92 in the bank and £41.73 cash in hand. There are no bills outstanding; all have been paid including those for printing the last issue (Autumn 09).

6e Magazine Distributor (Peter Barnes):

Total number of subscribers at 2008 AGM 280 (plus 2 complimentary copies)

New subscribers for: Winter 9

Spring/Summer 14

Autumn 2

25 total new subscribers

Non renewals: Winter 10

Spring/Summer 6

Autumn (so far) 9

25 total non-renewals

Total number of subscribers at 2009 AGM 285 (plus 2 complimentary copies)

6f Publicity Officer, Membership Registration Officer (Graham Trunks):

During the period 01/10/08 to 26/05/09, a total of 103 welcoming letters were sent to new CTC members resident in our area and current members moving here from other areas (families and couples got one between them) telling them about the Manchester DA and inviting them to join us on our rides and activities. Each letter was accompanied by a copy of the Northern Wheel. As I reported at the committee meeting in June, I considered that it was too expensive to continue sending complimentary magazines (76p postage) and anyway I had stopped sending them after 26th May when I wrote to the last new member on the lists in my possession. I had not received any membership lists from HQ since February. I gave notice at the June committee meeting of my intention to resign from the post of publicity officer.

6g Publicity Officer, Membership Registration Officer (Graham Trunks):

The membership list I received in February showed all the members resident in the previous Manchester DA area, which to the best of my calculations was a figure of 2610. This is an increase of 9 on the number I reported at last year's AGM. By the June committee meeting I had still not received any further list from HQ despite several reassurances over the previous months that one was definitely on the way. I gave notice at the meeting of my intention to resign from the post of membership officer although I am prepared to be the recipient of any lists sent from HQ and just keep them on file in case anyone wishes to refer to them. Then at the end of June a membership list did arrive, supposedly showing those members residing in the new M & D area. But, as it has turned out, this list and three subsequent lists

were not complete.

The latest list supposedly gives the details of all M&D members as at 30th Sept. The total is 1422 but it includes 8 entries that refer to affiliated clubs and other organisations such as Cycling Projects. However, on 24th October I received a copy of an email Karen Sutton had sent to Adrian Lawson at HQ pointing out that members who are resident in postcode areas SK13, 14, 15 and 16 are shown on her South Manchester list when they should be on the M&D list. Adrian Lawson has replied to Karen saying he is working on a fix and will send out new lists a.s.a.p. From the details I received in February about 95 members have been omitted from our total. So out of this confusion I reckon the number of CTC members in the M&D area will be approximately 1509.

6h Peak Audax Secretary (Mike Wigley):

We ran our usual Winter Events in the Cheshire Lanes with rides of about 200km or 150km, attracting about a hundred riders for each date. We were particularly overwhelmed on the Cheshire Safari last November, so much so that we had to run an overflow event the following weekend. We run it again next Sunday on the 8th, so please have a word with me afterwards if you’d like to have a go.

Sheila Simpson ran her usual Super Randonneur series, that’s rides of 200, 300, 400 and 600km. The 200 was the most popular, needless to say, with 59 riders, whereas only 15 managed to finish the 600 which was held in absolutely atrocious weather. The rain was unrelenting for the first 30 hours, and it was hardly any better after that.

Rob Kilby has been running Audax events from Stockport, and in more recent years from Holmes Chapel, for the last 16 years. Uncertainties with work mean that he will give it a break next year, but Congleton CC will be taking over his current events.

Peak Audax is likely to win the CTC clubs championship within Audax UK this season, based on the number of events our top 6 riders have completed. This will be in no small part due to the activities of young Shaun Gregory (17 years old) who has been aiming to set a junior championship record of 133 points. Unfortunately during the year he finished school and got a job which rather got in the way and he will finish on 116 points from 11,600km of Audax cycling.

