The Fire Brigade Society Agenda for the 2016 Annual General Meeting (As detailed under Clauses 20 and 22 of The Fire Brigade Society Constitution) to be held on Saturday 24 September 2016 at 18.30 hours at London Fire Brigade 169 Union Street London SE1 0LL (1) Welcoming Address (2) Appointment of Chair (the President or his appointed deputy) (3) Advice of Minutes Secretary (4) Apologies (5) A Moment of Reflection for The Society (6) Receive and approve the minutes of the AGM held at Friday 11 th September 2015 at 1930 hours at The Fire Service College, London Road, Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire GL56 0RH and printed in Fire Cover 210 (November 2015). (7) Matters arising (8) The Annual Report (9) Receive and consider the accounts of The Society for the financial years to: 31 March 2014 (As published in Fire Cover 206 and now posted on Society's web site) 31 March 2015 (As published in Fire Cover 210 and now posted on Society's web site) 31 March 2016 (As posted on the FBS website / supplied as mandated by individual members) The Treasurer s report on the financial position of The Society and the Auditor s report on The Society accounts (10) The President s Address (11) Working Party Reports (12) Consider notices of motion duly submitted in accordance with Constitution clause 20(2) (13) Transaction of business that may be specified for the meeting (14) Rose and Bob Bonner Award (15) Bob Herbert Award (16) Other awards and presentations (17) 2017 Annual General Meeting Society Visit and Overseas Visit (18) Any matters for the remainder of the AGM weekend
PRESIDENT'S REPORT Looking back on last year s report and the rash commitments that were made at the AGM for us to consult with the whole membership so that we might address emerging issues, I m not sure that any of us realised just what a Pandora s box had been opened! The World has changed considerably of late not just in terms of the public environment and that of the Fire & Rescue Services, but also in terms of our own members, their expectations of membership and attitudes towards volunteering and helping-out. It was only right then that we drew breath and consulted on what next. The survey response was remarkable (if a little unexpected). Well over half of the membership went to great length to return their forms and to add to it with extensive comments. I hope that in listening closely, on the back of some sterling work by your committee and management team, we ve managed to distil what could have been an overwhelming response into a number of manageable work areas focused on the issues you felt most strongly about. The resulting agenda is daunting and will leave the Society looking and feeling very different than in the past but, we hope that with the dedication and hard work of those that step-up to the mark and those who clearly care so much, we will keep secure the aspects of membership so valued by the majority of you (especially Fire Cover) whilst renewing and refreshing our approach to governance, finances, management and communications. Such is the scale of what we now face that I took the unprecedented step of asking for your support in extending the term of the existing team a further year in order to maintain momentum. This Society has some remarkable people who are giving up much of their spare time to make it what we would all wish and I cannot thank enough those of you that took the time to show your support for them through the ballot. I know that they have appreciated the volume of support and I add my voice to that. I ve left my final word this year to address membership. A key theme of concerned survey responses was the increasing age profile, diminishing numbers and long-term sustainability of the Society if current trends continue. This has been heard loud and clear and we are working on some new initiatives to make the Society more appealing to a younger and more diverse membership BUT we need your help! Please actively seek-out prospective new members and extol the virtues of this remarkable and special organisation wherever possible. It is not only a vital custodian of the history of the UK Fire Service, it also embodies many of the values that we hold so dear in what seems to be an ever-shrinking public sector. As I write this report, I am delighted to note that membership is actually increasing for the first time in many years. I would ask us all to take this matter to heart and to personally make it our mission to spread the word and add to our now growing numbers in the year ahead. Many thanks for your ongoing support for the Committee and management and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in the coming year. Jon Hall QFSM President EDITORIAL TEAM'S REPORT The Society's publications arrive with members not only as a result of the Editorial Team s efforts, but also as a result of the proof reader, Charles Keevil, and the team at MP Printers, Phil Pease, Mike Pease and Liz Shairp. As a result of the way in which MP now processes Fire Cover, assisting the stabilisation of production costs (See details following), all work for Fire Cover is carried out 'in-house'. Liz Shairp previously carried out all the processing of Fire Cover, including final layout, as a 'sub-contracted out-worker' to MP. Liz no longer is involved with Fire Cover due to the change above. Because of the unstinting work she did in enabling production of our journal, over most of the period the Editorial Team has operated, much over and above what she was contracted to, The Committee awarded her a 'Certificate of Service'. The first non-member to be so honoured. The Distribution Manager is key to the final stage of the Fire Cover process. Fire Cover distribution is now carried out by Richard Williams, aided by his wife Mary, who is also a Society member. We thank all those involved in our publications for their unstinting work on behalf of The Society's membership. During the period of this report, April 2015 to March 2016, the Team delivered Fire Covers 208 to 211. Issue 208 was 60 pages plus cover, 209 was 56 page plus cover and 210 and 211 were 52 page plus cover editions. With the continued co-operation of our printers in reducing production runs below the economic quantity of 1,000 copies, together with other 'cost saving initiatives', all the Fire Covers produced in 2015-16 were at the 2014-15 cost rates.
