AGM Minutes 2024

AGM Minutes

Wednesday 17^th April 2024

Flaunden Village Hall

Attendees:   Annabel Heathcote – Chair

Penny Powell – Secretary

Gaynor Barrett – Treasurer

Val Sceats – Membership Secretary (stepping down from this role)

Sue Hughes-Thomas – Membership Secretary (new)

Claire Carpentier – Social Events Co-ordinator

Nicky Park – Social Media Co-ordinator

Jenny Element – Quiz Organiser

Saira Bunnage (Committee member stepped down 2023)

Emily Edwards

Debbie Couchman

Tessa Baylis

Christina Coltrini-Magowan

Angela Mario-Metuarii

Joanne Brett

Emma Stevans

Kirsty Parsons

Angela Burgin

Sue Deane

Antonia Thoday

Kate Elphinstone

Malcolm Mitchel

Valerie Lofty

Millie West

Bella West

Louise West

Nora McFadden

Katie Naylor

June Hern

Angela Kemp

Carol Fletcher

Laura Saalfeld

 

Apologies:   Nicky Barrett (committee member stepping down)

Judy Camp – Flaunden, Chipperfield & Sarratt BHS Access Officer

Tom Beeston – Chief Officer, Chiltern Society

Georgia Dilley

 

1. Chair’s Report

It has been another busy year for the Bridleways.  We now have online membership renewal and the communication within the horsey world over tracks and bridleways seems to have worked well with Facebook, Instagram and Whats App.

CVBA have introduced the ‘sharer’ option for Membership as you, the members, have requested. We still have discs at this point in time, so we can identify our riders who have renewed, and we are introducing the yard option on the form again, so we can see how many horses are where in the area.

We kicked off the year, with a Yard Reps meeting in June, and this is a great way of keeping an ear on what is going on in the area.  There are increasing places/yards popping up all over the area, and so it is paramount we keep on top of the horses using the small amount of actual Bridleways and permissive tracks.

The need for ALL riders to become members has come up more than once this year, due to the permissive track clearance that we have carried out on non-license tracks (Moonshine and the Memorial Track) being the prime examples.

We had an uber successful Quiz night, many thanks to ALL those who organised and attended the event. I am pleased to say we will be holding another one in October this year. The date will be released in the next month or so. Jenny Element confirmed this.

The New Year’s Ride goes from strength to strength, with us (CVBA) making a profit for the first time since we started running it.

We then had a huge shock to the CVBA system when Shelagh Nicholls and Carol Hannah, two major landowners, sold and left the license track and permissive tracks in jeopardy.  Whitedell Farm is not a licensed track and was purely given to us with Carol Hannah’s goodwill.  Lee Gilmour is honouring that agreement for the foreseeable future, but we must not take it for granted.  Newhall Farm was the very first licensed track for the CVBA and has been a staple to the great off road riding facility that we can provide and is unique to the area.

Tuffs Farm, Frenches Farm and Chipperfield House have also changed hands in this year. I believe Chipperfield House are now renting Frenches Farm fields as they have an equine interest, judging by the amazing post and rails now in the grounds! (One or two of the members attending suggested that it is used for breeding and training show jumpers by Gill Nash’s nephew TBC).

The Committee have worked tirelessly this year, all volunteers, some of us work full time, and have taken time out every month and even had days off to get trained on running the website, and membership queries. We were sad to lose Saira Bunnage and Nikky Barrett from the committee this year due to work pressures. We thank them for stepping up to join the committee in the first place! We secured a new treasurer in the year, welcome to Gaynor Barrett, who has a wealth of banking and financial expertise.  We even have a debit card now, who knew! Val Sceats especially, who has negotiated, placated and spent more hours than I can remember sorting out the access to Newhall Farm and securing the track at Whitedell Farm. She also saw the transition from paper to electronic membership which has been a major project.  A presentation of flowers and a bottle were made with thanks.

We are no further forward, I am afraid, on the Metro Track whose lease agreement ran out last year.  We had it for 10 years.  There are extensive works, with associated costs, that without a significant input form the Chorleywood horse fraternity, we cannot commit to at this time.

The FD1Track here in Flaunden has raised its head due to the resurfacing, I am not going to dwell on it, but we are hoping for some resolution with the Dacorum & Parish Councils!!

And finally, thank you to the Committee who are all willing to stand again, and special thanks to Sue Hughes–Thomas who will be taking on the mammoth task of membership secretary.

I did suggest that I would only ‘babysit’ for 2 years, and that time is up, however I am happy to steer the Committee for another year if I am needed.

We are here for you lot, so we would like to hear from you, maybe join as a committee member, yard representative or perhaps you would like to run a project for us?  We did a horse count over 20 years ago, and we would like to understand how many horse owners /riders we look after in our area.  Is this something a couple of you maybe able to fit into your schedules?  Debbie Couchman offered time for a special project.

Dates for your diary, another escorted ride on Sunday 19 May from the Plough BUT that needs to be confirmed.

 

2. Treasure’s Report

Paper Reports are on chairs around the hall, please take a look.  Income for 2023-24 = £5166.10, Expenditure for 2023-24 = £11,366.92.  The Current Account had, at the end of the Financial Year, £914.92, and the Business Reserve Account £5,621.91.

 

3. Retirement and Re-election of the Committee

The Committee, Penny Powell, Gaynor Barrett, Val Sceats, Sue-Hughes-Thomas, Claire Carpentier, Nicky Park and Jenny Element was proposed by Caroline Geary and seconded by Katie Naylor, and duly re-elected.

Annabel Heathcote was proposed by Penny Powell to carry-on as Chair and seconded by Angela Kemp.

Both motions were carried.

Saira Bunnage and Nicky Barrett both stood down from the committee during the year.

Christina Coltrini-Magowan, Siobhan Fox and Carol Fletcher have all expressed an interest in joining (or re-joining) the Committee.

 

The AGM closed at 8.10pm.