Minutes of 2011 AGM - South Hams Theatre & Concert Club

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SOUTH HAMS THEATRE & CONCERT CLUB
Minutes of the SHTCC AGM held on Wednesday 16 November 2011
at the Mill Club (Royal British Legion, Western Backway, Kingsbridge TQ7 1QB)
1 Welcome and thanks
Nick Alen welcomed everyone present to the South Hams Theatre & Concert Club’s third AGM: 35 members
Bet Ackland, Kate Adkin, Lilian Bailey, Dennis Bastin, Jean Batstone, Sheila Blake, Nicky and Peter Boult, Valerie
Burkitt, Julian Davis, Audrey Day, Jo Farrell, Susan Froud, Alan Green, Evelyn Greenwood, Christine Hales,
Jennie and Brian Hayden, Marjorie Keller, Dick Lloyd, Jean Marr, Sylvia Matthews, Jayne Moore, Sheila Norris,
Anne Rainbow, Joan Savitsky, Jilly Smith, Rodney Strong, Pearl Tee, Stephen Thomas, Sheila Tootill, Gill White,
Greg Willson, Terry Withers, Josie Young; and 2 guests Dick Clegg (for Adrienne) and Chris Harrahone.
Nick thanked the Mill Club for providing the excellent facilities to the club at no charge and then introduced
the officers of the club [himself (Nick Alen, Chairman) and Anne Rainbow (Treasurer), Jo Farrell (Secretary)]
and the team of helpers: Val Burkitt, Eric Brisley and Jo Farrell of the Programme Committee; Brian Hayden
who organises the transport; Rodney Strong who looks after the website. Thanks were given to all, not
forgetting the coach monitors who look after things to and from an event.
Special thanks were made to Mick Salter, membership secretary, for his work in maintaining the club
membership records over many, many years.
Thanks also to Steve Parrott who examines our accounts and has agreed to do so for a further year; and to
Tally Ho! who are always helpful.
2 Apologies
Apologies and proxy forms were received from 14 members: Mrs M Barnett, Ann Earl, Derek Earl, Janice Ginn,
Esme Heath, Nick Heath, Betty Lowe, Patricia Markham, Bruna Nokes, David and Jo Odams, Joan Pincombe,
Jilly Smith, Susan Wright.
3 Minutes of Previous AGM
Proposed by Dick Lloyd and seconded by Val Burkitt, the minutes of the previous AGM held at the Mill Club
held at 10.30 am on Wednesday 17 November 2010 were accepted as a true record of the proceedings.
4 Matters Arising from the Minutes
The provision to make charity donations had been approved at the 2010 AGM, but such payments had been
put on hold because of the apparently difficult financial situation faced in 2011 and the option will be reviewed
again in 2012.
5 Presentation of Annual Report (Chair)
This being his third AGM as chairman of the club, Nick Alen had hoped to welcome Sarah Field (Group Booking
Officer) and Robbie Kings (Marketing Manager) of Plymouth's Theatre Royal to talk to the club about upcoming
productions and to give some insight into how a modern theatre runs. However, their visit had to be cancelled
due to unforeseen circumstances.
Nick was happy to report, though, that the club is healthy and with its ongoing modernisation, continuing
recruitment of new members and despite the challenge of rising costs, we are on course to celebrate the
club's 65th birthday in two years’ time and to enjoy 60 odd shows along the way.
In 2011, 852 seats were taken at 29 shows: the Birmingham Royal Ballet's Cinderella, Bournemouth Symphony
Orchestra, Holiday on Ice, National Theatre’s Hamlet, Glyndebourne's Die Fledermaus, Propeller's Richard 3,
To Kill a Mocking Bird, Midnight Tango, Goodnight Mr Tom, Alarms & Excursions, King and I, Yes Prime
Minister, Pitmen Painters, Agatha Christie's Verdict, One Man Two Guvnors, Top Hat and Legally Blonde. Only
Five Blue Haired Ladies failed to universally please.