The Editorial Team continually strives to keep production costs down. However, our printers are still confronted with increases, significantly the cost of energy and materials. We are pleased to report that as a result of the Editorial Team working with our printers, including efficiencies in the way we jointly operate, MP will not be increasing the production cost of our publications for 2016. However, MP Printers have indicated that it is likely that an increase in the order of 2-3% must be expected for the year 2017. All communications and movement of copy for Fire Cover, between our printers and the Editors is now carried out using 'cloud technology' established and moderated for us by MP. This has reduced the Editorial Team's running costs significantly. The final layout of Fire Cover has always been carried out by one, or a maximum of two, Editors travelling to MP at Thame, this process being in operation well before the Editorial Team was established. This not only had a cost implication with regards expense claims, it also resulted in the Editors having to spend often long days travelling to Thame and at the printers to conclude layout. From Fire Cover 209 layout has been carried out remotely using the new publishing suite MP now employ coupled with cloud technology. Although Fire Cover 208 was laid-out on site at MP in Thame, as the Editor who carried this out was accompanied by his wife and after layout they used the opportunity of being in Oxfordshire for 'personal social reasons' no claim for travel to and from Thame was raised. The 'overhead costs' over and above the production and distribution of Fire Cover are detailed below in this report with previous year's costs for comparison. The Editorial Team are now at a position that they believe that no more economies are available to them without reduction in the quality of our publication, which we are at pains not to embark upon. Distribution costs for Fire Cover are very significant and historically attract annual increases. We have for a number of years used Unimail to distribute Fire Cover as it delivered economies. However, from Fire Cover 209 distribution reverted back to Royal Mail as the cheapest method. Fire Cover is now delivered to the Distributor's home by MP, where it is enveloped, labelled and distributed via a local Post Office. As always distribution will be monitored to achieve the most cost effective and reliable method. It should be noted that the last increase in membership subscriptions, in April 2011, only served to redress the increases in the cost of distributing our publications since the previous increase in April 2006. Fire Cover has been the vehicle for relaying important information to the membership via the 'Information' section, or inserts such as What's On and the AGM Agenda and Annual Reports. Through the initiative launched at this year's membership renewal for members to elect to receive such notices electronically, or by download from The Society's web site, the Editorial Team are co-operating with Committee to reduce the 'Parish Notices' in Fire Cover so copy space can be utilised for articles. It should be noted that the move away from inserting the Annual Reports in Fire Cover has allowed this Editorial Team Report to be more comprehensive than previous reports. The Editorial Team wishes to encourage members to consider opting for electronic communication as it not only reduces The Society's operating costs, it frees up pages in Fire Cover and reduces the amount of items that need enveloping at the distribution stage. The income to produce our publications is raised from membership fees, The Society Sales Unit, donations, or the sale of donated items. An increase, or decrease in membership, has an effect on what can be delivered in the way of Society publications, as does a fall in Sales Unit revenue. As Fire Cover (and other publications) represents the most tangible item the majority of members receive for their membership, as in previous years it is the Committee s resolve to maximise investment in this facet of The Society. Again we would like to sincerely thank all our contributors, our regular correspondents to Fire Cover and all those who send reports and information for Area News. Without their invaluable support we could not produce publications. We rely heavily on articles and photographs from members and these are always welcome. We extend sincere thanks to them all for their assistance over the past year. EDITORIAL TEAM'S OPERATING COST (in addition to printing and distribution) FINANCIAL YEAR 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 TRAVEL 447.85 251.26 NIL POSTAGE 86.84 37.26 4.66 OTHERS 12.99 NIL NIL TOTAL 547.68 288.52 4.66 Please note that as the above expenses were claimed after the end of the financial year they were incurred, in accounting terms they appear in The Society Accounts in the year settlement of expense claims took place.
