Felixstowe C of C - AGM Minutes 2009

AGM Minutes 2009

MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF FELIXSTOWE CHAMBER OF TRADE AND COMMERCE HELD AT THE BROOK HOTEL ON MONDAY 23^rd March 2009

PRESENT -

Peter Dawes

Carol Jones

Tracey Laflin

Louise Berrill

John Brinkley

Dave Whiting

Charlie Manning

David Preston

Dick Calvesburt

Stanley Harris

Tracy Tipple

Dean Wales

Sue Gipps

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE –

Dick Moffatt

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING –

PROPOSED: David Whiting SECONDED: Tracey Laflin

MATTERS ARISING –

None

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT –

I took over the chair from Shaun Rudduck and wanted to modernise and broaden the appeal of the chamber. I feel it is vital that we use our strength and base to reach out to the business and broader community as a whole. However, it has been a year of change on and off the pitch.

On the pitch.

The year started with the task of filling the job of vice chair with Kelly Sayer from Pretty’s taking the role. Unfortunately this did not work out and with Kelly resigning the search started again. The search was short lived with Carol Jones one of the committee members stepping forward, to fill the role. I would like to say a personal thank you to Carol as she has brought fresh ideas and a new sense of drive to the chamber and I value her help and support.

Next the changes to the secretary role with Louise Berrill stepping back due to family commitments and Tracey Laflin filling the role. I would like to thank Tracey for her help and support with the secretary role and the time she has put in to delivering leaflets taking calls and her help with the Christmas Ball. Later in the year Louise left her job at Beatons and this lead to us at the chamber taking the decision to have a joint secretary role with Louise and Tracey sharing the work load. I would like to go on the record to say that I was very pleased to have Louise back on board and that she is a real asset. Her work rate and organisational skills are second to none and without her help and in put the chamber would be a lesser place, thank you Louise.

I would like to thank Dean Wales for all his hard work with the newsletter and keeping us on the straight and narrow with the press articles and various releases, especially as he has had a change in jobs and still carried on regardless.

I would like to say a huge thank you to John Brinkley for his tireless work and dedication. He has not only done a first rate job as treasurer but has also taken a lot of the work load off of me with attending various committee meetings. He still holds the record on market day for being the first one there! Thank you John and good luck in your new role with the CCTV.

I feel the committee member’s have been the one stable part with Stan, Charles, David Preston, Tracey, Sue, Dick Moffatt, Dave Whiting and Dick Calvesburt making a strong and reliable team. I would like to thank you all for your support and help throughout the year and I’m looking forward to working with you all in hopefully my second year as chair, thank you.

Off the Pitch

As a chamber we agreed it was vital to maintain our Breakfast meetings as these have and still prove to be popular, with many fully booked. We have introduced standing order payment system and the ability to pay in block via incentives. I feel we as a chamber must be committed to continuing with the breakfast meeting as I see them as vital to the chambers and I would like to thank the Flyer group for there continued support with these events.

We saw a shift away from the tradition evening do’s to a less formal approach. I feel this is something I would like to encourage. We had networking events at the tennis club, ghost tours held at the fort; Quiz night, pamper evenings and a curry night. This I feel has lead to a more relaxed networking approach which compliments the breakfasts. One disappointment I do have is that the we as a committee have not agreed firmly on a way forward for Hamilton road with reference to replacing the markets and I feel we must make that a main focus.

We re-visited the committees we sit on with a view to time management. We agreed that the Futures/Steering group, safer neighbourhoods were vital. However I continue to be frustrated with the Futures meetings being help during the working day and the lack of flexibility and indeed with the change in leadership at the steering group last year the meeting being put on hold for some time and us at the chamber not being informed.

I feel the CCTV has been a great success with the 5^th camera up and running and I would like to thank everybody for there help including Guy Richardson (SCDC), Steve Gallant (Police) and Tim form Bencottos. I feel this must be an ongoing commitment from the chamber.

Recently we have agreed to become a trust partner for the two schools in Felixstowe Deben & Orwell. This involves the chairperson sitting on the board of trustees for the schools and offering input and a 2 way link to the business community. I feel this is vital moving forward as it will enhance our reputation and offer advice and help to young adults of Felixstowe.

We have also agreed our first joint networking event with ISSBA as part of our approach to working with other organisations. We also saw the introduction of the chamber mission statement and this will help us moving forward with a clear objective and sense of direction. We supported the annual Art on the Prom which proved to be a great success along with Felixstowe in bloom.

Finally on the social side we help our Summer Dance at the golf club and all who attended had a fantastic night, with special thanks to Shaun for his organisation. We held our Christmas dance at the Orwell Hotel with a mixture of music and the casino lead to a totally enjoyable evening. Both do’s gave all a chance to relax and enjoy.

Final Comment

I have attended upwards of 25 non chamber meetings, raging from the Lord Mayors reception to presentations from school children and have enjoyed them all. However, I feel I cannot close my report without a mention of the Hugh change in the UK and world economy and the realisation of a recession with impact this has had. From when I took the chair to now the feel in the business community has changed. We are in difficult times and many businesses have felt this but I feel we must as a chamber do everything in our power to help and support the business community of Felixstowe through this difficult time. Hence why we must push on with ideas and packages to encourage people to come to Felixstowe to shop, work or do business.

STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTS –

It was agreed the accounts for 2008/2009 were very good. Thanks were given to John Brinkley for presenting these.

PROPOSED: Charlie Manning SECONDED: Stanley Harris

ELECTION OF OFFICERS –

There were no new nominations for officers positions.

The following officers were re-elected en-mass:

PROPOSED: Charlie Manning SECONDED: Tracy Tipple

Chairman – Peter Dawes

Vice Chairman – Carol Jones

Treasurer – John Brinkley

Secretary – Tracey Laflin

Secretary – Louise Berrill