University Sports and Social Club
Annual General Meeting
Thursday 12th April 2007
Thursday 12th April 2007Meeting RoomUSSC Club Mill Lane Cambridge
USSC Club Mill Lane CambridgeThose attending: -
Tony Jeffrey Chairman
ChairmanDave Kennedy Secretary
SecretaryMark LeachTreasurer
TreasurerGraham MonkMatch Secretary
Match SecretaryR HiomMinutes
MinutesSimon Douglas, Roger George, Andy Peters, Chris Pascoe, John Puddick, Peter Brett.
Apologies – Bob Stearn, Dave Dodkin
The minutes of the previous AGM were read and agreed with no matters arising.
Secretary’s Report
Once again we have suffered with the strong winds and have lost more trees at Cantelupe Farm. With the amount of mature trees we have a suggestion is to put an action plan to the Environment Agency (EA) to propose that a replanting and pollarding exercise is done with existing trees. Funding for this may be available through DEFRA (previously the ministry of Agr and Fish).
Fishing at Cantelupe does seem to have been reasonable for the last season despite only a few members giving me regular reports. Although it is still very “peggy” several good bags of roach and perch have been reported together with a few reports of good chub being caught.
Dave Kennedy went on to say that he had fished Ducketts Farm twice in the season and had caught both times. Weed is an issue at the venue and there is a need to request weed cutting from the EA. Editors note: Roger Handford (EA) is discussing this with the Cam Conservators as the weed cut for Lode is due this year. (Email 12 April). Parking and access is a problem but discussions are ongoing with the owner.
At Fen Drayton the RSPB have bought the whole complex and USSC have lost fishing rights through Eternit as a co-lessee. John Turrell (Eternit) feels that this may be short term only. The club is still looking for Stillwater fishing and the offer of a reservoir at Cantelupe is still on the table.
Dave then ended by noting again that his resignation had been put in at the Feb meeting. He will continue to run the website if required and remain a bailiff but after ten years he feels that a new person is needed at the helm. He proposed Andy Peters and will follow this through at Election of officers.
At this point all agreed that Dave had done a very good job over the years in focussing the club after a difficult period.
Treasurer’s Report
A sum of £45 was supposed to have been sent to Arthur Rank Hospice in 05/06 period. This was not done but will be remedied by Mark asap. A balance sheet was circulated for information showing a profit of £85.51 with assets of £3166.65. There is a turn round from a small loss to an equally small profit. All agreed that this was good considering the drop in membership. Outgoings should remain the same in the coming year without the Fen Drayton funds incoming. The accounts were proposed for acceptance by Tony Jeffrey and seconded by Richard Hiom. Voting was unanimous.
Match Secretary’s Report
Graham circulated an impressive statistic of the year’s match return. In summary the top three were separated by only six points and the top six on the table were all in double figures of points. Results were based on the top six results of each member. Some obviously didn’t fish six matches. It should be noted that the max score is 36 points.
Top six were as follows:
Andy Peters33 points scored in 6 matches
33 points scored in 6 matchesGraham Monk 286
286Mark Leach276
276Adam Wooldridge 244
244Peter Brett 19 5
19 5John Puddick 125
1252007/2008 matches will be:
DateVenue DrawFish
Venue DrawFish8 April Manderson Trust Over 9 10-3
Manderson Trust Over 9 10-313 May Manderson Trust Over 9 10-3
Manderson Trust Over 9 10-330 June Saturday Ducketts Farm Upware 2 3-8
Upware 2 3-88 July Rhee Valley v EternitShepreth 9 10-3
Shepreth 9 10-323 September Head Fen lake Lt Downham 9 10-3
7 October Eternit v USSC venue TBA 9 10-3
28 October USSC v Eternit Ducketts Farm 9 10-3
18 November Don Reed Open Cantelupe Farm 9 10-3
9 December USSC Match Cantelupe Farm 9 10-3
17 February USSC Match venue tbc 9 10-3
9 March USSC Match Cantelupe Farm 9 10-3
All present agreed that Graham deserved a vote of thanks for his efforts in making the match scheme the interest that it is.
