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AGM 2009 Report

[This is a "stop-press"/placeholder report - a more comprehensive report will be published in or distributed with a future issue of EAB Update (see below)]

EAB's 32nd Annual General Meeting was held on 18th April at the Sarum College, Salisbury; it was chaired by John Wells. About 41 members and 11 guests where present; other members had submitted postal votes for the management committee and president elections beforehand.

Two amendments to the draft minutes of the previous AGM were agreed; the amended minutes were accepted.

The Trustees' report and financial report (distributed with issue 45 of EAB Update) were accepted.

The proposal to leave the appointment of an independent examiner to the discretion of the trustees was accepted.

The proposal to leave the subscription rates unchanged for the next financial year was accepted.

The meeting appointed Harry Barron and Heather Eason as vote-counters.
The results of the election of trustee to the EAB management committee were:

Name   For   Against Abstain
David Bisset 74 7 9
Jean Bisset 73 7 10
Joyce Bunting 84 4 2
Ian Fantom 15 65 10
Geoffrey Greatrex 68 6 16
Edmund Grimley Evans 71 7 12
Clare Hunter 82 2 6
David Kelso 80 5 5
John Wells 82 5 3

Ian Fantom objected to his inclusion in the election for the management committee, saying that he had wanted to stand for president without being elected to the management committee.

[Postscript: in a few places these final totals (above) differ slightly from the preliminary counts announced at the end of the AGM, but those differences do not materially affect the outcome of the ballot.]

[Postscript: the results table on page 3 of the printed edition of EAB update No. 46 has some layout errors, which have been corrected in the online edition<.]

The results of the election for president of the association were:

  • Ian Fantom 10 votes
  • John Wells 74 votes

A resolution to re-instate the kapkotizo system of funding federations (proposed by Frank Spilsbury and seconded by Annice Szrajbman) was circulated to the meeting; David Kelso apologised that this resolution had not been circulated to the membership in advance, because of a misunderstanding between the trustees. Ian Fantom protested that any vote on the resolution would be invalid because of insufficient notice and of "dirty tricks". A show of hands vote did not carry the resolution.

Concerning the resolution and the issues it raised:

Data Protection: Joyce Bunting explained that, whether or not EAB has registered with the Data Protection Registrar, it is nevertheless obliged to comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act concerning the management and use of members' details. There is an option on the membership form to "opt out" of having details passed on to relevant groups; in January 2009 she had sent to the (then) federation secretary the details of those members living in the South Eastern Federation Area who had not opted out.

Kapkotizo: Joyce Bunting understood that the South Eastern Federation already has its own bank account containing a sizeable sum but was unable to access it due to death or illness of all the signatories. She had offered (on behalf of EAB) to assist the federation to gain access to the funds in that account and to date had received no reply.

[Postscript 2009-04-24 The SOEF treasurer informed Joyce that the account can now be accessed, and thanked her for providing assistance in achieving this.]


Draft Minutes of the 32nd Annual General Meeting of Esperanto-Asocio de Britio

Saturday 18 April 2009, Sarum College, Salisbury

[What follows are the draft minutes, circulated to the membership with EAB Update No. 49, and presented for approval at the 33rd Annual General Meeting in Llandudno, 16 May 2010.]

1.    Forty-one members were present and John Wells, President, chaired the meeting. Agreed that the meeting be conducted in English. Apologies for absence had been received from: Edmund Grimley Evans, Geoffrey Greatrex, Annice Szrajbman and Stephen Thompson. The meeting observed a brief silence for members deceased since the last AGM.

2.    Minutes of the previous AGM.

2.1.    Ian Fantom proposed that the words "during which the President confirmed that they did have a document called 'Ĝenerala Regularo', which he held before the meeting" be added to #2.2 . Accepted, nem. con.

