National Council Member’s Report to No 4 Area Meeting on Saturday 10 July 2010

1.  The last meeting of the National Council took place on Wednesday 2 June, prior to Council embarking in the overnight ferry to Ouistreham for the annual Conference.

2.  The majority of the meeting was taken up with going through the minutes of the previous meeting from December, which included the involved task of reviewing the Association’s Rules being carried out by the Association Management Committee.  There was the usual concentration on the business for Conference, including all the Motions and agreeing Council’s views and responses to the Motions.

3.  The sad case of legal claims on Association members continues, however, our legal team are confident these will eventually be struck out and costs awarded against the claimant.  The case is due to be heard in August which is bound to bring about costs to the Association.

4.  There was little more of any major consequence other than Conference, except perhaps of interest that two Vice Presidents, S/m Stuart Thorn now resident in New Zealand, and S/m Fred Chambers with deteriorating health, would both be offered Life Vice Presidency in view of their inability to attend National Council Meetings, but nevertheless in recognition of valuable RNA service over many years at National level.

5.  So Conference will form the bulk of this report.  A Conference that saw the final appearance of our National Padre, Chaplain of the Fleet the Venerable John Green, who retires from the Fleet about now.  Also leaving was Paddy McClurg, our popular General Secretary over the past five years, who received a great standing ovation, and a presentation of framed letters sent to and from Buckingham Palace outlining his particularly outstanding loyal service to the Association.

6.  The National Standard and the Standard of the Normandy Region of the French Naval Association FAMMAC were marched on to begin the proceedings.
     The Mayor of Ouistreham opened Conference along with the First Sea Lord, who then addressed Conference, this year attended by just 63 delegates and some 50 observers.

7.  The presentation of National Awards followed:
     Sword of Honour for the Area with most recruiting - went to No 4 Area (again)
     Briggs Dirk for large branch recruiting                    - went to Plymouth (again)
     Briggs Rose Bowl for small branch recruiting         - went to Nottingham (No 9 Area)
     Overseas recruiting awards                                       - went to Riyadh and Natal
     Tasker Bowl for most Gift Aid returns                     - went to No 4 Area (again)

8.  Two new NCMs were elected.  No 5 Area S/m Richard Adstock replaced S/m Jan King and in No 10 Area S/m Charles Hutton replaced the only recently elected S/m Stirling Simmons.

Conference Motions:
9a.  It was necessary to produce amendments for the two Motions affecting the Royal Charter and the Rules, both from Watford dealing with voting.  This didn’t make very much difference to the outcome as both motions FAILED, with only 4 votes being cast in favour of each Motion. 

9b.  Branch Motions to be WITHDRAWN were:
No 1: from Watford on voting (resulting from the failure of the two constitutional Motions).
No 6: from Watford on a postal ballot.
No 7: from Helston on Conference date change - to be included in Conference Study Group.

 
9c.  Branch Motions NOT CARRIED were:
No 11: from Frome on holding three meetings per year – this lost by just 3 votes.
No 13: from Aquitaine on standard bearers wearing the carrying strap over the right shoulder.
 
9d.  Leaving the following Branch Motions ALL CARRIED:
No 2: from Chatham on Area NCMs having a duty to report freely and faithfully to their Areas.
No 3: from Chatham on establishing a common practice for electing NCMs and DNCMs.
No 4: from Isle of Sheppey on Standing Orders Committee members holding office for two  
          years to have a statement of support from their own branch.
No 5: from Helston on Conference Study Group to look at all aspects of Conference.
No 8: from Plymouth on allowing HM Ship/Establishment Executive WOs to attend Conference,   
          but, importantly without voting rights.
No 9: from Tyne on the 2012 Conference being held at Newcastle.
No 10: from Watford on branches seeking answers on Annual Report and Annual Accounts 
            direct from the General Secretary.
No 12: from Crosby on 2011 being made the RNA Year of National Recruitment.
No 14: from Gosport on increasing the amount payable by members towards an appeal.

10.  I was pleased to take part in a small sketch with Vice Chairman Chris Dovey revolving around Paddy’s very short career with the Association.  It seemed to go down quite well with the delegates and I don’t think Chris and I went too far over the edge with humour.

11.   The Association has no Chairman at the moment, a new one is due to be elected at the next Council Meeting.  In the meantime Chris Dovey is holding the position of Acting Chairman.

12.  Delegates seemed to have been accommodated in a reasonably convenient area in the town of Ouistreham and general comments I heard were mostly favourable.  The Conference venue was a splendid sports hall, the Stade Kieffer, which was transformed into a really attractive place, not just for Conference itself, but also for the lunch and later in the day for the Gala Dinner.  This Dinner was something new for Conference and follows normal routine in France.

12a.   The Saturday was a free day set aside for battlefield visits, private trips.  In the afternoon the Association hierarchy attended wreath laying at the British Memorial Garden near Caen, along with HQ 3 (UK) Div and Members of the British Friends of Normandy - which included our past National President Admiral Sir Desmond Cassidi.    

14.  On Sunday the National President, National Council and Venerable John Green attended the Kieffer Memorial to those involved with the D-Day landings nearby, along with a contingent of French commandos, the Maire of Ouistreham and civic dignitaries.  On lowering the National Standard and upon returning to the carry, our National Standard Bearer, S/m Bob Coburn, managed to clobber a band musician’s music stand, that was placed rather inappropriately right behind him - not once, but twice.  

15.   Later the usual Sunday parade, under the joint control of the National Ceremonial Officer and WO Rob Bainbridge (husband of our new HQ bookkeeper) paid respects at the Landing Craft Memorial next to the ferry terminal.  Wreaths were laid by the President, the Maire, various uniformed representatives, including FAMMAC - the French Naval Association. Afterwards the march led by HMS Collingwood’s Corps of Drums took a somewhat longer route than had been anticipated around the town, to finish by the town football ground.

16.  In spite of a few organisational difficulties that were hardly noticed, or had little effect on the proceedings, it was generally considered that the first Conference held abroad had gone down very well indeed.

17.  The next National Council Meeting will be held on 4 September when No 4 Area’s new NCM will take his seat.  My good wishes to Ken Knight and the best of luck.