Election of Officers
All officers apart from Dave Kennedy agreed to a further year of office unless any objections were raised. None were.
Proposals for Secretary – Andy Peters, proposed Dave Kennedy and agreed by Andy Peters. Unanimous agreement was given to this election. Handover of records would occur when convenient. Graham Monk noted to all that a big vote of thanks was due to Dave as he had turned the club round from a poorly recorded club with about 40 members to a profit making group of 140 following a difficult time under previous management. Unfortunately, his work move to Newmarket does not now allow enough time for the club job or the chance to badger membership out of trade customers at his work!
Any Other Business
1 Proposed Dave Kennedy, seconded Graham Monk, and agreed unanimously that a weed cutter be purchased at an approximate cost of £150. This substantial kit should make light work of undergrowth; agreed unanimously. It would be stored at Mill St.
2 Roger George suggested that his frequent loads of road planings or recovered tarmac would be well used at Ducketts farm as hardcore. This scrap is free as disposal is normally to an official dump.
Action Point - Andy Peters to discuss with the farm owner.
3 Working parties were discussed and set for the weekend of 2/3 June. Arrangements will be made for work on both waters.
4 Peter Brett queried the end of fishing at Fen Drayton. The consensus at this time is that it will finish at the end of May. Nothing is official as yet.
5 Graham Monk queried the reservoir offer status at Cantelupe Farm. Mark and Tony J have visited the water with estate staff and think that unless an offer is made nothing will happen. Dave Kennedy thinks that a five year lease should be discussed and Graham Monk suggested an offer of £300 as an opener as this would be the old Fen Drayton outlay and continued by saying that the club should take the initiative and send a letter.
6 Club fees: Graham Monk asked if there is to be a change. Mark Leach suggested a £1 increase. Richard Hiom suggested that the club was under valuing itself in the eyes of other clubs as the general sub is now £35 to £80 and we look “cheap”. Furthermore we would not be protecting our assets against inflation at a £1 increase with about 70 members. Discussion continued and the decision was made that fees would be: -
Associate£14
£14Members£12
£12Concession£7
£7Tickets will be available at the club rooms from May onwards
7 Further discussion of the tree situation at Cantelupe was made and the outcome was that even if the EA were involved all work would be sanctioned in conjunction with the estate. Tony Jeffrey asked if a letter had been sent on the subject to the EA. Dave Kennedy confirmed it had.
8 Graham Monk outlined to all the work he has started with Michael Garroway of Cambridge Sport Lakes. This will give the club some good input locally as he has been asked to draw up proposals for the layout and stocking of the lake so that it will appeal and be visited by anglers.
9 Ducketts Farm was raised as a point of discussion as it is the main asset outside Cambridge. Andy replied that the lease is OK for the next year at £200 and he is talking to the farmer on the parking problem. The parking area is unusable in winter. Use of the slabbed area at the front of the farm is being discussed with the possibility of a combination lock entrance. Now that the EA have attended to some work on the flood bank the farm owner is also considering some way of improving the state of the path to the river.
10 Mark Leach said the club name may change shortly as the club rooms will be “University Social Club”. More on this in future.
11 The dead baiting and night fishing rules were discussed as they have become impractical with the addition of Ducketts Farm on the book.
It was proposed by Mark and seconded by Chris Pascoe that the dead baiting rule be dropped and night fishing is banned at Cantelupe only. The club book to be amended; agreed unanimously.
12 Richard Hiom asked if more meetings were required to improve communication. He suggested quarterly and this was agreed to be noted in the club book or on the website. Proposed RH seconded Graham Monk.
Action point Mark Leach to amend club book or Dave Kennedy/Andy Peters to amend the website.
13 Mark Leach queried access to the Cantelupe main river by walking across Lindey Fen. This is diagonal from the car park. Some members were already using it and dog walkers have been for years. The subject was not thought important enough to clear with the estate if members were responsible in using it.
Meeting closed 22.05 hours
