AGM Minutes 12th April 2023 Part One
HALESWORTH TENNIS CLUB
1ST NEWSLETTER 2023-2024 SEASON
Draft minutes of the AGM 2023
The AGM was held on 12th April 2023 in the Pavilion at Dairy Hill
1. Welcome and Apologies
Simon Thackray (Chair) welcomed those present to the AGM.
Present
Trustees: Simon Thackray, Pam Fenner, Mick Binder, Lyn Burnett, Tessa Summers, Mike Davies, Nicola Frost
General members: Sue Foster, Ann Jones, Caroline Rodbourne, Scott Fishwick, Sheryl Meldram, Heather Laws-Smith, Mathew Hunt, Sarah Giles, Kate Batten-Phelps, Steve Burnett, Ross Wilson (Coach)
Apologies
Trustees: Charlotte Binder, Dan Sanders, Ben Sharratt
General members: Barry MacDonald, Shayne and Jane Davis, Lee and Zoe Morley, Roger Webb, Liz Cunningham, Christopher Jenkins, Pat Rennie
2. Approval of the minutes of the AGM 2022
Ahead of the 2023 AGM, the minutes of the 2022 AGM were circulated via email to all members. These were agreed as a correct record with one exception – Sue Foster’s name had been incorrectly written as ‘Sarah Foster’ in the Apologies. There were no matters arising from the minutes not otherwise covered within the agenda. These will be signed by Simon Thackray (Chair).
3. Officers Reports
(a) Report from the Chair
Simon Thackray read his Annual Report which is presented verbatim below. Additional comments/notes made at the meeting are underlined and in italics.
“It's been a year of calm & stability in Halesworth Tennis Club.
The Open Day early in the season brought in some new members and there have been a few additions as the year has progressed. However, because a few members have retired from tennis due to age or injury, the overall membership at the end of the year has remained roughly where we started at around 65 members. From where we were only a couple of years ago, we should be pleased that we have at least put the club on a sound foundation with sufficient income to cover outgoings and with a small surplus. About two years ago we went down to as low as 30 members.
In early summer, we experimented with a Round Robin Box League of mixed doubles. Only 8 pairings took this up; the intention is to go again with this in 2023 and maybe get a bigger take-up. This may also take on a different format.
We rejoined the Lowestoft League for the first time in quite a few years. The Club has struggled to have a hard core of members combining the necessary playing standard with the level of regular commitment to participate in inter-club league tennis. Using a squad system, we were able to meet our league commitments and not finish bottom of the league! We have committed the club to entering a team again this season.
I'd hoped to report that we had tied up the Club's security of tenure at Dairy Hill by entering into a 25yr lease with the freeholder, Halesworth Community Sport & Leisure. Whilst terms have been agreed, the documentation is still in the solicitors' hands and so not yet signed, sealed & delivered. I think I can say with confidence that we will get this over the line in the next few months. Mick Binder acknowledged on behalf of the Committee all the work done by Simon so far with matters relating to the lease. Simon emphasised his hopes that we were nearly there.
There are 2 big challenges facing us over the next couple of years. First, we need to ensure we have a united purpose. There was a point where there were spoken aspirations for quickly restoring the Club to a membership of over 100 members. There was a time over 20 years ago when the Club did apparently have a membership of around that number. Whilst this may happen, the way the Club is set up, its location, the nature of the surrounding area, we need to be content if we can hold our own at present levels. That does not mean complacency; if the Club does not continue to bring in around a dozen new members every year (that represents nearly 20% growth year on year), then the Club will decline simply because of the demography of the existing Club members.