2.2.    Ian Fantom proposed that, in #8, the words "deplored the wording of the President's recent letter in Update" be amended to "informed the meeting that solicitor Rik Dalton, who had for many years been EAB's legal advisor, had written to Professor Wells, stating that his statement in EAB Update 41, page 3, was part of a 'vicious and defamatory campaign against Ian Fantom' ". Not accepted: 2 in favour, 20 against, 19 abstentions

2.3.    Ian Fantom proposed that, in #8, the words "Ian Fantom said ... unless someone objected" be amended to "Ian Fantom argued that the language of the AGM should be English, because use of Esperanto in the past had been exclusive. Although it was a requirement that members support Esperanto, it is not a requirement that they be fluent in the language". Accepted, nem. con.

2.4.    With these amendments, the minutes were accepted, one vote against.

3.    Joyce Bunting, Hon. Treasurer, presented the Trustees' Annual Report. After some discussion, the report was accepted by acclaim, with one abstention.

4.    Joyce Bunting, Hon. Treasurer, presented, and explained several sections of, the Financial Report, which was accepted unanimously, with one abstention.

5.    It was agreed unanimously, with one abstention, to leave the appointment of the Independent Examiner (auditor) to the discretion of the Management Committee.

6.    Proposed by the Management Committee, that subscription rates remain unchanged. Agreed, nem. con. Paul Gubbins proposed a vote of thanks to Joyce Bunting, Hon. Treasurer, for her excellent stewardship during very difficult times; agreed, by acclaim, one vote against.

7.    The chair proposed as scrutineers/ vote-counters Bill Walker and Harry Barron. Ian Fantom objected to Bill Walker. Agreed, nem. con. that Harry Barron and Heather Eason perform this role. Voting then took place for the election of the Management Committee for the following year.

8.    During the counting of votes, comments and suggestions from members were discussed. David Bisset announced that the Congress committee had donated 5 Esperanto books to the library of Sarum College, to mark the occasion of the Congress.

Discussion followed on a resolution proposed by Frank Spilsbury, seconded by Annice Szrajbman, calling on the Management Committee to restore the former system of capitation payments to federations. David Kelso, Hon. Secretary, apologised for the fact that copies of the resolution had not been distributed with other papers for the AGM, due to a misunderstanding between the office-bearers and the Office. The resolution failed: 3 for, 24 against, 12 abstentions. Ian Fantom informed the meeting about a petition from the South-East Federation to the President of the Association, on the same subject. The Chair confirmed that he had already written to the two original signatories on the petition, thanking them for their views, and would write to the others.

Terry Page once again raised the question of the language used at the AGM. While his personal preference was for Esperanto, he acknowledged the difficulties that would arise, when all documents, of necessity, are in English. The Chair confirmed that he would be happy to accept contributions in Esperanto, from those who have that preference. Agreed to refer to the Management Committee, to decide at their discretion.

Derek Tatton updated the meeting on the Association's relationship with Wedgwood Memorial College, from which both benefitted. Ian Fantom expressed his dissent.

Michael Sims asked the Management Committee to consider making available again, either printed 'Esperanto' envelopes, or 'Esperanto' stickers for envelopes.

9.    The results of the election for the Management Committee and for President (incl. postal votes) were declared.

For membership of the Committee:

    David Bisset 74 for 7 against 9 abstentions
  Jean Bisset 73 7 10
  Joyce Bunting 84 4 2
  Ian Fantom 15 65 10
  Geoffrey Greatrex 68 6 16
  Edmund Grimley Evans 71 7 12
  Clare Hunter 82 2 6
  David Kelso 80 5 5
  John Wells 82 5 3

The eight candidates with more votes for than against, were declared elected.

And for President:

    Ian Fantom 10 votes
  John Wells 74 votes

John Wells was declared elected. Ian Fantom stated that he had been a candidate only for President, not for the Committee.

10.    Hilary Chapman confirmed that the 91st Congress would be in Llandudno, 14-17 May 2010 and assured everyone of a warm welcome.

(Original report.)


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