Peak Audax unfortunately lost one of its regular riders this year. Robin Smith of Merseyside CTC has ridden all 5 of our summer events - 100km rides into the Peak District on each Wednesday during August - every year since we started them 10 years ago. This year, Robin who was 69 years of age, died of a heart attack the day after the White Peak. However he loved this type of cycling so although we’ll miss him on future rides, it’s probably as good a way to go as any.

6i Bury (Steve Willetts): Steve’s report read out in his absence. The Charlie Westlake rides was held in apocalyptic weather but there was a record turnout (46) for the 50km and 100km rides. Thanks to marshalls Frank Jefferson, Mark Cranshaw, Jim Holden, Roy Turner and Phil & Vera Rigby. The Town Twinning Anniversary Ride took place on a much better day in July, with Horst from Schorndorf and Georges and Marcel from Angouleme joined Bury CTC on a ride from Whalley Abbey.

We include 100 word article each month in Bury Times, and have 20 or so active members on A and B club runs.

We lost founder member Walter Pilkington who had many years with Bury CTC.

6j West Manchester (Ian Ross): Opting to become an informal group instead of a member group last year appears to have made little difference to the way we operate as a cycling club. In fact it’s business as usual without the politics.

The maximum number of riders we have had out on any one ride is about 10 but we have had a full programme of Sunday runs which included reliability rides over several distances, freewheel, hare & hounds and speed judging competitions, all of which count towards a season long Best All Rounder Award.

Although we do promote these slightly competitive events the main object of the group is social cycling with leisurely pub lunches, something that doesn’t appeal to all cyclists and probably the reason for us not increasing our membership.

So if you like a few beers we are the ideal group.

6k) Oldham & Tameside (Kathleen Collins): report read out in Kathleen’s absence. This year members have run approximately 48 Sunday club runs, attended CTC York Rally, organized a cycle tour at Easter to South Wales and attended FFCT Semaine Federale.

We have organized an invitation ride for Oldham Carnival week for beginners and novices, which was not successful due to lack of participants and bad weather.

Members have attended Oldham Council and Tameside Council Cycle Forum meetings to assist in improving cycle facilities and safe cycle routes within the boroughs. CTC members have contributed in supplying suggestions and cycle routes information for Council cycle policy documents.

Attendance at public meetings of the Greater Manchester Transport Initiative Fund bid has been undertaken. Proposed cycle improvement schemes following funding from congestion charging have been inspected.

6l) Bolton: no report

7) Election of Honorary DA Officials

7a) Re-elected Officers:

There were no nominations for the following positions, the existing officers had agreed to stand for a further year and it was proposed to re-elect all en bloc

President: Laurie Green

Vice President: Ian Ross

Chair: Phil Rigby

Secretary: Mike Wigley

Treasurer: Terry Hodges

Magazine Editor: Graham Trunks

Magazine Distributor: Peter Barnes

Welfare Officer: Laurie Green

Auditor: Rod Whitworth

Peak Audax Secretary: Mike Wigley

Website Adminstrator: Mike Wigley

proposed: Mike Roberts, seconded: Mavis Ross, election: unanimous

Graham Trunks had announced his intention of standing down as Publicity Officer and Membership Registration Officer. It was felt that we ought to retain the post of

Membership Registration Officer and Mike (as Secretary) was happy to take on this role. The meeting voted to scrap the post of Publicity Officer and appoint Mike Wigley as Membership Registration Officer.

proposed: Laurie Green, seconded: Mike Roberts, election: unanimous

8) Any other Business: none

9) Future Events and Activities from Manchester & District CTC:

Riders are referred to our CTC Tourist Competition rides and the Peak Audax events, as listed in Northern Wheel, Cycle magazine, and on www.ManchesterCTC.co.uk. Of particular note:

7th March: Charlie Westlake rides

5th Sept: Beard Cup

10) Date and venue of next meeting

Thursday 11th March at Welcome Inn (provisional - see www.ManchesterCTC.co.uk for confirmation)

Meeting closed at 16:00