In 2011, we cancelled fewer shows than previously, but some of them were a surprise such as: The Haunting,
Annie, Jekyll & Hyde, BBC Orchestra Summer Concert, Grease and Slava's snowshow. We had hoped to go to a
newly 'packaged' behind the scenes offer from the Theatre Royal which includes lunch but this was cancelled
by the theatre!
Looking forward, we have Glyndebourne's La Boheme, Billy Elliot (our first London trip), The Royal Marines
Concert, An Inspector Calls and Barbershopera this year and Katherine Jenkins, Holiday on Ice (La Tropicana),
BSO's New Year Gala Concert, the BBC Concert Orchestra, Phantom of the Opera (Two coaches going!), WNO's
La Traviata, Henry V by the Propeller Company, Sister Act and Cameron Mackintosh's Oliver.

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SOUTH HAMS THEATRE & CONCERT CLUB
The situation regarding BSO concerts has improved greatly. The building work has been done and the Great
Hall is being used again. Tickets are now available from the Phoenix Theatre, Exeter and they are working with
us in much the same way we work with other professional venues.
Nick aims to have quarterly Newsletters and Programmes but it doesn't always work out because the timing of
the venues all vary. Don't be surprised to see the occasional 'special' programme. In the future, this will be
made easier using e-mail, the web site and Facebook.
Last year, we said we'd continue to try to keep ticket prices low; as the accounts testify, we have accomplished
this. We fully intend to continue doing the same but we are, of course, having to deal with increased costs of
coaches (up 14% for a 49 seater) and theatres / concert halls. We are now using three coach sizes 49, 29 and
21 seaters. This gives the greatest flexibility and allows us to go the range of shows we want to.
Our special event in 2011, the coach trip to see Billy Elliot in London, has been well supported. So well, that
we are thinking of putting on a similar event next year, this time attending the World Shakespeare Festival
2012 in Stratford upon Avon. We will choose one of the RSC performances such as Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night
or The Tempest and will hope to go in mid summer.
Nick reminded members that 2012's subscriptions (£4 per person still!) are due on 1 January. Any renewal
cheques received before 1 January will be banked in the New Year. Nick advised that, due to rising
administrative costs and taking into account the current annual deficit on administration, the subscriptions
would be increased to £6 per annum per person from 2013. However, allowing for postage savings for those
who live at the same address, a joint membership of £10 for two people at the same address would also be
offered. Those who joined after 1 October would enjoy 15 months membership for the price of 12.
Finally, Nick announced, from this week's Gazette, that Dot Sloman died recently – her cremation will be at
Torquay 12.00 on Thursday 17th November. Nick gave a brief history of the Club giving special mention to June
and Peter Mills, Denis Bastin and Dick Lloyd, the latter two being present at the AGM. Nick then requested
members to give thought as to how we might celebrate our 65 th birthday.
6 Presentation of Accounts (Treasurer)
Anne Rainbow, in her role as Treasurer, had taken on the role of Membership Secretary on the resignation of
Mick Salter and echoed Nick’s praise for all the hard work Mick had done over the years. Anne also praised Jo
Farrell (Secretary) for her hard work in recording and banking monies for sales of seats. Anne added thanks to
the 150+ members who had already opted for payment of subscriptions by Standing Order forms.
Anne advised the meeting that, in early October, a reminder letter had been sent to any person on the
database who had not paid a subscription for 2011. This included people who’d simply forgotten to send their
cheque for 2011 but also those whose membership had lapsed in previous years, ever since records had been
computerised. The result was more than 30 rejoined members, with a flurry of cheques and lots of SO forms
with most subscriptions taking the member through to the end of next year.
Anyone who did not reply has now been removed from the electronic database and their bookings cards also
removed from Jo’s filing system. So, now, the database only contains information relating to current members.
There are 360 individuals living at 280 addresses – so a majority of single householders – and 263 ladies and 97
men.