The second big challenge is the decline of the courts' surface to the point they have virtually reached the end of their natural life. Three tennis court resurfacing companies have paid us a visit, inspected the courts, broadly agreed that the courts are beyond patching and require total resurfacing. They also broadly agree on price; including VAT which the Club cannot reclaim, the Club will need to find around £40,000. For any club, this would be a tall order but for a small club like Halesworth, it will be impossible without obtaining grant aid and possibly even a loan from Suffolk LTA. Once the new season gets underway, this project will be the highest priority to see if we can raise the money to make resurfacing possible in the autumn/winter 2023 or at worst, by the spring of 2024. As external grant funding tends to be more accessible if we can get matched funding, that means in effect raising 50% in-house i.e. £20,000. This must be done sooner rather than later. My proposal, subject to discussion, is to have a ringfenced pot, and we start the pot with 3 things – (i) the surplus we have already built up; (ii) we ensure our membership subscriptions are set at a level to create a small surplus; and (iii) we put out a request to all the membership asking for one-off voluntary donations which would be used for no other purpose than the court resurfacing. A suggested amount could be given but people could decide for themselves if they want to give more or less than the proposed amount. The more we raise as a club, the less we'll have to borrow or be dependent on grants being available. Matched funding was emphasized and explained. An increase in Membership subscriptions was proposed and agreed, which will be as follows: Single membership - £80 to £90, Family membership - £140 to £150 and Junior membership - £25 to £30.
Thank you to Ross Wilson, the professional allocated to our club by Heads-Up, for supporting the coaching programme for the second year. It is hoped that this relationship will kick on in 2023/24.
And last but by no means least, the Club does owe its thanks to the Trustees who give up their time to keep the Club alive and kicking. Without them all doing what they do, there would be no Halesworth Tennis Club. I've avoided naming individuals throughout this report as everyone performs a task, but I will conclude by giving special thanks to one person, Pam, who is stepping down as a trustee and as Club Secretary. She has served the club with great energy for many years and taken on several additional duties above & beyond the job description. So, it's a particularly big thank you to Pam. AGM attendees acknowledged all Pam’s efforts and contributions.”
(b) Finance – Treasurer’s Report
Mike Davis explained that after Barry MacDonald had stepped down as Treasurer at the AGM on 12/04/22 he took on the role of Co Treasurer alongside Ben Sharratt. At the 2023 AGM, Barry will be appointed as our auditor to ensure that our financial records and statements are accurate and completed properly. His appointment was proposed by Tessa Summers and seconded by Mike Davis. Mike presented a draft copy of the Final Annual Accounts for the year ending March 2023 which is to be audited by Barry. Mike went on to explain that we have had a relatively low year of expenditure (last year we had more wear and tear costs and general maintenance e.g. lights) and took attendees through some of the financial figures including the Total Funds amount of approximately £7,640.14, subject to the audit and remaining expenses. The accounts were accepted by Mick Binder. Mike then returned to the resurfacing of courts and the idea of ringfencing an amount of this surplus to go into the pot for new courts (introduced in the Chair’s report above). This would go alongside a slight increase in membership fees, voluntary donations and fund-raising in order to have the matched funding for grants etc. (see Chair’s report). Mike concluded that the overall look for finances is better than last year.
Sue Foster then thanked the Committee for the maintenance work done around the courts to improve Health and Safety. The wooden boards at the base of the fencing were particularly mentioned. Simon Thackray indicated outstanding invoices from HCSL (2 x £200) and Ross Wilson (approximately £200) which brings finances more in line with a typical year. Questions on the Accounts were invited from the floor but there were none.
4. Club Developments
(a) Membership Club Developments
Open Day
Simon Thackray outlined the Committee’s intentions to have the annual Open Day on Sunday, 28th May between 10am -1pm. This date falls at the start of the school half term holiday. Sue Foster advised that we check the local calendar to avoid clashes.
Coaching Programme 2023-2024
Ross Wilson indicated that he would continue to run an inclusive coaching programme with the following coaching sessions: individual lessons, group lessons, Tennis Xpress – explained by Ross as a coaching session for beginners and for those returning to tennis after a lengthy absence (known as ‘rusty rackets’), intermediate/advanced coaching at Club nights, junior coaching, Cardiotennis and the possibility (new to the Club) of Walking tennis. Ross is also going to offer some coaching deals to encourage more tennis at the club e.g. a package of 3 individual lessons for £60 (buy 2 get 1 free) and family lessons (£25 per hour). Sheryl Meldram indicated that Cardiotennis numbers have been very low and there followed various opinions on the cardio programme and what appeals to individuals with Heather Laws-Smith, for example, saying how she appreciates the familiarity of what Ross offers. Kate Batten-Phelps highly praised the session and Ross’s coaching.