One Editor did not make a claim in respect of 2015-16 as a personal gesture, but this should not be construed as setting any form of precedent. It should be noted that the last 'face to face' Editorial Team Meeting was on 25/10/2012, all subsequent Team meetings being carried out electronically. PRODUCTION SUMMARY FOR FINANCIAL YEARS REPORTED 2013-14 Five Fire Covers produced 50th Anniversary 2014-15 Four Fire Covers produced, including the largest Fire Covers published in the history of The Society (Fire Cover 206 & 207 with 72 pages plus cover each), plus the Merryweather Special Publication (the largest Special Publication ever produced with 130 pages plus cover) 2015-16 Four Fire Covers produced We close in re-stating that the Editorial Team remains committed, within the constraints of the resources available to them, to a highly professional approach to producing and delivering consistently fine quality Society publications. Fire Cover remains as the very 'keystone' of The Fire Brigade Society and long may it prosper. Les Edkins, Mike Smith and Ralph Horton Editorial Team MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY'S REPORT The past year can best be described as one of consolidation. It was my first full year of acting as Membership Secretary, and apart from an 'IT blip', and a couple of delays due to illness, went quite well. The renewals, which came in either electronically or by post during March and April, were despatched within the 2-3 weeks stated in the reminders. This year, (2016-2017) because I now knew, basically, what I was doing, went even smoother. Late renewals trickled in throughout the year, as did a fair number of new members. The number of members at the end of the year stood at 588 (520 full UK, 40 International, and 28 Associates) This is a considerable drop in numbers from the end of 2014 2015, when the total was 680 of all classes. Sadly, there were a number of long standing members who passed away during that year, but most noticeable was that the biggest proportional losses were in the Society Areas where the was no Area Secretary and little activity. This loss of numbers was one of the stimuli which prompted The President to conduct his review. Where possible either myself, or the Area Secretaries, contacted the members who had not renewed, either to remind them, or to seek feedback as to why they did not continue with their membership. There was very little feedback which came to me; most of the people I contacted did not respond, and those that did cited financial restrictions, and expressed an intention to rejoin when funds allowed, or a loss of interest in the hobby generally. Unfortunately, as brigades contract, callouts reduce, and machines become more and more similar, it is going to be an increasing struggle to maintain interest in the fire and rescue services. A number of initiatives are being discussed to try and address the problem, particularly in relation to the recruitment of younger members. Those already under way have had some success, with at least 10 former members rejoining, and a steady trickle of new members flowing in. We all need to do more though. We will also be looking at ways of improving, or streamlining our electronic payments offering, in order to reduce costs, both for The Society, and the members. I would like to thank Gordon Whitehead for his continued support in looking after the PayPal and GoGardless systems for The Society, and for always supplying me with sage advice when asked. Finally, it would be remiss of me not to thank Mary for the time and effort she puts in helping me both with the membership administration, and most particularly with the timely distribution of 'Fire Cover'. Richard Williams Membership Secretary SALES UNIT'S REPORT This will be the last report that I will be making to The Society as I have decided to retire from the post of Sales Manager after serving for sixteen years. Sales turnover for the financial year 1st April 2015-31st March 2016 was just over 5,300 which is an increase on the previous year s (2014-15) turnover of 4,000. The 2013-14 turnover was 6,500 (Please note these figure are not all profit).
The stock value (an asset to the accounting bottom-line) will be established post 2016 AGM. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting the Sales Unit over the years in particular during the last sixteen years when I have been running it. I hope that somewhere in the membership there is someone who is prepared to take on the post as it should be remembered that all profits from the Sales Unit go into The Society Accounts, which has helped in keeping down membership costs and secondly assisting in financing the production of Fire Cover and Special Publications. Eddie Baker Sales Manager TREASURER'S REPORT I am pleased to report that in this year we have a surplus of 2,188.79. The presentation of the figures has been carried out and reported in a consistent form over many years. However, following questions from members on some aspects of the expenditure, I have presented more detailed figures on the type of expenses incurred. I have gone back and carried out analysis on the previous year to allow comparisons. I advise that our largest expense, that of producing and distributing Fire Cover, has been looked at by the Editorial Team and Distribution Manager. Ralph Horton, on behalf of the Editorial Team, has been negotiating with our printers to avoid the normal 'trade price increases' in the industry. We have incurred an increase of only 0.02%. Richard Williams, who carries out the task of distribution, has investigated postal costs and has now advised that the old method of using stamps is now the cheapest method. (See also the Editorial Team's Report) Savings on distribution have also been made by greatly limiting the number of complimentary copies of Fire Cover. The continued use of subscriptions being received directly into the bank and payments out, mostly by BACS, has kept costs down. I thank the Committee for keeping their expenses claimed down to a minimum and using e-mails as much as possible. Since the end of the Financial Year, following the President`s Review, a Finance Working Party has been formed, with Alan Field (Lead), Les Edkins and Steve Dodge joining me, to review all aspects of income and expenditure and establish best value for members. I have advised the Committee that with the Finance Working Party in place, and their investigations concluded, I do not recommend an increase in subscriptions for next year. I welcome any member`s comments or questions on the accounts and ask that they are sent direct to me by post or e- mail, to enable me to have all documentation to hand. Contact details are in Fire Cover, on page 1. This will avoid undue time being taken up at the AGM. However, general comments on the accounts at the AGM can still be made. Brian Jackson Treasurer