Anne reported that Steve Parrott of Parrott & Parrott had agreed to compile the financial statements of the
SHTCC and that the accounts for the year ended 31 December had been approved by the committee and
distributed to members in advance of this AGM.
Anne presented the accounts with the following notes:
1. The joining fee was abolished with effect from 1 April 2010 resulting in a 'loss' of £72 for the 24 members
who joined after that date
2. Subscriptions payable by SO resulted in delay in receipt of 2011 subs. Only £126 was collected in advance
compared with £880 in 2009; a difference of £754.
3. There were 34 events; we negotiated 30 complimentary seats amounting to a saving of just over £500 for
the Club
4. 34 Tally Ho! coaches were used; for some shows we needed 2, for others we shared a coach between two
shows (Drum and Theatre Royal). We used the smallest possible to suit the number of bookings at the
club deadline: 21, 29 or 49 seaters. Cost for 2010 events was £6429, averaging £189 per coach.
5. Actual outgoings for 2010 were 34 x £25= £850. One tip prepaid in 2009 and 5 prepayments for 2011
6. Lunches had been run at a loss and it was decided that a higher charge, to break even, would result in
few booking them. So they were discontinued.

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SOUTH HAMS THEATRE & CONCERT CLUB
7. Taking into account payments/receipts which took place/relate to previous/next year, actual result was a
very small profit on events.
8. Taking into account the low subscription income, the actual result was a loss of less than £300.
Anne invited questions from those present.
Asked why have the subs gone down so much, Anne explained that it’s all about timing and the
introduction of SO in particular. It looks like subs have fallen from £1276 to £555, a drop of £721. Only
£126 was collected in advance compared with £880 in 2009; a difference of £754. So actually subs have
gone up, by £33. Had we not abolished the joining fee, it’d have gone up by £33 + £72 = £105.
Asked how come we were showing a loss of £4000, Anne confirmed that we didn’t. Having analysed the
events (rather than income and expenditure between two dates as is required for club accounting) we
made a loss of £126.51 on 35 events. The average loss of £3.60 per event reflects the aim to keep seat
prices to a minimum and not to make an overall profit in any one year.
Proposed by Anne Rainbow and seconded by Kate Adkin, RESOLUTION 1: To adopt the 2010 Accounts was
passed.
Proposed by Anne Rainbow and seconded by Dick Lloyd, RESOLUTION 2: To appoint Parrott & Parrott as
Independent Examiner for 2011/2012 was passed.
7 Election of Management Committee (Chairman, Secretary and
Treasurer)
For the purposes of the election of the Officers, the chair was handed to Brian Hayden.
Proposed by Jill Smith and seconded by Dick Lloyd, RESOLUTION 3: To elect Nick Alen as Chairman for
2011/2012 was passed.
Proposed by Dennis Bastin and seconded by Alan Green, RESOLUTION 4: To elect Jo Farrell as Secretary for
2011/2012 was passed.
Proposed by Valerie Burkitt and seconded by Nick Alen, RESOLUTION 5: To elect Anne Rainbow as Treasurer
for 2011/2012 was passed.
8 Any Other Business
The pricing of ‘coach only’ seats was queried and it was explained that the club’s intention was not to offer
very cheap coach-only seats as this was counter-productive; our aim is to fill a coach with those who buy
theatre seats through us.
Coach etiquette was discussed: recently those who were allocated front seats, because they were less mobile,
were asked to allow those at the back to alight first. It was agreed that this resulted in a quicker offloading
time for the majority on a coach and a safer exit for those with sticks or crutches. It was suggested this
procedure be emphasised in a forthcoming newsletter.
There was a request to put on more matinee performances, especially in the winter months.
It was noted that lunches at the Theatre Royal could be booked in advance but that this had to be done early
to avoid disappointment.
Thanks were given to the Committee for their stewardship of the club in the past year and for agreeing to
continue.
9 Date of Next Meeting
Nick thanked everyone present for coming to the meeting and advised them that the next AGM will be on
Wednesday 14 November 2012.
The meeting closed at noon.