DRAFT MINUTES OF THE AGM OF THE NATIONAL PIGEON ...



MINUTES OF THE AGM OF THE NATIONAL PIGEON ASSOCIATION OF GREAT BRITAIN HELD AT BLACKPOOL SHOW 20th JANUARY 2007

Present: Chairman, President and Secretary and 18 other members.

The President opened the meeting and welcomed all those who were present and asked that we have one minute’s silence in honour of NPA Members who have passed away during the past year.

1. APOLOGIES

A & M Roscoe, P. Littlewood, R. Henderson

2. YOUNG FANCIERS AWARD

Samuel Forder is the recipient and the award has already been presented to him by the Secretary as he had to catch a ferry back to his home in Ireland this morning.

3. MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM.

Proposed that we accept the minutes as a true record. P. Pratt

Proposal seconded B Brock.

Carried.

4. MATTERS ARISING

Minute 8a from AGM Minutes 8th January 2006. J Surridge commented that the Young Bird Show

had a good number of entries, which was a good start in its first year as a Championship Show.

5. TREASURER/ RING SECRETARY REPORT.

The Treasurer asked if there were any questions from the accounts.

A Member asked why there was a £3,000 deficit; the Treasurer replied that this was due to a significant decrease in Memberships and ring sales.

6. DECLARATION OF BALLOT FOR CHANGES TO THE CONSTITUTION

a) 1. To add to the Constitution under section A, making a subsection 3b.

That all proposed Officers of the Association must either be Members or be eligible for

Membership to the Association to be able to hold a post as an Officer of the Association

Yes Votes 37, No Votes 1

Carried

b). 2. To replace rule 3 paragraph 6

The President and Vice President shall only have full voting rights if elected by ballot onto the

National Committee. If not elected by ballot they shall have advisory rights only

To replace rule 3a

The appointment of Secretary, Ring Secretary & Treasurer will be by the National Committee as required. These appointments shall only have full voting rights if elected by ballot to the National Committee. If not elected by ballot they shall have advisory rights only.

Yes Votes 34, No Votes 4

Carried.

c). 3.Quorum. To replace the existing rule with

Meeting of the National Committee may commence but cannot cast votes unless 50 percent (number will be rounded up) of the voting members are present.

Yes Votes 33, No Votes 5

Carried

d) 4. To replace rule 13 subsection 4.

The National Committee will be reduced by one member per annum until the year 2010, which

will result in a Committee of nine elected members, each of whom shall serve for three years after

which time they must stand down. Retiring members may seek further periods of office.

Yes Votes 28, No Votes 10

Carried.

Mr B. Brock commented that there had been a disappointing number of votes returned, however

the President said that there had been an overwhelming yes to the changes.

7. CHAIRMANS REPORT.

The Chairman reported that there were to be no financial changes at this stage. The Chairman went on to say that the rules that Defra had now put in place would be there indefinitely, there would be no changes for the foreseeable future.

The Chairman finalised by thanking all that had been involved in putting the Blackpool Show together and those who had supported the event.

7a. PRESIDENTS WELFARE REPORT.

The President began his report by saying, we are fortunate that last year and this year to date we

have had no further cases of Avian Influenza in the U.K.

The ramifications of the turmoil caused by Defra instruction to cancel many of our shows last year

are still with us.

Membership has fallen by some 12.5% and ring sales some 15%.

The picture, however, may not be quite so bleak, as I know that some breeders, fearful of what

might happen, did not renew their membership, whilst others deliberately bred less young ones.

The threat of Avian Influenza, will I fear be with us for many years to come.

In April of this year we shall see the New Animal Welfare bill becoming law.

This bill focuses in particular on the five degrees of freedom:

Namely

• Hunger

• Thirst

• Disease

• Distress

• Natural behaviour

As a safeguard the NPA has issued care leaflets. From April 2007 it will be mandatory for you to supply some form of care leaflet when you supply pigeons to a new breeder.

The issue of natural behaviour will no doubt be discussed at forthcoming NPA committee

meetings.

The President finished his report stating that there is one other topic of legislation under discussion

and that is the Transport of livestock Directive and both John Surridge and I will be closely

monitoring the situation.

7b PROPOSAL FOR A NEW ACCOUNTANT.

There is a necessity to change Accountants to one closer to the new Treasurer.

Proposal for a new Accountant from Mr K Pratt, seconded by Mr N. Dawyd.

Amendment to proposal that we remain with the current Accountant from Mr B. Brock, no

seconder therefore 1st proposal carried. Accountant to change to Mrs J. Harrison.

8. ANY OTHER BUSINESS ALLOWED BY THE PRESIDENT.

Mr J. Roper said that he had been in contact with members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons and had spoken and written to a number of them voicing concerns about the fact that they are voting on legislation regarding birds and pet fairs and this is something that they know little if anything about. Mr Roper had offered them his assistance in showing them the difference between a pet fair and one of our shows; they had all declined his offer.

The Chairman Mr Surridge said that in his experience of meetings with Defra it had become evident that there were Defra Vets that knew little or nothing in regard to this.

Mr R. Greenwood commented that in his opinion the fancy did itself no favours by having sale pens at shows, the Chairman said that this would be looked into in Committee in the future, however it would cause problems for fanciers to not be able to pass on birds if sale pens were not available at shows.

Mr Brock said that there had been complaints about the sale pens at the show here, Mr G Bates asked where the complaints had come from, were they from the fancy or racing side, Mr Brock replied, the complaints were from both. Mr Bates responded that the problems need to be addressed quickly. Mr N. Dawyd said that he thought it would have been better to exhibit and then sell the birds, Mr Surridge said that the birds were originally supposed to have been exhibited and judged prior to sale but the RPRA had said they didn’t want empty exhibit pens.

Mr Dawyd said he felt the classification of the schedule should be looked at, Mr Surridge replied that the classification had been done in such a way to make it very competitive, The President concluded by saying that these matters would be looked at and addressed to make things better for future shows at Blackpool.

Mr P Pratt thanked the Officers and Committee of the Association for keeping members informed of ongoing items with special thanks to the Secretary Tracey, who ran the NPA Office in a very professional manner.

The President said, and finally, a warm welcome to any new members of the NPA who are here today and I sincerely hope that we all work closely together for the good of our hobby.

The President declared the meeting closed.

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